Hi davidsch,
Interesting that you mention Jolida, because that brand is one of the few tube amps that I've recommended to Axiom purchasers who want to experiment with tube amplification. The Jolidas are a good choice because they have significant output power (35 watts or more per channel) and also because I've heard them with several different brands of neutral, reasonably linear speakers and found the sound quality very good.
I can't attest to Jakeman's claim of a "liquid midrange" attributed to McIntosh tube amplifiers. In the only double-blind test I've participated in of various solid-state amplifiers, which also included a big McIntosh tube amplifier, no one on the listening panel heard any significant differences between the solid-state amps and the McIntosh tube amplifier.
I'd point out that all the amplifiers in the tests were never run into clipping or distortion and they were bench-tested beforehand to ensure that their frequency responses were smooth and linear and that there were no distortion quirks or other anomalies.
Those on the listening panel included myself, Ian G. Masters, Dr. Floyd Toole and others. There were various different amplifier topologies represented, including a huge all Class A amplifier that ran so hot we all joked that we could cook breakfast on it.
In the end, we were disappointed that no differences emerged (the tests were at the National Research Council in Ottawa) and were very closely controlled with rigid double-blind protocol.
Regards,
Alan
