I was wondering if this phono stage would be a decent upgrade from my Musical Surroundings Phonomena. I don't have much to compare the Phonomena to (only a NAD PP-2), so I'm kind of flying blind, but I have an opportunity to buy the Jolida second-hand (w/o tubes) for a great price. Specifically,

- There are glowing reviews online about the Jolida. Is $450msrp too good to be true?
- Are tubes a good thing for phono stages?
- Do the tubes in the Jolida run very hot (it's a tiny box)?
- Since I'll be buying new tubes, how long can I expect them to last?
- There are a lot of mods out there for the Jolida. Are they worth it?
- If the Jolida's not a good value, any other contenders ($200-600 used)?

I don't really feel comfortable opening up my equipment, so I've always steered clear of tubes. But with my recent re-discovery of LP's (and all the setup details), I'm willing to try this. Any input would be appreciated.