Coming from Stax world ( X9K) to planars and Hifiman new HE1K stealth. Have avoided to listen to planars because they don't present the liquidity like a excellent electrostatic headphone.
First i had on loan a topping D90 amp to test how it matches with the new stealth , big disappoitment, boring lifeless ss sound and no soul to it. Tested it also with Krell 350 monoblocks, this was much better. If you put 696 watt unused power to the headphone, you feel it, the difference between topping and Krell was night and day, control, soundstage, naturalness is on another level.
Was still missing the liquidity wich stax presents and turned the whole system to tubes. Now i miss nothing and put it on the same level than the Stax X9K/ Energon combo.
Stealth sounds super musical with classical music, wide soundstage (with right tubes) great dynamics and digs deep into details. I may now prefer the stealth/tube combo
to any previous electrotstatic combo wich i had owned. The Stealth/ tube combo gives me almost the feeling, you are one attendance with the musicians, not just a listener. Great headphone.