Hybrid Amplifiers...

[rohitmusic]

I recently got closest to the tube amp sound with an hybrid amp.
Just came across the Jolida hybrid amp.
I liked the warm sound of the amp.. It is really nice for vocals and classical music. (which I like )

Any idea how these are and how much a decent one would cost..? (open to preowned)
Also what are pros and cons of them.
Anyone using this or similar amps and what is the experience..

 

[BLASTO]

I demoed the Musical Fidelity A1008 amp in audio people.

Outright dynamism is missing compared to the solid state amps. But warmth, finer details, low level dynamics, sundstage and 'involvement' were great. It comes with digital inupts and DAC comparable to M1 DAC. (It is exactly the same DAC as the M1's predecessor.) Has 250 w/ch power and seperate tube preamp and dual mono power amps built in. If you are vocal, midrange oriented sound, there is nothing like tube/hybrid amps. But the cost you pay is in terms or dynamics and a bit or bass grunt.

The mrp is 3.2L and they came down to 1.5L in the first jump. I did not pursue further.

 

[hemantwaghe]

Luxman L 103 - In Mint condition with Box - ( it is appx 20-25 yrold..It has tube pre stage .I can arrange if you wish.Pls PM

 

[corElement]

The CA 840a is a modern day hybrid aswell but not tube hybrid. It's some kind of variation of class a and ab but not the types which offer dual function. They call it class XD. The sound is on the warmer side, disortion at even very high volumes is not audible and the signature is FULL of details.

 

[nandac]

i think the jolida 100 w hybrid costs like 75k here in india. daylight robbery!!!

 

[rohitmusic]

Thanks everyone for the inputs.
The specific amp I am talking about is the Jolida 1501.

 

[square_wave]

This is a good one to consider:

SV-236MK - Vincent-tac

Great amp for the music lover.

 

[rohitmusic]

This is a good one to consider:

SV-236MK - Vincent-tac

Great amp for the music lover.

* Thanks! What would be the indicative price like?
Or anything pre-owned that can be had in a lower budget?
I quite love the smooth silky sound that hybrids produce + they produce quite good bass as well.

* Is updating the tubes also an issue here as they have a fixed life (example 8000 hrs).

 

[corElement]

This is a good one to consider:

SV-236MK - Vincent-tac

Great amp for the music lover.

Good mother of god that's one sexy amp!

 

[Divakar7]

@Rohit that amp is around $1995 It's a beautiful amp though.

 

[rohitmusic]

@Rohit that amp is around $1995 It's a beautiful amp though.

Thanks Divakar.. hm... may be this one for later...

 

[cha_indian]

For what it is worth;

i have a SS-Tube hybrid amp and i think if you are looking for a good sounding amp , you just buy a normal SS amp. The tube part does not add anything or deduct anything substantial to the sound signature. It is just that it sounds a bit different with different set of tubes. You may or may not like the 'different' sound. Over a period of time you grow over this tube thing and they all sound equally good/bad after a few years. When i got my amp, i was eager to experiment with different tubes. Now after 5 years, I replaced tubes which i used earlier and to be honest they all sounded the same to me !!! all the tubes sound equally good or equally bad .. that is my experience.

 

[Divakar7]

A good review in Stereophile: Vincent TubeLine SV-236MK integrated amplifier | Stereophile.com

 

[rohitmusic]

Clearly I can simply drool over them. Anything in the budget series for starters like us
Searching some old threads shows there used to be a Jolida 1501RC that used to be for 45k some years back. Anything on similar lines..

(All this is learning for me )

 

[Kittu]

Amp-> AVR-> Tube -> Hybrid. Rohit you are on a roll my friend.

 

[rohitmusic]

Amp-> AVR-> Tube -> Hybrid. Rohit you are on a roll my friend.

Its all "Khayali Pulaao" if you get what I mean

I am simply amazed to see how different amps produce different sound signatures. This is really an interesting experiment on the amps and on myself included.
Now I know how the guineepigs must be feeling! haha..

 

[rohitmusic]

Is this upgrade bug? :lol:

Sounds like upgrading even before have anything.. :lol:

(pun intended)

 

[rohitmusic]

I so wish there be a mocking bird kind of single "Super" amp that would mimic all other amps sound signatures. Wishful thinking!

 

[Kittu]

:lol: I get it. Good luck with it. I am sure your speakers must be feeling lonely by now.

 

[rohitmusic]

I am sure your speakers must be feeling lonely by now.

No, I take them for a drive every weekend.