[Hershon2000]

Expecting the worst as usual, the Jolida 100 I bought for $675 postpaid on Audiogon arrived today & I've just listened to it for about an hour. Just out of curiosity, I listened to it first connected to my Musical Fidelity X-10 V3 Tube Buffer not expecting anything because I figured it really doesn't make any sense connecting a tube CD player to a tube buffer. Wrong! The sound was absolutely incredible. The sweetest, most natural rich sound with excellent separation & imaging, I've ever really heard. I then listened to it without the tube buffer & to be honest, I wasn't really impressed at all. It just sounded OK. So obviously I'm going to listen to this with the tube buffer all the time. I totally recommend anyone who has this player to get the Musical Fidelity Tube Buffer while its still available (seems to go for $250-300 used or a demo). The Jolida had just the stock tubes in them too. Maybe this is just my personal taste but the sound with the Buffer was the rich, sweet sound I love. I listen only by speakers by the way so I can't attest to how this would sound with headphones.

 

[chesebert]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hershon2000 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Expecting the worst as usual, the Jolida 100 I bought for $675 postpaid on Audiogon arrived today & I've just listened to it for about an hour. Just out of curiosity, I listened to it first connected to my Musical Fidelity X-10 V3 Tube Buffer not expecting anything because I figured it really doesn't make any sense connecting a tube CD player to a tube buffer. Wrong! The sound was absolutely incredible. The sweetest, most natural rich sound with excellent separation & imaging, I've ever really heard. I then listened to it without the tube buffer & to be honest, I wasn't really impressed at all. It just sounded OK. So obviously I'm going to listen to this with the tube buffer all the time. I totally recommend anyone who has this player to get the Musical Fidelity Tube Buffer while its still available (seems to go for $250-300 used or a demo). The Jolida had just the stock tubes in them too. Maybe this is just my personal taste but the sound with the Buffer was the rich, sweet sound I love. I listen only by speakers by the way so I can't attest to how this would sound with headphones.

sounds like you have a cold and sterile amp, if the tube buffer made that big of a difference on already a tubed CDP.

 

[Hershon2000]

I'm using a Denon 3801 A/V Receiver. It sounds great to me with certain
CD & DVD players & digital 5.1 Cable TV, but you could be right.

 

[robm321]

Hard to beleive that a tubed output and buffer is a good thing, but if you like it, then it's good it works for you.

I think the Jolida itself is an amazing player SQ wize.

 

[kool bubba ice]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hershon2000 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Expecting the worst as usual, the Jolida 100 I bought for $675 postpaid on Audiogon arrived today & I've just listened to it for about an hour. Just out of curiosity, I listened to it first connected to my Musical Fidelity X-10 V3 Tube Buffer not expecting anything because I figured it really doesn't make any sense connecting a tube CD player to a tube buffer. Wrong! The sound was absolutely incredible. The sweetest, most natural rich sound with excellent separation & imaging, I've ever really heard. I then listened to it without the tube buffer & to be honest, I wasn't really impressed at all. It just sounded OK. So obviously I'm going to listen to this with the tube buffer all the time. I totally recommend anyone who has this player to get the Musical Fidelity Tube Buffer while its still available (seems to go for $250-300 used or a demo). The Jolida had just the stock tubes in them too. Maybe this is just my personal taste but the sound with the Buffer was the rich, sweet sound I love. I listen only by speakers by the way so I can't attest to how this would sound with headphones.

I know my Modded X10-3 adds somthing to my BADA12.. Good or bad depending on the listener

 

[Sean H]

Quote:

Originally Posted by robm321 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hard to beleive that a tubed output and buffer is a good thing, but if you like it, then it's good it works for you.

The X-10 V3 actually has a lot of good things going for it. Yeah it's more "stuff" along the signal path and of course it likely adds coloration. It uses Musical Fidelity's acclaimed Mu-Vista tubes which are said to be excellent and what may be the best thing about the unit is it offers a high input impedance an low output impedance which offers extremely ideal impedance for your transport and the amp/preamp after it which makes a big impact on the sound. I suspect that if one were to mod it and use the upgraded power supply they make for it, along with using nice interconnects, that it could be a fantastic addition to a system. I don't have one btw.

 

[zipdisk]

I love my JD100 too. From what you say, you may prefer another set of tubes. The nice thing about the Jolida, is that you can alter sound dramatically and easily. The stock tubes are not very good IMHO. Still, if you have the buffer and like the sound, why change? Congratulations!

 

[Hershon2000]

I'm also going to try, I can't resist the hype, the Doge 6 Tube Player, sold by Pacific Valve. Bear in mind, right now I'm listening to the Jolida with the stock tube & the tube buffer. The tube buffer sweatened the sound & expanded the soundstage tremendously.

In regards to coloring the sound, someone in another thread put a link with an interesting article regarding using an Aphex Aurel Enhancer 204. The article basically stated that when a recording is made of say a rock band, you can not record say the actual bass drum sound without putting some kind of limited & dampening device or the sound would totally wipe out your speakers. Also most of the imstruments are recorded using limiters, etc. The bottom line is, what you are getting on the recording is a sound that is not the actual original recording but a "colored" type sound anyway. So for purists who think coloring recordings is a sin, those recordings themselves are colored in the first place!

 

[Shizelbs]

I just can't get behind something that all it does its adds its own flavor or color, but I have yet to read anything bad about it. I might just have to check it out since its not that expensive.

 

[kool bubba ice]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sean H /img/forum/go_quote.gif The X-10 V3 actually has a lot of good things going for it. Yeah it's more "stuff" along the signal path and of course it likely adds coloration. It uses Musical Fidelity's acclaimed Mu-Vista tubes which are said to be excellent and what may be the best thing about the unit is it offers a high input impedance an low output impedance which offers extremely ideal impedance for your transport and the amp/preamp after it which makes a big impact on the sound. I suspect that if one were to mod it and use the upgraded power supply they make for it, along with using nice interconnects, that it could be a fantastic addition to a system. I don't have one btw.

I have my X10-3 modded with the upgraded PS.. It does make a difference in my set up.. Although, I read after buying the the X10-3 that you get a better improvment when using speakers instead of phones..

 

[Hershon2000]

What tubes are you using for the Jolida? Thanks