[GanGreinke]

@yyzSB Thank you for sharing your experience! Have you used just the M3 + Ca-1a using the Star8 cable?

 

[yyzSB]

@yyzSB Thank you for sharing your experience! Have you used just the M3 + Ca-1a using the Star8 cable?

You may have asked this question to the wrong person. I do have a CA-1a and the Star8 cable along with the SR728 cable. I use this with the Schitt Aegir amp | Schitt Yggi+ LM DAC | Schitt Mjolnir preamp. This replaced a RAAL VM-1a. I do not have a M3 DAC (though I had a beautiful BMW M3 e46 for 20 years).

The VM-1a was sonically better but my current stack is not too shabby and sort of close in sonics. It is more convenient since I can have multiple sources hooked up to the Mjolnir preamp (important for me). Of course, this is with the new RAAL TI-1b.

The Star8 cable is a bit smoother sounding than my SR728 cable, but the differences are not huge. I like both cables. Both of these cables sound better than the stock RAAL cables for the CA-1a, SR1a and the special RAAL cable for the Schitt JR amp.

BTW - someone asked earlier if there is a hum in the Aegir. My does not have a hum in the headphones, however, the amp does emit a faint mechanical hum. You need to listen close to the amp to hear it. I am 1-foot away from the amp. It is not an issue when I listen. However, I did try to move the amp a few feet away when I originally heard the hum. That was being overly paranoid, but I could not make the wiring work, so it stays very close to me. I have not heard this hum inside the phones.

 

[yyzSB]

Isn't it @yyzSB with an Aegir? It's a combination I am very interested in.

Isn't it @yyzSB with an Aegir? It's a combination I am very interested in.

See post
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/raal-ribbon-headphones-srh1a.890603/page-473#post-17776619

Highly recommended amp.

 

[GanGreinke]

You may have asked this question to the wrong person. I do have a CA-1a and the Star8 cable along with the SR728 cable. I use this with the Schitt Aegir amp | Schitt Yggi+ LM DAC | Schitt Mjolnir preamp. This replaced a RAAL VM-1a. I do not have a M3 DAC (though I had a beautiful BMW M3 e46 for 20 years).

The VM-1a was sonically better but my current stack is not too shabby and sort of close in sonics. It is more convenient since I can have multiple sources hooked up to the Mjolnir preamp (important for me). Of course, this is with the new RAAL TI-1b.

The Star8 cable is a bit smoother sounding than my SR728 cable, but the differences are not huge. I like both cables. Both of these cables sound better than the stock RAAL cables for the CA-1a, SR1a and the special RAAL cable for the Schitt JR amp.

BTW - someone asked earlier if there is a hum in the Aegir. My does not have a hum in the headphones, however, the amp does emit a faint mechanical hum. You need to listen close to the amp to hear it. I am 1-foot away from the amp. It is not an issue when I listen. However, I did try to move the amp a few feet away when I originally heard the hum. That was being overly paranoid, but I could not make the wiring work, so it stays very close to me. I have not heard this hum inside the phones.

Sorry, should have clarified (M3 = Mjolnir 3). Did you use the CA-1a + Star8 cable out of the headphone jack of the Mjolnir, rather than the Mjolnir + Aegir combo?

 

[yyzSB]

Sorry, should have clarified (M3 = Mjolnir 3). Did you use the CA-1a + Star8 cable out of the headphone jack of the Mjolnir, rather than the Mjolnir + Aegir combo?

The M3 cannot drive the CA-1a well (not enough power). It is about 50% of the sonic level of the Aegir. A shame since I was hoping to use the Aegir for the SR1a and the M3 for the CA-1a. At the moment I switch in the baffle compensator when I need the SR1a.

In 2 weeks, I get another Sonore OpticalRendu streamer ($700 used). This will allow me to bring back the PeachTree GAN1 (modded by Tweakaudio.com). It is a futuristic 'amp'. I will be able to use the CA-1a with the GAN1. I expect it to be even better than the Schitt chain I listed previously. I am going by memory now but that modded unit is amazing. The 200 watts of the GAN1 is not enough for my Magnepan LRS+ or Yamaha NS5000 speakers so it has been sitting idle. It also cannot be used with the SR1a since I cannot apply the baffles. It has no source inputs except for a SPDIF digital. Thus, it will only be used with the CA-1a. I heard it before with the old RAAL amp adapter box and it was one of the best with the older tech. It should be something special with the TI-1b adapter.

Don't get me wrong. The Schitt stack is great, and I threw out my shipping boxes since this is my end game amp. Schitt is 70 miles away if I need repairs, but I cannot sell this gear anymore.

 

[Hiker816]

It also cannot be used with the SR1a since I cannot apply the baffles.

Could you use the Mitch (Accurate Sound) Convolution filters? I found the SR1b neutral + bass filter, which provides the compensation the barrels otherwise would (allowing the barrels to be removed from the chain) to sound substantially better than any solution that relies on the compensation barrels.

 

[yyzSB]

Could you use the Mitch (Accurate Sound) Convolution filters? I found the SR1b neutral + bass filter, which provides the compensation the barrels otherwise would (allowing the barrels to be removed from the chain) to sound substantially better than any solution that relies on the compensation barrels.

I do have the new filters from Mitch. I will have to test that out some more. I have been happy with my current sound but maybe there is more I can extract.

 

[nojwe]

BTW - someone asked earlier if there is a hum in the Aegir. My does not have a hum in the headphones, however, the amp does emit a faint mechanical hum. You need to listen close to the amp to hear it. I am 1-foot away from the amp. It is not an issue when I listen. However, I did try to move the amp a few feet away when I originally heard the hum. That was being overly paranoid, but I could not make the wiring work, so it stays very close to me. I have not heard this hum inside the phones.

That was me. Thanks for confirming. I’m starting to think the issue actually lies with the RCA pre-outs on my iCan, but I need to do some more testing to be sure.

 

[Ciggavelli]

I got a shipment from Raal coming tomorrow

 

[Ciggavelli]

Got my Raals today. Gonna have a fun day listening tomorrow

 

[Ciggavelli]

So, I've been listening to the SR1b today, with the Mitch filters. It sounds good, kinda like I remember when I had the SR1a. It's not as expansive as I remember, but maybe that's just my setup, or I'm remembering incorrectly. The Shang still has a bit higher resolution. The soundstage is still nice. I'm going modded mDAVE to 3ES Elite Pre, CFA3. I'm using the Star 8 cables. Even though the Shang has a bit higher resolution, the Sr1b is still amazing in that regard. It's also so fast. I'm listening to some fast metal, and it's amazing. I'll try the CA-1A later tonight. I really want to hear the VM-1A now. I previously had the solid state raal amp...HSA-1a or something like that. It was good, but I wonder what the tube amp could do. I just have to find some space first...lol

 

[rlawry]

I think my favorite aspect of the SR-1b is its correctness of instrumental timbre, perhaps a result of its speed, detail, transparency, and spaciousness. I would agree that for many listeners the use of a tube amp would warm up the sound a little. For me personally, I don't really prefer a warmer sound but many do.

 

[Ciggavelli]

Also, the bass is not bad with the Mitch filters. That guy's a genius. I still wish the SR1b extended a bit lower, but the impact and limited extension is still nice with a headphone with this high of resolution. It's a trade off I guess. If you want that fast, high resolution sound, it's hard to push the bass as well.

 

[Roasty]

Also, the bass is not bad with the Mitch filters. That guy's a genius. I still wish the SR1b extended a bit lower, but the impact and limited extension is still nice with a headphone with this high of resolution. It's a trade off I guess. If you want that fast, high resolution sound, it's hard to push the bass as well.

have u tried it without mitch filters, and using the compensation barrels instead?

 

[rlawry]

I have tried three filters:

1. Roon parametric filters that use the same frequency response as the compensation barrels per Alexander's post (never tried the barrels themselves as I didn't want to compromise the pricey High Fidelity Cables I use),
2. the Mitch filters combined with the Roon compensation filters, and
3. the newest Mitch filters with the compensation filters built-in.

Of the three I liked the last one, i.e. the Mitch filters with the compensation built-in.

IMO there wasn't a day-and-night difference but if you like the SR-1a/b and want to optimize it for the ultimate sound, I find the Mitch filters well worth it. If the SR-1a/b isn't your favorite phones, I don't think the Mitch filters will change your mind and probably not worth the $.