Article: Taking the RAAL-requisite SR1a Headphones To Another Level

[ted_b]

1 hour ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

That’s not what I said. 
 

I supply a 352 kHz filter because it’s the highest rate I have for filters. When using HQP I upsample to 32fs. 

But you did say a single filter. Does HQP accept stereo filters, or did Mitch provide you dual mono ones?  Thx

[The Computer Audiophile]

26 minutes ago, ted_b said:

But you did say a single filter. Does HQP accept stereo filters, or did Mitch provide you dual mono ones?  Thx

It’s a single filter split into left and right channel mono files for HQP. 

[Hiker]

1 hour ago, PeterG said:

Don't be too hard on yourself, you've put your finger on two big issues here that are easily addressed without technical expertise:

 

On streaming vs ripped CDs--your $9000 server likely sounds better than any streaming source.  Streaming is super convenient, but I don't think I've ever heard anyone assert it sounds as good as ripped CDs on a purpose-built server.  I have "failed" several times in attempts to add streaming at equivalent sound quality.

 

Headphones are an extraordinarily efficient use of audiophile funds, assuming you accept that they are not speakers.  In addition to Chris's RAALs and AD's Susvara's, you might also consider the Stax 009S (my favorite), and Abyss.  Depending on personal taste, one or more of these are likely to knock your socks off for less than $8000, including the (absolutely essential) dedicated amplifier.  If your local dealer does not have demos that you can take home for a few days, you can try these from an online store while only risking a few hundred dollars in restocking fees if you do not love them.

 

Rock on!

 

Peter thank you so much for your reply , I’d like very much to check out the Raals including the Susvaras, Stax and Abyss . No speaker interactions with the room our new digs there isn’t a decent spot in the whole house and my wife won’t let me set up in the living room , right now the washer and drier are just to left of my speakers in a unfinished basement...Yes my server does sound good and it’s the best digital playback I’ve experienced in my home so far .

 

 

[mitchco]

6 hours ago, Confused said:

With speakers, the "preferred" in room frequency response curve would drop by maybe -10dB from 20Hz to 20kHz. 

 

The correction for the RAAL's is ruler flat, which is incredibly impressive I have to say, but is this at odds with the above?

 

I'm not sure if I have missed something here?

 

Hi @Confused Agree with the preferred in room response. Consider a loudspeaker that measures flat in an anechoic chamber and then placed in a room. When measuring loudspeakers in typically reflective listening rooms the resulting steady-state room curves exhibit a smooth downward tilt. It is caused by the frequency dependent directivity of loudspeakers (i.e. cones and domes) - they are omnidirectional at low bass frequencies, becoming progressively more directional as frequency rises. More energy is radiated at low than at high frequencies. This is the cause of the downward tilt.

 

With headphones, there is no room or frequency dependent directivity (relatively speaking).

[Jean Paul D]

4 hours ago, mitchco said:

 

Hi @Confused Agree with the preferred in room response. Consider a loudspeaker that measures flat in an anechoic chamber and then placed in a room. When measuring loudspeakers in typically reflective listening rooms the resulting steady-state room curves exhibit a smooth downward tilt. It is caused by the frequency dependent directivity of loudspeakers (i.e. cones and domes) - they are omnidirectional at low bass frequencies, becoming progressively more directional as frequency rises. More energy is radiated at low than at high frequencies. This is the cause of the downward tilt.

 

With headphones, there is no room or frequency dependent directivity (relatively speaking).

But how accurate is the reproduction by a ruler flat headphone when the music has been produced/approved on monitoring speakers such as JBL M2 with the attached in-room response ?

( cf Dr Floyd Toole, https://www.avsforum.com/threads/jbl-m2-master-reference-monitor.1454077/page-214#post-57291428 )

The discrepancies would even be greater if monitoring speakers were tuned to the 10 dB smooth tilt mentioned above.

Do the RAAL accept a bit of bass boost or a tilt to mimic the mastering conditions (on speakers on the vast majority of instances, with headphones called in eventually and only to control certain aspects, not to deliver a final product that would be more accurate or enjoyable via headphones )

I tried bass boost with my AKG 701 and it doesn't like it (distorsions)

[yyz]

Here is some info from Accurate Sound.

 

"thanks for your payment. Here are your filters.

 

FS1 = neutral

FS2 = neutral plus bass extension

FS3 = neutral plus bass and treble extension

 

I am sure you already know, but you just need to unzip the main zip, but you don’t have to unzip the individual filters. Just point Roon at each one of the three zip files."

[The Computer Audiophile]

1 hour ago, Jean Paul D said:

But how accurate is the reproduction by a ruler flat headphone when the music has been produced/approved on monitoring speakers such as JBL M2 with the attached in-room response ?

( cf Dr Floyd Toole, https://www.avsforum.com/threads/jbl-m2-master-reference-monitor.1454077/page-214#post-57291428 )

The discrepancies would even be greater if monitoring speakers were tuned to the 10 dB smooth tilt mentioned above.

Do the RAAL accept a bit of bass boost or a tilt to mimic the mastering conditions (on speakers on the vast majority of instances, with headphones called in eventually and only to control certain aspects, not to deliver a final product that would be more accurate or enjoyable via headphones )

I tried bass boost with my AKG 701 and it doesn't like it (distorsions)

I knew you just had to be the same guy who was previously banned. 
 

Bye bye for the second time. 

[yyz]

On 6/3/2021 at 10:14 PM, yyz said:

I also asked Mitch to create some filters for the SR1a, just for fun. I have a perfect setup right now. However, I am very happy these filters were done. 

 

I am a huge fan of the SR1a. I have now got almost all the gear in place for my SR1a system. Over the past 6+ months the following was used with the SR1a trying to get them to sound perfect. I tried each for about 1 week or more

 

- RAAL HSA-1b amp | AudioMirror Tubadour III SE tube DAC (AMT3SE) =  I was only able to use RCA wire and not XLR  [9/10]

- Benchmark AHB2 x2 | Benchmark HPA4 preamp  | Benchmark DAC3B  = 7/10

- Benchmark AHB2 x2 | Benchmark HPA4 preamp  | AMT3SE  = 7.5/10

- CODA CSiB integrated | AMT3SE = 9.5/10

- KRELL K-300i integrated  | AMT3SE = the most bass, smooth 9.5/10

- CODA 07x preamp | D-Sonic M3a 800s (400 watts) | AMT3SE = 8.5/10

- CODA 07x preamp | Benchmark AHB2 | Gustard X26 Pro DAC = 9/10

- CODA 07x preamp | Benchmark AHB2 | AMT3SE | Audience Conductor SE speaker cables = 9.5/10

- CODA 07x preamp | Benchmark AHB2 | AMT3SE | Audience  FrontRow speaker cables with SpeakON termination = 10/10

 

I am going to replace the AHB2 on the 10/10 setup because I need the amp for a mono setup in another room. I am looking to get a VTV Purifi amp and get it modified to sound as close to the AHB2 (much cheaper and curious).

 

The CODA 07x preamp has dual XLR outputs so that makes it a breeze to have a dedicated amp for the SR1a and also 1 for my floor standers.

 

My best DAC is the Gustard X26 Pro but the AMT3SE tube DAC is the best on the SR1a.

 

My streaming is done from a Ubiquiti Network Switch to a Sonore OpticalRendu (2 of them) with LPS.

 

I got the filter from Accurate Sound and gave it a spin. I am drawn to filter 3, "FS3 = neutral plus bass and treble extension". Which I find surprising.

 

Cut to the chase. The new best combo I have is the following:

 

- CODA 07x preamp | Benchmark AHB2 | Gustard X26 Pro | Accurate Sound SR1a Convolution Filter 3 | Audience  FrontRow speaker cables with SpeakON termination = 11/10 (Spinal Tap level good)

 

I am going to sell my Audio Mirror Tubadour III SE DAC on Monday. I was using it just for the SR1a but with these Convolution filters the Gustard is better. I said in my post I above that the Gustard was a better DAC except on the SR1a. That is no longer the case. So bye-bye to the AMT3SE.

 

I also put up my Meze Empy for Sale on Head-fi tonight. I am not going to listen to any other headphones with the sound I have now. So bye-bye to those phones.

 

My SR1a sounds as good as my floor standers now. This is some great stuff.

[Pale Rider]

Reached out to Mitch this morning. He was immediately responsive. Within a few minutes, I had paid the PP invoice, and I stalled the files. My SR1a cans and HSA-1b amp are part of a headphone rack that includes the T2/Stax 009S, Mjolnir Carbon CC/Stax 007 Mk1, and Trafomatic Primavera/Susvara combinations, all fed by a Roon Nucleus+ and MSB Select II  with Network Renderer. With Filter No. 2, the SR1a may be king of the hill. The Sus still has better bass, but the SR1a has enough to really appreciate the incredible ribbon speed without feeling like one is sacrificing overall tonal balance. Still playing with speaker angle, but this is wonderful. Thanks Mitch!

[yyz]

I sold my AMT3SE DAC today (that was easy) and now only have the Benchmark DAC3B and the Gustard X26 Pro both connected by the ROON Ready Sonore OpticalRendu (2 of them). They get the fibre directly from a Ubiquiti network switch containing 2 SPF slots.

 

I connect each DAC to the XLR inputs of my CODA 07x preamp with Audience AU24 SE XLR wire (same length). I use Mitch's Filter 1 for the SR1a on both ROON endpoints for the 2 DACs. I then GROUP the playback on ROON so that both DACs get the same synchronized stream. 

 

Unfortunately the preamp gain is not matching perfectly. Though it is close enough. I can adjust the gain on each input of the CODA but I am too lazy to figure that out.

 

In the past I said that the Benchmark DAC3B | AHB2 | CODA 07x was not the very best combo. The best being the Gustard X26 Pro | AHB2 | CODA 07x. However, now with the filter running on each endpoint the differences have narrowed down considerably. The DAC3B path is almost as good as the Gustard path. The DAC3B still has a smidgen of hardness on the SR1a that the much warmer Gustard does not.

 

In the past I would never have considered the DAC3B for the SR1a. However, with the Convolution filter it is rather good.  I do find the DAC3B a little more lively and sometimes that is fun to have. Both DACs are staying put.

 

[skatbelt]

@The Computer Audiophile why didn't you send your own SR1a to @mitchco? RAAL does driver matching but differences between SR1a's can potentially be significant. And, what about the different angle positions of the drivers and their implications on the response / correction needs?

[The Computer Audiophile]

1 minute ago, skatbelt said:

@The Computer Audiophile why didn't you send your own SR1a to @mitchco? RAAL does driver matching but differences between SR1a's can potentially be significant. And, what about the different angle positions of the drivers and their implications on the response / correction needs?

Good questions. 
 

1. I don’t believe driver differences are big enough to demand measurements of each individual headphone. 
 

2. Mitch measured them extensively using several different positions of the headphones and didn’t find much difference. Mitch can jump in with better information. 

[mitchco]

Hi @skatbelt Chris and a few others tried out the filters and I asked if anyone could hear a shift of the centre image when engaging the filter. The reports back are the that the centre image did not shift. So it would seem from a practical standpoint any driver matching differences are not audible.

 

I listened to and measured fairly extensively while shifting the SR1a's in different positions on my head, including varying the angles. The SR1a is amazingly consistent through the range that fits comfortably. In Chris's article, I show a set of measurements where one was centered and the other two at the ends of up and down on the ears from a headphone wearing perspective and you can see the frequency response is very consistent. Given that they are open baffle type headphones, there is no concern about the bass response varying depending on the seal. One can see that in the measurements and I noted that while listening.

[ajay556]

I will be demoing the Raal SR1a's this weekend at my local store. Would the SR1a sound change as much as regular speakers with different audio gear? Just wondering if I should request to listen with my equipment at home?

[The Computer Audiophile]

8 hours ago, ajay556 said:

I will be demoing the Raal SR1a's this weekend at my local store. Would the SR1a sound change as much as regular speakers with different audio gear? Just wondering if I should request to listen with my equipment at home?

Yes. They are like a microscope and reveal everything about the equipment upstream. 

[PeterG]

11 hours ago, ajay556 said:

I will be demoing the Raal SR1a's this weekend at my local store. Would the SR1a sound change as much as regular speakers with different audio gear? Just wondering if I should request to listen with my equipment at home?

 

Definitely take them home for a few days.  I second Chris's comparison to a microscope, and I will add Ferrari as another metaphor.  You need an extended listen to decide if they should be your daily driver.

 

Enjoy and report back!

[The Computer Audiophile]

Fortunately, bringing the SR1a home in the supplied Pelican case is much easier than a pair of Wilson Alexia speakers :~)

 

I wish there was a way for people to use @mitchco’s filters during their demo with these headphones. 

[ajay556]

Yes sounds like listening with filters is key. Wonder if mitch provides a trial version :-)

 

[Vangelis]

Chris, in listing of the system bits for your listening sessions, I did not see which RAAL headphone cable you’re using. Are using the RAAL silver into your interface and if so was the Silver upgrade apparent into the interface?

Thanks

[The Computer Audiophile]

4 minutes ago, Vangelis said:

Chris, in listing of the system bits for your listening sessions, I did not see which RAAL headphone cable you’re using. Are using the RAAL silver into your interface and if so was the Silver upgrade apparent into the interface?

Thanks

I only have the stock cable. 

[mitchco]

On 7/30/2021 at 5:36 PM, ajay556 said:

Yes sounds like listening with filters is key. Wonder if mitch provides a trial version :-)

 

Sorry, it is on my todo list but I don't have an ETA.

[ajay556]

I tried the Raal's this weekend. The Raals were connected to the Macintosh 50 watt headphone amplifier. The music sounded thin and did not have formidable soundstage. The salesman switched to a Rotel 200 watt receiver. The music still sounded thin but the sound stage improved a little. Overall, it was not in par with my expectations. I think I need to spend more time with better amplifier to get a handle on its potential. The dealer said I could take it home for couple of days. Maybe will try again next weekend.

[Niktech]

3 hours ago, ajay556 said:

I tried the Raal's this weekend. The Raals were connected to the Macintosh 50 watt headphone amplifier. The music sounded thin and did not have formidable soundstage. The salesman switched to a Rotel 200 watt receiver. The music still sounded thin but the sound stage improved a little. Overall, it was not in par with my expectations. I think I need to spend more time with better amplifier to get a handle on its potential. The dealer said I could take it home for couple of days. Maybe will try again next weekend.

What energizer did you use to connect the sRA1’s to your power amp?

[The Computer Audiophile]

6 hours ago, ajay556 said:

I tried the Raal's this weekend. The Raals were connected to the Macintosh 50 watt headphone amplifier. The music sounded thin and did not have formidable soundstage. The salesman switched to a Rotel 200 watt receiver. The music still sounded thin but the sound stage improved a little. Overall, it was not in par with my expectations. I think I need to spend more time with better amplifier to get a handle on its potential. The dealer said I could take it home for couple of days. Maybe will try again next weekend.

Thanks for the report. Yes, you really should use a better amp. I tried my McIntosh MC275 with the SR1a and the experience wasn’t the best. 

[TooSteep]

With just a laptop, a Jotunheim R and a pair of SR1a's, is there a good way to run Mitch's filter with a quality lossless source?

 

I.e., what is the minimum software required to try out his filter with the Raal-Requisites without using a server and streamer/endpoint?