there are too many options out there! ARGH!!!
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I spent a couple of months in analysis paralysis! And then when I was close to making a decision another option popped up. Finally, I just said Screw it! and made a choice.
Now, here’s to hoping that I love it! 
I am a quiet listener just looking for a different sound, so hopefully this fits in nicely. Then I will start shedding amps, beginning with my hybrids.
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ideally I get something that is affordable and can do both low and high impedance head phones. 
A cheap solid state and a cheap tube lol. Finding something that can do both is typically pricy (or a hybrid)
You definitely have to buy for your headphones and headphones you plan to buy.
The closest thing I have to hard to drive is the HD600 and I don’t even know if I am keeping that. Tube amps for hard to drive headphones seem to be pretty plentiful. Not so much for very efficient headphones. Finding one that does both really well sounds hard and expensive.
As MON said, the answer is probably SS and tube. Just gotta find some amps that make you smile.
Just wait until you get your tube amp lol
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I am dying of curiosity! 
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me too! a tube amp with the HD600’s is my current endgame project.
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Got my new toy today. All excited! You can certainly tell that it is hand made.
Maillady was very late today and it is COLD. I will let it sit over night and get up to room temperature. Saturday morning will be fun.
In the meantime, here are some pics:
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That is a beautiful amplifier my dude!
Congratulations on your purchase and please provide your impressions once you have had a good amount of listening time in. Maple Tree Audio is on my short list for my next potential tube amp purchase.
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Looks pretty sweet, hopefully you enjoy it 
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Don’t you already have a Hagerman amp? Seems awfully similar. Of course they may well have Very different sound signatures.
I think my next one might be the Liquid Platinum.
No, I don’t but I sure wish that I did.
I just sold my Darkvoice 336se to help fund my Bifrost 2 purchase (totally worth it too, BF2 is awesome). Liquid Platinum and Tor Audio are both on my radar.
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The old guy is confused again. 
The Tor looks interesting, but I am not sure about the quality. Looked cool on Zeos’s review. I find my SU-8 is just fine for what I need. I am in clean up mode as I buy now. Provided this amp is good, the hybrids are gone. The LP would replace the Liquid Spark and the LCX.
My motto for 2020 is “Less gear, but better gear!”
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Not a bad motto lol
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why not just put it in the microwave for a few seconds and bring it up to room temperatures? 
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VERY early impressions:
When first starting some things just jump right at me. First was sound imbalance. Everything seems to be tilted to the right? Next thing was it was LOUD at 9:00? I had to turn down my DAC to 26 (out of max 37). This made 9:00 very comfortable. Also, it seems bass light. Of course I am using Grado GH2’s so…
Lastly, the sound is very mid focused. But that is probably more Grado related.
60 to 90 minutes in and sounds are cleaner/clearer. Florence and the Machine sound Amazing. Then I run into the Foo Fighters and it is the opposite of clean and clear. Some songs sound muffled and distorted. And it is way too loud. I do a test and 9:00 is running at a solid 75+ Db’s. The high end of my comfort zone. Usually my music has the the odd touch that high, but this was full on. I turn the amp down to 8:30 and it better, but not pleasurable.
I am now about three hours in and The Glorious Sons, Highly Suspect, early Halsey, Marcus King Band all sound wonderful.
To test base, I always like to play Hanginaround by Counting Crows. Bass is there, but minimal. Life in Grado land. 
As a huge vocals guy, this combo is all kinds of awesome.
I am VERY excited to hear the Elex’s and even the HD600’s on this. I am just going to keep the Grado’s on all weekend and try to get feel for this set-up.
And now I must listen to the rest of Counting Crows. They are one of the many bands I like but rarely play. I hear them in a playlist and I go “That sounds great! How come I never play them?”
PS: I have seen a description in the hobby for years that I never quite understood: airy. I do now. Everything is clean, clear, separate and distinct. My biggest fear has been knocked down: It does NOT sound like all my other amps.
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An update on my experience with the MAD Ear+ HD II.
My starting point was a little weird. I wanted to get a tubeamp, but had never actually heard one. I went through three hybrid tube amps, but was never impressed.
My initial impressions were already posted.
I really didn’t know what to expect and I am very happy with the results. There is no thick, syrupy sound or heavy bass action.
It is clear, clean, crisp and airy. Every instrument sounds like it is coming from its own area. It is very subtle, but really great.
This is now ALL I want to listen to.
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It is like the Liquid Spark was given super powers. I now see no use in keeping the Liquid Spark.
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When I A-B this with my SMSL SP200, it is like going from open back (tube) to closed back (THX) headphones. These amps could not be more opposite.
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The XDuoo TA-20 just sounds strange A-B’d with this amp. It will be leaving soon.
The Ear+ has a sound unlike anything else I own. It will be the centerterpiece of my system.
My headphone pairings have been as follows:
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Grado GH2’s. A Magnificent pairing! This is a crazy good combo. EVERYTHING sounds good on it. And there seems to be more than adequate bass.
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Senn HD600’s. The HD600 series has been underwhelming me for years. I keep hearing they need an amp. Then they need a good amp. Then it needs a tube amp. Well, I finally hooked up the tube amp to the Senns. It transforms them! While I enjoy the Grado’s, these come very close. I now get the whole HD600 lovefest.
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Focal Elex’s are my new biggest crush. They do NOT pair well with this amp. My two biggest crushes should be a perfect match, but really aren’t.
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Senn HD58X’s are just about the best value out there, IMO. And they sound Great on this amp. However, compared to the Grado’s and the HD600’s, they are definitely inferior.
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Fostex TH-610’s. I bought these recently and do like them. The Ear+ is not particularly great with these. It’s OK, but the THX amp is a much better pairing, IMO. I think it is cause the amp is flat and neutral. Really cleans up the Fostex sound and the bass comes across cleanly.
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Beyerdynamic T5p.2’s. I don’t “love” these headphones to begin with and this match is nothing special. Closed backs are always starting at a disadvantage and these never excel enough to stand out.
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My last pair is the Meze 99 Classic’s. These are my oldest headphones and I have never really found that they scale up with amplifiers. They are GREAT with phones and DAP’s though.
Well, I was wrong. These sound awesome with the Ear+ amp. Full sound with a nice bass bump. I preferred these over the Beyers.
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I have zero smarts about this sort of thing. What would be the minimally complicated way to connect from a laptop USB port (non-recent MacBook) to one of these Mapletree amps, which apparently has only RCA inputs? Presumably I need a DAC? Don’t suppose a DragonFly plugged into the USB port would serve?
no unfortunately not. However getting a cheap fairly decent dac with RCA out off amazon will do it. Something like a SMSL dac or topping
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