Talking about signal-path length, I was curious how my system would react when using Headonia into my AIC-10 integrated by using its pre-out. To Auris's credit, they use a more advanced volume control than the rather basic AIC-10's so I set the latter to max and relied on Headonia for attenuation. The outcome was interesting. I had expected some alteration of the tonal balance towards a more emphatic midrange focus or some transient blunting but none of it happened. Headonia performed as a very transparent preamplifier with no apparent alterations of the AIC-10 character – the best compliment I can make. To recap, the Headonia 300B 10th Anniversary is a gentle giant of an amplifier. Size and weight are something any prospective buyer must factor. They make Headonia more suitable for a full-sized rack installation, preferably on the top shelf given its ventilation needs, than a desktop scenario. When used as preamp, it could be a stable part of a complete mixed-use system to make the required real estate and monetary investment easier to justify. This amplifier is ideally suited to challenging planar-magnetic or ribbon headphones where its abundant power allows it to ineffably cruise at any desired volume level. Of the two headphones I had at my disposal, I felt that the Raal 1995 Immanis achieved the best synergy. The amp's midrange plumpness, treble texture and attack/decay trajectory reminiscent of the muscular yet elegant jump and landing of a big cat infused the lightning-fast Serbian ribbon headphones with weight and warmth which I found addictive.

On many occasions during my time with Headonia, I moved without noticing from critical listening to dreamy abandon. That I reckon is the ultimate sign of success when inserting a new piece of kit into my system. Headonia prioritized naturalness of tone, midrange lushness and bass voluptuousness over laser-like focus, plankton-level detail retrieval and startling macrodynamics. It can soundstage well by producing an immersive bubble of atmospheric density. Instruments are painted in an impressionistic style so charged with an aura of vibrancy. The treble is smooth and on the warmer side of neutral without feeling thick or overly rolled off. The amp can slam very hard and descend into the abyss of bass depths but always with an effortless plush elegance rather than demonic speed or heavy brute force. Amplifiers like the Riviera Labs AIC-10, Trafomatic Primavera or Viva Audio Egoista 845 deliver an even larger, more open and transparent soundscape with starker macrodynamics. Headonia connects you to the music in more seductive style. It reminded me of another amplifier that left a profound impression on my journey into headfi, the Air Tight ATM 300R especially when its Takatsuki bottles were replaced with a pair of original Western Electric. Overall the Auris Audio flagship is a machine for the hedonist as one who seeks pleasure rather than the hyper-analytical audiophile who enjoys dissecting the musical content down to its tiniest tendrils. To such a target listener, a slow steady surge of excitement dispenses generously in comfort and affection. As I recognize myself as belonging to this camp, I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Headonia and believe that it is a must-audition amplifier among today's top-echelon offering for headphones enthusiasts in search of that elusive endgame companion for their cans.