Hiker816

1000+ Head-Fier
The Best Headphone By A Considerable Margin
Pros: • Overall better than every other headphone on the market by a considerable margin
• Some headphones make major compromises in order to achieve near perfection in a particular category.
The Immanis achieves near perfection in every category without making any compromises. It beats one-
trick-pony headphones even on their one trick, without any tradeoffs.
• Best resolution, speed, clarity, instrument separation, dynamics, timbre, texture, balance, dynamic range,
staging, transparency, holographics, and bass and subbass available
• Serves up more of the music recording and upstream chain than imagined possible
• Extremely energetic
• Quite neutral without coloration
• Fatigue-free
• Sounds great (though very different) on pretty much any amplifier
• Can change so much with different amps that it is like having multiple headphones
• Easier to drive than past RAAL-requisite ribbon offerings
• Comfortable, especially for its weight
Cons: • Focuses a microscope on the recording and upstream chain; will expose any flaws unless mitigated with a
softer amp
• Is like drinking from a fire hose of musical information until you acclimate
• Sounds great out of the box, but doesn’t reach its full potential (especially with bass slam and quantity)
until it has 200 hours of use
• Changes so much with different amps that it may take some experimentation to find the best pairing for
your preferences
• Is so energetic that it will require a careful amp pairing to please a listener who prefers a laidback
presentation
• No isolation + needing moderate volume to come alive means no listening next to a sleeping partner
• Requires a separate interface with most amplifiers
• Requires a special headphone cable
• Expensive
Introduction

Do you know that feeling when you hear a headphone for the first time—something special—and you can’t help but mutter under your breath “holy #&%$!”? But often, after you’ve had it for a few weeks, that reaction fades, and maybe it even gets old? What if I told you it was possible to have that reaction every time you listened to a headphone, now and forever? Let me introduce you to the RAAL 1995 Immanis.

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In virtually every category, the Immanis trounces the best of the TOTL competing offerings, including those which are one-trick-ponies and make a lot of compromises to achieve the throne for one particular characteristic. Indeed, the very few headphones that can best the Immanis in a particular category do so only by a hair, and are glaringly flawed in most other respects. The Immanis, on the other hand, makes no such compromises. It is at a minimum masterful, and in most cases better than anything else, in every conceivable category. This means that, overall, the Immanis is the best headphone I have ever heard, by a considerable margin.

Background of Review and Reviewer

This review is based on about 300 hours of listening on the Immanis using RAAL’s old Star8 cable and, except where an interface isn’t needed or as otherwise noted, using the old TI-1a interface. Amps used include the RAAL-requisite VM-1a, Zahl HM1 (both with and without a Supratek preamp in the chain), RAAL-requisite HSA-1b, CFA3, Viva Egoista 2A3, SAEQ Armageddon, and (briefly) Felix Envy. A Chord DAVE was used for all, with an ethernet-connected laptop running Roon as the source. No upsampling (other than in the DAVE) or EQ.

I listen quieter than most—listening tests were done at 68 dBa. I do not have testing equipment and comments on the frequency response are based on level-matched listening to sine sweeps.

Music Used: Intervals (Memory Place—whole album); Night Verses (Every Sound Has a Color in the Valley of Night—whole album & track No Moon); Syncatto (Fiction—whole album, esp. Now Sink, and tracks Mobius, Smoke & Mirrors); Polyphia (tracks Playing God & Chimera); Bernth (tracks God Complex, Delusionary, Fuego); Dune 2 Soundtrack (track Southern Messiah); Queen (song Killer Queen), Frozen 2 soundtrack (song Into the Unknown); Manuel Gardner Fernandes (track First), plus a random assortment of tracks from Dream Theater, Animals as Leaders, Modern Day Babylon, Jardin de la Croix, Yes, and Rodrigo y Gabriela.

I paid the same price as everyone else for my Immanis, and have received nothing in exchange for this review. However, I was predisposed to like the Immanis, as I had already owned and loved the SR-1a and CA-1a. Based on my previous experience with ribbon drivers, I blindly placed a preorder and received an early unit—one of the first two Immanis to ship to North America.

This review does not cover the history, specifications, or engineering design of the Immanis, which have been well-documented above and elsewhere. (And this review is already long enough as it is). This review does cover amplifier pairings, however, as the Immanis can sound like a different headphone depending on the amp used.

Sound Quality Assessments

Transparency: The Immanis is a chameleon. It is remarkably transparent and resolving, and more than any other headphone I have heard, transmits everything up the chain, from the amp to the DAC to the source to the recording, straight to your ears without any coloration or influence at all. It is as clear a window into your system and recording as you can find. It is malleable and can sound like a different headphone based on what’s driving it. It can expose everything—good or bad—or be smooth and mild mannered, depending on how it is fed.

The Immanis focuses a microscope on everything upstream. Its incredible resolving power and transparency means it’s also incredibly revealing. Pair it was a highly resolving and transparent amp, and it may be more revealing than you really want. Recording flaws you never knew existed will suddenly be hard to ignore. If you want to listen to imperfect recordings, you may want to pair the Immanis with a less revealing amp. The Immanis will not itself aid in fixing problematic recordings. That said, playing perfectly recorded and engineered music on the Immanis, driven by a super resolving and transparent amp, is . . . like meeting God.

Staging: With the right amp, the Immanis sounds quite expansive—everything sounds big. More accurately, it stages grand—the instruments fill a huge space, but also appear to themselves get bigger and grander, so nothing is lost in the perceived distance. It is not cavernous, like the HD800S, which seems to lose some tonal density and texture from the perceived distance. But it is bigger in both depth and laterally than most other headphones. However, it can become significantly more intimate paired with a different amp. Not quite reach-out-and-touch-the-instruments like the Spirit Torino Valkyria, but certainly of at least average intimacy, and possibly even more intimate than the median, if the amp so provides.

Dynamics/Punchiness: Dynamics and punchiness start off great, but improve slightly as the Immanis racks up some hours. Initially, but especially once settled in, the Immanis will knock your socks off. Dynamics are simply incredible. The expansive staging on the Immanis (on some amps) does mean the instruments can sound farther away, yet rather than that perceived extra distance making the notes sound more diffuse, it’s as though they are shot at you with a laser beam. As the stage on the Immanis expands, the instruments themselves also get bigger, leading to no loss of dynamics.

The Immanis is an extremely energetic headphone. To call it ‘lively’ understates it. The Immanis does need a bit of volume to come alive. 68 dBs will do it, but it sounds lackluster at, say, 63 dBs.

Dynamic Range: The Immanis has incredible dynamic range, competently reproducing the quietest and loudest notes in any track with apparent ease, though that obviously will vary with different amps. Overall, though, I have not heard another headphone with better dynamic range.

Timbre: Wow. The timbre on the Immanis is not just stunning, but better than any other headphone I’ve heard, by a noticeable margin. The Valkyria has excellent timbre, and previously held pole position. With the arrival of the Immanis, the Valk has been dethroned. Every note on the Immanis is reproduced with so much information—so much accurate information—that every drum strike and guitar pluck, every piano note and the vibration from every violin string, is incredibly lifelike and is beamed directly to your ears. The texture of everything is astonishing. Nothing is more life-like.

Resolution & Clarity: In my experience, the SR-1a owned the resolution and clarity space, with competition coming only from the best e-stats, and (for resolution only) the DCA Stealth. Move over SR-1a, because the Immanis has you beat. This might not immediately jump out at the listener, I suspect because the Immanis is less fatiguing and sounds less “etched” than the SR-1a, and thus might be perceived as sounding smoother. Avoid falling into that trap, though, and the exceptional resolution and clarity is apparent. Instruments vividly erupt out of nowhere, from a completely black background. In comparison, e-stats like the STAX SR-X9000 and SR-009 may match the Immanis on resolution and, at least from the mids up, may match on clarity, but at the expense of tonal density and dynamics. However, the STAX offerings also sound like they may have more distortion in certain parts of the frequency range and are less balanced, so the Immanis might still come out ahead.

Instrument Separation: Instrument separation on the Immanis is ridiculous, especially with the right amp that leans into its expansive soundstage. The Immanis is perceived as pulling the instruments apart in space, and that has exactly the effect you would expect on separation, particularly when that extra distance doesn’t make instruments sound more diffuse, which it doesn’t on the new RAAL. I have not heard another headphone that can compete with the Immanis on instrument separation, and that includes e-stats like the X9000.

Holographics / Imaging: Holographics and spatial effects are absolutely ridiculous, though again are affected by the amp used. With an amp that really leans into it, the layering of instruments is something to behold. Not even e-stats can compete here, as all those I have heard stage more intimately than the Immanis, creating overlap that affects holographics and imaging.

Speed: This is a known strength of ribbon drivers, and the Immanis does not disappoint. It’s blindingly fast, with the only competition coming from the best e-stats.

Bass: Ribbon drivers can’t do bass. Right? The SR-1a certainly isn’t a bass monster. With some EQ or a convolution filter, it improves, but still is lacking. The CA-1a, with the right amp (VM-1a) or a good filter, isn’t bad—maybe even slightly better than average. But mediocre bass performance is just a drawback of ribbons. Not anymore. The bass on the Immanis is exceptional. And I don’t mean exceptional for a ribbon. I mean better than any other headphone on the market. Yes, overall, it is even better than the Abyss 1266 TC—the (until now) undisputed bass king. Bass extension, texture, detail, control, and—once the ribbons are broken in after about 200 hours—slam, are simply amazing on the Immanis. It extends all the way down to 25 Hz to my ears, which is lower than I can discern on any other headphone. And the quality of that bass is simply absurd. The 1266 does have more tonal density in the bass than the Immanis, and you’ll find more bass quantity on the Abyss. And it might have slightly more bass slam, though it’s perilously close. But for every other bass characteristic, the Immanis comes out on top. The subbass in Polyphia’s Playing God, Audacity, and Chimera, and in Manuel Gardner Fernandes’ track ‘First’, are really something to behold. And the subbass and slam in Intervals’ new album really shocks. Since when did a ribbon driver beat all others for bass? Now. That moment is now.

Mids: The Immanis has great mids and the balanced frequency response means that the mids aren’t being overshadowed by the bass or treble (I’m looking at you 1266). Again, the texture, timbre, and instrument separation are so impressive top to bottom, that you know you’re getting all there is to get out of the mids.

Treble: The treble on the new RAAL is exquisite. Clarity, texture, timbre are all top notch, yet without any fatigue. To my ears, it extends just past 12 kHz. A few other headphones can pull ahead on treble extension, but not with the treble quality the Immanis provides. A good e-stat can present the treble with a bit more air, but that comes at the cost of tonal density and texture. A couple early impressions mentioned something about “treble irregularities” with the Immanis. I could not detect anything remotely resembling any irregularities. The treble is terrific.

Vocals: The detail and texture conveyed on the Immanis is out of this world, and that means vocals sound more realistic than ever before. The breaths, changes in pitch and volume, vibrato, is all there in all its glory, whether male or female vocals. And the balance on the Immanis means they aren’t overshadowed by anything else. A few headphones have more tonal density than the Immanis, which can make some vocals sound more lush. But they also then sound less textured and agile.

Musicality: The Immanis is certainly detail-forward. But it’s not analytical to the point of losing musicality. For example, I don’t often listen to Jardin de la Croix (e.g., tracks ‘Challenger’ or ‘Ciclos’) because it’s not as technically masterful as most of my preferred music and can be a little oppressive—like preparing for an epic battle in which you know you’re probably going to die (ok, yes, I admit that’s a little hyperbolic). But for that reason, it can be captivating if I’m in the right mood. On the Immanis, it’s so captivating it’s impossible to pull away. And the guitar riff starting at about 6:38 on Yes, Yessongs, ‘Yours Is No Disgrace’—ugh, just gets me on the Immanis.

Frequency Response / Balance: The Immanis sounds incredibly balanced when listening to music. I don’t have any testing equipment and wouldn’t trust myself to set it up and run tests correctly even if I did. I can, however, listen to a sine sweep. That, of course, will expose as much about the limits of my own hearing as the limits of the headphone. And, while I did this at the higher end of my preferred volume, that’s still very low compared to pretty much everyone else (68 dBs). With those caveats, the sine sweep bears out how balanced the Immanis is. I can sense something starting around 22 Hz, and actually hear it audibly starting at 25 Hz. I hear a small peak around 3 kHz, small dip around 3.8-4.2 kHz, quite noticeable dip around 6.2-6.7 kHz, small peak around 8.8-9.7 kHz, and a very pronounced rolloff starting at 11 kHz until I can’t hear anything just past 12 kHz. Something like the 1266, by contrast, sounds like a hot mess on a sine sweep.

The Immanis sound signature is that it doesn’t have a sound signature. It transmits everything that’s upstream of it without smoothing over or coloring any of it.

Fatigue: For some music, on some amps, and for some people, the SR-1a could get a bit fatiguing, particularly in the treble. The Immanis removes that fatigue without losing any detail. I’ve heard the Immanis described as “smooth”. That sometimes means loss of resolution and dynamics. Thankfully, that’s not a problem at all with the Immanis. Instead, “smooth” just means not harsh or fatiguing. On really resolving amps like the Zahl HM1, the leading edges of percussive notes in particular have quite a sharp impact. That is not necessarily fatiguing, but you will want a different amp—preferably a tube amp—if you prefer a softer attack.

Like the SR-1a, the Immanis can be ruthless in exposing flaws. Again, it’s not fatiguing per se, but imperfect recordings, particularly distortion-heavy passages in some metal tracks, may not sound their best if you’re using a really transparent solid state amp. If you listen to flawless recordings, no problem. If you listen to imperfect music, you’ll want to pair the headphone with a tube amp or a smoother solid state (e.g., the HSA-1b does a better job mitigating this issue than the Zahl HM1).

Comparisons to Other Headphones

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Versus the RAAL 1995 Magna: As you might imagine, the Immanis and Magna share a lot of characteristics. Both are highly resolving, fast, dynamic, and balanced. The Immanis stages larger, which means the Magna might be perceived as slightly punchier as a result. Both have great dynamic range, but the Immanis pulls a bit ahead, as it does on instrument separation, resolving ability, and timbre/texture. Bass is excellent on both, but the Immanis extends deeper, and has superior bass texture, detail, and control. Perceived slam I would put at about equal, with the intimacy of the Magna balancing out the Immanis’ advantage in moving more air with its larger driver surface area. Both have great mids and are balanced top to bottom. Clarity is top notch, though the Immanis runs a bit ahead. Neither headphone is fatiguing—assuredly thanks to the multiple ribbon drivers—but the Immanis is a touch smoother in the treble. Interestingly, the Magna seems to have slightly better treble extension, but it’s very hard to notice that when enjoying music. Vocals on both are excellent, and will come down to whether you want intimate vocals (Magna) or big venue vocals (Immanis).

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Versus the Abyss 1266 TC: The Abyss is almost universally regarded as the bass king. Not anymore. The Immanis actually extends deeper, has more bass texture and better timbre, and slightly better bass control (the 1266 is no slouch, but can sound a bit bloomy in comparison). The Abyss might have more bass slam, but it is very close, and hard to tell if it only seems that way because of the hollowed-out mids or actually does have more slam. The Abyss does have more bass tonal density and bass quantity. It sounds richer down low. Bass notes also take longer to decay on the Abyss. The Immanis is slightly more holographic. Clarity is great on both, though the Immanis pulls ahead—the Abyss can occasionally sound a tiny bit congested in comparison. The Immanis is faster, but not by a lot. It is much more balanced, with great midrange, which the Abyss lacks. On mid-centric tracks, the Abyss can sound less dynamic as a result (otherwise, dynamics are stellar on both). Treble is great on both. The Immanis has slightly better treble timbre, but the Abyss actually extends a bit higher. Neither the Immanis nor the Abyss are very forgiving of poor recordings.

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Versus the Spirit Torino Valkyria: The Valkyria stages much more intimately than the Immanis (or any headphone, really). The Valk’s timbre is great. It is even with the Immanis on upperbass and mids timbre. On bass and treble timbre, though, the Immanis nudges ahead. The Immanis has better texture, as well. The Valk has more bass decay, but the Immanis digs substantially deeper, with better bass control. The Immanis slams a bit harder. The Valk extends just a touch higher than the Immanis in the treble. Instrument separation is superior on the Immanis. The Valk midbass has some slight bloom, while the Immanis has none. Compared to the Immanis, the Valkyria can exhibit a bit of smearing on some tracks. The Valk has more tonal density across its entire frequency response range—from midbass (it doesn’t have much subbass) through the treble. The Valk has such tonal density with such intimate staging it’s like the notes take physical form and you interact with them through touch. You hear notes with the Immanis—but they are so vivid you can almost see them visually. Immanis is like seeing every feature of every note with more detail and clarity than you ever thought possible. Notes just explode out of nowhere. The Valk is all about power. It’s Mike Tyson, while the Immanis is a much faster middle-weight MMA fighter. The Valk will smooth out bad recordings better than the Immanis.

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Versus the DCA Stealth: The over-damping on the Stealth usually isn’t too bothersome. Until you listen to something like the Immanis. The Stealth sounds like it is holding back, and is sometimes a little hollow, in comparison. The Stealth sounds downright slow compared to the Immanis. Immanis has better timbre, better dynamics, more dynamic range, better instrument separation, bigger staging, and much better holographics. The Immanis extends noticeably deeper and slams harder. Treble extension is about even. The Stealth is at least as balanced as the Immanis, however, and maybe more. Its resolving ability also gives the Immanis a run for its money. Of course, the isolation on the Stealth is much better.

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Versus the RAAL-requisite CA-1a: The CA-1a sounds its best off the VM-1a (by a considerable margin). It’s a fantastic headphone off that amp. Its bass and dynamics take a huge step up. Its bass extension is actually remarkably good, but still falls behind the Immanis. The Immanis bass is richer and has more slam. The CA-1a extends slightly higher in the treble. Its tonal density, texture, timbre, and dynamic range are all behind the Immanis. It sounds more 2D, and has less instrument separation. It also stages more intimately than the Immanis. Though by no means bad, the CA-1a can sound a bit more congested than the Immanis on some tracks. Dynamics overall are great but not Immanis level.

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Versus the RAAL-requisite SR-1a: The open-baffle design of the SR-1a is unique and remains that way. While the leakage zones in the Immanis make it sound much more open than your average circumaural, the open and adjustable earspeaker panels on the SR-1a are just different and always will be. The SR-1a is more open sounding than the Immanis. With the baffles swung all the way out, it stages larger as well (but sounds very thin). With them swung closer to your ears, the Immanis stages larger than the SR-1a. The SR-1a is slightly more incisive, as well. But it also is more fatiguing in the treble, is comparably thin sounding, and suffers from very weak bass. The bass response and tonal density is considerably improved with the Mitch filters, but it can’t come remotely close to the Immanis in those categories. The SR-1a does not dig nearly as deep as the Immanis, and rolls off a bit sooner in the treble as well. Timbre on the SR-1a is excellent, but better on the Immanis. Surprisingly, the SR-1a can sound a touch more congested on certain imperfect recordings than the Immanis. Additionally, while the speed and clarity of the SR-1a make for great dynamics, the Immanis is just as fast with slightly better clarity, and has noticeably better dynamics deriving from more tonal weight, much deeper bass extension, and much better slam. The SR-1a is Bruce Lee after drinking a lot of coffee, while the Immanis is an astonishingly fast and powerful middle-weight MMA fighter.

Versus the Sennheiser HE1: Based on a 10-minute demo of the HE1 at CanJam in Sennheiser’s separate room (admittedly not a fair comparison), I actually like the Immanis more. The HE1 has absolutely incredible technicalities and competes with the Immanis on all fronts, except I think the Immanis digs deeper and has more bass texture, tonal density, and slam. The HE1’s tuning strikes me as safe. It tries so hard to be polite and diplomatic that I think it falls too far over that line for some listeners. The Immanis has similar technical prowess but seems to strike a better balance between polite and bold. It clearly does not take the risks the SR-1a, and to a lesser extent the CA-1a, do, but it seems to let loose more than the HE1. It might be possible to drift off to sleep wearing the HE1. That would never happen with the Immanis—too lively. My take is that the Immanis is essentially a less laidback HE1, but with better bass, better dynamics, more energy, and a much cheaper price. Those who like a laidback listen may have a different opinion. But if you are thinking about an HE1, you should audition the Immanis before pulling the trigger.

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Versus the STAX SR-X9000: (X9000 was driven by a Mjolnir Carbon CC, and this is based on a shorter demo—about half a day). Dynamics and dynamic range are substantially better on the Immanis. The X9000 stages noticeably more intimate. But, strangely, it inverts the staging on some tracks. For example, on the Immanis, Freddy Mercury’s vocals in Killer Queen sound more intimate than the vocals in Into the Unknown on the Frozen 2 soundtrack. On the X9000, it’s the opposite. The X9000 sounds more 2D. Tonal density is surprisingly great on the X9000, but behind the Immanis. The Immanis also extends a little bit deeper (though the X9000 is remarkably good), with more slam, and with slightly better bass control—the X9000 could sound a little bloated. Surprisingly, the Immanis may also be clearer—there seems to be some slight smearing and background noise on the X9000 that isn’t present with the Immanis. Instrument separation is great on both, but Immanis might actually be a tiny bit ahead, perhaps because it stages larger. Holographics are great on both. The treble timbre on the X9000 might pull a tiny bit ahead of the Immanis, though the Immanis has more treble texture. The treble sparkle on the X9000 is lovely—something the Immanis can’t quite capture. And the X9000 is so lightweight it is one of the few headphones that reminds you that the Immanis is on the chunky side.

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Versus the STAX SR-009: (Again, driven by a Mjolnir Carbon CC, and based on a shorter demo—about half a day). Remarkably, the 009 stages much more intimately than the Immanis, but is competitive on instrument separation regardless. Again, the 009 has a lot more tonal density than expected, and more bass body than expected, but neither are as good as the Immanis. Timbre is not quite as good as Immanis, but pretty close. Great dynamics, though behind the Immanis a bit. Some softer parts of tracks can sound a touch smeared compared to the Immanis. Immanis has a stronger attack. Immanis extends much deeper.

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Versus the STAX SR-007A: (Again, driven by a Mjolnir Carbon CC, based on a shorter demo—about half a day). The 007A seems to be mid-centric compared to the Immanis. Great tonal density for an e-stat, falling only slightly behind the Immanis. Stages much smaller, especially side-to-side, and sounds 2D compared to the Immanis. Timbre is competitive with the Immanis, but the 007A has a bit of bloom and the upper bass bleeds into the mids.

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Versus the STAX SR-007: (Again, driven by a Mjolnir Carbon CC, and based on a shorter demo—about half a day). Some tracks sound echo-y compared to the Immanis. But again, tonal density is more competitive than expected. The 007 can sound smeared and congested compared to the Immanis. It stages much more intimately and dynamics are not as impressive as on Immanis. It is more fatiguing than Immanis as well.

Amp Pairings

Since the Immanis is such a chameleon, it can sound like a completely different headphone depending on the amp driving it.

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Zahl HM1: Unmatched precision. Incredible holographics—almost matching the VM-1a. Imaging and layering are phenomenal. The Immanis stages grander on the Zahl than on any other amp I have heard. Tonal density is not quite as high as on some other amps. Bass is extremely deep, textured, well controlled, and with great slam, but with less body than other amp choices. No noise floor at all. Notes explode out of total blackness. If you crank the analogue bass adjustment up all the way on the Zahl, the Immanis pretty much matches the Abyss unadjusted on bass slam and tonal density. (But if you crank it up on the Abyss, the Abyss then pulls ahead on those categories again).

The Zahl really leans into what makes a ribbon a ribbon. If you love the SR-1a and CA-1a, you would love the Immanis on the Zahl (at least with good recordings).

If you weren’t as enamored with the SR-1a and CA-1a because you found them too ribbon-y, you might still like the Immanis, but probably not on the Zahl. You’d probably want a different amp.

The Immanis is a very neutral and transparent headphone. The Zahl is a very neutral and transparent amp. Combined, that’s a whole lot of neutral and transparent. While the Viva, SAEQ, and Envy (and to a much lesser extent, the VM-1a) will add some coloration, the Zahl does not at all. It will expose absolutely everything on a recording. Before I got the Immanis, I thought Night Verses’ album ‘Every Sound Has a Color in the Valley of Night’ was one of the best recorded and engineered I had ever heard. For 70% of the tracks on it, I still think that. But I noticed some bothersome distortion, slight boomyness, and sibilance in certain tracks that have the sort of distortion you’ll often find in metal, like on ‘Karma Wheel’, and about a minute into ‘Phoenix V Invocation’. I initially thought something was up with the Zahl. I tried a different power cable, different power filter, different settings, and nothing helped. Then I stumbled upon Intervals’ new album ‘Memory Place’. It has the same sort of distortion that typifies a lot of metal, but it sounded absolutely perfect. After more experimenting, I realized the problem was the recording on the Night Verses album, not the amp. I had just never noticed it before with other headphones, but the Immanis is so transparent and resolving I could now hear it clearly. The Immanis isn’t going to fix a bad recording for you, so you’ll need to rely on the amp for that. The Zahl is not that amp. A tube pre ahead of the Zahl can mitigate the issue, though not solve it. Switching between Class A and Class A+Servo doesn’t help. Turning the soundstage adjustment all the way to the left does, but by making everything other than the center image sound diffuse—not worth the tradeoff in my estimation.

But make no mistake—with flawless recordings, the Immanis + Zahl pairing is simply mind-blowing. It squeezes every tiny bit of musical information from the recording and beams it into your ears. Some listeners might have an information overload reaction and need time to adjust. Most will grow to love it, as it is truly transcendent.

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RAAL-requisite VM-1a: Holographics are great on the VM-1a—a small step up from the Zahl. The VM-1a also does a very good job mitigating the annoyances of flawed recordings. Pentode mode has terrific dynamics. Ultra-Linear mode is nearly as good on dynamics and slightly cleaner. Triode mode does a great job with bad recordings, but by smoothing things over, so resolution takes a hit. Slightly more tonal density than on the Zahl, but less than the Viva, Envy, or SAEQ. The VM-1a is also slightly less clean than the Zahl, with slightly less clarity and resolution, but the VM-1a drives the Immanis with a bit more precision than the Viva, Envy, SAEQ, or CFA3. Texture on the Zahl is slightly better, but it still absolutely phenomenal on the VM-1a. The VM-1a drives the Immanis with a little more finesse than the Viva, Envy, or SAEQ, but also sounds less muscular. Nothing sounds more real than the Immanis driven by the VM-1a—timbre is breathtaking. Bass slam is also excellent—better than on the Zahl and getting close to Abyss-levels. Dynamics overall are at least Zahl level and maybe slightly better, and bass extension is equaling or the tiniest bit behind the Zahl. Overall, this might be the most balanced amp for the Immanis.

RAAL-requisite HSA-1b: The HSA-1b has surprisingly good synergy with the Immanis. In fact, it may synergize better with the Immanis than it does with the SR-1a. It flows extremely well with the Immanis. Holographics, staging, resolution, and dynamics are not quite at Zahl or VM1a level, but certainly not bad. Not as much impact or tonal density as the Viva or SAEQ. But music just sounds effortless. Somehow, this amp does the best job dealing with bad recordings I’ve heard from a solid state.

CFA3: Great slam, terrific dynamics. Slight noise floor. There can be some boomyness and stridency in the bass on some tracks, and some slight smearing and congestion compared to the Immanis off the Zahl. Very high energy and very good tonal density, though that same tonal density imparts a thickness that can make the Immanis sound a touch slower on the CFA3 than on other amps. The Zahl has more precision, speed, and texture. The Immanis on the CFA3 seems to lean a little darker than on the Zahl or VM-1a. Very good bass extension and the bass has a pleasing reverb. The staging, dynamic range, timbre, and resolution are a bit behind on the CFA3 compared to the Zahl or VM-1a.

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Viva Egoista 2A3:
  • Through the TI-1a Interface: I hooked up my TI-1a interface to the Viva first. My immediate reaction was shock—it is remarkably holographic, with incredible tonal density, but mostly, insane bass quantity . . . and the bass slam kicks like a friggin mule. Literally more bass quantity and slam than I had ever heard before, including from the Abyss 1266 TC (until I put the 1266 on the Viva, though the 1266 didn’t pull ahead by much). The bass and subbass seem to linger longer before decaying, too. This does appear to come at the expense of a bit of texture, timbre, and resolution, though, and there is noticeable bass bloat. It also sounds a touch smeared and congested in busy passages compared to some other amps, like the Zahl or VM1a. I love great bass, but I don’t consider myself a basshead. The bass quantity and impact on the Immanis driven by the Viva with the TI-1a is a bit too much for me—a little distracting. But if you’re truly a basshead, you owe it to yourself to check this out, as it’ll knock your teeth loose. The Viva is bold and bombastic. It stages more intimately than, say, the Zahl or VM1a. The Viva has more of a noise floor than those amps, too (but by no means bad). The Viva moves the Immanis away from the classic ribbon or e-stat signature and toward what I imagine an excellent planar/dynamic hybrid would sound like.
  • Through the Viva-specific Interface: Next up, the Viva-specific interface. WHOA, it makes a dramatic difference! The bass quantity and slam is brought under control; gone is the bloat, bloom, and boomyness, but the bass still reaches incredibly deep and is incredibly rich. Timbre and resolution are top notch, and the holographics are just amazing. Great tonal density top to bottom (though less in the bass compared to using the TI-1a interface). Better grip over the drivers, especially in the bass. With the Viva-specific interface, the Viva still makes the Immanis sound a bit less like a ribbon, and more like an excellent hybrid between a planar and dynamic, than do other amps, but less so than on the Viva with the TI-1a interface. Texture, resolution, clarity, and speed are great, though probably a touch behind the Zahl and VM-1a. Staging is less intimate than with the TI-1a, but still more intimate than with some other amps (like the Zahl or VM-1a). The Viva does a good job with bad recordings. Great vocals—remarkably clear. If you are more into musicality than technical prowess, this may be as good as it gets.
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SAEQ Armageddon: The Armageddon infuses the Immanis with more tonal weight and bass slam than any other solid state I’ve heard. It just sounds fuller, especially but not only with subbass, and plays with more authority. Staging is more intimate, though, especially with stage depth, which is lacking. Bass extension and holographics are really superlative. Timbre is very good, but a touch behind the Zahl and VM-1a. Great instrument separation. Treble is very good, but can be a tiny bit fatiguing on some tracks. On flawed recordings, the flaws can be bothersome with this amp—more so than with the Zahl, and much more so than with the HSA-1b. Of course, tube amps handle flawed recordings better than any of these solid states. The Armageddon is very energetic and is great with vocals. It sounds very powerful, but doesn’t have quite the same control over the drivers as the Zahl or VM-1a.

Felix Envy: I only got a 5-minute demo at a meet of the Immanis driven by the Envy, but that was enough to be impressed. Using Elrog 300B-MOs, there was fantastic tonal richness, powerful yet controlled bass, and timbre, texture, and resolution all seemed terrific. Bass quantity and slam were great, but probably less than with the Viva or Armageddon.

Overall, while the Immanis sounds great on every amp I tested, it also sounds very different on every amp I tested. It may require some experimentation to determine which amp is the best fit for your particular preferences.

Non-Sound Quality Assessments

Comfort: The Immanis has what I consider to be the perfect amount of clamp. Enough to get a seal but not uncomfortable, even after long listening sessions. No hot spots on the head. The pads are quite comfortable and stay that way over hours of continuous listening, never feeling clammy. The headband is a lovely leather on top and quilted suede on the inside. It has little padding, but also doesn’t need it. The Immanis feels quite balanced. It is on the heavy side at 626 grams, but I never noticed the heft while listening to music. (Though I’m also used to the Abyss 1266 TC and Valkyria). However, move from the Immanis directly to the CA-1a or one of the recent STAX offerings, and the gossamer weight of the latter is quite apparent. Those with large heads might find the size adjustment range lacking, though I understand RAAL 1995 may have fixed that on more recently built units. The sizing adjustment on the Immanis can occasionally shift on its own when you put it on, but is easy to adjust back. Update: A fellow Head-Fi'er helpfully pointed out it is possible to adjust the tension on the adjustment mechanism with an allen key to fix this.

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Isolation: The Immanis has large leakage zones in the cups. It definitely does not isolate—those around you can hear the music, and you can hear surrounding noise. Nonetheless, while it might have a little more leakage than an average open back, it isn’t a night and day difference. Keep in mind, though, that the Immanis needs some moderate volume to come alive. 68 dBs works, for example, but 63 dBs sounds lackluster. If you’ve gotten away with listening to open backs in bed next to your partner by turning the volume way down, that may not work as well with the Immanis.

Quality: The Immanis exudes quality. It uses premium materials with great attention to detail. No worries about material quality or longevity, as far as I can tell. I wouldn’t say it’s built like a tank, as is the Abyss. But it radiates quality like a Bently.

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Aesthetics: Appearance obviously comes down to personal preference. I will say that gold usually strikes me as too gaudy. Not so with the Immanis, though. To me, the gold grilles match the wood veneer on the cups extremely well and it comes across as classy and luxurious without stepping over the line toward ostentatious. I also like the very subtle sun at the top of the grilles. It’s the little things.

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Case: The aluminum case is very nice. I like the monochrome embossed branding. It’s prominent enough to reflect that RAAL is proud of its work, but not flamboyant. The case appears identical to the Audeze aluminum case, except for the inside, embossing, and color. That’s a good thing—the Audeze case is fantastic. My RAAL case locks, but did not come with any keys. The Audeze keys work on it, though.

In Conclusion

The Immanis doesn’t just do everything well. It does everything better. It takes every recording and turns it up to 11 in every conceivable respect. It is extremely energetic. If you like a laidback presentation and listen to music to relax and let your mind wander to other things, you’ll need to choose a romantic sounding amp and very relaxing music. By nature, the Immanis will make you sit up and pay attention. Yet, it is fatigue-free. It can provide so much detail and nuance that it can be a bit like drinking from a fire hose of musical information for the uninitiated (though that can be toned down with a different amp). But once you get used to it, the Immanis is absolutely transcendent. It makes no compromises to achieve its strengths. Everything is its strength.

Meet the new standard in musical reproduction. No other headphone I’ve heard can compete.

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Hiker816
Hiker816
There's sort of a baby version already--the CA-1a, which might be the best value in audio!
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innocentblood
innocentblood
I enjoyed reading this review, since I am using my Immanis with the SAEQ Armageddon, with the Chord BluDAVE :) when you were listening to the Armageddon, were you using the RCA or XLR inputs? I personally prefer the RCA input on the Armageddon. Also, what was the volume on your DAVE in this scenario? Thanks once again for a very thorough and informative review. I can see myself keeping the Immanis for many years to come.
Hiker816
Hiker816
Glad you liked the review! I'm about 95% sure I was using the XLR inputs on the Armageddon when I was demo'ing it. Should have thought to try the RCA as well--sorry. On the DAVE, I was at -21 db (I listen weirdly low, so I have to attenuate on the DAVE to keep amps at a normal-ish level).
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