Raal Ribbon Headphones - SRH1A
Jan 10, 2020 at 10:30 PM Post #1,741 of 7,968
That album does have some very nice tracks with a huge dose of nostalgia thrown in as well.

JJ
 
Jan 11, 2020 at 2:26 AM Post #1,742 of 7,968
Thanks for posting this. I am listening to my SR1a right now, patiently reloading the Schiit website every half hour or so , but loving the sound. I think the Jot R and possibly other direct drive amps, will make a big difference for this headphone. I love it. Almost as much as my Stax 009/T2 combo, and I think the right amp, without the buffer, will take it up.

A T2 !!!!

versus (more or less): a Jot-R.

Insanely interesting.
 
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Jan 11, 2020 at 5:31 AM Post #1,743 of 7,968
A T2 !!!!

versus (more or less): a Jot-R.

Insanely interesting.
Yeah, I’m looking forward to getting the Jot R. I am also working on the possibility of a custom direct drive amp for the SR1a, but that’s a longer term project. In the meantime, it is a very sweet headphone, and I think I just about have the fit dialed in. I expect/hope that future iterations will have more robust/easily-adjustable headgear components.
 
Jan 11, 2020 at 6:00 AM Post #1,744 of 7,968
Yeah, I’m looking forward to getting the Jot R. I am also working on the possibility of a custom direct drive amp for the SR1a, but that’s a longer term project. In the meantime, it is a very sweet headphone, and I think I just about have the fit dialed in. I expect/hope that future iterations will have more robust/easily-adjustable headgear components.
Sr1a without interface need less than 20 Watts.

Thus with suitable output transformer, it will be possible to make direct drive tube amplifier on it.

The question is who is willing to make output transformer.
 
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Jan 11, 2020 at 3:56 PM Post #1,745 of 7,968
People may have prejudice on Crown XLS 2502 since it s a PA D class amp.

But I found out that it is quite nice without hard edge.

I will wait for Jot R to be released soon.

But in the meantime, I have been quite happy with Sr1a driven by Crown with fast transient and neutral presentation.
 
Jan 11, 2020 at 4:17 PM Post #1,746 of 7,968
Hi,
Sr1a without interface need less than 20 Watts.

Thus with suitable output transformer, it will be possible to make direct drive tube amplifier on it.

The question is who is willing to make output transformer.

RJ2XY.jpeg



Actually the interface box for sure has two functions: impedance adapter and equalizer.
Looking at the nice ‘linear’ frequency response of the SR1a (as good as MySphere but wider), it could be that a direct link with such a tube amplifier increases the low octave output which actually is perhaps the onliest weak point of these headphones.
Low octave at least for Classical is where you get that ‘immersive’ feeling you are in the real venue.

Manufacturers which have the skills in tube amping and make all handmade high precision devices, cost on par, like VIVA can be the ‘who’ person.
This is actually a why not question.
 
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Jan 11, 2020 at 7:00 PM Post #1,749 of 7,968
Wiring up an xfmr for a load that is a direct short is going to be a trick, no matter how you cut it.
Even using the reflected load 'trick', handling that much current, and at such a low impedance, not to mention the xfrms secondaries internal resistance, almost precludes their use.
I suppose that if a superconducting wire were used it might be possible, but…

These types of loads (0.0xΩ) almost preclude any type of standard amp circuit except a current amp which will more or less ignore the output impedance.

And still has no one measured these 'cans' yet?
I'm amazed, especially since the measurement talent pool should have already jumped on this…

JJ
 
Jan 12, 2020 at 8:18 AM Post #1,750 of 7,968
Wiring up an xfmr for a load that is a direct short is going to be a trick, no matter how you cut it.
Even using the reflected load 'trick', handling that much current, and at such a low impedance, not to mention the xfrms secondaries internal resistance, almost precludes their use.
I suppose that if a superconducting wire were used it might be possible, but…

These types of loads (0.0xΩ) almost preclude any type of standard amp circuit except a current amp which will more or less ignore the output impedance.

And still has no one measured these 'cans' yet?
I'm amazed, especially since the measurement talent pool should have already jumped on this…

JJ
You are speaking of conventional knowledge regarding transformers.

Looking carefully at the picture, you can see that Pierre, the French reseller visiting VIVA facility in Italy with us, listens to these SR1a directly connected to the output of the tube amp without trouble.


vd0WZ.jpeg
 
Jan 12, 2020 at 8:47 AM Post #1,751 of 7,968
Without trouble means good music?
 
Jan 12, 2020 at 10:58 AM Post #1,753 of 7,968
Without trouble means good music?
Means at least that direct connection of the SR1a to this tube amp is functional even if these cans are a 0.2 ohm load.
Just needed to make a small adapter 4xlr male.

@earlinarizona , the amp used here is another version of the VIVA Solista which offers headphones outputs.
The man in the picture is Pierre Paya , French reseller of high end headphones and setups:
https://casques-headphones.com/

We are speaking here of Kondo quality for headphones amplifiers.
Low end with SR1a is a matter of transformer tuning. VIVA hand make their own transformers.
 
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Jan 12, 2020 at 11:49 AM Post #1,754 of 7,968
Indeed, would be interesting to know. Very intriguing. The SR1a could drive some interesting new amplifier developments, though the Solista itself has been around for quite a while. I might drop a line to Steve Deckert and see if they have given any consideration to the possibility of adapting one of their SETs for the SR1a.

In the meantime, it's still crickets in California on the Jot R.
 
Jan 12, 2020 at 3:29 PM Post #1,755 of 7,968
Ribbons aren’t really new comers as transducers and no new development is necessary. Comments relate more a seek for good combinations since those ribbons are used as headphones.
Speaking of tube amps, designs have for sure history and an interesting approach is to look at transformers with the correct ratio for the SR1a.

Is avoiding the interface box a relevant solution compared to a good synergy ?
 

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