[Ultrainferno]

The Raal CA-1A is also amazing off the Riviera AIC-10. I also use them off the speaker taps.

Is that with the Hifiman adapter by any chance?

 

[Spawn300Z]

Is that with the Hifiman adapter by any chance?

No I have a Danacable Nirvana speaker tap adapter that I use with my Susvara’s.

I also have a iFi Audio Pro IESL. But departing on putting it up for sale. I don’t think I’m going to go the Estat Route again. I like the CA-1A and may look into the Immanuel in the future.

 

[MokhaMark]

copying this here also:

I'd like to post some impressions on the Magna. There are three active threads for the Raal now, one is the announcement thread for Raal.

Any opinion on where I should post, or if someone can create a thread just for Magna? (Not sure if I have permissions to start a topic). The Magna absolutely deserves to be in Summit-Fi all on its own. But I also wonder if a moderator could not simply re-name this SRH1a thread to include all the ribbon models.

Feedback appreciated.

 

[Tchoupitoulas]

I think a separate thread is well merited. It'd be a shame for the Magna to get lost with so much attention on the Immanis.

 

[rlawry]

I for one would vote for a single thread to cover all RAAL headphones, of which there are only 4. I have been following the Kennerton headphone thread for years which covers a lot more models successfully and it is great to have only 1 thread to follow. If you want to post your review on multiple threads, that is OK, but I personally prefer one thread.

 

[MokhaMark]

In case anyone wants to read some subjective Magna impressions:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/raal-1995-headphones-magna-and-immanis.971610/post-18099440

 

[musicinmymind]

I was able to get used SRH1a for cheap price in local sale, the seller however did not have any amp or adaptor box. He gave me only the headphone with cable.

The question is should I get an amp like Schiit Jotunheim R or TI-1b adaptor box to be used with WA33 amp. Please suggest which option is better.

 

[rlawry]

There are several paths you can take using currently available equipment.

1. You can get one of the old resistor boxes and connect it to a speaker amp of your choice. Most people have moved on from this as they prefer to use one of the available dedicated headphone amps, or the newer transformer interfaces with their favorite headphone amps. The speaker amp also needs to have a relatively high output of around 100 watts into 8 ohms.

2. You can get one of the dedicated headphone amps such as the Schiit Audio Jotunheim R, no longer produced but available used for a relatively low price, or one of the RAAL or SAEQ dedicated tubed (VM1a) or solid-state (HSA1a) amps. I believe all new amps are no longer produced by RAAL (or Schiit) but by SAEQ.

3. You can get one of the transformer interface boxes made by RAAL, T1-1a (older one no longer produced, has 16 and 32 ohm inputs), Ti-1b (direct replacement for the Ti-1a), or the Ti-1c (has 4 and 8 ohm inputs) and connect it to the output of your headphone amp. The headphone amp needs to be a relatively beefy one that outputs somewhere around a minimum of 2 watts into the transformer load you choose.

You will need to find out the power output of the WA33 into various loads and then choose the transformer interface that matches the maximum output of the amp into that load, should you choose that route.

 

[Tchoupitoulas]

The question is should I get an amp like Schiit Jotunheim R or TI-1b adaptor box to be used with WA33 amp.

I'd recommend the TI-1b adapter box over the Jot R. The Jot R is a great amp, especially at its price point, but makes the SR1a sound a bit relentless and overly sharp and aggressive. It forces a lot of detail at you, and I found it fatiguing. On the other hand, it has strong bass, as far (i.e. deep) as the SR1a can do bass...

I preferred a range of modest but appropriately powerful amps with the TI-1b over the Jot R, among them the Schiits Mjolnir 2 & Rag 1.5, Monoprice Cavalli Liquid Gold X, and Holo Bliss. I tend to prefer slighter warmer-than-neutral amps, to suit my tastes, and in the end I went with the HSA 1b, although the Bliss trades blows with it.

All this is to say that my comparably modest amps did a better job with the SR1a than the Jot R. I should think the WA33, at a whole level above my amps, would have sufficient power for the SR1a and could be a great amp for you.

 

[Polygonhell]

You will need to find out the power output of the WA33 into various loads and then choose the transformer interface that matches the maximum output of the amp into that load, should you choose that route.

WA33 works well with the TI-1A/B, on either load, they do sound different, and I can't remember which one I preferred, (I think 32 Ohms)

 

[rlawry]

Another great amp to pair with the SR-1b and Ti-1b (at 16 ohms input) is the Benchmark HPA4, which is what I use. It has amazingly low distortion that translates into the best detail, speed, transparency, and spaciousness I have heard. If you prefer a more full, robust sound you might find a tube amp like the WA33 to be a better match.

 

[TonyRoma]

Ive just picked up a Budget ish valve amp ( Willsenton R8) for my speakers, thought i would try it with the SR1a/T1-1a first, well this thing sounds amazing, probably the best they have sounded to me for a while, i am gonna leave this as is for now and forget about my speakers for a while, all this with stock tubes as well.

 

[yellowblue]

After @rlawry changed the "umbilical cable" between his headamp and the Ti-1b I am about to try the same thing. I wrote to Lavricables and they can reterminate a Grand headphone cable I already own to a 4pin male - 4pin male (1,5 meter - which makes it possible for me to sit 3 meters from my headamp).
I got the following question from Lavricables: Do you know the pinout for male xlr4 -> male xlr4 cable? Should it be one to one?
Do you have other comments about using a Grand cable as umbilical cable?

 

[rlawry]

After @rlawry changed the "umbilical cable" between his headamp and the Ti-1b I am about to try the same thing. I wrote to Lavricables and they can reterminate a Grand headphone cable I already own to a 4pin male - 4pin male (1,5 meter - which makes it possible for me to sit 3 meters from my headamp).
I got the following question from Lavricables: Do you know the pinout for male xlr4 -> male xlr4 cable? Should it be one to one?
Do you have other comments about using a Grand cable as umbilical cable?

Danny or Aleksander should be able to answer your pinout question. Pine Tree Audio never asked that question so maybe I lucked out there.

 

[musicinmymind]

I see in Raal website that Ti-1b is only sold with Headphones and not separately, is there any place I can buy new ones?