Just discovered this little Chinese Tube gem La Figaro 339i Tube Headphone Amplifier $650-$900 -
FROM A REVIEW SOMEONE ELSE DID: "I have to say, how wrong it might sound, that I love all of my headphones with the 339 but the ones standing out most are the Sennheiser HD600/650 and the Hifiman-HE500. The Sennheiser – 339 combo is really a match made in heaven and I have never heard the Senns sound as good as with this amplifier. When I have people over, even those not knowing much about audio, they all put this combination on the first place of the podium. It’s just that good, warm, smooth and detailed. The perfect Sennheiser sound with good bass and detail.Compared to the Bottlehead Crack, the OTL Crack is the faster amp of the two, it it clearer sounding and focuses more on the treble. Bass with the Crack is punchier but not as deep and it doesn’t quite have the same rumble. Overall the 339 is smoother, warmer and laid back with an even bigger sound stage. It just makes you feel the music better (softer) as the crack. The Crack is a great deal and an excellent amp as we already said in our review but the La Figaro 339 is the better amp for me. Compared to the Woo Audio 2, the 339 is the more tube-ish sounding amplifier with a much warmer sound. The WA2 sounds much cleaner and faster but misses the warmth and soul I like of the 339. The WA2 is more analytical as the 339 and the bass depth and rumble isn’t quite the same, however it does have an even bigger sound stage. Most likely a full WA2 review will follow later. "
FROM A REVIEW SOMEONE ELSE DID: "I have to say, how wrong it might sound, that I love all of my headphones with the 339 but the ones standing out most are the Sennheiser HD600/650 and the Hifiman-HE500. The Sennheiser – 339 combo is really a match made in heaven and I have never heard the Senns sound as good as with this amplifier. When I have people over, even those not knowing much about audio, they all put this combination on the first place of the podium. It’s just that good, warm, smooth and detailed. The perfect Sennheiser sound with good bass and detail.Compared to the Bottlehead Crack, the OTL Crack is the faster amp of the two, it it clearer sounding and focuses more on the treble. Bass with the Crack is punchier but not as deep and it doesn’t quite have the same rumble. Overall the 339 is smoother, warmer and laid back with an even bigger sound stage. It just makes you feel the music better (softer) as the crack. The Crack is a great deal and an excellent amp as we already said in our review but the La Figaro 339 is the better amp for me. Compared to the Woo Audio 2, the 339 is the more tube-ish sounding amplifier with a much warmer sound. The WA2 sounds much cleaner and faster but misses the warmth and soul I like of the 339. The WA2 is more analytical as the 339 and the bass depth and rumble isn’t quite the same, however it does have an even bigger sound stage. Most likely a full WA2 review will follow later. "