I was sorely tempted to buy one of these when we were in Tokyo last fall. I only resisted because I already own 4-5 phono stages. They are on display at several dealers in Akihabara, but I did not get to audition one. I too was predisposed to the Vida because of its LCR circuitry (and many good reviews). If I were to buy one, I would want several of the optional features that do unfortunately drive up the price.