Note: This article is based upon the article "xDuoo MT604 Balanced Tube Headphone Amplifier with Sennheiser HD800S Product Review” made by Intuitive Review on his YouTube channel. It’s printed here in partnership with Intuitive Review. The review was originally posted on December 21st, 2021.
Intro
We have the xDuoo MT604 up for review. This is a fully-balanced Class-A tube headphone amplifier coming in at a great price point of $169. When it comes to tube amplifiers, this amplifier represents one of the best value for the money.
Build Quality
Let’s start with product design. The unit is compact, well-made, and looks great when all the tubes are lit up. Compared to the xDuoo TA-20 I reviewed, this is much more compact and minimalistic-looking. After getting used to the dial knobs, I was able to dial the volume quickly. In addition, I would recommend setting up your amp to the levels you want and then using your system or DAC to control the volume. The design of this amp is very specific and serves the purpose of being a simple, high-quality fully-balanced tube amp without the extra fluff.
Sound Quality
Next, let’s discuss sound quality. My first impression, after listening to music I know is, Damn! My music came alive with this amp! It adds an atmosphere to the songs but still sounds very natural. The vocals sound so amazing with this unit, especially with hip hop and acoustic tracks. With this amp, my HD800s sounds warmer, more spacious, and has more body in the low-end.
The overall sound is well-balanced, and the bass is well-defined. In my opinion, this is an ideal combo for headphones lacking lower frequencies. The MT-604 amplifies high resolution audio details of my SMSL S9. Instrument separation and sound stage are superb.
Conclusion
It was amazing how great this amp sounded almost instantly. It’s also amazing what you’re getting for the price in comparison to the TA-20. The TA-20 is almost double the price, but the sound quality you get from the MT-604 is up there with this model.
The MT-604 is an excellent-sounding system if you aren’t concerned with the extra connections, don’t mind the dual knobs, and don’t need a pre-amp selection. My plan is to keep the MT-604 so I can experiment with different tubes in the future. When it comes to a balanced tube headphone amp, the MT-604 is a great place to start without breaking the bank.