@chicagoblue1977 -- I understand that some of my comments might seem unfair to the Blackhawk. Admittedly, the speakers that I have tried the amp with (SF Olympica 2, Harbeth P3ESR, Harbeth 30.1, Harbeth SHL5+) are all considered somewhat hard to drive. But let me explain why I feel the need to voice my concerns and call out the (over) hype associated with the Avian series.
If you have been following the various discussions and posts on this site, you would have noticed that the Blackhawk was/is touted as a giant killer that simply stomps over all other tube amps at twice or even thrice the price. Basically, there is no competition that can touch this amp. Period. Second, the claim that 20 watts is the equivalent of 100 SS watts.
In fact, it's not just the posters on this site. I was told the same by Raven Audio that this amp would have no problem driving SF Olympica 2s (now sold). The underlying message was not to worry about the wattage specs. It was only after a few owners, including myself, started to contradict the hype, that the stipulation of pairing high sensitivity speakers was added as a way to refute the objections. But believe me, many were, and are, led to believe (20 watts = 100 SS watts) that this amp would have no problem driving tough loads. It is categorically NOT true! How do I know? I have compared this amp with Luxman 590 AXII (30 watts class A, 90 watts A/B) and Audio Research GSi75. Yes, I know it's an unfair comparison due to completely different price brackets. But that is the point! The Blackhawk performs admirably within its price bracket -- but giant killer it's not. The 30 watts produced by the Luxman are vastly more potent and higher quality - as it should be given the price difference.
Further, the amp is comparable to other offerings from Rogue Audio or Quicksilver, both in terms of build and sound quality. Yet, I have seen many posts where it was implied that this amp is in a different league altogether. Having said that, I agree that this is a decent product for the price, and pairs well with (a) high sensitivity speakers, (b) in small-to-medium-sized rooms, and (c) when played at low to moderate volumes. But this is not how it was presented up until very recently.
