is McIntosh known for good dynamics?

OP,

Good to hear your comments on a WA7. I’ve never heard one. Sounds like venturing into a DAC was not a great idea for them.

Just a note. I own an WA6 and a WA6 SE as well as a WA5 LE. The WA6 and WA6 SE are very good natural sounding, musical, low powered headphone amps. But are nothing like the monster WA5 LE. Not in performance, power, size and weight or cost. The WA 5 is what I am talking about. With some awesome Takasuki 300B tubes it is a religious experience.

@wrm57 

+1 Correct. 

Mac is highly regarded. Their house sound is very midrange and bass heavy. Just great for rock and roll. But not know for nuanced sound, certainly not microdynamics and detailed. Without well balanced top end, then it might seem to lack dynamics. 

Also, matching headphones to all but the very best headphone amps can be at least as hard as doing so with speakers. The requirements vary very widely among headphones, 

I have continuously had high end headphone systems for most of the last fifty years. I cannot recommend Woo headphone amps enough. I have imported headphone amps from Germany, and tried a bunch of different kinds to get enough current to satisfy the more demanding headphones. My search stopped dead in its tracks when I bought a Woo WA5. It took control of every headphone I own (Senheiser 800, Focal Utopia, etc.). The power, nuance and dynamics as well as rhythm an pace is incredible.,