[elnero]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheWayofWay I don't want to start a flame war but I feel its necessary to say that it never ceases to amaze me how rude some people can be in general. Insulting our sense and all that is a wonderful way to convince us of something or to even post. Perhaps some of us aren't business men or whatever. Please excuse us foolish folk that cannot comprehend your royal business sense.

Get a grip, my post wasn't directed at you in particular, slagging manufacturers for making a profit type discussions come up all the time on this forum. I'm no business man, I'm a 3D animator working in a small company, it's not like we're talking rocket science here this is basic common sense but if people don't even have that kind of common sense and have no idea what they're talking about then maybe they should just keep their mouths shut instead of trying to crucify people/manufacturers for trying to make a decent living.

 

[udeupa]

I only want to know if this AMP is good with all Grado Headphones from SR225i, SR325i, RS1i, GS1000i, all the way to PS1000? 

 

[El_Doug]

If the past 4 pages of this 5 year old thread didnt help you, the only other way is to try it out yourself. 
 
cmoys are decent amps, though spending RA1 prices for one seems a bit silly
 
Quote:

I only want to know if this AMP is good with all Grado Headphones from SR225i, SR325i, RS1i, GS1000i, all the way to PS1000? 

 

[BrianKT]

I have an RA-1 sitting on my nightstand with 325i's plugged into it and to my ears it sounds pretty darn good......I'm just sayin....

 

[HonoluluWalt]

Joe,
 
I agree with you big time.  This RA-1 that I have been listening to for 17 years now sounds absolutely wonderful with my Grado HP-1 headphones, (and also with several other headphones I have paired it with).  I am sure that one could find more expensive parts to assemble it with, and I am sure that there are many amps that would blow it away if measured with scientific instruments.
 
However, to my 40+ year old ears, the sound is excellent.  In fact, I doubt if I could do an A-B test with amps costing 3 times as much and figure out which channel the more expensive amp was on.  I would say that for most people over 40 years old, paying more for an amp might not yield a noticeable result, especially if one owns Grado Headphones.
 
On the other hand, if one is much younger than 40, or if one has a really well-trained set of 40+ ears, then, sure, many more expensive amps would be a worthwhile purchase, even with Grado headphones.  Still, if one is over 40, if one owns Grado headphones, and if one is not a headphone expert, then this amp is a good bet.
 
By the way, to those of you under 20, please value your hearing and avoid exposing your ears to loud sounds (even loud music).  A good set of cans will provide the full frequency range of human hearing without resorting to excessively loud volume.  Concerts are fine, but do yourself a favor and invest in a good pair of earplugs.
 
You want to be able to appreciate a good DAC-amp-headphone rig once you are able to afford it.  It is the ultimate irony to arrive at a finical stautus that allows you to buy virtually any pair of cans plus accessories and then realize that any money you spend beyond moderately-priced gear is a total waste because of the damage you have done to your hearing.  Dang, I knew I should have worn earplugs to that Stones concert!

 

[NeuroWire]

Can anyone explain to me why the RA-1 sounds fantastic when fed by the pre-outs of a Pioneer receiver, but sounds absolutely terrible from the pre-outs of a TEAC UD-301? 
 
The TEAC's output can be variable, so I don't think it's a gain issue.
 
In fact, the only things the RA-1 has sounded good on are: various computer sound cards; the Schiit Fulla; and the pre-outs of several generations of Pioneer Elite receivers. 
 
I don't understand why it sounds awful—even when it's not far too loud—straight from most line-out sources (DACs, CD players, Blu-Ray players, etc.) Could the differentiating factor be a coupling capacitor, or lack thereof?
 
[HP's are Grado SR-325, HF2, and Oppo PM-3]
 
Thanks.