[Kiats]

Hi Kiats,

No, it will kill highs too much. While it's large onductance was very nice for the JotR, it is way too high for the transformer interface.

Will it work with the HSA-1b @Aleksandar R. ?

 

[Kiats]

Welcome to the club! If you want to further elevate the sound, you can get the convolution filter from Mitch (Accurate Sound).

And yes, you should try the CA1a as well (w/ Star 8 cable) paired with Mitch’s filter. It sounds phenomenal

Thanks man! Heheh! One step at a time. Let me soak in the SR-1a and the JR first. Before I ponder the HSA-1b or the TI-1b and Star 8. I am wondering if it makes more sense to get the TI-1b or the HSA-1b. I am very tempted to have the JR/deluxe cable and the TI-1b and Star 8 10 foot cable as 2 separate set ups. Any thoughts?

Will take it nice and slow. If I rush, then I won’t fully appreciate any upgrades.

How is the CA-1a by the way? I am a bit concerned about the foam ear pads. Will they deteriorate like Grado earpads?

 

[normie610]

Thanks man! Heheh! One step at a time. Let me soak in the SR-1a and the JR first. Before I ponder the HSA-1b or the TI-1b and Star 8. I am wondering if it makes more sense to get the TI-1b or the HSA-1b. I am very tempted to have the JR/deluxe cable and the TI-1b and Star 8 10 foot cable as 2 separate set ups. Any thoughts?

Will take it nice and slow. If I rush, then I won’t fully appreciate any upgrades.

How is the CA-1a by the way? I am a bit concerned about the foam ear pads. Will they deteriorate like Grado earpads?

Yes take it slow and enjoy the SR1a.

The foam is quite sturdy and firm, I don’t know how long it will deteriorate, but it’s very easy to replace and Raal sells the pads.

 

[Kiats]

Yes take it slow and enjoy the SR1a.

The foam is quite sturdy and firm, I don’t know how long it will deteriorate, but it’s very easy to replace and Raal sells the pads.

Thanks man! yeah… I fully intend to. Besides, there’s also my Stax rig and of course the CRBN. So many gorgeous audio stuff and only one pair of ears…

Thanks for the info. I will circle back in due course. Perhaps next step will be the TI-1b and the Star 8.

 

[Roasty]

Never mind about my question. I just solved this by using a Benchmark adapter cable I had in storage. I used the RCA outputs of the Benchmark DAC3B into the XLR inputs of the VM-1a. The cable is RCA on 1 end and XLR male on the other. The RCA outputs is also 12dB lower than the XLR. This works really well now. I can adjust the volume from the VM-1a anywhere on the dial. Note that the DAC3B does not have a volume control.

Danny, I do not think my VM-1a is in need of any repairs. Thanks for the idea. Though I think I am going to need a better quality cable. Normally, these Benchmark cables are good enough, but in this case, it seems a little less revealing than the Audience AU24SE interconnects I normally use.

u can adjust the gain on xlr outputs in the dac3b using jumpers.

 

[yyzSB]

u can adjust the gain on xlr outputs in the dac3b using jumpers.

I was reading page 18 of the manual last night. which has the following. A little confusing now, but I will change the jumpers today to test. Positive vs negative attentuation.

 

[cAsE sEnSiTiVe]

I am having with my VM-1a and my Benchmark DAC3B. The DAC3B's gain is rather high, thus I have very low granularity on the VM-1a's volume. It did not bug me before, but it would be better to be able to change to more higher volume settings.

I have a Lumin X1 that has a NORMAL and LOW analog output setting at FIXED volume (so no preamp circuit involved). I tried the X1 at LOW and the VM-1a's volume can now be adjusted to many higher settings without screaming at my ears.

The Lumin X1 DAC is preferred for my 2-channel since I listen during the daytime (more hours) with 2-channel. The nighttime is RAAL time. My question to you VM-1a owners is what DAC are you using with the VM-1a that is allowing for normal volume adjustment? What are some other neutral sounding DACs that have a low volume setting on FIXED volume configuration? The VM-1a is also a preamp so I do not want to use a DAC with VARIABLE volume output configuration.

BTW - the X1 and VM-1a are a killer combo.

I have an X1, and while I don't have the VM-1a, I do have the HSA-1b. I use the Leedh volume processing through the Lumin, with the HSA-1b volume set to unity gain, which since it uses an attenuator (same as your VM-1a), is positioned all the way wide open. I then adjust my volume through the Lumin...or in my case, through my tablet since I use Roon. It sounds absolutely marvelous in this way. If you're using the Leedh processing, which is the default, then your pre-amp volume....in this case the Raal amp, needs to be in a fixed position all the way up for it to sound its absolute best.

 

[yyzSB]

I have an X1, and while I don't have the VM-1a, I do have the HSA-1b. I use the Leedh volume processing through the Lumin, with the HSA-1b volume set to unity gain, which since it uses an attenuating volume pot (same as your VM-1a), is positioned all the way wide open. I then adjust my volume through the Lumin...or in my case, through my tablet since I use Roon. It sounds absolutely marvelous in this way. If you're using the Leedh processing, which is the default, then your pre-amp volume....in this case the Raal amp, needs to be in a fixed position all the way up for it to sound its absolute best.

The X1 also worked great for me too. I set it too wide and set the GAIN to LOW on the Lumin app. The LOW GAIN setting only affects the X1's DAC output and not the SPDIF or USB output. This works amazing. However, I do not want to use the X1 with the VM-1a. I listen more with my 2-channel 9-5 while I work and want the Lumin for that. The Benchmark DA3B is now just for the VM-1a. Surprisingly, I like the DAC3B with the VM-1a the most.

I have one working solution, which is last nights RCA output. I will try the jumpers today with XLR and hopefully that works since that would be the best sounding with the XLR interconnects I use.

BTW - I am trying to decide on a DAC for the Livingroom and I keep coming back to a second X1. I can get a new unit for a bit of a discount. I got my current X1 for $7250 which I think is great since it also replaced 3 streamers (with fibre optic streaming, my preference).

 

[yyzSB]

That jumper adjustment on the Benchmark DAC3B worked with the XLR output. I have set it now to -20 and the VM-1a can have the volume almost at the max level. Thanks for the help. Love the DAC3B on the VM-1a.

 

[jlbrach]

Thanks man! Heheh! One step at a time. Let me soak in the SR-1a and the JR first. Before I ponder the HSA-1b or the TI-1b and Star 8. I am wondering if it makes more sense to get the TI-1b or the HSA-1b. I am very tempted to have the JR/deluxe cable and the TI-1b and Star 8 10 foot cable as 2 separate set ups. Any thoughts?

Will take it nice and slow. If I rush, then I won’t fully appreciate any upgrades.

How is the CA-1a by the way? I am a bit concerned about the foam ear pads. Will they deteriorate like Grado earpads?

no worries, I have had no issue with them and even if they did degrade they are a snap to replace and cost a few dollars

 

[Kiats]

no worries, I have had no issue with them and even if they did degrade they are a snap to replace and cost a few dollars

Thanks for the heads up on that. Yeah… I am just wondering if i want to get the TI-1b and Star 8 or the CA-1a first. Decisions decisions. I suspect I will continue using the Jot R and Deluxe cable first. Reason is simple: I understand (now that I have found @Aleksandar R. ’s previous post in September after manually reading thru all the posts in respect of the Star 8 cables (HF search is not so easy to use) that you really need the 6 foot cable to be used with the TI-1b. Not quite my cuppa since I usually need at least 8 footer cable cos of where my sofa and my desktop rig is situated.

So perhaps makes more sense to stick to the Jot R and Deluxe cable and pick up the CA-1A next.

Unless i go the whole hog and get the HSA-1b and use it with the 10 foot Star 8. But I read one of the impressions in the thread that the sound out of the HSA is thinner, but I read published reviews that claim that the HSA-1b is more musical and richer in tonality. A bit confusing...

I do like the sound signature of the Jot R thus far (out of the IFI NEO Stream or Bricasti M1): transparent and open yet pithy and nuanced. This is nicely aligned with my preferences.

 

[Catharus]

Unless i go the whole hog and get the HSA-1b and use it with the 10 foot Star 8. But I read one of the impressions in the thread that the sound out of the HSA is thinner, but I read published reviews that claim that the HSA-1b is more musical and richer in tonality. A bit confusing...

It’s all relative. If you read my statement that HSA-1b is thinner, that’s compared to the VM1a. I am perfectly happy with the HSA-1b as well. Mitch’s convolution filters help boost the bass if you want.

 

[Aleksandar R.]

@Aleksandar R. Quick Q: I noticed that the Star 8 cable comes in 6 ft or 10 ft. Am I able to use the 10 footer with the TI-1b and SR-1a? No issues?

The other question is this: is the 10ft Star 8 cable something that can be used with the Jot R. I recall you saying that the 6ft one is not suitable.

Thanks!

The issue with 10ft STAR-8 on the TI is that it will be ~4dB quieter than a 6ft, and you have to use more power to compensate. Otherwise, it works just fine on a TI.
It would be great for the JotR. It has 0.4 Ohms that JotR prefers.

 

[Aleksandar R.]

Thanks for the heads up on that. Yeah… I am just wondering if i want to get the TI-1b and Star 8 or the CA-1a first. Decisions decisions. I suspect I will continue using the Jot R and Deluxe cable first. Reason is simple: I understand (now that I have found @Aleksandar R. ’s previous post in September after manually reading thru all the posts in respect of the Star 8 cables (HF search is not so easy to use) that you really need the 6 foot cable to be used with the TI-1b. Not quite my cuppa since I usually need at least 8 footer cable cos of where my sofa and my desktop rig is situated.

So perhaps makes more sense to stick to the Jot R and Deluxe cable and pick up the CA-1A next.

Unless i go the whole hog and get the HSA-1b and use it with the 10 foot Star 8. But I read one of the impressions in the thread that the sound out of the HSA is thinner, but I read published reviews that claim that the HSA-1b is more musical and richer in tonality. A bit confusing...

I do like the sound signature of the Jot R thus far (out of the IFI NEO Stream or Bricasti M1): transparent and open yet pithy and nuanced. This is nicely aligned with my preferences.

With using the TI, with either SC-2 cable (that comes with it) or the 6ft STAR-8, you can extend the length of the input cable. 10-15ft, no problem.

There is no good way to overcome the transformer's need for exact termination with the output cable, but the input is far less fussy, so the idea was that the user carries the TI box to the listening spot, where the input cable makes the distance to the amp.

 

[rlawry]

One thing you will want to consider is the amount of power your headphone amp outputs. My Benchmark HPA4 outputs 6W at 16 ohms and normally with other headphones like my Kennerton Rognir Planars (42 ohms, 100 dB at 1 mW) and JM Audio Editions XTC-Closed (64 ohms, 113 dB at 1 mW), the BM is at -30 to -45 dB output. With the SR-1b and Ti-1B it is at -20 to -8 dB, so it is being taxed with the Ti-1b load. If your headphone amp only outputs a watt or two you might find your listening levels not loud enough on some low-recorded music, which I do find on Qobuz. Just a consideration.