RAAL-requisite SR1a Has Landed

[ted_b]

I am DEFINITELY assimiliated in that I've been sitting on my ass-imilated listening to the RAALs; its made 2020 a non-suicidal year for me.   😎

 

Audions, I bow to you.  🙃

[The Computer Audiophile]

I've been listening through my SR1a headphones all day with the new Meitner MA3 :~)

 

https://www.emmlabs.com/ma3.php

 

 

[RickyV]

21 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

I've been listening through my SR1a headphones all day with the new Meitner MA3 :~)

 

https://www.emmlabs.com/ma3.php

 

 

🤧Brrrrrr, no no nooooooo.

 

😀

[cfisher]

Looking back, I have added over 1000 albums from Tidal to Roon. That is because I just can't get enough music with the SR1A. Also, tubes that I bought and was not impressed with before the SR1A sound incredible now. I recently got a 1960s Telefunken 12AX7/ECC83 and it is just magical. 

[TubeLover]

6 hours ago, cfisher said:

Looking back, I have added over 1000 albums from Tidal to Roon. That is because I just can't get enough music with the SR1A. Also, tubes that I bought and was not impressed with before the SR1A sound incredible now. I recently got a 1960s Telefunken 12AX7/ECC83 and it is just magical. 

That Telefunken is a GREAT tube! Congrats on finding one, and hoping it didn't break the bank.  And you're absolutely correct about the SR1A being a wonderful showcase for tubes and their individual qualities.

 

JC

[TubeLover]

7 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

I've been listening through my SR1a headphones all day with the new Meitner MA3 :~)

 

https://www.emmlabs.com/ma3.php

 

 

Tough work, Chris, but I suppose someone has to do it! 

[RickyV]

13 hours ago, RickyV said:

🤧Brrrrrr, no no nooooooo.

 

😀

 

13 hours ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

I've been listening through my SR1a headphones all day with the new Meitner MA3 :~)

 

https://www.emmlabs.com/ma3.php

 

 

But on a more serious note, it looks awesome. With what amp did you pair it with to listen to raals? Hope to read the review soon.
Edit: also wondering how it holds up to the Bartók.

 

In the future when funds allow I’ll probably buy or diy a Purifi class d amp.
I think because of it’s un-colored sound and speed in high current delivery it’s well suited for the raal. And pair that with a tube pre-amp to add some tube magic.

I have asked Meitner if I could use the single ended and the balanced output of the ma1 simultaneously and they said it was possible. 
So this is at least for now the plan I dreamed up.
 

[PeterG]

4 hours ago, RickyV said:

In the future when funds allow I’ll probably buy or diy a Purifi class d amp

I'd be careful here.  If there is a disadvantage to the RAALs it is that they are too quick already.  That "straight wire" might be more than you bargained for

[RickyV]

23 minutes ago, PeterG said:

I'd be careful here.  If there is a disadvantage to the RAALs it is that they are too quick already.  That "straight wire" might be more than you bargained for

I have found a couple of reviews where people did that and they were happy with the results. 
In one review they even paired a Nagra classic with a Purifi and a Raal with very good result.

[cfisher]

10 hours ago, TubeLover said:

That Telefunken is a GREAT tube! Congrats on finding one, and hoping it didn't break the bank.  And you're absolutely correct about the SR1A being a wonderful showcase for tubes and their individual qualities.

 

JC

Andy at Vintage Tube Services is the best. For whatever reason, he refuses to go along with the price-gauging.

[TubeLover]

1 hour ago, PeterG said:

I'd be careful here.  If there is a disadvantage to the RAALs it is that they are too quick already.  That "straight wire" might be more than you bargained for

I'll second this about the RAAL's quickness, and also their extreme clarity. Wonderful things, but, in my extended experience, best slightly softened by an excellent tub amplifier. A great tube amp with the power to drive these is absolute magic. Read the comments Chris made about his pairing of the RAAL's with the AR integrated tube amp. 

 

JC

[TubeLover]

40 minutes ago, cfisher said:

Andy at Vintage Tube Services is the best. For whatever reason, he refuses to go along with the price-gauging.

Well done. I've been dealing with Andy for many years, the absolute tube expert, open, honest, and fairest prices available. 

 

JC

[cfisher]

1 minute ago, TubeLover said:

I'll second this about the RAAL's quickness, and also their extreme clarity. Wonderful things, but, in my extended experience, best slightly softened by an excellent tub amplifier. A great tube amp with the power to drive these is absolute magic. Read the comments Chris made about his pairing of the RAAL's with the AR integrated tube amp. 

 

JC

Yeah, but for that reason, I would love to hear Chris make some sort of comparison between the Boulder and the ARC.

[jlbrach]

and yet the jotr costs what...700 bucks lol?

[The Computer Audiophile]

55 minutes ago, cfisher said:

Yeah, but for that reason, I would love to hear Chris make some sort of comparison between the Boulder and the ARC.

I wish I still had the ARC here for comparison. 

[RickyV]

Look what I found 😃

 

 

 

And the cat found the box, of cause.

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

3 minutes ago, RickyV said:

Look what I found 😃

 

 

 

And the cat found the box, of cause.

 

I love it! The headphones aren't bad either :~)

[cfisher]

15 minutes ago, RickyV said:

Look what I found 😃

 

 

 

And the cat found the box, of cause.

 

 

Did you see that video about adjusting them? It's kind of nice to know from the start that they are actually super sturdy and adjustable.

[cfisher]

Here if not:

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

30 minutes ago, cfisher said:

Here if not:

 

That's amazing!

[LowOrbit]

On 12/19/2020 at 10:29 AM, RickyV said:

 

 

 

In the future when funds allow I’ll probably buy or diy a Purifi class d amp.
I think because of it’s un-colored sound and speed in high current delivery it’s well suited for the raal. And pair that with a tube pre-amp to add some tube magic.

 

I've been thinking diy Purifi too, the older Ncores worked pretty good into the Raals, but the JotR works better for me. I'm thinking Hugo TT2 (unless that gets replaced Mola Mola stylee) in AMP mode into the Purifi module without buffer. 

 

Question is just how transparent that interface box really is.

[The Computer Audiophile]

I'm interested in trying the Purifi amps, but I'm extremely skeptical. These headphones are so transparent and demanding that I don't think it will sound good, until proven otherwise. But, I'll be happy to be wrong. I love options and hope the amps sound fantastic on the SR1a. 

[RickyV]

1 hour ago, LowOrbit said:

I've been thinking diy Purifi too, the older Ncores worked pretty good into the Raals, but the JotR works better for me. I'm thinking Hugo TT2 (unless that gets replaced Mola Mola stylee) in AMP mode into the Purifi module without buffer. 

 

Question is just how transparent that interface box really is.

Did you experiment with the input buffer opamps? This might be the key to getting the sound to your liking. You can even get tube input buffers it.

The Purifi or ncore is just there to have no sound of it’s own and deliver the drive to the raal. At least this is how it could work in my mind.

My pre-amp has two pairs of rca outputs so two power amp would work.

 

I have searched a bit on the www for 100w tube amps but proves to be expensive.

But for now my Sovereign amps have to do. I really need some experience with other amps.
 

[LowOrbit]

17 hours ago, RickyV said:

Did you experiment with the input buffer opamps? This might be the key to getting the sound to your liking. You can even get tube input buffers it.

The Purifi or ncore is just there to have no sound of it’s own and deliver the drive to the raal. At least this is how it could work in my mind.

My pre-amp has two pairs of rca outputs so two power amp would work.

 

I have searched a bit on the www for 100w tube amps but proves to be expensive.

But for now my Sovereign amps have to do. I really need some experience with other amps.
 

Yeah - powerful tube amps of suitable quality are uncommon and uncommonly spendy. Chris probably has access to the best, but a pleb like me ain't planning on dropping that much moolah.

 

I never messed with the Ncore input buffer, and yes they are pretty clean and transparent. Never convinced me they were "better" than a good Class A/B amp, but still pretty good.

 

Purifi is a project for 2021 (assuming there's still civilisation out there to bring stuff I want to my bunker...) but I think the Chord DAC has enough voltage out in AMP mode to bypass the buffer stage. From what I can read in the Purifi manual that amp needs circa 11v input for full power out. We don't need 400 watts to power the Raals, so less input voltage should be just fine. 

 

We shall see :-)

[TubeLover]

On 12/23/2020 at 9:50 AM, RickyV said:

Look what I found 😃

 

 

 

And the cat found the box, of cause.

 

Hey, mine didn't come with a cat included???