[BoardC3]

Hey im finally going to get my first amp! im getting an RA-1 because i have never been dissatisfied with any grado product and i prefer them to all else. Now the bad thing is im stuck with my SR-80's for a little while until i can sell my speakers (currently on ebay search for PSB century 600i if you want to help me out) AND sell these AND find a pair of RS-2s for a great price. The question is will i be dissapointed with the RA-1 behind a nice nak cd player and decent monster cables if its only powering my SR-80's? I know ill have to wait to find out for myself but id like to hear others opinions
-chris

 

[BoardC3]

i cant beleive NO ONE has tried this

 

[MERTON]

try some ms2's.. they sound nice and are only $300 with s/h.

 

[NewSc2]

I personally have not heard this amp, but from what I've read on this board it's not much more than a really expensive CMOY (or cha, forgot which one).

 

[BoardC3]

Hey im just looking for some impressions of this combo
thanks
chris

 

[MERTON]

i've heard the grado's sound best with a proper meta... but it'd still be a pretty nice meta... but the ra-1 is a nice sounding amp as well from what i've heard about it.. it is a bit over priced ... the amp parts themselves cost only about $30 but yo do get that nice milled mahogony... anyway it all depends on yer taste but if you haven't gotten if yet and are willing to build your own i suggest you just build one instead of buy... it's 1/10 the price.
oh and the sr80's are crap compared to the higher grado's.. and why the rs-2's? have you listened to them before.

 

[BoardC3]

Hey dont knock it till you try it. do a search most people who really love the grado sound love the grado amp. Ive tried tons of phones and nothing touches grado's. Im not going to defend it much because i havent received or used it yet but i suggest you dont knock it till youve actually used it. and I had the RS-1s but i made the stupid decision to trade them for nice speakers and cables (cables are sold which is where i got the money for the RA-1, and the speakers are on ebay so i can get some nice grados) I think that the RS-1s beat the crap out of any headphone ive ever used but i know i dont have the money to get the RS-1s so im hoping the RS-2s + RA-1 will be close to as good

 

[MERTON]

i'm just saying you coulda built your own and saved alot of money.. not that the amp sounds bad... anyway.. try the ms2's from alessandro-products.com.. grado makes them and i rather like them.. they're more refined versions of the sr-325.. but grado says they are totally different.

 

[Beagle]

Any Grado phone will sound very nice with the RA-1. I have three amps and the RA-1 makes the Grados sound very sweet, almost a tube kind of sound, very clean, clear but not harsh, a slight warmth. I use the SR80, SR125, SR225 and SR325 and they all do well with the RA-1. The RA-1 was tailored with Grado headphones in mind.

 

[blr]

I've listened to RA1 several times (never owned one though) and yest it does a decent job with Grados and even with Senns HD600. That said there are better amps for the price, especially in Europe where Grado products are expensive, it has a great look but as others have said the parts are cheap. At this price point one would expect better quality components at least.