[jp11801]

the Lumin Leedh volume is fantastic very transparent, only reason to add a pre is to have multi inputs for vinyl and potentially added gain

 

[robm321]

.

 

[thomaskong78]

I am listening to "Only Yesterday" from ripped CD and Dave and HMs digital through Sr1a driven by Rogue Cronus Magnum II.

It sound heavenly with nice texture and fast decay but not with aggressiveness fed through SS amp.

 

[Bonesy Jonesy]

Received a pair of Raal SR1a's on Tuesday gone and connected them up to a brand new Jotunheim R (JR) from Schiit UK dealer.

I connected both my Chord Hugo 2 via RCA's and my Chord QBD76 DAC via balanced XLR's to the JR. Both H2 and QBD were connected to my Chord Blu MK1 via twin BNC's to give me 176kHz sampling rate.

Over a period of about an hour on Tuesday evening, tried a variety of music from soft (Diana Krall and Cafe Del Mar) to contemporary rock (Frost*) music with some mainstream pop music in between.

I had the JR volume set from around 12pm to 2pm position which gave me relatively reasonable volume but not loud.

Initially a terrible first experience with the SR1a's and the JR as follows;

1) JR got very hot
2) JR cut out three times and shut down completely twice using H2 RCA input and QBD XLR inputs.
3) My H2 got hotter than normal (normally only gets warm when using my Grado GS3000e's.
4) The SR1a's sounded very distorted with high treble and low bass
5) Constant clipping of the music from the SR1a's
6) Buzzing coming from the SR1a's particularly when receiving high trebly music.

After the third shut down of the JR I gave up and went back to my Grado GS3000e's connected to my Hugo 2.

Packed the JR back in its box to send it back to the Schiit UK Dealer. I have told them I don't want it back, just my money back.

Although the SR1a's sounded quite good (when I wasn't having the issues listed above) they didn't amaze me like I have read from numerous reviews and this forum ! The Stax 009's I had some years back sounded much better (although I wasn't drawn to their sound signature so sold them along with the BHSE).

I also didn't find them that comfortable either. My GS3000e's are far more comfortable !

The surface finish on the metal grilles also isn't that good with a non smooth sharp / rasp feel to them !

The overall design and build of the SR1a's is also strange for me with them not seeming to flow as a total and complete component, rather a component with a bit added here and a bit added there most probably to overcome fitting and listening issues as they were being designed and developed. They look and feel like a first iteration of a design rather like a DIY kit car !

So I will give the S1Ra's one more try connected to my UK speaker system (Chord Choral system with Mezzo 140 power amp) with the Requisite Conversion Box and see how they sound. If they don't sound very good to hopefully amazing (as many reviews say they do) with my UK Chord speaker system then they will also be going back to the SR1a dealer. !

For what the SR1a's cost in Europe (3,900 euro) I expect a lot lot better !

And as for the JR, well I expect a better product from Schiit without the issues I experienced ! (although this is my forst Schiit product so don't have the experience how Schiit products normally perform out of the box ! )

If anybody else has had the same bad experiences of the SR1a's and the JR let me know.

 

[Nik]

Your experience is normal for the RAAL cans... I had exactly the same experience... but, but... I'm sure, this isn't a fault of the RAAL: NO !!! I gave a second chance to my RAAL... and now this is the best cans I had to date !!! Don't send back your RAAL, please !!!

 

[makan]

Received a pair of Raal SR1a's on Tuesday gone and connected them up to a brand new Jotunheim R (JR) from Schiit UK dealer.

I connected both my Chord Hugo 2 via RCA's and my Chord QBD76 DAC via balanced XLR's to the JR. Both H2 and QBD were connected to my Chord Blu MK1 via twin BNC's to give me 176kHz sampling rate.

Over a period of about an hour on Tuesday evening, tried a variety of music from soft (Diana Krall and Cafe Del Mar) to contemporary rock (Frost*) music with some mainstream pop music in between.

I had the JR volume set from around 12pm to 2pm position which gave me relatively reasonable volume but not loud.

Initially a terrible first experience with the SR1a's and the JR as follows;

1) JR got very hot
2) JR cut out three times and shut down completely twice using H2 RCA input and QBD XLR inputs.
3) My H2 got hotter than normal (normally only gets warm when using my Grado GS3000e's.
4) The SR1a's sounded very distorted with high treble and low bass
5) Constant clipping of the music from the SR1a's
6) Buzzing coming from the SR1a's particularly when receiving high trebly music.

After the third shut down of the JR I gave up and went back to my Grado GS3000e's connected to my Hugo 2.

Packed the JR back in its box to send it back to the Schiit UK Dealer. I have told them I don't want it back, just my money back.

Although the SR1a's sounded quite good (when I wasn't having the issues listed above) they didn't amaze me like I have read from numerous reviews and this forum ! The Stax 009's I had some years back sounded much better (although I wasn't drawn to their sound signature so sold them along with the BHSE).

I also didn't find them that comfortable either. My GS3000e's are far more comfortable !

The surface finish on the metal grilles also isn't that good with a non smooth sharp / rasp feel to them !

The overall design and build of the SR1a's is also strange for me with them not seeming to flow as a total and complete component, rather a component with a bit added here and a bit added there most probably to overcome fitting and listening issues as they were being designed and developed. They look and feel like a first iteration of a design rather like a DIY kit car !

So I will give the S1Ra's one more try connected to my UK speaker system (Chord Choral system with Mezzo 140 power amp) with the Requisite Conversion Box and see how they sound. If they don't sound very good to hopefully amazing (as many reviews say they do) with my UK Chord speaker system then they will also be going back to the SR1a dealer. !

For what the SR1a's cost in Europe (3,900 euro) I expect a lot lot better !

And as for the JR, well I expect a better product from Schiit without the issues I experienced ! (although this is my forst Schiit product so don't have the experience how Schiit products normally perform out of the box ! )

If anybody else has had the same bad experiences of the SR1a's and the JR let me know.

Sorry to hear about your bad experience with the Jot R. I have that pairing and although the Jot R gets hot, I don’t have the sonic issues and the Jot R cutting out. My guess is that it is either a faulty unit or the line out from your source has a “too high of a voltage or gain” causing clipping. I have an RME ADI-2 pro feeding the Jot and vary the line out to the Jot R...if I crank up the line out, it can distort the output from the Jot R. Anyway, that’s my best guess on what happened to you

 

[jlbrach]

get the raal right and you will be astonished...they are a lot of work, finicky...perhaps tough to get used to for many and yet when all of it clicks glorious....they will highlight bad recordings more than other HP's..sibilant recordings will be tough to listen to but, but...with the right set up and with good recordings they are a revelation...I have the abyss TC and the susvara which I love yet I keep coming back to the raal despite all the difficulties...

 

[Bonesy Jonesy]

Sorry to hear about your bad experience with the Jot R. I have that pairing and although the Jot R gets hot, I don’t have the sonic issues and the Jot R cutting out. My guess is that it is either a faulty unit or the line out from your source has a “too high of a voltage or gain” causing clipping. I have an RME ADI-2 pro feeding the Jot and vary the line out to the Jot R...if I crank up the line out, it can distort the output from the Jot R. Anyway, that’s my best guess on what happened to you

Thank you makan for your reply. Much appreciated.
My Chord QBD76 DAC outputs 6V rms balanced and 3V unbalanced. Hugo 2 is also 3V output unbalanced.
These values are pretty standard in the hifi world so wouldn't think it was a problem for the JR.
Sounds like it could be a faulty JR !

 

[Bonesy Jonesy]

get the raal right and you will be astonished...they are a lot of work, finicky...perhaps tough to get used to for many and yet when all of it clicks glorious....they will highlight bad recordings more than other HP's..sibilant recordings will be tough to listen to but, but...with the right set up and with good recordings they are a revelation...I have the abyss TC and the susvara which I love yet I keep coming back to the raal despite all the difficulties...

Thank you jibrach for your reply and your experiences with the SR1a's. Much appreciated.

I only used good to excellent CD recordings which sound great when trying the SR1a's. With the 176kHz sampling rate they sound great. So I can't blame the source !

I also had the SR1a's at various angles from completely flat to my ears to wide out and all angles in between and also altered the headband so they sat at different heights to my ears.

When I am back at my UK base in the next few days (been working away from both my homes over the last 9 months) I will try the SR1a's on my UK Chord Choral speaker system.
Hopefully they will sound 100% better and with no distortion or clipping issues.

 

[Jon L]

1) JR got very hot
2) JR cut out three times and shut down completely twice using H2 RCA input and QBD XLR inputs.
3) My H2 got hotter than normal (normally only gets warm when using my Grado GS3000e's.
4) The SR1a's sounded very distorted with high treble and low bass
5) Constant clipping of the music from the SR1a's
6) Buzzing coming from the SR1a's particularly when receiving high trebly music.

Your Jot R obviously had issues. Please post a follow-up after Schiit examines the unit.

 

[jlbrach]

you got a bum unit, mine doesnt run all that hot and has been pretty much problem free thus far

 

[JLoud]

I bought a second hand SR1A with a JotR. Sounds great and zero noise issues. Runs warm but not hot. Usually listen with volume at 11-12 o'clock.

 

[FLTWS]

My Jot R is barely warm to the touch and I had it on for 13 hours yesterday running in balanced mode. By barely warm I mean I could put my hand on the cover and leave it there all day.

 

[T3RIAD]

My Jot R doesn't get hot either, although I only have the volume set to 11 o'clock or so.

 

[FLTWS]

My Jot R doesn't get hot either, although I only have the volume set to 11 o'clock or so.

In balanced mode that's pretty loud with many recordings of mine.