RAAL-requisite SR1a Has Landed

[The Computer Audiophile]

Getting in more amps to review with the SR1a is seriously a blast. 

 

Now I need another tube amp or two to try. Any recommendations?

[austinpop]

10 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Getting in more amps to review with the SR1a is seriously a blast. 

 

Now I need another tube amp or two to try. Any recommendations?

 

Chris, I'm really curious to know if RAAL's HSA-1A direct drive amp competes with the best you've achieved with the ARC (or PASS 😎) through the amplifier interface box.

 

Is the HSA-1A on your list?

[The Computer Audiophile]

4 minutes ago, austinpop said:

 

Chris, I'm really curious to know if RAAL's HSA-1A direct drive amp competes with the best you've achieved with the ARC (or PASS 😎) through the amplifier interface box.

 

Is the HSA-1A on your list?

Would love to get the HSA-1A. 

[cfisher]

How about a loaner tour? That would be awesome. I would love to know what I am missing out on with the Jot R.

[ted_b]

So UPS changed their mind again and delivered the RAALs today!  Yea!  I have done very little listening so far, but I very much like what I hear.  I am not using the correct cabling (just using some Mogami balanced while I search for my good audiophile cabling) but so far so good.  One thing though; there is not an overwhelming dynamism as some folks have described.  I'm wondering if it is due to break in, Jot-R, cabling, etc etc.

 

Question: if I decide to put my Microzotl tubed preamp in front of the Jot-R, I expect to use the pre's volume control.  Where should I set the Jot-R volume (woild be used as a sort of power amp only)?  All the way up?

[cfisher]

No dynamism? That's weird. I thought the Jot R sounded pretty good out of the box. You want to put the Jot R volume all the way up if you are going to use the Microzotl preamp. I trust things will get more interesting.

[ted_b]

I am a bit tired and might have been too quick to respond. Stay tuned. 😀

[AudioDoctor]

7 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Getting in more amps to review with the SR1a is seriously a blast. 

 

Now I need another tube amp or two to try. Any recommendations?

 

Chris, I think it would be interesting to see how one of these works with, and sounds with, the RAALs.  A tube Class D stereo amp.

 

http://www.rogueaudio.com/Products_Medusa.htm

[TubeLover]

8 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Getting in more amps to review with the SR1a is seriously a blast. 

 

Now I need another tube amp or two to try. Any recommendations?

I know I recommended this to you in a different context, but besides the unbelievable deal, think how the RAAL's might sound driven by them!!!

 

https://www.paragonsns.com/products/audio-research-ref750

[TubeLover]

8 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Getting in more amps to review with the SR1a is seriously a blast. 

 

Now I need another tube amp or two to try. Any recommendations?

Also, as you have enjoyed the VT80SE so much, here is yet another Audio Research amp you might want to try:

 

https://audioresearch.com/product/ref-160-s/

[TubeLover]

8 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Getting in more amps to review with the SR1a is seriously a blast. 

 

Now I need another tube amp or two to try. Any recommendations?

These are other fine tube amps that I would love to ead a review of connected to the RAALs:

 

http://www.vac-amps.com/productPages/statement450s_IQ.html

 

And these, which could sound simply incredible:

 

https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lis9ibd0-lamm-ml1-tube

 

And these, which are still being made, and a bargain:

 

http://quicksilveraudio.com/products/v4/

 

JC

 

 

[TubeLover]

2 hours ago, ted_b said:

I am a bit tired and might have been too quick to respond. Stay tuned. 😀

Get some rest, and report back tomorrow night. I'm eager to hear your thoughts, Ted.

 

JC

[firedog]

On 5/9/2020 at 9:22 PM, The Computer Audiophile said:

Fabulous amps. Can blow the woofers out of any speaker without breaking of sweat. I wish I would’ve got the model one step down. Less heat, still enough power. 

So you prefer them to the Constellation you had?

[firedog]

On 5/11/2020 at 12:59 AM, The Computer Audiophile said:

I'm getting the Parasound HINT 6 Halo integrated amp in for review to pair with the SR1a. For $2,995 I hear this amp is the best value in HiFi. Parasound's Richard Schram was excited the amp would be paired with the RAALs. He said the new JC 1+ would really take them to another level. 

 

https://parasound.com/hint6.php

 

Yes, that amp seems like a real giant killer. I think there are several amps in the $2500-$4000 range that give the 5 figure and multiple 5 figure amps a run for their money. That last bit of performance, if you can hear it, is VERY expensive.

[djoman]

"I frequently sit across the room from a $100,000+ audio system, looking at it, while listening through these headphones. The SR1a is that good. Stunning, amazing, and the only headphone capable of pulling me away from my main audio system. "

in my opinion this feeling led to this problem "temporarily sold aout" i like audiophillestyle.com 

[The Computer Audiophile]

4 hours ago, firedog said:

So you prefer them to the Constellation you had?

I still have the Constellation in my listening room and the Pass downstairs. I’d love to try the pass on my Wilsons but I need to get the piano movers to get the amps upstairs. 

[jcbenten]

15 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Getting in more amps to review with the SR1a is seriously a blast. 

 

Now I need another tube amp or two to try. Any recommendations?

KRAudio

Manley

Rogue

Nagra

Shindo

 

That is the short list...

[Summit]

Spectral (SS)

Mark Levinson (SS)

Gryphon (SS)

Aesthetix (hybrid)

VAC (Tube)

[cfisher]

21 hours ago, Summit said:

Spectral (SS)

Mark Levinson (SS)

Gryphon (SS)

Aesthetix (hybrid)

VAC (Tube)

 

For Spectral, you can take a look at this review: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/raal-requisite-sr1a.23620/reviews

[TubeLover]

5 hours ago, cfisher said:

 

For Spectral, you can take a look at this review: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/raal-requisite-sr1a.23620/reviews

I think the Spectral amps would only push things over the edge towards too much speed, dynamics and treble.Much as the review said. 

 

The only solid state amps that I found to enhance the Sr1a's sound in the right direction were the Modwright 100SE and 150SE. And even those were surpassed by tube amps in terms of harnessing things just enough to mellow the midrange, and high end, and also to allow a richer, depth of tone and overall sonics.

 

JC

[TubeLover]

On 5/12/2020 at 8:10 AM, jcbenten said:

KRAudio

Manley

Rogue

Nagra

Shindo

 

That is the short list...

Nice list. Though, while I greatly respect Rogue for making quality products at reasonable prices in the US, I'm not sure I would be looking to pair that combination.

 

The more powerful Manley's are certainly worth a try. And I would never pass on a chance to try Nagra gear. Shindo is absolutely wonderful stuff but I wasn't aware they produced anything remotely powerful enough for the RAAL's? 

 

JC

 

 

[ted_b]

So I am continuing to go slowly, mainly due to gremlins and other pests (Roon clients can see my Roonserver but can't seem to access it; I can't find BOTH sets of my audiophile grade rca cables in order to set up Microzotl as tubed preamp, etc) but now have SU-1 running (powered by LPS1), JS-2 powering the Startech hdd enclosure and USB card, and continue to drag-n-drop playlists into HQPlayer 3.20.2 (old but works).  Still single box Win 10 but allows me to develop a baseline...my initial goal.

 

Third day conclusions: once I got the hang (pun intended) of the RAAL ear/head positioning, and got the system warmed up for about 60+ hours I can honestly say that these headphones are not very good headphones.........but they are phenomenal little ribbon speakers hanging off my head!!!  That's what they sound like...tiny Apogees strapped to my head!  Amazing, even with the somewhat clinical Schiit Jot-R amp.  Oh, and the dynamics have shown up too....VERY nice.  I can't wait for my tubed pre to add a little color and soul to the mix. 

[The Computer Audiophile]

15 minutes ago, ted_b said:

So I am continuing to go slowly, mainly due to gremlins and other pests (Roon clients can see my Roonserver but can't seem to access it; I can't find BOTH sets of my audiophile grade rca cables in order to set up Microzotl as tubed preamp, etc) but now have SU-1 running (powered by LPS1), JS-2 powering the Startech hdd enclosure and USB card, and continue to drag-n-drop playlists into HQPlayer 3.20.2 (old but works).  Still single box Win 10 but allows me to develop a baseline...my initial goal.

 

Third day conclusions: once I got the hang (pun intended) of the RAAL ear/head positioning, and got the system warmed up for about 60+ hours I can honestly say that these headphones are not very good headphones.........but they are phenomenal little ribbon speakers hanging off my head!!!  That's what they sound like...tiny Apogees strapped to my head!  Amazing, even with the somewhat clinical Schiit Jot-R amp.  Oh, and the dynamics have shown up too....VERY nice.  I can't wait for my tubed pre to add a little color and soul to the mix. 

Good to hear Ted. There really is nothing like them in the headphone world, that I'm aware of. 

 

The J-R is really good and I think it's a piece that most SR1a owners should have in their arsenal, but it isn't perfect. I don't believe it's as dynamic as the VT80 SE I used throughout most of my review. 

 

Getting the hang of hanging them off your head is a bit strange at first. Now, it's second nature. 

[AudioDoctor]

I really need to hear these things, and you Chris need to hear the Susvara driven by my amp/dac combo. I am curious to know how the two will compare. The Susvara are the most dynamic and detailed anything I have ever heard, thats including headphones and speakers.

[The Computer Audiophile]

23 minutes ago, AudioDoctor said:

I really need to hear these things, and you Chris need to hear the Susvara driven by my amp/dac combo. I am curious to know how the two will compare. The Susvara are the most dynamic and detailed anything I have ever heard, thats including headphones and speakers.

Agreed. 
 

Once the world is right side up, it’s game on :~)