Again you have to consider this is not just a headphone amp, it drives speakers as well.
Otherwise it's not a fair comparison.
The 10 000$ Pinnacle amp is headphone only for instance. The Shindo amp setups start over 10k$ and they don't drive headphones ! The only direct (tube) competitor in that price range and with credible speaker and headphones seems to be Leben, but they don't have monoblock designs... (please don't hesitate to complete that list if you have other proper examples)
The questions that remain in my mind are :
- considering Woo's credibility in the HP amp market, how good will it hold up against it's competitors in the tube speaker amp market ? (because if it's not as good, might well pick up a WA5, eddie current, or red wine equivalent, and have a dedicated speaker amp on the side - whatever your tastes/setup/buget are in that regard...
- Will it be a hybrid electro-static as some have suggested ? I don't know if that's even possible. Even if it is, and if it's Woo Audio main argument, well other than the sheer technical achievement of it, I'm confident it won't justify the price point for a majority of audiophiles, even for those who can afford it but would rather spend the money on more essential features...
However, if it holds up as a speaker amp against it's competitors in that price range, if it's as good or better at driving headphones than the WA5... Well, I'll be the first to say kudos and sign up for one. I'm in the process of building a new system, and if those qualities are assembled in one machine I'd be one happy music buff !
Granted, there are a lot of unknowns, and a lot of "ifs"
The bar is certainly high for Woo Audio, but they haven't disappointed up to now ! Only time will tell...