Wodgy
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2002
- Posts
- 4,657
- Likes
- 13
The "cheap components" thing is just a sideshow issue.
All that matters is the sound, and on that score the RA-1 is just not competitive. There are a handful of vocal RA-1 owners who love to defend this amp, but it just doesn't stand up in a direct comparison with other solid state amps, except perhaps against the Creek OBH or some of the oldest Headroom amps. The RA-1 has the soupiest, weakest bass you can imagine from a solid state amp. It's laughable, really. (To be fair, Hirsch might dive in here and say that if only I was using one certain brand of rechargeable batteries, everything would improve. I can't comment on that, having never tried them.) The irony is that the RA-1 isn't that bad of an amp with Senns, but there is just no slamming bass with Grados. Then there are those highs. There are so many good alternative amps available now; I can't think of any reason to recommend the RA-1, except for the nice wood case.
All that matters is the sound, and on that score the RA-1 is just not competitive. There are a handful of vocal RA-1 owners who love to defend this amp, but it just doesn't stand up in a direct comparison with other solid state amps, except perhaps against the Creek OBH or some of the oldest Headroom amps. The RA-1 has the soupiest, weakest bass you can imagine from a solid state amp. It's laughable, really. (To be fair, Hirsch might dive in here and say that if only I was using one certain brand of rechargeable batteries, everything would improve. I can't comment on that, having never tried them.) The irony is that the RA-1 isn't that bad of an amp with Senns, but there is just no slamming bass with Grados. Then there are those highs. There are so many good alternative amps available now; I can't think of any reason to recommend the RA-1, except for the nice wood case.