I've been running the Jolida 100a for about 6 months now. Gorgeous unit built with no op amps and two 12AX7 tubes for the analog output stage. I haven't done any tube rolling yet but when time allows I'm interested in trying some Mullard or EH tubes.

Whether or not it's superior is going to be in the ear of the beholder. To me, it's far better than anything else I've listened to. The most surprising aspect was that I expected to lose a touch of detail in exchange for the smoothness I gained. In blind tests vs. a Marantz CDP I use in another system, the Jolida offers a great deal more detail. YMMV.

For the price I don't think I can find a better CDP for anything less than a solid 1000+ player. The new Rega looks promising but has too many bugs and quirks to make that a viable option for me at this point. Who ever heard of a CDP with bugs anyway?

jc