I am proud and happy to be one of the very first audiophiles in the USA to get the RR1
Let me start my initial impressions with a subject that is usually not found in initial impressions... Support.
Aumkar, whom I met in person at CanJam SoCal last June, is a very enthusiastic and passionate guy! That translates into his great craftmanship, and support. As stated by Aumkar several times on this thread - this project is a learning experience for him. He has been EXTREMELY responsive throughout dealing with DHL, providing some tips, and working with me on fixing a small technical problem.
Again, let me reiterate that Aumkar's customer service is absolutely amazing!
Now, for the RR1 itself
- Build quality - 10/10. Nothing to add!
- Design - 9/10. Detachable cable is a big plus (compared to Koss 950, Stax, etc.). I love the shape and design of the cups. A bit worried about no grills or other protection for the drivers (I am always worried I would touch them by mistake).
- Fit - 8/10. I am an adult (not a kid) with average head size (no idea my hat size, since I do not wear hats... sorry). Maybe a little towards small. For me - I set the headband to the smallest possible position, and I think it fits just right. Any head tiny bit smaller - and it would be just too big! Another point dropped for my ears brushing against the driver inside the cups. I wish there was 0.5" more gap between ears and drivers (thicker pads, maybe?). Last issue for people that share with family members / friends / head-fi meets: head adjustment is by loosening a bolt, adjusting, and fastening the bolt. So, it is an involved process! For me, since I am the sole user - not a big deal.
- Sound - 8/10 (with potential for 9/10). The best eStat I have ever auditioned is the legendary Sennheiser HE-1. I would give it an 11/10 The 10/10 goes to Stax SR-007 Mk1 that I auditioned at a friend's house. For my personal taste, the 007 beats the SR-009. Now, for my personal taste - the RR1 will eventually get 9/10. I will explain in a minute why. In term of sound - it has a very open and airy sound stage. The music is so clean and pure, but without "sharp edges" to the notes, or being clinical. The RR1 is very musical, and slightly warm, which suits my taste greatly!! The bass, which is always a concern for me with eStats (I am a little bit of a basshead) is very good. I have played some of my bassy test tracks, and was very pleased with what I have heard. So, why not 10/10 ? Because I feel it is still not at the level of the SR-007 Mk1. Given the price difference, and the fact the 007MK1 is very hard to find - that is a big compliment to the RR1, and Aumkar!
- Customer service 10/10. I have already mentioned that Aumkar is great supporting his fans. So why am I giving sound quality 8/10 and not 9/10 today? I did mention a small technical problem before... There is a faint (but audible) static on 1 side. Using a Stax T1 amp to drive the RR1, and since the RR1 (and the T1) support both Normal as well as Pro bias - I did try the Normal, and the noise is gone. Aumkar is working with me to resolve this issue, and improve his QC process to catch similar issues in future builds and shipments. I am very optimistic that the problem WILL be resolved, at which time I am sure I will upgrade the sound score to 9/10
In conclusion:
For an early build of the very first eStat project - Aumkar has created something pretty special and amazing!