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. :)

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.

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.

Sort-of. Jolida is an American company that manufactures in China. I have no personal experience dealing with the Chinese government. If it is true that they are dealing with counterfeit goods more seriously that is great. China is a major player and will continue to be. If they start playing by the same rules as teh rest of the big producers it will only increase the desirability of their goods.

Even if a player comes from the same factory with improved parts I don't think that I would purchase it if it is using the pirated name of another company. Jolida does take great pride in their products and is honest about their limitations vs price point. They will tell you straight up that if you are looking for the end-all-be-all to high-end 40w EL34 tube amps you should spend 3K on something else. But if you want a killer 40w EL34 integrated that an average guy can afford the Jolida fills that gap handily.

THere are any number of companies that source products from the same factories and tweek them in different ways to make them their own (Music Hall/Project for example). THey brand them differently and sometimes price them differently. They still use their own name though.

Even if a company gets their products made elsewhere (who can afford not to these days) I would prefer to buy from someone who takes some level of pride in their product.

Just my 2cents.