While I do enjoy the rnhp and think it offers a good value, I would say I am more interested in trying to reduce and remove the misconceptions regarding thx and help people make more informed purchases at or below this price point imo
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The prices on their site are MSRP for Americans. If you see one you like, email them for a price. It will be lower.
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So here is why I didn’t pick some of the other options
Violectric V200 & V220
I should have included these as well imo lol, but the v200 is something I would take an rnhp instead, and I think it would be worthwhile to save for the v281 over the v220
Grace Design M902
It’s good but somewhat outdated at this point dac wise, and also kinda boring headphone amp wise
VE Runabout 2
Good but honestly more suited for iems
Burson Fun V6
I do like the fun, but I think he should go a bit higher personally like the soloist mk2 or something from burson
Space-Tech Lab HA-2
The space lab is pretty nice, but not the best pairing with the headphones he plans for for the price imo
Little Dot 1
Aight but I think you would want more of an upgrade
Little Dot 3
Good, but mismatch with headphones he plans
WA7 Fireflies w extra tubes
Somewhat overpriced, kinda eh sound for that price
Yamamoto Sound Craft Vacuum Tube HA-02 WE408A
Haven’t heard this one so I can’t give it a rec or anything
Bryston BHA1
I actually missed this one, I also recommend for that price, very solid pick
Bottlehead Crack Speedball + tubes
This would be good, but not for the headphones he plans
Felix Espressivo $540
Good, but again headphone mismatch for what he plans
Questyle 400i
I think he could find a better price on this one
Creek OBH21
I think he should go a bit higher
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My main goal is exceptionally neutral FR (except extra treble welcome) + a tight, transparent sound erring on the side of a bit of liveliness and spaciousness. I’m only interested in detail to the point I don’t feel its being hazed over. I listen to music as an emotional and sensual thing, not an analytical or intellectual thing.
For example, I don’t find the 1990s lacking in either detail or dynamics, but wouldn’t want to lose any of either. My main reason for considering the Clears is being able to do away with EQ. That would also be true for the HD 600 and R70x. Would happily opt for a headphone that worked well with a Mapletree tube amp so long as it doesn’t compromise the above.
Wow! Totally above and beyond.
Really great input all around. Really appreciate you guys.
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Good info! 
I love the sound of my Burson Fun, but you should prepare for problems. Quality is not really their thing.
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So, I wouldn’t suggest a tube amp unless you want to spend for the tube amps that sound like solid states (kinda like the eddie current, but that was kinda red flags all over for what you describe).
If you wanted the clear from the amps you mentioned, my budget pick is the rnhp, and my higher tier picks are the V281 (but you weren’t a fan of the weight, although that’s a lotta amp for that price) or the bryston. And for an all in one unit either the questyle cma 600i (see if you can find a cma twelve actually) or the burson conductor 3x.
Personally I think you should prioritize you headphones over your amp, I wouldn’t change your headphone for an amp. I think that down the line, you could always get a 600 and a darkvoice as a separate setup or something if you wanted to switch it up.
I think with the higher end burson like the soloist mk2 or conductor quality isn’t an issue, but their more midrange offerings qc isn’t the greatest, but it’s good sound for the money imo
Headphone transducers have errors measured around 1%.
Outside a Valve amps nothing else in your system is going to be much more than 0.01%.
That’s not to say they don’t matter, but you really want to find a headphone you love first then find electronics that work well with it, rather than finding a headphone your OK with and trying to fix it with electronics.
Correct, find the headphones you desire and then pick your amp based off that
Assume you’re excluding FR? Don’t know how to translate dB into a percent error, but few headphones have lower than 3 dB wobbles all over the place. I’d be perfectly fine with my 1990s if I didn’t have to EQ the upper bass + lower mids down by 3 dB and the upper mids up by 3 dB. IAC, FR just adds to the point you’re making.
So what I’m aware of at this time is I can either stick with the 1990s and have some EQ option in my system, or buy the Clear Pros from Headphones.ca with the safety of 365 day money-back.
I have zero competence to evaluate these things, but looking at the manuals for the Mapletree amps I’m seeing models with flat FRs and low output impedances.
Dealer demo currently available for equiv of $1250 US.
That’s pretty good actually if you wanted a quality one and done amp and dac
Most of the mapletree stuff I have tried isn’t extremely colored, but it is noticeable and I’m not sure if that will align what you want. A tube isn’t really colored in FR, but moreso in harmonics, distortion, and in presentation, not really FR.
Gobsmacked you’ve heard Mapletree units; assumed you hadn’t. Not concerned about harmonic distortion if euphonic. Not sure I’ll ever have 3-D sound stage hearing again. Detail and dynamics are good?
I would say so, they are pretty solid units for the price. I actually had a Canadian friend introduce them to me a decent bit ago, along with space lab and wolf ear audio (also in Canada). All make very solid sounding products for the price
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This rn thread is 
lol
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Why no Phonitors?
So the only thing that beats a RNHP are 1200$ amps?
I was going off of the list he gave me of what would be good, there are other amps in the range of the rnhp that compete with it
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like what?
I have to say i think the RNHP is a upgrade to the Sp200. I dont know how to describe it but it just sounds more rich. a little more detailed than the sp200
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