Tune Man

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
My California Audio Labs Icon II Powerboss had stopped working and was going to be expensive to repair so i set out to find a replacement. I first tried the Cambridge Audio Azur 640C V1. A decent player for the money but not even close to the CAL. I sold the Cambridge and decided I would have to spend more to get the sound I wanted. I bought a Arcam Diva 82T and really liked the ergonomics, but found the sound very dissopointing. Very sterile with a small soundstage. I decided to try the Jolida JD-100A. I liked it better than the previous 2 players right away. Warm sounding with a big soundstage. I had the stock Chinese tubes in it and decided to try upgrading to new production Mullard Cryo-treated tubes which sounded different but not really better. Then I decided to try some NOS tubes and got a good deal on some GE 5751 from the 60's. Wow!
What an improvement! Soundstage was no bigger, but detail and bass improved dramatically. The great thing about this player is by changing Tubes you can change the sound (drastically in some cases) and fine tune it to the components it's matched to. I highly recommend this player! Much better than anything else I've heard in it's price class.

Strengths:
Big smooth open soundstage. Fantastic on female vocals. Very balanced sound that can be fine-tuned by changing Tubes.

Weaknesses:
NOS Tubes sound better than the new production Tubes and allthough they are a great upgrade to this player can be quie expensive. But look around and you can get a great deal. I only paid $ 25 for a pair of GE 5751 NOS Tubes and the improvement was unbelivable. In my IMHO a much better buy than $ 350 NOS Mullards, which are very nice.

jazz cat

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
1 to 3 months

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
This unit has transformed previously unlistenable CD's into something which is enjoyable. I would suggest that anyone that is curious about whether tubes are all they are cracked up to be to demo them at a local high end retailer. One of the best purchases I have ever made.

I usually don't badmouth dealers unless they really deserve it and so I would like to relate my experience with
the PARTS CONNEXION which is run by Chris Johnson in Burlington Ontario. I live a few miles from him and was looking forward to dealing with him. He assured my that he could sell me an unmodified unit but eventually changed his mind in the most cowardly way by refusing to return my calls once it probably sunk in that his profit margin would be lower. So sad, no returned calls or emails, and just because he was ashamed and realized that he misled me. Will report to Better Business Bureau. Hope he goes under for lying to customers. I will spread this account on every forum I visit. Every action has an equal reaction Chris! Shame on you.

wpm

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
1 to 3 months

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
The Jolida JD-1501A solid-state/vacuum tube hybrid integrated amplifier and Jolida JD-100A vacuum tube CD player. I purchased these components as a pair so the context of this review reflects the use of both units.

This is the combo that will have all the big-rig makers afraid. Three reasons: first, they are made in China. Second, they are inexpensive. Third, and most importantly, they sound awesome! Well, I can add a forth to this list; they are very well made, too.

No need to wax over what other reviewer’s have already said, except to add that this paring has replaced an “all-tube” USA made, mono-block system valued at over $5K. I have absolutely no regrets in selling off the mono system; I only wish I had stumbled upon these Jolida’s before shelling out all that green.

If, like me, you have grown tired of perpetually swapping out audio gear, then this is the system for you. It’s one that you can simply set-up and immediately start enjoying the music with. Forget about the “high-end” components. Rubbish! This system makes music, plain and simple.

From top to bottom this system delivers. It is transparent, dynamic, and the bass on my Vandersteen 1B’s has never sounded better. Right out of the box they sounded fabulous, but give them some break-in time and everything opens up and smoothes out.

I experimented with different tubes and found that, for my ears and liking, a pair of Amperex 12AU7’s (yes, 12AU7’s can be used) in the amp and Penta Labs 12AX7’s in the CD player sounded best. Your results may vary, so experiment to your heart’s content. There’s no wrong combination.

I am very pleased with these two Jolida products and they will be with me for a very long time. And, the nicest thing is that I was able to purchase a 50-inch plasma television with the left over money from the mono amp system sale!

Strengths:
Wonderfully smooth and coherent sound from top to bottom, with great bass. Plug it in and forget about it convenience . Price. May be the last audio components you will ever need.

Weaknesses:
Might leave you feeling guilty about the price you paid for such fabulous sound.

Similar Products Used:
Too many to list, and most were over priced and over hyped.

abcxyz

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
1 to 3 months

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 1.00 votes

Price Paid:  $500.00 from used

Summary:
I am very pleased with this cd player. It is very engaging. It is very detailed and does voices very well. It was able to bring the excitement of Who's Next out where I had to hear the whole Cd non-stop. It is engaging as in bringing you into the groove when I hear James Brown's Foundations of Funk. You just get lost in the music. Also, buying it used, it was the least expensive cd player of all the players I ever had new or used in my home.
It has a solid remote that will not break or lose its imprint with hand use.
It does have random, repeat one and repeat all which all I use and find that spices up the musical listening session all the more.
I am speaking of stock model. I did however change the 12ax7s in it to the Electroharmonic 12ax7 that offer a more revealing even brghter edge and with tube amp already in use, it is nice to balance out the warmth and add these tubes here at the source of things.
It will also benefit from your favorite interconnect to open up the sound even clean it up more. I used a Tara Lab Prism 2200 to achieve this.
If you are like me and like the quickness of the 1501A or the bloom of the 302B and thought hard about what cd player would have the same consistency with these amps, I found out the JD100 is the one! They sound VERY well together.
Glad that I saved some money on the purchase and very happy with my system now, I needed to pipe up and say so!

Strengths:
-With the tube design, it sounds very musical and engaging.
-Can be further improved via tube-rolling (I just started doing it)
-Under a $1000 new and when the purchase goes right, a used model price is a steal.
-Solid remote piece. Will not fall and break or chip so easily.
-Remote features ie. Random which some high-end players don't have now.
-Reads and plays CD-Rs immediately and without a problem.
-Headphone jack output for latenight listening.
-Player has its own volume control for Headphone jack so you directly without any amp whatsoever.
-Solid casing and weighty which always helps in eliminating any unforeseen eternal vibration.
-Matches very well with Jolida's 1501A Hybrid or 302B tube amps.

Weaknesses:
-Does not upsample or identify HDCD cd's as such if that really matters.
-Basically nothing to speak of at this price-point.

Similar Products Used:
Cary 308T, 308, Arcam FMJ23, Meridian 506, Naim 5i, Rega Apollo, Arcam CD92, 62T.

Price Paid:  $600.00 from hometheaterinsider.n

Summary:
Very overhyped product has me scratching my head. Yes, tubes do impart a rich, startling midrange, however at a loss of treble refinement and extension. Bass is full and pretty darn good, the problem with the CD player is PRAT. There is No "Drive" to the beat of rock music. Tube rolling is a mixed bag. Everything sounds slightly better than the stock (in my unit) Sovteks, but NOS sylvanias sound no better than the new and cheap ElectroHarmonix, IMHO. (I evem tried vintage RCA blackplate 5751's, no better either). Save your money. Problem with my system may be too many tubes, with tube preamp, and Jolida tube CD player. Maybe just one or the other would be better. I will have to borrow a SS preamp and experiment. I am hooked on female vocals and jazz with this unit, but if you want to rock out, forget it.

Strengths:
Build quality, tube midrange, value, no upsampling

Weaknesses:
Ridiculously bright blue light. No rhythm.

Similar Products Used:
Numerous