[yyzSB]

Of course that is the intelligent thing to do, but as they say in Game of Thrones, "Summer Is Coming", and I have no central AC! I want no tubes!

I have the HPA4 now and it is not at the level of the VM-1a with my CA-1a.

I have the Holo Serene preamp that I expect to use with the Immanis. Though I am considering trading or selling it to go with another Benchmark HPA4. The headphone part is secondary for the HPA4 and Serene roles. I need them to kick arse in 2-channel as the first priority. For my more neutral tastes, I think the HPA4 headphone will be better than the Serene (and maybe the unheard Bliss).

One thing to consider before selling the VM-1a is to try this tube. Danny suggested this one over the stock. I think the VM-1a sounds better than in stock form.

LOT OF 2 - 6SN7 GTB GENERAL ELECTRIC RADIO TUBES Halo red label

Not sure you are going to find better than the VM-1a even with the new gear coming out.

BTW - I have the same cage for the VM-1a in black. That is a very useful item to keep the VM-1a safe.

 

[rlawry]

I have the HPA4 now and it is not at the level of the VM-1a with my CA-1a.

I have the Holo Serene preamp that I expect to use with the Immanis. Though I am considering trading or selling it to go with another Benchmark HPA4. The headphone part is secondary for the HPA4 and Serene roles. I need them to kick arse in 2-channel as the first priority. For my more neutral tastes, I think the HPA4 headphone will be better than the Serene (and maybe the unheard Bliss).

One thing to consider before selling the VM-1a is to try this tube. Danny suggested this one over the stock. I think the VM-1a sounds better than in stock form.

LOT OF 2 - 6SN7 GTB GENERAL ELECTRIC RADIO TUBES Halo red label

Not sure you are going to find better than the VM-1a even with the new gear coming out.

BTW - I have the same cage for the VM-1a in black. That is a very useful item to keep the VM-1a safe.

I know what you mean regarding the BM HPA4 amp, which I own. In the quest for more neutrality, detail, and spaciousness over that supplied by my then Quicksilver tube amp I bought my HPA4, which then sounded lean, hyperdetailed, and lacking bass weight and punch. As it took a while to sell the QS tube amp, I one day decided to swap out the HPA4 for the QS, which then sounded bloated and bass-heavy by comparison. I guess it is whatever we get used to.

 

[nfandi]

Poor lost soul.
A life without tubes is meaningless

Now that is heartless. You’re telling me that all my 69 years up to my 70th birthday were meaningless. Oh wait, I had tubes in my Mesa Boogie guitar amp, phew!

 

[MokhaMark]

I have the HPA4 now and it is not at the level of the VM-1a with my CA-1a.

I have the Holo Serene preamp that I expect to use with the Immanis. Though I am considering trading or selling it to go with another Benchmark HPA4. The headphone part is secondary for the HPA4 and Serene roles. I need them to kick arse in 2-channel as the first priority. For my more neutral tastes, I think the HPA4 headphone will be better than the Serene (and maybe the unheard Bliss).

One thing to consider before selling the VM-1a is to try this tube. Danny suggested this one over the stock. I think the VM-1a sounds better than in stock form.

LOT OF 2 - 6SN7 GTB GENERAL ELECTRIC RADIO TUBES Halo red label

Not sure you are going to find better than the VM-1a even with the new gear coming out.

BTW - I have the same cage for the VM-1a in black. That is a very useful item to keep the VM-1a safe.

I appreciate yours and others feedback (and discouragement from selling VM1a, lol). And thank you for the tube recommendation.

I am also basing my decision off of the character of the Magna, as I perceive it, and its success with solid state.

 

[MokhaMark]

Poor lost soul.
A life without tubes is meaningless

LOL, yes, I am a heathen

 

[XVampireX]

Of course that is the intelligent thing to do, but as they say in Game of Thrones, "Summer Is Coming", and I have no central AC! I want no tubes!

Huh, understandable buddy, quite a bit warmer here though it seems for now, nights are bareable at about 18c but during day goes to 28-30c

I've got 2 of the amps you're looking for, don't understand why you want to "downgrade" for your Immanis if you've got a direct drive amp and they are tuned and designed around these drivers, get yourself a fan, heh.

I'm not interested though in tubes so much to trade for this even if that's a possibility with the differences in our voltages. But good luck to you

Also keep in mind, both Bliss and Volot are not the most cold amps either.

 

[MokhaMark]

Huh, understandable buddy, quite a bit warmer here though it seems for now, nights are bareable at about 18c but during day goes to 28-30c

I've got 2 of the amps you're looking for, don't understand why you want to "downgrade" for your Immanis if you've got a direct drive amp and they are tuned and designed around these drivers, get yourself a fan, heh.

I'm not interested though in tubes so much to trade for this even if that's a possibility with the differences in our voltages. But good luck to you

Also keep in mind, both Bliss and Volot are not the most cold amps either.

I am sure it must seem crazy to let go this great amplifier, but it is not just about environment for me, but preferences and priorities I am arriving at for the Magna/Sr1a duo. It is possible I have a different ideal of sound for my hearing and musical interests. It may not ultimately prove to be a downgrade for me. I might also just be crazy!

 

[KaiSc]

I was able to find an open box TI-1b in ebay, already placed an order. I already have TC and Susvara, SR-1b will be addition, do not want to spend again on amp, WA33 E JPS with upgraded tube already cost me a lot of cash.

What’s not mentioned yet:

Raal SR1a/b is designed for and absolutely needs an EQ called “Baffle Step Compensation”.
Else it will sound very treble-heavy.

Schiit Jothunheim R and the “Amp Ribbon Interface”-box (resistor-interface for power amp), and various Raal / SAEQ amps have it built in.


You have several options to achieve the Baffle Step Compensation, depending on your playback source:

• Raal-made “barrel” adapters to be inserted into the analog signal path, available with RCA and XLR plugs.

• Schiit Jothunheim R amp, much better than it’s reputation here in the forum.
Widely available used, low $$$, makes a quasi-portable setup.
Fits in the case BTW.

• Some other Raal / SAEQ amps that have it built in - costs some $$$.

• EQ settings in your player soft, which can at the same time lift up the bass a little if desired.

• “Mitchs Filters”, an EQ set for certain player softs that can load them.

• Hardware EQ, eg. with the RME ADI-2 series, which again offers the liberation of adding some bass or do other tweaks by personal taste.
This is what I prefer, just listening to my RME ADI-2/4 Pro SE / Jothunheim R / SR1a.

————————————————————-

Here’s my “Beginners Guide To SR1a/b” :

The major first step is experimenting with the various degrees of freedom in head placement.

The short video from the Raal website is sure worth a look in this regard:



I would not call myself a bass-head, but do like solid base and fundamentals in my music.
At the same time I’m generally not listening very loud, vocals in the music are a bit louder than normal humans talking.
Typical music level ca. 65-70 dBA Leq (long term average), with peaks up to 95 - 100 dB SPL.
The power amp is not challenged much: ca. +20 dBu or 10 W / 6 Ohm Peak typically is the very highest I observe.

I love music with lot’s of dynamic, try to avoid contemporary, dynamically over-squashed remasters.


First based on measurements (on my own head, mic inside my ears), then hours of fine-tuning I made an EQ setting that adresses all mentioned Issues, without overdoing it or killing SR1a’s character.

Specially the bass becomes viceral in a way I did not expect from SR1a.

The EQ slighty addresses midrange and treble too, this is very personal I guess.
Doing more in the mid/treble range sounds too much for me.
Treble is better controlled by positional variations, than excessive EQ.

With the EQ the bass and fundamentals sound punchy, compact and present in a way I did not expect from SR1a.
The fastness stays, combined with a significant gripe on the related instruments.
No hint of tizzy or thin sounding any more.


Positioning, probably quite personal, but another person found similar settings favorable too.
• Driver flaps angle: L 27 ° R 27 ° few millimeters away from pinnae contact. I made little card-box angle stencils to set this up.
• Driver horizontal position: usually ca. 5 mm to the front from the back-most possible position, very tiny bit more forward than the upper-mid-hottest position. I do use this to regulate the treble amount.
• Driver height: center driver ca. aligned with ear-canal entrance.
• Wearing angle (seen from the side): upper part, headband, slightly backwards, ca. 10 °.
• Fit: tight fit, still comfortable, don’t need the back-strap.


Raal SR-1a EQ04
RME ADI-2 DAC, ADI-2 Pro, ADI-2/4 Pro SE

THE EQ DOES NOT CONTAIN BAFFLE STEP COMPENSATION as the standard SR1a amp interface already has it.
There are EQ bands left to do this, in case needed.

Baffle Step Compensation would be:
-4.5 dB 1000 Hz, Q=0.5 High Shelf.

Gain / Freq / Q / Type / (comment)
.. dB / Hz
+5.5 / 130 / 0.8 / Shelf / (adjust gain to taste)
.. n.a. / 25 / 1.8 / High Pass / (High Q boost the lows SR1a is capable, removes below)
-2.0 / 2.1k / 1.5 / Peak / (vocal presence)
-1.0 / 6.3k / 3.5 / Peak / (harshness)
-2.5 / 9.1k / 5.0 / Peak / (Sibilants)