Article: Part 2: RAAL-requisite SR1a Earfield Headphone Monitor & HSA-1b Headphone & Speaker Amplifier Review

[RickyV]

Hi @austinpop as usual an excellent review, I really appreciate your opinion.

Question since you are also very knowledgeable with Euphony. I am interested in EQing my Raal headphone but I do not have HQP nor Roon. Would it be possible for HQP embedded in Euphony to use @mitchco’s convolution filters? 
Also I am very tempted to buy the HSA1-b and be done with the switchable speaker/Raal resistor box, with this solution both suffer. I believe @The Computer Audiophile mentioned that Raal is busy developing a tube based amplifier for the Raal so I am not sure if I should wait for that, might be a while. Have you heard anything about that?

[RickyV]

15 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Yes

Ooh wow that is fantastic news, thanks. I didn’t expect that.

 

15 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Supposed to be demonstrated at the Head-Fi show in Southern California this year. 

Might you have an educated guess as to when it will be for sale, approximately.

[RickyV]

I bought HQplayer today for Euphony. Also bought the convolution filters from @mitchco. I will install them tomorrow and have listen, can’t wait. 👍

[RickyV]

I have got the filters loaded and went straight for the FS3 filters, had start somewhere. As I am unfamiliar with HQplayer I have set it to, Upsampling mode: PCM, PCM resampling filter: none and PCM resampling noise shaper: none. Done this also because I wanted to switch between Euphony Stylus with and without HQplayer so between no filter and FS3 filter. Correct me if I am doing something wrong.

So far the FS3 filter seems easier on the hears in the treble region and has overall a more relaxed presentation. The bass Indeed seem to go deeper.

I have to test and experiment a little more Euphony settings and way to much HQplayer settings. If anyone has some good suggestions with HQplayer please let me know. 
So far a really nice addition to the Raal sr1a.

[RickyV]

1 hour ago, austinpop said:

Hmm, that’s actually a good point to seek clarification. So you want to do EQ but without upsampling? How does one use HQP for just convolution?

Perhaps @The Computer Audiophile and/or @Miska can clarify.

no I do upsample to 353khz in pcm because to my logic my DAC can do  the rest of the upsampling better, 512 dsd. To much strain on my NUC too.
And an other thing is because I use speakers and the headphones i am going to use stylus without HQplayer so without filters for my speakers and stylus with HQplayer with convolution filters for the raal. 

[RickyV]

21 minutes ago, Miska said:

I doubt there are DACs that have the amount of DSP power available to do that. Even NUC has more CPU power than any DAC I'm aware of.

 

???

 

MDAT™: 8x DSD upsampling 

From there, the signal goes straight into the newly updated Meitner Digital Audio Translator (MDAT2™) which upsamples digital audio to DSD512/8xDSD, eight times the SACD standard sampling rate.

 

23 minutes ago, Miska said:

 

Note that when you use any DSP, like convolution, you must use dither or noise/shaper for PCM outputs. Otherwise you have a distortion generator. You will also benefit from running upsampling at the same time, as you get increased headroom. You gain one bit worth every time you double the sampling rate (flat dithers like TPDF), and more if you use noise-shaper.

So these setting are no good then for the use with convolution filters?

 

I am new to HQplayer so for now I would just like to upsample in PCM to 353khz.

And I need to set dither or PCM resampling noise filter. Is it easier to do this in the HQplayer UI?

 

[RickyV]

On 9/13/2021 at 11:06 PM, austinpop said:

As Chris said, they plan to announce and demo at the CanJam SoCal in Irvine, CA in a couple weeks. I'm very curious too!

Found this on head-fi, the new raal tube amplifier.

 

Couldn’t find much more on how it sounds with the sr1a

[RickyV]

13 hours ago, Priaptor said:

Did they say when they are releasing the new amp?  

 

 

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/raal-ribbon-headphones-srh1a.890603/post-16788242

 

 

[RickyV]

30 minutes ago, Priaptor said:

Appreciate it.

 

Did you get a chance to compare to the SS HSA-1B?  

? I am not SeniorBrother. For now I am still playing with the resistorbox on my Sovereign amps. I guess I am waiting for a few more reactions on the VM-1 but I will probably buy it when it comes for sale.

[RickyV]

The VM-1 is on the raal site for pre-order. It is $6500 dollars. 
 

I have been waiting for this amp since the end of September when the price was set at about 5500 dollars. It might be to expensive for me now. ☹️

[RickyV]

On 3/1/2022 at 5:20 PM, RickyV said:

The VM-1 is on the raal site for pre-order. It is $6500 dollars. 
 

I have been waiting for this amp since the end of September when the price was set at about 5500 dollars. It might be to expensive for me now. ☹️

Had a real long thought and i am going for bread and water and ordered the VM-1a 🎊🎉.

You only live one’s and in this day and age things can end quickly.

[RickyV]

36 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

I'm so jealous! You have to let us know how it sounds when you get it!

I sure will.

[RickyV]

On 3/4/2022 at 4:12 PM, Priaptor said:

couldn't agree more with your decision. 

Did they say when orders will actually ship?  

Congrats and welcome to the club.  

I got an email yesterday saying  that they expect to ship mine this week. 👍🍾

[RickyV]

I am new to tube amplifiers so does anybody know what the differences in sound are between Ultra-linear mode, Triode mode and Pentode mode? All three modes are available on the VM-1. 👇

 

[RickyV]

33 minutes ago, Priaptor said:

 

 

"TRIODE VS ULTRALINEAR : Triode is considered the 'BEST' way to listen to tubes. Although the output decreases, the bandwidth increases, the distortion decreases, and damping factor increases. ULTRALINEAR MODE is a superb compromise. The output power is more than TRIODE, yet you have most of the benefits of TRIODE.

 

A triode tube has a control grid (signal in), a plate (signal out), and a cathode. A pentode adds two more components: a screen grid and a suppressor grid; these make the tube more efficient and increase power output.

 

Triode is the "purest" but has output limitations. Ultralinear is a compromised hoping to give the best of Triode but with more output and pentode, your last bet 

 

Having said and quoted the above, it is all a function of matching the speakers and in this case the SR1a to the amp. Try them all 

Thanks Priaptor.

 

So each mode is a different way to switch the output tube.

 

 

 

[RickyV]

6 minutes ago, Priaptor said:

Yes, it is interesting that on their site the advertised picture shows it in triode mode, which may give you the best configuration.  I have had 2 other amps configurable as this one is and usually just stick with Triode. 

 

Let us know how it sounds. I had a very long listening session with my HSA-1b and really love it.  I am sure this will be awesome. 

My VM-1a will arrive early next week, it’ll be the first one in Europe.

I will surely let you know how it sounds according to me in comparison with my SS amplifiers/ resistor box combo. But do not expect to much, writing is not my strong suit.

[RickyV]

It finally arrived my first tube amp. 
Looks like a cozy electric “fireplace”😀

warmth included.

 

Haven’t really listened to it, just to hear that it works. 
Will let it burn the whole night. 

[RickyV]

I am not going to make this to difficult this amp is freaking amazing. 

I just switch back to my SS after listening to the VM-1a for four days to get a better reference. The VM-1a in is certainly not lacking in the bass department, it is tight, strong and rich in tone. The whole spectrum is just so much richer and more spacious, more engaging (tube sound?), my SS sounds boring now in comparison. The VM-1a is just a much better fit to sr-1a then the Sovereign pre- and power amp plus resistor box, mind you the sovereign set was about 15000 euro 20 years ago so it’s not just a mediocre amp. 

Tested in triode mode and without the Accurate Sound DSP correction. I am not sure jet about the dsp, it is difficult to describe what is happening there and needs more time, adjusting HQplayer maybe.

Without dsp, more lively in a good sense and free. With dsp more linear I guess but seems more boring but the school is still out on that.

 

So everyone who is interested in the VM-1a  should certainly go and listen to it preferably in direct comparison with the HSA-1a.
 

@The Computer Audiophile, @austinpop this is certainly a pro review worthy.

just to spice the mood. 😀

 

 

[RickyV]

9 hours ago, Priaptor said:

With the HSA-1b, the DSP makes a difference. Brings the SR1A to another level. 

It is all in the spirit of discovering the amplifier sound. What created the question marks was that I for the first switched to the convolution filters, I think Ane Brun playing, the difference was huge. Ane was so much more polite that it was a what the hell moment. 
The next day I started with the convolution filters and it all sounded more balanced but still switched to non-convolution filters later that evening. 

[RickyV]

Oh man I am enjoying the VM-1a so much. I have been on Euphony, HQ player and convolution filters for more than a week now I am liking it better then without it for now. It’s just a bit friendlier and less shouty.
Tonight playing around a bit with all three mode’s switching within songs, back on triode mode but liking the others too.  It’s so immersive, full of the band so fast.
 

 

[RickyV]

12 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

That’s so great to hear!

 

That also reminds me I owe Danny from RAAL-requisite a call :~)

Yes, please call him. 👍