Mass Kobo Model 465 Headphone Amplifier

Mass-Kobo's choice of current-mode signal has been around as long as Head-Fi has. 

Current-mode amplification eliminates the lag time that might otherwise occur when signal is transmitted in voltage, as it builds up at the capacitances in the circuit – current signal passes through unhindered by comparison, with speed and ease.

By doing away with the issue of transmission delay in Model 465, Mass-Kobo virtually eliminates any of the harshness caused by the intermodulation distortion associated with high capacitance, solid-state circuits.

Model 465 presents music with an iron grip on your transducers, never allowing the slightest note out of control. Any trace of transient smear or note bleed vanishes, from the lowest bass to the highest highs, given the extraordinary damping factor as a perfect voltage source current-mode delivers.

Mass-Kobo presents your favourite music with a zeal and vibrancy that's accurate and still entertaining. Another effect of being unhindered by capacitance in the signal path means that huge signal bandwidth is possible.

Model 465 runs flat from 10hz to 100Khz, with phase response excellently preserved in the human hearing range for startlingly life-like dynamics, impactful bass and realistic portrayal of musical images. 

Indeed, to hear current-mode is to hear a precision to music not encountered before in a conventional circuit, and Mass-Kobo build Model 465 as testament to such a topology.

Current-mode technology excels the more it detects a dead short, so Mass-Kobo only works more happily when presented with sub-30ohm loads from Audeze's LCD-5, Dan Clark Audio's Stealth, Expanse and E3, plus HIFIMAN's latest flagship generation – especially when you consider the kind of voltage swing Model 465 backs that up with. The pairing with Susvara needs no introduction either.

Feed Mass-Kobo only the finest signal. While Matrix Audio's Element X2 Pure and dCS Data Conversion Systems' Lina have the consummate sound quality, and more importantly analog output stages, necessary to drive Model 465's low-impedance current-mode input stage, why not keep your whole chain working in the same topology with Questyle Audio's CMA18.

Otherwise, browse the rest of Mass-Kobo's range that get more sane in price but no less insane in sound quality here – or view the rest of our amplifiers here.