new Jolida

If you are refering to the hybrid integrated amp, those are not new and available in the US. THe hybrid Jolidas use tubes in the preamp section only and thus do not need to expose the tubes for venilation. You do not like the glow of big tubes? Blasphemy. :)

Well actually this is not a hybrid amp. It is a 502. go to ebay and do a search on JD502S.

I just spoke to the guys up at Jolida and they said that it was a Chineese knok-off. Gray market electronics. Does look cool though.

Yes it does look really cool! I wonder how they get away with the Jolida name?

Well China is a tough country to prosecute. There was a really good story on the radio last night about American companies who get put out of business due to teh gray market of knock-offs. Apparently it is a costly and futile battle.
I know a guy that builds speakers. He can get his boxes cut and assembled in China, shipped in usable cartons to the US, for less than he can get them cut in town. He still uses the local company though because he knows that his speaker designs would then be available on the gray market for half the price straight from China.
Oh well.