[jlbrach]

the fact that they drive the susvara as you describe is what makes the amp a real great option for one with susvara or abyss and sr1a..this sure is one expensive hobby lol

 

[Duncan_McCloud]

Yesterday I tried the HD800s after some weeks of SR1s listening. Well, don't know if it's the RME ADI2DAC that doesn't suite the HD800s well, but I have immediatly understood that SR1a >>> HD800s. It's just another league, and this coming from someone who always loved the HD800s

 

[trigeminalv3]

In regards to the amp, is the consensus that the schiit jotr (no dac) is the best option at that relative price range (~$1000)?

I use the aqua la voce s3 as my dac.

 

[Sherwood]

The Jotunheim R is the only direct drive amp under $3000. With the converter box, though, the options are nearly endless.

 

[paradoxper]

The Jotunheim R is the only direct drive amp under $3000. With the converter box, though, the options are nearly endless.

There is the raalopamp. $400. $500 cased. With real heatsinking and no current limiting BS.

 

[Sherwood]

There is the raalopamp. $400. $500 cased. With real heatsinking and no current limiting BS.

Is that the name bestowed upon the one KG and Justin are working on? I preferred RAALstar

I’ve only seen two of those cased, and Justin pointed out some necessary board revisions when he built his. $500 sounds about right, but aside from difficulty in finding a builder I think someone looking for that amp might do better to hold until the issues are sorted.

Of course, this is a niche within a niche, so it’s also possible no one will make progress on this until someone has commissioned them to.

 

[Sherwood]

Duplicate, disregard.

 

[jamington2004]

That DIY one would have to be significantly better than the RAAL - it’s not that much cheaper is it? And that’s with needed DIY skills and time, or paying someone to build it...

 

[paradoxper]

Is that the name bestowed upon the one KG and Justin are working on? I preferred RAALstar

I’ve only seen two of those cased, and Justin pointed out some necessary board revisions when he built his. $500 sounds about right, but aside from difficulty in finding a builder I think someone looking for that amp might do better to hold until the issues are sorted.

Of course, this is a niche within a niche, so it’s also possible no one will make progress on this until someone has commissioned them to.

Indeed. This was just the we'll offer something very cheap and easy to build.

I know Justin wanted to play with a single ended 'split' balanced drive or the idea of a proposed all-in-one (STAX inclusion) solution with increased value proposition to such a novel space. Although he said he was limited in time for design and build.

 

[kevin gilmore]

joamat has built the uberamp2-raal edition. pictures elsewhere. Not the raalstar. About $1k in parts total.
about 4.9 amps of class A output power (2.5 amp bias *2 less a little), and up to 40 amps class AB with suitably sized power supplies.
less than .01% thd and a damping factor of about 25.

No other direct drive amplifier currently on the planet can do a damping factor of 25.
The hsa1b has a damping factor of less than 1

 

[Sherwood]

Just saw Joamat’s effort: very impressive! That damping factor is obviously fun.

 

[MacedonianHero]

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.

I am very much in agreement with you thus far. Just plugged in my Susvara (via the adapter) and running the amp via RCA out of my Chord DAVE and this amazing amplifier can drive them without breaking a sweat! Volume dial set to 11 o'clock and the dynamics, transparency and punch from this amplifier is off the charts good! Definitely endgame territory!

 

[jlbrach]

is that out of the adapter or out of the regular headphone out?The adapter would provide added power I assume?OOOOPs my mistake I see you mentioned the adapter...what do you have your dave set at?....-3?

 

[yyzSB]

I have a 2 channel rig with all Benchmark gear including 2 AHB2's. I am interested in trying the RAAL SR1a out. I am wondering how I can integrated the SR1a and my 2 channel rig without using the RAAL INTERFACE TO AMPLIFIER box when I use my 2 channel speakers. I love the sound I have now with my 2 channel and do not want to add anymore cables to that circuit via this box.

1) Would I just need to unplug my Benchmark SpeakON speaker cables from the back of each AHB2 and then hook up the RAAL speaker cables to the INTERFACE TO AMPLIFIER box? So only 1 set of speaker cables at anytime.

2) Anyone try to keep 2 sets of speakers wire attached at all times to the AHB2. I think this may work if I use 1 AHB2 in stereo for the RAAL SR1a and use mono AHB2 for the 2 channel speakers. There is a STEREO and MONO switch on the AHB2 that would shut down the circuitry in the AHB2 for the stereo or mono speaker outputs depending on the switch position.

 

[yyzSB]

I may have misunderstood how the Ribbon/Amp interface works. I just looked at the online RAAL store and I also looked at the manual for the SR1a. The Ribbon/Amp Interface does not seem to be the same. I think I need to talk with a dealer on this.

Store Ribbon/Amp interface: https://raalrequisite.com/product/ribbon-amp-interface/

Manual: https://raalrequisite.com/product/sr1a-earfield-monitors/