mqtpqt t1_j9lwfz8 wrote on February 22, 2023 at 10:32 PM

depending on topology, but it boils down to output impedance, 2nd order harmonic distortion, or a combination of both.

p.s: from what I've tried, the higher you go, the less "tubey" tube amps sound; they sound less stereotypical warm and more solid-state like. Common misconception about tubes is that they can sound slow, which is not the case at all.

If you are interested in getting a more tube-y sound, WA22 might be an option. Totally depends on your headphones tho

GarlicBiscuits OP t1_j9lxhl7 wrote on February 22, 2023 at 10:39 PM

The WA2 and WA22 were the tube options I narrowed my searches down to initially, but I'm having second thoughts. They're not off entirely the table and look quite nice, but it's also a steep price tag for a result that might have too little a difference (at least for me) for too much. My personal endgame headphone-wise would probably be the Hifiman Anandas and HD 800S for planar and dynamic respectively, but it appears solid states show quality enough results to guarantee a sound I'd be satisfied with.