[yyzSB]

If anyone here has an Schiitt Jotunheim R that they no longer need and want a RAAL amp interface box send me a message. Since I am selling my bedroom amp so I no longer need my second interface box.

 

[Ciggavelli]

I'm gonna need an update on that VM-1a tube amp too

(not my picture)

 

[cAsE sEnSiTiVe]

I'm gonna need an update on that VM-1a tube amp too

(not my picture)

x2

 

[yyzSB]

I decided to get the Schitt Freya+ and try that before the JR. I recently tried the Benchmark AHB2 with a Musetec 005 DAC and the CODA 07x preamp (very tube like) and it was great. Sharper than the KRELL that I love so much, both are terrific.

I will try the following gear for my bedroom. I am selling my incredible KRELL K-300i in the bedroom to raise some funds. I have a KRELL K175XD coming in for the office system. The Freya+ will take the place of the K-300i connected to an AHB2 and a Benchmark DAC3B. The DAC3B will not be the ideal match for this system but I will try it out. If it does not work, I will sell the DAC3B (or keep it in the office) and re-buy the Gustard X26 Pro which is great with the SR1a. The costs of the 2 DACs are the same. I do have the AccurateSound.ca SR1a Convolution filter in my back pocket to lower the treble (but only for digital).

The reason I went this was because the AHB2 is just too damn good, it was not the AHB2 that is too bright with the SR1a, it was the source up the chain. The tube-like CODA 07x preamp proved that to me.

 

[RickyV]

I'm gonna need an update on that VM-1a tube amp too

(not my picture)

3x

 

[jlbrach]

I must say tonight I decided to listen to my susvara out of the hsa-1b and it is damn good...surprisingly so....it is very clean not a warm sound and it drives it without issue...I love my 13r with the susvara but the 1B does a darn good job it really is an outstanding amp..the 13r is better but for somebody looking for a one box solution who has the sr1a you could do a lot worse

 

[yyzSB]

Today, I am trying a new Schitt Freya+ | Benchmark DAC3B | Benchmark AHB2 | Fibre streaming with Sonore OpticalRendu with my second amp interface box. I have all this extra gear and did not want to sell any of these items (will be needed in the future). I will play a tuner 24 x 7 on the Freya+ (non-tube mode) to burn it in. I have 15 days to decide on this preamp. I am hoping this combo gets me close to the KRELL K-300i integrated which I may sell if the Freya+ gets me close. The new KRELL XD lineup of amps are incredible with the SR1a.

Such as this one.
https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649754239-krell-duo-300-xd-stereo-amplifier/

So far, the Freya sounds like crap, except in tube mode, where it seems to have some potential. In tube mode some of the details from the Benchmark combo are obscured but it is more importantly not fatiguing. It would be great if the tube mode opens up a lot more and I can use the AHB2 with the SR1a. I love the AHB2. My cheapest but best amp.

 

[yyzSB]

I always wanted to make the Benchmark AHB2 amp work with the SR1a, I love the sound of this amp. When I first spoke with Danny at RAAL-Requisite I told him I had 2 AHB2's and I was intrigued by the SR1a because I had read that the designer (Alex) had used the AHB2. Danny told me I would not like the AHB2 with the SR1a, too bright and fatiguing. After a lot of gear combinations and time I was resigned to the fact that the AHB2 was too bright with the SR1a. BTW - Danny's shop is walking distance from my old work office, so I got to try a lot of RAAL stuff.

Last week I thought I should try the AHB2 again with the SR1a, but this time with my newish CODA 07x preamp, which has 2 XLR outputs, 1 for my speakers (CODA #8 amp) and 1 for the SR1a. I had been trying a few different amps for the SR1a with the 2nd output, but never the AHB2.

Two weeks ago, I bit the bullet and bought the KRELL Duo 175XD amp for the SR1a before the 2022 price hike The CODA is a very good preamp and is described as tube like. I like it on my speakers but LOVE it on the SR1a. I also have a Benchmark LA4 preamp next to the CODA 07x, I love it on my speakers and hate it on the SR1a (too bright). So, I do some quick mixing of gear depending on the mood and music to be played. The CODA 07x is always with the SR1a.

When I tested the combo of CODA 07x | Musetec 005 DAC | AHB2 | SR1a last week I thought it was really good. Almost as good as my KRELL K-300i integrated (IMO, the very best amp for the SR1a). So, I started thinking that the incredible Musetc 005 DAC and CODA 07x preamp were working great on the SR1a and the AHB2 was just spitting out this beautiful signal, without harshness or fatigue.

I did some research on tube preamps to try the SR1a with. I have a spare AHB2, 'spare' Benchmark DAC3B and spare fibre optical streamer. I narrowed it down to the Schitt Freya+ and Supratek Chardonnay (http://www.supratek.com.au/). I have no clue about tube gear but these 2 seemed like something to try with the AHB2.

So today, I am trying the not even broken-in Freya+ in tube mode with | Benchmark DAC3B | AHB2 | AccurateSound SR1a Convolution filter on ROON Core | Fibre Optical streaming. It sounds like crap and giving me fatigue. My go to album is Moving Pictures by RUSH, and even that album was not enjoyable.

I was now thinking, I likely will have to send the Freya+ back in 2 weeks the way this is going. I then decided to remove the Benchmark DAC3B from the chain, I love this bad boy DAC, but it can be bad with certain combos of gear. I put in the brilliant Musetec 005 DAC (read the threads on this one). The fatigue just disappeared. The sound was almost like the CODA 07x and Musetec 005 combo. Just excellent.

Since this was going so well, I decided to DISABLE the AccurateSound SR1a Convolution filter on ROON Core, now the sound was spectacular. The enjoyment factor of the AHB2 is similar to my KRELL K-300i but in a much different way. The KRELL is ultra-smooth (not like old KRELL), tremendous bass, and relaxing. The AHB2 setup is not as powerful bass wise, not as smooth, not as relaxing, but super sharp, clear, exciting, and fatigue free. This is some of the best 2 channel sound I have ever heard.

I will be moving the Musetec 005 DAC to my bedroom system. The just burning-in Schitt Freya+ is a keeper in the bedroom system, and of course the beloved AHB2 also in the bedroom system. The KRELL K-300i integrated is going to be packed up and kept in storage until sold. The DAC3B will stay in my office system. It sounds rather good with the warm KRELL K-300i and thus will also sound good with the incoming KRELL 175XD.

I think I am done.

 

[doyouknowSBmean]

Hi folks,

I created a classified looking for help regarding the clipping issues for the SR1a. https://www.head-fi.org/threads/raal-requisite-sr1a-clipping-issues.961411/

Hope I can have your inputs.

Thanks,
Van

 

[musicman59]

I own a Ray Samuels A-10 Thunderbolt electrostatic amplifier which is tube based and has a preamp function.

Today I connected the preamp output of the A-10 to my HSA-1b. I set the volume of the HSA to max and control the volume from the preamp. Wow! I don’t know why I did not think about doing this before! The tube preamp added a very nice and smooth tone to the sound. The system really sound very clear, detailed with great bass and no harshness anywhere in the frequency range.

 

[cfisher]

I own a Ray Samuels A-10 Thunderbolt electrostatic amplifier which is tube based and has a preamp function.

Today I connected the preamp output of the A-10 to my HSA-1b. I set the volume of the HSA to max and control the volume from the preamp. Wow! I don’t know why I did not think about doing this before! The tube preamp added a very nice and smooth tone to the sound. The system really sound very clear, detailed with great bass and no harshness anywhere in the frequency range.

I use the preamp out on my Kenzie Encore to feed my JOT R and it also sounds great.

 

[Failed Engineer]

I recently bought a HSA1b in anticipation of the CRAAL and the fact that it's an excellent driver for current hungry orthos but had a local friend willing to let me borrow the SR1a's and damn if these aren't good. I thought I am good at triangulating my preferences and always pegged the SR1a's to not hold my interest as I'm not a fan of large diffuse headstage in my headphones but these have a big stage while maintaining very precise imaging and detail. Impressed. I find them pretty musical and not particularly analytic and/or a technical listen like it's attributes might suggest.

 

[yyzSB]

I have about 50 hours on my new KRELL Duo 175XD amp. It is just as I expected, the best amp I have heard with SR1a. I am using a CODA 07x preamp. I am planning to rotate the KRELL and my other 2 channel CODA #8 amp between the SR1a and my Thiel CS3.7 speakers. Though I am not so sure I want to take the KRELL of the SR1a now. The KRELL sound is very smooth, 175 watts in Class A, very strong bass, the notes are a little rounder than my other amps, a relaxing and fatigue free sound. The details in the music are also there. All attributes that I think match perfectly with the SR1a.

I was initially thinking of buying this used KRELL Duo 300XD instead from a local dealer.

https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649754239-krell-duo-300-xd-stereo-amplifier/

However, it would cost me more since I was getting a crazy stupid trade-in price on my used Parasound A21+ for the KRELL Dou 175XD. I also sold 1 or my 2 Benchmark AHB2's to make this happen. I think I lost $100 on that sale.

If anyone is looking for a 2-channel amp for the SR1a., I have tried about a half dozen amps., my #1 choice by a very large margin is the KRELL XD lineup. The KRELL K-300i is perfect for the SR1a. I had my K-300i on sale to fund the 175XD but I realized that was a bad choice, so I sold the Benchmark AHB2 instead.

 

[FLTWS]

While waiting for the VM-1a to make an appearance I thought I'd try a little tube drive ahead of JOT R and hear what I hear.

The chain consisted of Emotiva ERC-3 AES to Yggdrasil (and from there on all SE connections) out to Prima Luna EVO400 (using EL-34's), Prima Luna EVO400 "Tape Out" to Lokius, to JOT R using the RAAL "Delux" aftermarket cable for the SR1a.

Works nicely resulting in a clear, vivid sound but little front to back in the depth dimension of the sound field. I don't know if many preamp's or integrated's, tube or SS, nowadays include a "Tape Out" output. But the nice thing is tape output was always a fixed voltage (if memory serves) and so did not run through the volume control or output transformers allowing, one amp to control all volume adjustment, in this case the JOT R, while keeping the volume control on the EVO400 all the way down (least attenuation?).

I have an OTL to try this with at a later time but it has individual L/R volume controls and only variable output so it becomes a question of where to set the volume controls (in this case the OTL and the JOT R) and I find in general maxing out a tube amp generally introduces various amounts of noise to the signal so with a variable output I'll have to find a point in both amps volume ranges that works best for me.

Although I haven't done a comparison yet, I suspect I will actually prefer the EVO400 into the Lokius, into the interface into the SR1a. I suspect (hope) that the VM-1a will be a better sonic solution, it would certainly be a more elegant one.

Anyway, just thought I'd mention it in passing.

END OF DAY EDIT: Yes I prefer the EVO400 or JOT R by themselves rather than in tandem. Sound stage is better.

 

[Ciggavelli]

Using my WA33 as a pre to my HSA-1b is also a nice addition. It helps to bring a little warmth I guess. I also use that convolution filter which I think is amazing. It really pumps up the bass in a great way. There is little to no sonic degradation elsewhere on the spectrum. I kinda hope that same guy does one for the CRBNs too (but it’ll probably be awhile, if ever, he gets his hands on a pair…and I don’t want to be the one that sends their’s in )

Also, I’m super looking forward to the new Raal/Requisite Tube amp. I kinda wish Woo Audio would make a WA33-style tube amp to direct drive ribbon headphones, but I’m sure there aren’t enough people (nonetheless other ribbon headphones), to make it worth while