Jolida Glass FX TUBE DAC III and III W (Issue with W version) - Opinions?

Namikis
Namikis Posts: 13
edited May 2015 in Going Digital
I purchased a Jolida FX DAC III with the bluetooth feature and liked the sound over USB and optical - could not get the wireless to work properly. So first a word of caution to those considering bluetooth DACs: the Jolida is not a fully-baked option. The first hint that the "W" functionality was not considered carefully by the designers is that the manual makes absolutely no mention of it. The drawings in the manual show the antenna and the "BT" LED in front, but that is it. I was able to get it going by trial and error and turning the unit on and off a few times. Eventually it started broadcasting as a bluetooth device, and I was able to connect using my laptop, a Macbook Air running Maverick. The iPhone was never able to connect. Once connected, the sound running the Jriver player from the Mac was decent, but it lasted only a few seconds before dropouts began. Once I confirmed that happened no matter what player I was running or even from my Windows Surface 3, I gave up on bluetooth and returned the unit to the good people at Music Direct. Listening to music only to be interrupted randomly by a dropout is no fun [note: I was only 12 feet away from the DAC, direct line-of-sight, no obstructions - not that it should mater]. I decided to order a regular unit without bluetooth, because I like the DAC otherwise. Very happy with it, decent sound from a relatively inexpensive DAC that I can later mod with better caps (considering Clarity) and roll tubes (looking for Mullards). It comes with 12AX7 Tung Sol tubes, which sound good enough. I am running Mazda 12AX7s and they sound a tad better (a French military company, not the car outfit) to my ears. So consider this is my brief report on this DAC. Very good sound for the money, and the ability to add tube tone adjustments by rolling.

Has anyone else tried these DAC? I would be interested in your opinions.
Post edited by Namikis on
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Comments

  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,963
    I know we have a member here who has one, maybe do a search and the thread will pop up. I recall he liked it a lot.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,963
    Though I do believe it wasn't the model with Bluetooth.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
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  • txcoastal1
    txcoastal1 Posts: 13,285
    We have the FXII and use it for LSAF
    It's a great value piece
    2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
    Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
    Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
    Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC

    erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a
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