Going from the Monsoon/Blizzard to the Thunder brought the most apparent differences of all. The sonic punch and impact is as close to live music as one can get. Dark background, rich colors , lush and saturated sound. Still it manages to present even more details and nuances not present with the Monsoon/Blizzard. I feel the Thunder goes as far as should be needed in transparency and resolution without becoming hyper analytical and losing musicality.
After much trial and error, the Thunder is now my dedicated headphone amp power cord. The infusion of solid and distinct bass notes has proved a perfect match when listening with headphones. It will stay there for quite some time to come.