Emmeline "The Shadow"

[Kpalsm]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nsx_23 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Please for the love of god make this affordable!

Affordable is a relative term, considering you already have an XM5

Your affordable is probably not mine!

 

[darkangel55555]

shiny...like like like!

 

[lman_MTD]

I think all RSA products are worth the $$$ and given the PD & RD that goes into each new product line they all are what I consider bargains. I'd pay $500 for the Shadow without thinking twice. I was fortunate enough to snag one of Rays SR-71A and look forward to adding to my collection.

 

[gideonMorrison]

The Shadow should be relatively low in price compared to the others... Come on Ray, let 'er loose!

 

[blawhh]

w h e n ? ! ? ! i hope this thing isnt too expensive!

 

[ManAtWork]

Ray, can you tell us how you position the Shadow? Is it designed specific for IEM, or headphones (low impedance or high impedance)?

 

[Ray Samuels]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ManAtWork /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ray, can you tell us how you position the Shadow? Is it designed specific for IEM, or headphones (low impedance or high impedance)?

The Shadow is designed to drive all the low impedance, FULL size, headphones with ease. With 250ma drive capabilty per channel it can handle those phones with proper voltage swing & current they demand. The IEMs is just a walk in the park. The Shadow has a gain of two. With high quality digital volume control, the stage is ALLWAYS locked in the middle no matter what volume you might be at. The sound stage is huge with correct placement of instruments due to the acuuracy of the digital volume control.

As to the high impedance phones like Sennheiser, the Shadow can give you plenty of volume that satisfy many, even though it was not desigened to have the high gain in doing so.

 

[Pale Rider]

I feel like I am listening to The Who's Magic Bus: "I want it, I want it......."

 

[ManAtWork]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray Samuels /img/forum/go_quote.gif The Shadow is designed to drive all the low impedance, FULL size, headphones with ease. With 250ma drive capabilty per channel it can handle those phones with proper voltage swing & current they demand. The IEMs is just a walk in the park. The Shadow has a gain of two. With high quality digital volume control, the stage is ALLWAYS locked in the middle no matter what volume you might be at. The sound stage is huge with correct placement of instruments due to the acuuracy of the digital volume control. As to the high impedance phones like Sennheiser, the Shadow can give you plenty of volume that satisfy many, even though it was not desigened to have the high gain in doing so.

Thanks Ray. I really like this approach, as I have so many low impedance cans.

 

[charlie0904]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray Samuels /img/forum/go_quote.gif The Shadow is designed to drive all the low impedance, FULL size, headphones with ease. With 250ma drive capabilty per channel it can handle those phones with proper voltage swing & current they demand. The IEMs is just a walk in the park. The Shadow has a gain of two. With high quality digital volume control, the stage is ALLWAYS locked in the middle no matter what volume you might be at. The sound stage is huge with correct placement of instruments due to the acuuracy of the digital volume control. As to the high impedance phones like Sennheiser, the Shadow can give you plenty of volume that satisfy many, even though it was not desigened to have the high gain in doing so.

teasing headfi-ers with such words is cruel....

 

[hd650]

How does it sound? It is really difficult for me to decide between shadow and P51, by considering P51's superb review.

 

[iozz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hd650 /img/forum/go_quote.gif How does it sound? It is really difficult for me to decide between shadow and P51, by considering P51's superb review.

Same question for me: How does it compare to the P51 or the Predator?

 

[Ray Samuels]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iozz /img/forum/go_quote.gif Same question for me: How does it compare to the P51 or the Predator?

When you are looking for this kind of portable amp, you have to consider the implementation of the digital volume control in the circuit. Almost all of the portable amps using a digital volume control, using a single power supply configuration from a single battery, end up having to install capacitors in the signal path twice, one at the input of the signal & the other at the output. This by itself colors the sound from its purity, making it sound different. The best sounding circuit is the one designed with no caps in the signal path, no matter how good those caps are or how much they cost.

The Shadow is a simple circuit that works very well at reflecting the beauty of the op-amp used without any caps in the signal path, due to the dual power supplies used in its design.

In comparison to the P-51, I would say that the Shadow has a more focused sound stage due to the precision of its digital volume control.

Ray Samuels

 

[ManAtWork]

Now it is clearly that the sound of Shadow is mostly based on the characteristics of the op-amp used. Am I correct?

 

[YtseJamer]

Great Ray, I will probably purchase the Shadow for my JH13s.