That’s a tough question. I don’t want to say things are “not relevant”, just because there is plenty of great gear that is relevant at its respective price category.
I am a big fan on the WA23 and the WA33 as well as the riviera AIC-10. Tube gear has a unique presentation and if that’s what you’re seeking/pairs best with the headphones you have, you can’t just replace it with solid state gear.
With that being said, I would probably take the mass-kobo over any other amplifier on earth.
The MK 394ii is the equal in the SS space to the Eddie Current Studio B and DNA Stratus v4 in the tube space although that is an apples to oranges comparison. I have not heard a 465 but if it exceeds the 394ii, I hesitate to conceive of its equal in tube space.
Sadly, I have no kidney to spare to acquire a 465 as the kidney was already used in payment for the Aperio.
The MK 394ii is the equal in the SS space to the Eddie Current Studio B and DNA Stratus v4 in the tube space although that is an apples to oranges comparison. I have not heard a 465 but it it exceeds the 394ii, I hesitate to conceive of its equal in tube space.
Sadly, I have no kidney to spare to acquire a 465 as the kidney was already used in payment for the Aperio.
Now, that said, I’ll state my biases — the Stratus v4, while an exceptionally detailed and clear tube amp, was not to my liking. I found the DNA “house sound” too slow in the transient handling and too saturated / wet for my tastes which align more with the Eddie Current which is (as one owner’s joke goes) the best SS amp w/ tubes ever made. The 394ii is a very clear, very crisp SS amp with an effortless delivery which has an analog feel to the sound almost as if it has a tube preamp upstream.
Now, that said, I’ll state my biases — the Stratus v4, while an exceptionally detailed and clear tube amp, was not to my liking. I found the DNA “house sound” too slow in the transient handling and too saturated / wet for my tastes which align more with the Eddie Current which is (as one owner’s joke goes) the best SS amp w/ tubes ever made. The 394ii is a very clear, very crisp SS amp with an effortless delivery which has an analog feel to the sound almost as if it has a tube preamp upstream.
The 394 is a bit faster (but not by much) and less dry as the ECs are known for being dry for a tube amp (they can be bent very slightly wetter w/ rectifier rolling). I'm a tube amp lover first and foremost, so the EC trumps overall with that tube holography of sound but the 394 is very analog sounding as I stated earlier. The 394 has a taller soundstage than the EC, both are wide and deep. I'd say the Stratus was a bit wider than the 394ii but I was comparing most often with the HD800S which 1) pairs better with tube amps regardless of the quality of the SS amp in play and 2) seemed to be even wider than usual on the Stratus. The best pairing I've ever found for the 394ii is the Final D8K Pro. That particular headphone has never sounded better on any amp (Stratus, EC, et al.) as it does on the 394ii.
These reviewers such as Zeos and Joshua Valour have fooled me in the past saying that the Topping A90D was the best amplifier and how good it was. It turned out to be a lifeless and boring listen.
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Who would believe that?
