The last two used I know of went around 11, but the issue like many of the more expensive amps AIC/Egoista/AC Genus etc is they are very rarely available, you see about 2 each of the former a year, and the only Genus’ I’ve ever seen for sale have been in Europe. There just aren’t enough of them...

They do, amp topologies vary a lot more in the SS space, designs are more complicated, very few eschew feedback entirely (transistors just aren’t linear enough, and have too much current gain to do that) and it all matters, if you want to dive down the rabbit hole there are entire threads on...

And hence personal taste, I took the Viva 845 over the options I’ve heard, though mine has Elrogs in it, and that makes a significant difference. So much of it comes down to what aspects of reproduction you really value.

I’ve had 3 of them sitting next to each other for a week or so at a time, and I’m guessing others have had at least pairs. Some of the harder to find ones probably get less coverage, but I know someone who decided the 465 was his endgame, and he owned at least one of them other amps in the list...

Hard to know, all we can really do is go by impressions when they start to surface, from people who've heard them in good conditions for a decent period. Or better hear them for yourself. It's at least interesting they made the change, it's a different driver with the material change. I'm a bit...

It's shipping at the end of the Month, and I'm sure reviewers already have them so I'm certain we'll be inundated with impressions shortly.

If you look at the images it’s clear all you can touch is the magnets, short of shoving something spikey between them you’re not going to damage the driver. The covers are just going to be to keep the dust out. The bigger issue with silver traces is that it’s less ductile than gold, it’s...

Isn't that the end result of a free market though, manufacturers will price at what they think the market will bear. If enough people buy it, then at some level the pricing was correct. In the end a company sticks a product out there at a price and we determine if were going to open our wallets...

Neither tell you very much when it comes to the Susvara. Sensitivity will give you some idea if an amp can make a headphone loud, but I can get more than adequate volume levels with the Susvara off a Schiit Magni. Doesn't mean it drives them well. In effect it's a new driver with silver traces...

I don’t think it’s fair to compare street prices to MSRP, yes street prices in the very short term are likely going to be MSRP, but give it 3 or 4 months, and they have similar discounts from dealers. The margins for dealers will be about the same of both, as soon as dealers have them in stock...

It's not really the hard to drive part that's the issue lots of amps will get the Susvara loud, and that's all sensitivity is measuring. Remains to be seen if the have to spend loads to get the best out of them issue remains.

You can get whatever quality your willing to pay for from Chinese manufacturing. At the cheaper side you have a preference for manual process and sloppy tolerances over machines, because unskilled labor is cheap. But you can pay for skilled labor, and precision parts, it just costs more. At...

The price is what it is, the market will determine if it's "fair". If it has what Hifiman believes is better sound quality than the existing Susvara it was always going to be more expensive, it's just the nature of the beast. I doubt they will have a limited production rate like the new Raals...

The output transformers will make as big a difference as anything, probably more than the tubes. My somewhat limited experience building tube amps, a lot of the sound is in the design, just the fact the Envy uses a SS regulator will be a significant difference. Tube heater design has a...

My Egoista 845 came with Shugangs, and I thought the Elrogs were a significant upgrade. Yes I ordered directly form Thomas, the process is painless, send him an email, get a quote, pay, mine shipped about a week later, arrived a few days after that, in a relatively enormous box full of padding...