[jlbrach]

I have said this before. Try as I might when listening to conventional cupped headphones, I just cannot suspend the reality that I am listening to two cups of sound with most of the tiny sound within my head. Maybe this is because I had a speaker-based system for many years, which to me is a more realistic representation of live music being played in a performing space. And the closed cup compression/decompression bass just sounds unnatural to me. The RAAL SR-1b with their suspended ribbon drivers just outside the ears is by far the closest representation of live performers in a performing space that I have heard, by a long shot. Not to mention that the bass sounds more like bass in a room (I once had an electric bass-playing college roommate).

I agree and with acoustic music and music with space it is IMHO the best HP there is

 

[yyzSB]

to me it is always a compromise...I love the wider soundstage when they are wider but I feel that definitely sacrifices bass and impact...I am always playing around and thats why I love the sr1a because it is so different and novel...no matter how good the new model is and I look forward to it a lot it will never replace the novel design of the sr1a which for me was the first HP in such a long time to really offer me something different than the planars...

I sold the SR1a to raise some funds for the new RAAL phones. The CA-1a is still with me but it really cannot give me the same listening enjoyment as the SR1a. The CA-1a is really good but that SR1a was something special.

I am going to get the one of the 2 new RAAL phones, but I really want the next SR1a they dream up.

"If the opportunity and situation is available, I highly recommend laying down on a pillow with the SR1a... Get all of the incredible detail and sound... And BASS!"

That never worked for me and listening in bed was the only reason I got the CA-1a. It is also the reason I won't part with the CA-1a. It is one tough customer.

 

[Kiats]

The sweet spot for me 30 degrees from when the wings are completely closed.

 

[Roasty]

thanks for all the responses to the wing angle question! you guys are great!
when i have some free time, going to try put on some dampening material on the wing blades.
and agree, the SR1b is truly special. unlike the ca1a, the sr1b takes a bit of work to get it optimal, but when you get it right, it is quite an amazing headphone!

 

[Litlgi74]

That never worked for me and listening in bed was the only reason I got the CA-1a. It is also the reason I won't part with the CA-1a. It is one tough customer.

That's a real bummer... I love it! The CA-1a is very good... But IMO, no match for the level of quality sound that comes from the SR1a.

 

[LucyWu]

I am intrigued by the two new Raal offerings and I hope they meet the very high expectations Alex has set, but as RLawry nicely said above, one of the big appeals, driven by the format of the SR1a, is the presentation that comes from the lack of a cup. There are some excellent cupped headphones, but nothing offers the unencumbered naturalness I get from the SR1a - it's what has stopped me chasing down the CA1a (that and I don't fancy that foam against my head, but that's just me...)

Maybe lifting the quality of the amp or source driving my SR1a's will bring bigger rewards. I'm about four years into ownership of them and I still love 'em every time I plonk them on my head.

 

[Rdoc]

I am intrigued by the two new Raal offerings and I hope they meet the very high expectations Alex has set, but as RLawry nicely said above, one of the big appeals, driven by the format of the SR1a, is the presentation that comes from the lack of a cup. There are some excellent cupped headphones, but nothing offers the unencumbered naturalness I get from the SR1a - it's what has stopped me chasing down the CA1a (that and I don't fancy that foam against my head, but that's just me...)

Maybe lifting the quality of the amp or source driving my SR1a's will bring bigger rewards. I'm about four years into ownership of them and I still love 'em every time I plonk them on my head.

I have said this before. Try as I might when listening to conventional cupped headphones, I just cannot suspend the reality that I am listening to two cups of sound with most of the tiny sound within my head. Maybe this is because I had a speaker-based system for many years, which to me is a more realistic representation of live music being played in a performing space. And the closed cup compression/decompression bass just sounds unnatural to me. The RAAL SR-1b with their suspended ribbon drivers just outside the ears is by far the closest representation of live performers in a performing space that I have heard, by a long shot. Not to mention that the bass sounds more like bass in a room (I once had an electric bass-playing college roommate).

I agree 100% with Lawry. I have been using speakers for 50 years with countless high end systems. I could never tolerate headphones until the SR1A's came along. Other headphones made my ears too hot to listen for more than an hour. The SR1A"s also create a much more believable image than "normal" headphones including some very high end ones.

I also continue to occasionally listen to my speakers and that is why I still listen to the RAAL's with the impedance matching box. I have banana's on my speaker cables and I can easily switch between the SR1A's and speakers. I have not heard the other boxes, but the impedance matching box with my Siltech cables sounds superb.

 

[yyzSB]

There is definitely a market that do not like cupped headphones (like me). However, the CA-1a is a bit of an anomaly in that regard (Mikey likes it). I would bet that RAAL will be coming out with a new SR1a for people like us.

I will get one of the 2 new phones just because of how good the CA-1a is.

 

[nfandi]

There is definitely a market that do not like cupped headphones (like me). However, the CA-1a is a bit of an anomaly in that regard (Mikey likes it). I would bet that RAAL will be coming out with a new SR1a for people like us.

I will get one of the 2 new phones just because of how good the CA-1a is.

I returned from the Heidelberg Headphone show about an hour ago after a relatively brief but very enjoyable encounter with Magna and Immanis. I can confirm that once you experience either of the new phones you will buy one of them; yes I can see the future. CA-1a remains outstanding value for money but the 2 new phones have moved the game on. I will post more details over on the Raal 1995 thread later. Myself and another English guy had a great conversation with Alex about what a future SR-1a/b might look like and I can tell you now that it will NOT look like the SR-1a/b we have today. But this was a discussion about thoughts and ideas NOT a fixed/firm design. All I can say is if it happens it will probably be as unusual to us as the SR-1a was when we first saw it; and NO don’t expect it to be here in the near future.

 

[Litlgi74]

I should try this.

Did you give it a try?

I'm listening to this great binaural track right now while laying on my pillow. I'd say the pillow is adding a 3 to 5db bass boost... The SR1a can have slam... And it's awesome!

https://songwhip.com/reidwillis/eco-my-friend-3d-binaural-version-headphones-only

I'd encourage everyone to try it!

 

[gghirardi]

Did you give it a try?

I'm listening to this great binaural track right now while laying on my pillow. I'd say the pillow is adding a 3 to 5db bass boost... The SR1a can have slam... And it's awesome!

https://songwhip.com/reidwillis/eco-my-friend-3d-binaural-version-headphones-only

I'd encourage everyone to try it!

Not yet. I must say I use them in the office while working and bringing a pillow and a bed would not be perceived as the right message among our associates... But I am planning to bring them home shortly and give this a try.

 

[rlawry]

I have said many times that the SR-1b does so many things better than any other headphone I have heard that the lack of bass weight, extension, and dynamics makes little difference to me.

 

[gghirardi]

I have said many times that the SR-1b does so many things better than any other headphone I have heard that the lack of bass weight, extension, and dynamics makes little difference to me.

I agree. The Abyss for example is very good but the bass is excessive in comparison to the rest. It is almost "fictional". Nevertheless, trying the SR1A while lying in bed is well worth a try.

 

[nfandi]

I have said many times that the SR-1b does so many things better than any other headphone I have heard that the lack of bass weight, extension, and dynamics makes little difference to me.

I listened to my SR-1b this morning powered by a Feliks Audio Envy that I’ve borrowed for a few days. It did not lack bass weight, in fact I couldn’t believe it. It was so very different to when I use it with my HSA-1b. I’m back with the HSA now and the first 5-10 minutes were awful; it sounded so thin, harsh and even gritty. Now it’s open and clear again and the bass is there but without the weight. Later I’ll use the Envy in pre-amp mode into the HSA and see what difference the ‘hybrid’ mode brings. Happy days.

 

[rlawry]

I listened to my SR-1b this morning powered by a Feliks Audio Envy that I’ve borrowed for a few days. It did not lack bass weight, in fact I couldn’t believe it. It was so very different to when I use it with my HSA-1b. I’m back with the HSA now and the first 5-10 minutes were awful; it sounded so thin, harsh and even gritty. Now it’s open and clear again and the bass is there but without the weight. Later I’ll use the Envy in pre-amp mode into the HSA and see what difference the ‘hybrid’ mode brings. Happy days.

I think what you are finding here is the difference between a tubed amp and a solid-state amp and their respective output impedance interacting differently with the transformer/headphone load. A SS amp usually has a lower output impedance that damps out the headphone driver and thereby controls the drivers more, resulting in a more overdamped bass, i.e. the impression of less bass. A tubed amp like the Envy has a higher output impedance that interacts more with the headphone load, resulting in a more underdamped bass, therefore more bass output. Not that there is anything wrong with this, just the probable reason behind your finding more bass with the Envy.