[OpusRob]

I'd love to hear from the amp-experienced folk on this topic: Has an older but once venerated amp such as the HeadRoom Max been totally eclipsed by modern offerings in the same category (in other words, I don't want to compare it to tube amps, for example)? What are the aspects of amps that have unequivocally been improved in the past 20 years or so that make the HR Max amp "nice for an older amp" rather than it still being a standout regardless of what has come since? Can it be said that a vintage amp such as this one was able to establish a reputation that still stands; or, did it spawn a line of succession that clearly leads to modern amps that owe it a debt of gratitude, but have superseded it in its category?

 

[paradoxper]

For an op-amp, it's very much venerable today and it would likely be very interesting to compare its crossfeed to Phonitor or Zahl.
The times were quite different, the decisive difference today is design of output power.