[jlbrach]

I own both the susvara and the sr1a...I love both but there is something about the sr1a that no other HP can match

 

[yyzSB]

The amount of trouble and money I just went though to get the SR1a to sound like I want is crazy but worth it.

 

[FLTWS]

@tunes
"... will there really be a significant, very noticeable difference between the SR1a + JOT R vs SR1a + HSA-1b
if you could do quick volume matched A-B listening?"

I'll chime in with my thoughts in a few weeks. But, we all hear differently, we value different sonic qualities in varying amounts. You can't know how salty the soup is until you taste it, however, one persons "too much" can be another persons "not enough", or anywhere in between the extremes.

"I have been slightly disappointed with the trade off between adequate low end bass with the wings closed in and the expansive soundstage with the wings open. Will the addition of the HSA-1b fill this gap?"

I don't suspect it will, and I know what you mean cause I've been trying to find the best compromise spread, but until I get to listen to the HSA-1b I can't say.
I've found that best compromise spread and bass delivery can vary a lot depending on the recording. I've listened with both SE and balanced inputs on the JOT R driven simultaneously from Yggdrasil 2. Just this morning I listened to 5 different recordings of the same work recorded in time frames between 1968 and 2013 with different orchestras, in diferent halls, with different conductors, labels, equipment, etc. In general, the older recordings had fuller, more satisfying bottom ends than the newer ones. Not exactly what I would have predicted given digital recordings capabilities in general at the lower frequencies. But generally, digital wins the day most of the time on the bottom end. There are a lot of other factors involved, how the recording venue supports and projects lower frequencies, how the recording equipment captures it, the producers idea of what sounds right, and on and on. That's why I have no issue with EQ to support a great performance and satisfy me at the same time sonically when I feel its needed, which isn't with every recording.

 

[bearcatsandor]

If the wings move independently, does one go nuts wondering if they're even? If I have mild ocd-like audiophile related tendencies am I doomed to fiddle with these things instead of listening to music?

 

[FLTWS]

My one ear is flayed out a hair amount more than the other so equal angles on both sides would not seem right anyway. Plus my one ear center is a little lower and longer top to bottom than the other. And that's normal I suspect. That's why when you take a face photo of someone, split it in half and flip the same side over to complete the face it doesn't look right. Perfect symmetry is the exception I think, not the rule with human bodies.

I just try and keep the distance from the top rear of each ear the same on each side. I don't find that difficult to do at all and even if you change the amount of you should find no problem getting the right positioning just by feel. You know when its right and I find there is plenty of leeway so it doesn't have to be exact and like I said above, exactly the same angle in degrees might not be right from a distance standpoint. Trust your ears to tell you when the sound is balanced, use a test source with channel ID and a center channel signal if in doubt until you get use to doing it without thinking about it. Curious sidenote: test CD's where the announcer says "right channel', "left channel" aren't that good from my point of view. Right is bright! Left is soft. I much prefer Ralph the Christmas Dog barking the same bark in the L/R/C.

 

[Shahrose]

To the untrained nonaudiophile listener, will there really be a significant, very noticeable difference between the SR1a + JOT R vs SR1a + HSA-1b
if you could do quick volume matched A-B listening? I have been slightly disappointed with the trade off between adequate low end bass with the wings closed in and the expansive soundstage with the wings open. Will the addition of the HSA-1b fill this gap?

I am not into EQ.

I am listening now with a CHORD HUGO2 but have a DAVE and will also use it. So bottom line, would keep the JOT-R for portability on vacations and the HSA-1b for home setup if the $4500 upgrade makes sense just as a headphone amp. May one day get either Susvara or Abyss TC.

Definitely not. If you search the thread you'll find JotR-HSA1b comparisons by MrCypruz, others and I. I know you're not into EQ, but that would have gotten you further towards your goal.

 

[yyzSB]

I received the Requisite Audio silver headphone cable today. On first listen it was harsh. So I let a few songs play unattended while I worked out. With about 4 hours now I am getting some WOW moments with the SR1a. The harshness has greatly diminished and will likely improve as time progresses. What impressed me the most was listening to my hi-res version of Moving Pictures by RUSH. I know this album inside and out and I have been using it to demo a pile of gear I bought in the last 6 months. Listening to this album on the SR1a with the cable upgrade brings out details in the album that are subtle but really add to the experience. I love hearing more into Neil Peart's drumming and Geddy's keyboards. I am hearing stuff on this 40 year old album that is new to me. I bought this album when it first came out in 1980 and listen to it a lot still.

I have a feeling I will get this cable upgrade. I will give it a week of playback and see home it settles. I am using a CODA CSiB integrated to drive them. I had the HSA-1b in the house for a few weeks but decided to get the CODA since it has more source inputs and can also drive my KEF LS50 speakers. The HSA-1b was likely better but the CODA is pretty amazing.

 

[FLTWS]

I received the Requisite Audio silver headphone cable today. On first listen it was harsh. So I let a few songs play unattended while I worked out. With about 4 hours now I am getting some WOW moments with the SR1a. The harshness has greatly diminished and will likely improve as time progresses. What impressed me the most was listening to my hi-res version of Moving Pictures by RUSH. I know this album inside and out and I have been using it to demo a pile of gear I bought in the last 6 months. Listening to this album on the SR1a with the cable upgrade brings out details in the album that are subtle but really add to the experience. I love hearing more into Neil Peart's drumming and Geddy's keyboards. I am hearing stuff on this 40 year old album that is new to me. I bought this album when it first came out in 1980 and listen to it a lot still.

I have a feeling I will get this cable upgrade. I will give it a week of playback and see home it settles. I am using a CODA CSiB integrated to drive them. I had the HSA-1b in the house for a few weeks but decided to get the CODA since it has more source inputs and can also drive my KEF LS50 speakers. The HSA-1b was likely better but the CODA is pretty amazing.

Looking forward to your follow-up.

 

[Ciggavelli]

Where can we buy the silver cable? I went to the Raal/Requsite site, and I didn't see it

 

[iFi audio]

The harshness has greatly diminished and will likely improve as time progresses.

Knowing how Raal's cans sound like (...or I think that I do, I haven't heard them yet), I'd think that silver cables would be too much?

 

[FLTWS]

Where can we buy the silver cable? I went to the Raal/Requsite site, and I didn't see it

Maybe still out with testers for evaluation and feed back before they start building inventory.

 

[FLTWS]

Knowing how Raal's cans sound like (...or I think that I do, I haven't heard them yet), I'd think that silver cables would be too much?

Not certain but isn't the stock cable all-silver?
I know what you mean about silver, in general it always struck me as being high energy on top and a little light on the bottom end.
But it may depend on how the cable and transducer mesh sonically.
I purchased one Black and one Silver Dragon cable for my Utopia when I owned it, just to play around and hear what the what was.
That was one of the few times I heard silver work exceptional well, and the Utopia is certainly not highs shy. So maybe it all depends...

 

[iFi audio]

I know what you mean about silver, in general it always struck me as being high energy on top and a little light on the bottom end.

Yes, that's exactly what I meant

 

[cAsE sEnSiTiVe]

A properly designed silver cable can be revelatory. An improperly designed one can shear your ears right off your head. All depends on the implementation.

 

[Jon L]

I but decided to get the CODA since it has more source inputs and can also drive my KEF LS50 speakers. The HSA-1b was likely better but the CODA is pretty amazing.

Did you get to try the Kef LS50 speakers on Raal HSA-1b? LS50 is admittedly rather inefficient at 85dB/8Ohm, but HSA-1b is 10 watts/8Ohm, 20 watts/4Ohm, so the combo should have made decent volume levels in modest room sizes.