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Raal Ribbon Headphones - SRH1A
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jlbrach
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The eagle has landed:
Right out of the box, this is one heavy, and substantial solid state amplifier. Just beautifully built! My SR1a have never sounded so clean, transparent and open! More to come on the sound as I get more and more familiar with this beauty. There was also a surprised included for my review. I've asked if I could share that information first and if I get the thumbs up, I'll report back on that too. Suffice it to say, with my Chord DAVE, HSA-1b and SR1a, portable audio just doesn't get any better!
Right out of the box, this is one heavy, and substantial solid state amplifier. Just beautifully built! My SR1a have never sounded so clean, transparent and open! More to come on the sound as I get more and more familiar with this beauty. There was also a surprised included for my review. I've asked if I could share that information first and if I get the thumbs up, I'll report back on that too. Suffice it to say, with my Chord DAVE, HSA-1b and SR1a, portable audio just doesn't get any better!
jlbrach
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how does it drive the susvara or the abyss peter?
Ok...just got back and setup the Abyss TC...holy smoke!!! Plays them with authority and a firm grasp of both drivers! And plenty of head-room left!!! This could be the one amplifier to rule them all!
MrCypruz
100+ Head-Fier
Yup. I've been using the HSA-1b as my single box solution to drive the SR1a, TC and Susvara for my solid state needs and the WA33 for my tube needs. I was amazed by how much power it got using the conventional headphone output, on the previous HSA-1a I had to use the SR1a output with the adapter (4-pin XLR female to female) to properly drive the TC and Susvara. Not the case with the HSA-1b.
I'm curious about your assessment of the HSA-1b compared to the JotR. As I said, I sold my JotR when I got the HSA-1a and never looked back. To my eyes and ears, the HSA-1b is an overall significant improvement over the HSA-1a.
It would be great to see the internals of the amp to understand the topology used. Anyone willing to take the lid off and share with the community
Musicalhead
New Head-Fier
Hello,
the new HSA1b is now also in my personal possession for some time.
In the picture I'm still using it unbalanced via RCA with the Bakoon DAC21 at my desk. In the meantime, however, the new Raal headphone amplifier has changed location and is now powered via an Auralic duo consisting of Aries G2 and Vega G2 balanced via XLR.
My review of the HSA1b will probably be published on my German blog Musicalhead shortly, probably in January. But of course I can already make some comments on the musical performance for you now.
My first choice for operation with the SR1a was, as you know, the Riviera AIC10, with which I have already tested the Serbian headphones in 2019 (see also the link from member jlbrach above on this page) However, the AIC is unfortunately not suitable for higher monitoring volumes due to a power of only 2 x 10 watts at the speaker outputs.
After several attempts with various transistorized integrated amplifiers, I finally decided on the Oktave V110 SE as an almost perfect tube source. Btw, you can find my review on page 194 in this thread. (And a Naim NAP200 always serves as the "working power amplifier" for the SR1a).
Since the prototype of the Jotunheim R (working title "Weltenheim") had rather failed sonically in my first review of the SR1a last year, I was of course more than curious about the new in-house HSA1. However, I'm equally glad to have exercised patience until the B version, as the original A configuration didn't make much sense to me due to the two SR1a outputs being connected in parallel. In the current design, dynamic HP can finally be driven. Good idea.
A sonic description in a nutshell: At the beginning, the HSA1b still has a relatively harsh sound and thus needs a corresponding break-in period. In the meantime, however, the HHA already has over 50 hours of playing time on the hump, so that I can already make some statements regarding the sound quality.
The HSA1b proves in combination with the SR1a from my point of view as exactly the congenial playing partner, with which the headphones should have been offered already at the market launch. Especially in the switch position "SR1" it puts all the strengths of the SR1a in perspective (speed, transient accuracy and resolution) and perfectly masks its small weaknesses, especially with regard to the pronounced midrange and treble presence as well as the rather slim bass reproduction.
In doing so, it takes back the presence area a bit without neglecting the detail work and also gives the bass slightly more emphasis. That fits. Surprisingly, the HSA1b has a stage base width that is in no way inferior to that of the Octave V110 SE. And also regarding the imaging in the depth the Serbian amplifier does not need to shy away from the comparison with the German tube.
In any case, in my first impression the HSA1b is the best playing partner in a still affordable range, which I have heard so far in combination with the SR1a. A detailed review of the HSA1b will of course show whether this first impression will be strengthened...
Greetings
Fidelio
the new HSA1b is now also in my personal possession for some time.
In the picture I'm still using it unbalanced via RCA with the Bakoon DAC21 at my desk. In the meantime, however, the new Raal headphone amplifier has changed location and is now powered via an Auralic duo consisting of Aries G2 and Vega G2 balanced via XLR.
My review of the HSA1b will probably be published on my German blog Musicalhead shortly, probably in January. But of course I can already make some comments on the musical performance for you now.
My first choice for operation with the SR1a was, as you know, the Riviera AIC10, with which I have already tested the Serbian headphones in 2019 (see also the link from member jlbrach above on this page) However, the AIC is unfortunately not suitable for higher monitoring volumes due to a power of only 2 x 10 watts at the speaker outputs.
After several attempts with various transistorized integrated amplifiers, I finally decided on the Oktave V110 SE as an almost perfect tube source. Btw, you can find my review on page 194 in this thread. (And a Naim NAP200 always serves as the "working power amplifier" for the SR1a).
Since the prototype of the Jotunheim R (working title "Weltenheim") had rather failed sonically in my first review of the SR1a last year, I was of course more than curious about the new in-house HSA1. However, I'm equally glad to have exercised patience until the B version, as the original A configuration didn't make much sense to me due to the two SR1a outputs being connected in parallel. In the current design, dynamic HP can finally be driven. Good idea.
A sonic description in a nutshell: At the beginning, the HSA1b still has a relatively harsh sound and thus needs a corresponding break-in period. In the meantime, however, the HHA already has over 50 hours of playing time on the hump, so that I can already make some statements regarding the sound quality.
The HSA1b proves in combination with the SR1a from my point of view as exactly the congenial playing partner, with which the headphones should have been offered already at the market launch. Especially in the switch position "SR1" it puts all the strengths of the SR1a in perspective (speed, transient accuracy and resolution) and perfectly masks its small weaknesses, especially with regard to the pronounced midrange and treble presence as well as the rather slim bass reproduction.
In doing so, it takes back the presence area a bit without neglecting the detail work and also gives the bass slightly more emphasis. That fits. Surprisingly, the HSA1b has a stage base width that is in no way inferior to that of the Octave V110 SE. And also regarding the imaging in the depth the Serbian amplifier does not need to shy away from the comparison with the German tube.
In any case, in my first impression the HSA1b is the best playing partner in a still affordable range, which I have heard so far in combination with the SR1a. A detailed review of the HSA1b will of course show whether this first impression will be strengthened...
Greetings
Fidelio
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ferraro25
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So, my Schiit Jotunheim R, that was causing bass imbalance and distortion issues, started to smoke. Wasn't using it at that particular moment, noticed a weird (likely burnt plastic) smell at first, saw it smoking, was not very surprised, turned it off.
Gonna see if I can get it replaced under warranty from Schiit. Will miss using the SR1a, as I stupidly didn't opt to get the interface. Might go ahead and buy the interface plus a cheap 160 WPC amp from amazon.
I have been very happy with the SR1a outside of the issues causing by the piece of Schiit amp.
Gonna see if I can get it replaced under warranty from Schiit. Will miss using the SR1a, as I stupidly didn't opt to get the interface. Might go ahead and buy the interface plus a cheap 160 WPC amp from amazon.
I have been very happy with the SR1a outside of the issues causing by the piece of Schiit amp.
ferraro25
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Just bought the ribbon/amp interface from RAAL, plus the cheap 160 WPC amp + 12 gauge cable + banana plugs + wire cutter (I've never owned passive speakers) from amazon.
I will give details about the amp when I post my impressions about the combo in the next weeks. I'm obviously not expecting the ribbon/amp interface to ship this week.
Will be interesting to see if the amp does an acceptable job. I expect the bass issues to be lessened, at least. The rest of it, who knows? At the very least, I'm expecting an audible hiss.
If it sounds good enough, I probably won't bother with returning the Jotunheim R. If it isn't good enough, and I cannot get service for the Jotunheim R without paying for repairs, I will look through this thread for <$500 amps that are decent. These headphones are worth the continued investment. My prior favorite headphones, the HD 800 S, pale in comparison.
I will give details about the amp when I post my impressions about the combo in the next weeks. I'm obviously not expecting the ribbon/amp interface to ship this week.
Will be interesting to see if the amp does an acceptable job. I expect the bass issues to be lessened, at least. The rest of it, who knows? At the very least, I'm expecting an audible hiss.
If it sounds good enough, I probably won't bother with returning the Jotunheim R. If it isn't good enough, and I cannot get service for the Jotunheim R without paying for repairs, I will look through this thread for <$500 amps that are decent. These headphones are worth the continued investment. My prior favorite headphones, the HD 800 S, pale in comparison.
cAsE sEnSiTiVe
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I can't possibly believe the Jot R wouldn't be a warranty fix situation for you at this point. Can't be that old?
jlbrach
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obviously schiit will fix or replace the amp
Ok...had a chance to plug in the Susvara using the adapter (get the full power of the amplifier) and boy oh boy! It drives them with full authority and a firm grasp of the drivers! Just so dynamic and transparent! And damn! I didn't think the SR1a could reach these sonic heights! What a way to spend COVID-Christmas 2020.
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MrCypruz
100+ Head-Fier
I feel like saying “I told you so”. Lol. On a serious note, this is basically what I’ve been trying to convey to most, if not all the SR1a owners out there that it’s worth it to drop the coins for the HSA-1b if you can afford it, because you’ll be making another leap in SQ of those glorious headphones.
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