[gammi]

Those comments by @simorag were made in contrast to his Valkyria which he describes as borderline dark. So the comment about Immanis is not with reference to its deviation from neutral but how he hears it relative to the dark Valkyria. Taking part of a comment out of context to what the owner actually wrote is how false rumours are made.

He literally said those things. I used his exact words. And no, he did NOT say it was bright compared to Valkyria, he simply said it has too much treble energy. Not too much treble energy compared to something else, too much treble energy period. And then at the end of the paragraph said the brightness was a stark contrast to Valkyria, which is dark.

Also I linked to his article where he said all this, how could you accuse me of saying things out of context?? Here, for even more context I've screenshot the whole paragraph and highlighted where he said the exact things I referenced.

I've been in here singing nothing but praise for this headphone and RAAL in general, I bought BOTH of them and then when I address the concern that everyone likes them and nobody has critiques by providing exact quotes of critiques from someone who has them, I get told I'm spreading false rumors? Come on man.

 

[rlawry]

I know this is probably jumping the gun, but how much of an engineering challenge would it be to develop a Magna or Immani closed-back phone? Due to the need for privacy in my home so as to not disturb others with music emanating from my phones and my need for isolation, I am pretty much relegated to closed-backs, of which I have owned numerous models since my first one in 1975. I have also gotten used to their sound. I do find the SR-1b doesn't really push a lot of sound into my room but once had a pair of Audeze LCD-2 open-back phones and found myself only being able to listen at certain times as it was disturbing to my wife and kids. Thanks.

 

[gammi]

They manage the bass extension of planars but the Sensation is quite different.
I believe there is much bigger Exkursion on these ribbons and they therefore move more air towards your eardrum.

That's also one of the reasons why they are so open, to save your eardrums from too much pressure.

However the point was, the impact is much more like a dynamic driver but with the bass extension of a planar

Yeah, whoever said the bass is "limp and lacking impact" needs to get their ears checked. My jaw dropped when the bass hit on my first demo with Magna. Best, most impactful bass I've ever heard in a headphone and I've heard AB1266 PHI TC on the DCS Lina stack which is supposed to be top tier bass (although it is head position sensitive and I'm not sure I had it 100% optimal)

 

[draytonklammer]

Yeah, whoever said the bass is "limp and lacking impact" needs to get their ears checked. My jaw dropped when the bass hit on my first demo with Magna. Best, most impactful bass I've ever heard in a headphone and I've heard AB1266 PHI TC on the DCS Lina stack which is supposed to be top tier bass (although it is head position sensitive and I'm not sure I had it 100% optimal)

You're making me question whether I should have ordered Magna or Immanis.
I do love me some bass...

 

[gammi]

You're making me question whether I should have ordered Magna or Immanis.
I do love me some bass...

While I (and a few others) found the Magna to be more impactful, the Immanis is still very impactful.
I listened to the Magna first and then Immanis, had I listened to Immanis first, I would have had the same jaw drop experience with Immanis. In other words if Magna didn't exist, Immanis would be the best bass I've heard.

I still think the best way to put it is:
If you prefer CA-1a you'll probably prefer Magna
If you prefer SR1a you'll probably prefer Immanis

I think RAAL did a great job of making them both excellent but different.

 

[draytonklammer]

While I (and a few others) found the Magna to be more impactful, the Immanis is still very impactful.
I listened to the Magna first and then Immanis, had I listened to Immanis first, I would have had the same jaw drop experience with Immanis. In other words if Magna didn't exist, Immanis would be the best bass I've heard.

I still think the best way to put it is:
If you prefer CA-1a you'll probably prefer Magna
If you prefer SR1a you'll probably prefer Immanis

I think RAAL did a great job of making them both excellent but different.

I appreciate your clarification.

That's a tough one! I have the Immanis on order, but I really enjoy both the CA-1a and SR-1a.
I find the mids and treble more pleasing on the SR-1a, but prefer the bass on the CA-1a, generally speaking.

Tempts me to order a Magna, too, just to compare... but I have a bit to decide, given the backorder times for the Immanis.

 

[yellowblue]

Now Srajan is into a really interesting comparison between Susvara and Magna with some (for me) surprising results. And this time he is easier to understand.
https://6moons.com/audioreview_articles/raal-1995-magna-immanis/15/
I hope he gets the Immanis soon.

 

[Exekuhtor]

And this time he is easier to understand.

After i read a few paragraphs, if this is easier to understand, oh boy...
Animal cross references and a few sentences later he's talking about a lot of metal. "Susvara leaned more into platinum hues, Magna was more golden".
Sorry, but when i read:
"Today i have no way of predicting how a ribbon virgin particularly of young unattenuated ears might react to Magna".
I just nearly stop showing interest.
Flowery language is one thing, but as some point you have to try to get your point across, as ruthless as it may be.

In the last bit he wrote that the Susvara is faster (?) but has more weight to the notes (?) from what i can decipher. We probably need an english mother tongue here (with a PHD), i thought my english was adequate, but this article makes me indubitably irritable.

"Preference should depend [...] whether on hamonic balance one is a triode or pentode fancier."

I mean...

 

[nwavesailor]

https://6moons.com/audioreview_articles/raal-1995-magna-immanis/15/
I hope he gets the Immanis soon.

It’s almost like work to read his reviews.

I am sorta looking forward to his long and no doubt tedious take on the Immanis and will try to read if

 

[yellowblue]

I found most passages like "the Suvara felt...subtly edgier" interesting and surprising. I didn´t manage to read the whole 15 sides - but it would be interesting to read more about a comparison between the SR1a and Magna. Srajan writes "the SR1a levelled me up again" (coming from his "favourite" Susvara). And later "I prefer to call it head-to-head competetive" between Susvara and Magna.

 

[cAsE sEnSiTiVe]

I guess it's all what you're used to. I've been reading Srajan's stuff for years now. I'd much rather have a review with too much verbosity than not enough.

 

[nfandi]

He literally said those things. I used his exact words. And no, he did NOT say it was bright compared to Valkyria, he simply said it has too much treble energy. Not too much treble energy compared to something else, too much treble energy period. And then at the end of the paragraph said the brightness was a stark contrast to Valkyria, which is dark.

Also I linked to his article where he said all this, how could you accuse me of saying things out of context?? Here, for even more context I've screenshot the whole paragraph and highlighted where he said the exact things I referenced.

I've been in here singing nothing but praise for this headphone and RAAL in general, I bought BOTH of them and then when I address the concern that everyone likes them and nobody has critiques by providing exact quotes of critiques from someone who has them, I get told I'm spreading false rumors? Come on man.

It’s there in the paragraph you have shown us. It literally says “in contrast” but you have chosen to ignore it. Simorags daily listen was in his own words ‘borderline dark’ and therefore his comments about Immanis were in relation to this. If we choose to disagree so be it. I would not have described it as an accusation but if that’s how you feel that’s your problem. It would have helped if you’d balanced your negative comment by also stating what @simorag said about how Immanis responded to EQ.

 

[gammi]

It’s almost like work to read his reviews.

I am sorta looking forward to his long and no doubt tedious take on the Immanis and will try to read if

Personally I enjoyed the "whilst as basic as cow manure" line. No idea what that means but I will be trying to work that into my conversations

Anyway, here's what I think I was able to get from his latest update:
-Magna is more relaxed
-Susvara was harsh/etched/metallic in 1-3KHz region, Magna was not
-Magna had more impact on things like drums
-Magna's bass is very nimble
-Things like cymbal crashes extended further on Magna
-Magna and Susvara are close in transparency/speed but Magna pulls ahead in dynamic range and has a weightier tone/body
-Magna is warmer in that it has more harmonics, not that the bass is too full
-Overall he preferred Magna

 

[mobbaddict]

What's really interesting is his take on the different driver technologies though. We need more of these perspectives. These days I feel like the over abundance of headphones tends to blur the lines between dynamics, planars and electrostats. I haven't had the chance to hear any of the Raal headphones yet but I feel like that's what really interesting about these ribbon headphones (as well as AMT), they put things in perspective when it comes to the overall headphone market.

 

[Exekuhtor]

-Susvara was harsh/etched/metallic in 1-3KHz region, Magna was not

Sounds like there is something wrong with his chain, no?