To be fair to Blackhawk, we really shouldn’t be comparing it to amps twice it’s price (Qualiton a50i -- $8 - 8.5K; Octave se v7 is probably similar in price). But in the end, like always, you get what you pay for. As good as the Blackhawk is, you’d be naive to expect it to slay anything above $5-6K. I think Raven’s Reflection is a better comparison. But the asking price is a bit much in today’s competitive market.
However, if someone wants to spend $4K on a tube integrated amp, Blackhawk is absolutely a top contender. If I were to buy more efficient speakers for my second system, I wouldn’t hesitate to get another Blackhawk in the future. I hope Dave and company can fill in the hole in their line up when it comes to the $5-12K range. There's less competition in this segment from chifi tube amp makers.
However, if someone wants to spend $4K on a tube integrated amp, Blackhawk is absolutely a top contender. If I were to buy more efficient speakers for my second system, I wouldn’t hesitate to get another Blackhawk in the future. I hope Dave and company can fill in the hole in their line up when it comes to the $5-12K range. There's less competition in this segment from chifi tube amp makers.