Following the tradition of Elemental Amps, Sherlock is designed for a no-compromise performance at a very affordable price. During the design process, we took further steps to make Sherlock modular and expandable, from a stereo amp to a fully balanced amplifier. We are pleased that we succeeded in producing the Sherlock with unprecedented driving capability and musicality at a very cost-effective price point.¬†To reach this¬†goal, we trimmed all the unnecessary features and cosmetics. We then focused on Sherlock‚Äôs core competence – the amplification. The kernel of Sherlock is a class-A tube gain stage that dominates the sound quality with the tube’s unique signature. This is followed by a single-ended class-A MOSFET power stage to provide plenty of current for demanding headphones.¬†Sherlock‚Äôs uniqueness is the added bridged circuits ahead of the main amp. These circuits when activated converts input signals into balanced (positive plus negative polarities) format and feeds to the left and right channels. This special design feature turns a tandem pair of Sherlock into a truly stereo balanced amplifier.¬†Sherlock is the first bridgeable headphone amplifier and audiophiles can enjoy the single chassis first and subsequently upgrade to double chassis for balanced performance. The audiophile with its numerous headphone collection will find Sherlock to be a timeless investment.