I'm not saying The X-can isn't a good headphone amplifier or any of the headphone amps reviewed by What Hi-Fi aren't good. I just don't have the time or energy to review them all. It amazes me when non professional reviewers on here confidently assert one thing or another is the best in its class, I wonder where they get the time and energy to listen to them.
Not all the headphone amplifers recommended by What Hi Fi are thought to be poor value by the other forum, but I know that the X-can, the Project and in particular the Creek are thought to be poor in comparison to what that money could buy you elsewhere. However I do recognise that What Hi Fi is a mainstream magazine and is unlikely to start reviewing products that are only available through specialist importers and the like. I don't think Audio-gd, Heed, Shanling, Little Dot or Gilmore (to name a few) or any tube headphone amplifiers have been reviewed by What Hi Fi. I don't think you'd find much advice about tube rolling and the relative merits of Mullards or other tubes in the pages of What Hi-Fi either. I don't personally know that these products are better or worse than those recommended by What Hi Fi but I'm glad I have the opportunity to read as many reviews as possible. That was my original point. I think someone said that people questioning the worth of mains cables were being disloyal to What Hi Fi editors and I thought that was a bit dramatic. I say this as someone who enjoys reading What Hi Fi, I'm not trying to be contrary for the sake of it at all.
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