[ctemkin]

Jeweltopia,

Sorry to hear about your situation. My son has bad migraines, and I can understand that the last thing you want is another trigger.

Assuming that you have not yet sent the phones back and are willing to try them on your head, what might help you wear them is to tighten the top leather strap that goes parallel to the metal spring. That would have two possible benefits: it would cause the phones to be supported more by the top of your head, and it would move the temple pads higher on your head, hopefully to a spot that is less sensitive. You should also gently bend the metal spring, so that the temple pads do not clamp. It might also be helpful to re-adjust the back strap so that the temple pads are either in front of or behind where you originally had them.

The new location might or might not be the first choice sonically, but by adjusting the wings, etc., you should still be able to get them to sound really good..

If that doesn't work, why not treat yourself to a first-rate set of IEMs and just enjoy some music.

 

[Jeweltopia]

Hey all! So, I was the girl that came in here a few days ago and mentioned that I got a migraine from wearing these due to the pressure it put on a specific area of my head.

I sent these back to the dealer yesterday, but before I did that, I did an experiment over the weekend. My husband is VERY prone to migraines. He suffers from migraines a lot. In my original post, I did say that these gave me the worst migraine I've had in a year, but, I've only had one or two others (aside from this one that I mentioned in my original post) so I am not nearly as prone to them as my husband is. My husband gets migraines a lot from lots of various things. In fact, he cannot wear my Sennheiser HD600 or HD650 because the clamping force from those have given him a migraine before. One time, he was gaming in my Sennheiser HD600s and had to take them off because he got a migraine from their clamping force.

So, anyway, back to the topic at hand. I had him wear these for about an hour before we shipped them back and he wore them just fine without getting even an inkling of a headache. He told me that he didn't feel the same sort of crippling pressure that he feels from my HD600/650 and that these didn't bother him at all. Ironically, my HD600 and HD650 never gave me head pain, ever, yet he still refuses to touch them due to how uncomfortable they are for him.

I did try wearing them again since I made my original post, but, I always felt a headache creeping up after about ten minute's worth of use. I didn't get a migraine again, but, it did give me a mild headache every time. I would immediately take them off the moment I started feeling it creep up on me. I only got a migraine when I pushed my threshold limit, apparently, and wore them for 30 minutes. Apparently different head shapes don't like certain clamping forces of some headphones. While I've never had a headphone before this one give me a bad headache, my husband can't wear a lot of the stuff in my collection because he's prone to headaches and migraines from clamping forces. He mostly is an earbud user because those don't bother him as much.

It was an interesting experience and experiment. Once again, I'd just like to point out that I love how these sound. They probably won't have the same adverse reaction that they had on me for 90% of anyone who tries them. Not sure what the actual % margin on that is, but, you get my point. I've been following these for a long while. I actually traveled to a convention before specifically to hear these -- although admittedly, I enjoyed hearing everything at the show I attended. I wore them for a few minutes, but, it apparently takes about 10-15 minutes of usage before I start feeling the tension really kick in. I didn't leave the negative feedback on comfort and fit because I wanted to trash talk this amazing product or anything like that.

I think this was a very "me" problem and my head shape probably played into it. Plus, who knows what other weird bodily functions that are only relevant to myself caused me to react that way. The human body is a very, very weird thing. I'll be the first to admit that I don't always understand why my body reacts a certain way to something, and I'm only in my late 20s, so I bet that it's all downhill from here haha. The second that Raal releases a more traditional headphone shape with a circumaural design that evenly distributes pressure around the ears, I'm going to be all over that because I really love their sound and respect them as a company. Sadly, even if I wanted to own these due to the sound itself (which is amazing), it seems my head disagrees with that desire. It's a bummer, but, it is what it is.

 

[jlbrach]

some people I know who refer to a headache as a migraine....although they do not get actual migraines...they will say to me I got a migraine earlier today meaning just a headache...other people I know who do get real migraines have to go into dark rooms for hours when the migraines come on and it is a chemical reaction that requires medical intervention....I do not have a medical degree but I find it hard to believe a :migraine" can be triggered by wearing a headphone...I do however believe a headache can from clamping that is tight on the head...if I am wrong I apologize

 

[BrowChan]

some people I know who refer to a headache as a migraine....although they do not get actual migraines...they will say to me I got a migraine earlier today meaning just a headache...other people I know who do get real migraines have to go into dark rooms for hours when the migraines come on and it is a chemical reaction that requires medical intervention....I do not have a medical degree but I find it hard to believe a :migraine" can be triggered by wearing a headphone...I do however believe a headache can from clamping that is tight on the head...if I am wrong I apologize

 

[JLoud]

While I don't have an issue wearing mine, the pressure on the temples is noticeable. Never really paid much attention till this subject came up. I would still say my LCD-4 puts more pressure on my temple/jaw area than the Raal. I guess when it comes to comfort, it varies as much as sound signature preference.

 

[JLoud]

As far as migraines go, I too suffer from them on occasion. Mine are usually triggered from blood sugar issues. Borderline diabetic. When mine comes on, I have to go lay down in a dark, quite room for a couple of hours at least. Horrible. If these headphones are causing that kind of reaction, I wouldn't care how good they sounded. I hope you find something that works for you and sounds as enjoyable. Good luck Jeweltopia, and happy listening.

 

[Shahrose]

Migraines can certainly be triggered by wearing a headphone. They can be triggered by almost anything to be honest and it's quite patient-dependent.
(I'm a physician)

@Jeweltopia I'm not surprised by your findings. Just bad luck really and I empathize.
Great suggestions given by members here by the way.

So far, anyone who's tried the RAALs at my place has forgotten they're wearing them after a few minutes. Last night, I felt the more I got accustomed to their sound, the greater the soundstage became. It really started mimicking near-field speakers. No other headphone can do this IMO.

 

[lazybones]

Did someone try to listen the Sr1a with uberamp2 from Dr. Gilmore?

 

[themystical]

Did someone try to listen the Sr1a with uberamp2 from Dr. Gilmore?

Not heard any of his designs yet but I am building his Raal Star amp as we speak so will provide some feedback when completed.
https://www.head-case.org/forums/topic/15305-cheap-raal-direct-drive-amp/

 

[Jon L]

Not heard any of his designs yet but I am building his Raal Star amp as we speak so will provide some feedback when completed.
https://www.head-case.org/forums/topic/15305-cheap-raal-direct-drive-amp/

Niiiccee

 

[lazybones]

Not heard any of his designs yet but I am building his Raal Star amp as we speak so will provide some feedback when completed.
https://www.head-case.org/forums/topic/15305-cheap-raal-direct-drive-amp/

Hmm... I am thinking If uberamp2(there is the "Raal edition") is a good choice for building. It is definitely powerful enough, but I can't find almost any information about its real sound.
And of course, It would be interesting to read your experience.

 

[Shahrose]

I loved the HEDDPHONES and reviewed them here:

https://headphone.guru/hedd-audio-the-new-and-amazing-heddphones-yes-i-spelled-that-correctly/

Great headphones for sure! But no question, the SR1a is a top 3-4 headphone for me, yes they are that good! Soundstaging is likely the best I've come across and they are right there with my Phi TC, Susvara, and LCD-4/4z for the very best I've heard. The HEDDphones are more on the same level with the HD800S, etc... Still great headphones, just not among the top tier for me.

Peter, what are your thoughts on the Abyss Phi TC vs SR1a now that you've had a chance to cook the RAALs?

 

[MacedonianHero]

Peter, what are your thoughts on the Abyss Phi TC vs SR1a now that you've had a chance to cook the RAALs?

Sorry, can't say much. They are all packed up...moving to a new home in 3 weeks. Won't be able to listen again until the back half of October. Both are top 3 or 4 of all time for sure. I'll report back when I get things re-setup at the new house.

 

[jlbrach]

I can say as one who owns the susvara, abyss tc and sr1a...the sr1a is getting more play time than the other 2...it is the best HP available IMHO and paired with the schiit Jotr a bargain on a relative basis

 

[MacedonianHero]

I can say as one who owns the susvara, abyss tc and sr1a...the sr1a is getting more play time than the other 2...it is the best HP available IMHO and paired with the schiit Jotr a bargain on a relative basis

I own all three as well, but I don't think I can say that. They are certainly in the same league as the world's best, but I am having a harder time with asserting A over B over C.