[normie610]

As far as I know there is no way to try Mitch´s filter in Roon. You just have to buy it for 200 dollar. And this is too much for me not knowing if I will keep the SR1A.

You’re right. I blind bought the filter back then, but it was worth it. I no longer have my SR-1a though

 

[yellowblue]

With the SR1a, having some warmth before the phones solves a lot of the hotness issues. A DAC | preamp | amp should have 1 or more of those with a little warmth. Now this is without any filters, as I like to use them.

As I mentioned - that´s just my ears which a really sensible to peaks in the 2000Hz region. So in my case I don´t think I could have solved the hotness issue in another way. My headamp already adds a touch of warmth.

 

[Hiker816]

Based on my experience, Mitch filter set yields a much better result than Amir’s EQ. Perhaps you can try that if possible.

Totally agree with this. The SR1b bass boost filter (which provides the open baffle compensation so you can remove the compensation barrels) totally transformed the SR1a for me when using the interface. It's not as necessary when using the VM1a, IMO, but I consider the Mitch filter a must-have otherwise.

 

[jlbrach]

the barrels were a pain in the a lol....so just for that the filter is worthwhile plus it is outstanding

 

[Litlgi74]

As far as I know there is no way to try Mitch´s filter in Roon. You just have to buy it for 200 dollar. And this is too much for me not knowing if I will keep the SR1A.

Mitch's filters and convolver come with a 14 day free trial.

https://accuratesound.ca/product/hang-loose-convolver-14-day-free-trial/

From his website... Any of the headphone filtersets in the catalogue can be tried with the HLConvolver 14-day free trial. Specify which filtersets to add in the Order Notes at checkout.

 

[yellowblue]

Mitch's filters and convolver come with a 14 day free trial.

https://accuratesound.ca/product/hang-loose-convolver-14-day-free-trial/

From his website... Any of the headphone filtersets in the catalogue can be tried with the HLConvolver 14-day free trial. Specify which filtersets to add in the Order Notes at checkout.

I have a Grimm MU1 which is only Roon compatible. I suppose there is no chance to export the filters into Roon.

 

[SteveHulk]

I have a Grimm MU1 which is only Roon compatible. I suppose there is no chance to export the filters into Roon.

I'm not sure why the people who make this sort of filter don't also sell it as a standalone product through which a user can process a whole library of music files and then play those files back using whatever digital system they choose. I think their potential client base would be significantly expanded.

But they don't seem to.

 

[rlawry]

I have a Grimm MU1 which is only Roon compatible. I suppose there is no chance to export the filters into Roon.

As in my previous post, I feel the most important factor when deciding whether to pay up your $200 for the Mitch filters is first to decide whether you like the SR-1b, or any phone for which the filters are available, enough to add to their already considerable strengths and enhance what the SR-1b already does. If so, I think the fee is well spent. If not, well, there is your answer.

I found the filters to be effective in improving the sound as they flatten out the frequency response and even add some bass, mostly sub-bass, that the SR-1b needs for those recordings that need a bass foundation, as well as providing open baffle compensation.

You can get similar sonic gains with the Star 8 cable ($1100 I believe) and an aftermarket umbilical cable (mine cost $75 from Pine Tree Audio).

I have a pair of Dan Clark Audio Stealth phones and Mitch said he hoped to develop a filter for these this summer. If they were available I would buy them.

 

[yellowblue]

As in my previous post, I feel the most important factor when deciding whether to pay up your $200 for the Mitch filters is first to decide whether you like the SR-1b, or any phone for which the filters are available, enough to add to their already considerable strengths and enhance what the SR-1b already does. If so, I think the fee is well spent. If not, well, there is your answer.

I found the filters to be effective in improving the sound as they flatten out the frequency response and even add some bass, mostly sub-bass, that the SR-1b needs for those recordings that need a bass foundation, as well as providing open baffle compensation.

You can get similar sonic gains with the Star 8 cable ($1100 I believe) and an aftermarket umbilical cable (mine cost $75 from Pine Tree Audio).

I have a pair of Dan Clark Audio Stealth phones and Mitch said he hoped to develop a filter for these this summer. If they were available I would buy them.

I get all this when the Immanis arrives. Will see what happens with the SR1A then. I like it very much, better than every headphone I listened to and I wouldn´t say it sounds to hot in my chain. It´s just the peak at 2000Hz which I personally didn´t like. I just was a little curious about how Mitch filter would sound, but I will have to wait.

 

[rlawry]

I get all this when the Immanis arrives. Will see what happens with the SR1A then. I like it very much, better than every headphone I listened to and I wouldn´t say it sounds to hot in my chain. It´s just the peak at 2000Hz which I personally didn´t like. I just was a little curious about how Mitch filter would sound, but I will have to wait.

I agree. If you have a pair of Immanis on order I would also wait to see how they sound as a comparison to the SR-1b. No sense in pumping more money into the SR-1b if you prefer the Immanis.

I myself am awaiting assessments of them when they become available, particularly given their price. Since they also employ ribbon drivers I would imagine their speed, detail, timbre, and transparency to be off the charts. The big question in my mind is how they do the soundstage thing and bass as I don't like this aspect as much with conventional cupped phones. I think the SR-1b presents a more realistic representation of a live musical event in a performing space.

 

[nfandi]

I agree. If you have a pair of Immanis on order I would also wait to see how they sound as a comparison to the SR-1b. No sense in pumping more money into the SR-1b if you prefer the Immanis.

I myself am awaiting assessments of them when they become available, particularly given their price. Since they also employ ribbon drivers I would imagine their speed, detail, timbre, and transparency to be off the charts. The big question in my mind is how they do the soundstage thing and bass as I don't like this aspect as much with conventional cupped phones. I think the SR-1b presents a more realistic representation of a live musical event in a performing space.

Did you read MokhaMark’s ‘review’ over on the Raal 1995 Sponsor thread after he had both Magna and Immanis for a weekend. He specifically makes comments about how the Magna and Immanis sound in relation to the SR-1a/b. I think you’ll like what he wrote.

 

[LucyWu]

I'm not sure why the people who make this sort of filter don't also sell it as a standalone product through which a user can process a whole library of music files and then play those files back using whatever digital system they choose. I think their potential client base would be significantly expanded.

But they don't seem to.

Except of course they do. PGGB has exactly that functionality, I do exactly that. It's not a perfect paradigm, especially for those who use multiple headphones and systems (files prepped for an SR1A with a decent bass lift won't play nice with already bassy headphones or speakers), but it does a fantastic job. Plays nice with a DAVE too!

 

[gammi]

I'm not sure why the people who make this sort of filter don't also sell it as a standalone product through which a user can process a whole library of music files and then play those files back using whatever digital system they choose. I think their potential client base would be significantly expanded.

But they don't seem to.

SoX does this and is free:
https://www.minidsp.com/forum/opend...applying-an-fir-filter-to-an-audio-file#10423

 

[MokhaMark]

Hi All,

I am copying my impressions over here as I think there may be enthusiasts here not looking at the sponsored thread where we have been discussing the new ribbons. I realize now this summit-fi thread was the better place for it to begin with. Apologies. Please take my amateur impressions with a grain or two of salt. I emphasize again, it is not a review.

Magna and Immanis Quick Impressions

I ended up with only 2 days with these new headphones, a fraction of the time it took UPS to fumble them for over a week. Since I will not have a lot of listening time tomorrow, I want to post my initial 24 hour impressions.

I boarded the Raal train in the early days of covid. I have tried lots of different headphones since, including e-stats, but I have always come back to the SR1a as my favorite. I will not posture here as anything other than a fan boy but will do my best to share impressions as objectively as I can. I’m lucky to have both the Magna and Immanis on hand at the same time, in a quiet place. Based on Danny’s word, I had pre-ordered the Magna before receiving these copies. I do not get to keep either of them. I’ll be in line with everyone else after I send these back to him. These are both well worth the wait.

This is not a review. I am volunteering these impressions as an informed amateur and no more. I do not wish to make detailed comparisons with conventional headphones I no longer own (such as Susvara), and very little with those I still have on hand. My primary objective with this informal entry is to put the new Raal 1995 in context with the SR1a (and CA1a from memory) for existing Raal owners. As I write this, I realize I have no envy for those who endeavor to put such a subjective activity into words routinely, or professionally.

Amplifiers Used

Raal VM1a

Schiit Jotunheim R

Donald North Audio Stratus v3 via interface

Sources Used

Topping DX7 Pro+

Sonic Frontiers SFD2 mkII via BNC & Coax (kind loan from @kkrazik2008

Comparisons Made

Raal SR1a

Raal Magna

Raal Immanis

For the past couple weeks, I listened to not much besides the SR1a so that the early listening with the Magna and Immanis would be from the ribbon mind set. Over the last 24 hours, I listened to all combinations I could think of with the VM1a, Jortunheim R, and DNA Stratus with interface. I determined quickly that the 16 ohm output from the TI1a interface played the nicest with the Stratus, so stuck with that most of the time. I did also try the 32 ohm input on the adapter (both the TI1b and cool new stand version), but I favored the lower impedance pairing. The 32 ohm had less gain and did not drive any of the headphones sufficiently on the Stratus, more on that later.

Magna

Immediately the Magna’s higher sensitivity is noticeable, requiring some attenuation to volume match the SR1a.

Overall sound compared to SR1a is richer in body, significantly more bass and mid-range body. However, it is every bit as detailed as the SR1a. Those of you who know the SR1a will know this is saying something. The SR has more front to back depth, and comparatively the Magna is more intimate in its vocal placement. We are closer to the stage with the Magna, vocals are more in our head. Of course, the baffle angle of the SR1a impacts this so depending on how close you wear the SR to your ears, this effect will be maximized/minimized in comparison.

The Magna bass is incredible, reaching very deep, and hitting very hard. This is NOT e-stat like bass! This is a dynamic, engaging, electrifying listen. Detail is top notch, coming across sometimes just at touch brighter and more incisive than even the Immanis. It is all put together in a cohesive image that I felt nothing out of place. I could not find any range I wanted to EQ. Even with bass, no shelf is needed. The organ at the beginning of Zarathustra positively rattles the head, but then the texture of double bass tremolos immediately after is textured and accurate, like being 12 rows back from the section.

What is astonishing here with the Magna is just how much of the recording space we get, normally a hallmark of the SR1a. Even with complex piano sounds, I hear upper partials and harmonics just like with the Sr1a.

It is just a fun as hell headphone, powerful, dynamic, and very live sounding.

Immanis

Even higher sensitivity is noticeable, requiring more attenuation to volume match the SR1a.

This is an extraordinary headphone experience like none I have ever heard. I can hardly call this a headphone. This is the IMAX of headphones.

There is to my ears a touch more warmth in mid-range vs. the Magna and SR1a, even though it is placed slightly more distant. But the Immanis treble is more laid back than either of them, it splashes less and runs even less risk of anything resembling sibilance. The Magna and SR1a are “crispier” in the treble. This does not mean the Immanis is dark, it is still a detail monster on par with anything I have heard. It is just suave and composed.

The Immanis gives the most expansive, concert hall like sound I have ever heard in a headphone. I suspect the surface area and huge cup just simply make for a massive stage. There are times it is almost counter intuitive; the stereo image is so wide. For example, a recording of the Esbjörn Svensson Trio, the drum kit spans so far left to right, the mind thinks there may be two drummers! It is wider even than the SR1a.

The Immanis bass seems to reach even lower than the Magna, but with a little less outright slam and impact. It really depends on what you think bass is as a listener, what you prioritize. The Magna compresses the cranial cavities more dramatically, but the Immanis goes deeper, with more texture and specificity of pitch.

Donald North Audio Stratus v3 via interface

One of my biggest hopes with the Magna and Immanis was that the Stratus would have enough power to drive them. With the SR1a, it is just shy of sufficient juice for most genre, but timbre and imaging are so promising. There is more volume and bass with the Magna and Immanis, but even with the Immanis we are maxed out. Unlike with the SR1a, there is ample richness of body and bass, but not compared to the VM1a. For my ears, this is not game ending combination, our beloved DNA amps just do not have enough power. However, there may be DACs with higher output voltage that work better. The best combination with the Stratus I heard was the SFD balanced out into a transformer box to single ended. But even this paled in comparison to the VM1a. I believe the Magna and Immanis will require a more powerful circuit than the Stratus, but I would love to hear differently from someone with a different DAC or an active pre-amplifier in front of it. Let’s all keep an open mind with this question for more trials by others with more appropriate gear.

Jotunheim R

I am a big fan of Schiit’s little amplifier. In fact, I recently bought another one as a backup. It drives all the ribbon headphones very well. However, with the SR1a in particular, it can sound comparatively strident vs the VM1a. The Magna and Immanis are not as picky. They sound exceptional off the Jotunheim R. I don’t care what anyone else says, the Jot R is a worthy amplifier for these new headphones. I compared directly to the VM1a as objectively as I could, and with the Magna and Immanis, the VM1a simply does not show the same level of improvement as it does for the SR1a. That may be a controversial statement, but it’s what my ears are telling me today. One of my favorite combos was the Sonic Frontiers DAC balanced into the Jot R (Siemens tubes).

Raal VM1a

This is still the very best amplifier I have heard for the SR1a. The new headphones also sound incredible here, holographic, a bit warmer, with just a touch more reverb/decay. However, my VM1a is not dead silent right now, and the new headphones can reveal a little noise floor especially if I cup my hands over the earcups. I used exclusively Triode mode, as you know with the VM you have to power it down to change tube modes and I did not bother. I had to go to sleep eventually……Point is, if you have a VM1a, the cup design and higher sensitivity of the new headphones will tell you more clearly if you have a noisy tube than the SR1a will.

CA1a

I came very close to buying the CA (again) just so I could compare them real time for this entry. The human mind is not to be trusted with its own memories on subjective issues such as this, at least mine isn’t. I know there are a lot of CA owners wondering if Magna is an upgrade.

So, from memory, this is the opinion I offer, and the most I ever will until I have them side by side again:

Yes.

In every way except value, because the CA1a remain an astonishing value and a very engaging, dynamic listen. I am not sure there will ever be a less expensive ribbon headphone from Raal. The Magna is not an extension or evolution of the CA1a, it is an altogether different approach to a different goal, IMO.

The Immanis is extraordinary, but it is also more idiosyncratic. There may be listeners who find it’s imaging too spread out, too alien as a headphone experience. The Immanis is its own concert hall. The question becomes, is that the hall in which you want to hear everything? (For me, yes, it is). I predict the Magna will appeal to more people, and not just because of the price.

Why I will still never sell my SR1a

Open baffle. It’s different, and better, (for me) in some ways. I find it less fatiguing, and lighter on the head. When my tinnitus acts up, The SR1a are my preferred way to listen. There are times I do not want bass compression acting on my ear drums. They are also the only headphones that work in stereo for my daughter (cochlear implant). There is also some nostalgia as the oldest headphone in my little stable.

I still love the SR1a, but I submit that the two new headphones have surpassed it in most ways. My own personal opinion is that these are the best headphones I have ever listened to. I’m not stupid enough to call anything the best, but currently I know of nothing better.

Thank you to Danny @SageM and David at Requisite. Thank you also to @Aleksandar R. for doing all the hard work to develop this technology and transfer it to headphones. My hours with the Magna and Immanis brought a strong visceral reaction to music. I have been transported multiple times, out of body, into complete involvement in my listening. These are extraordinary headphones that enrich the musical experience.

 

[yyzSB]

@MokhaMark Great writeup.

Today I received an XLR cable from Kitsune for the Holo Serene KTE preamp. It connects to the RAAL headphone output cable and that takes it into the TI-1b. I was not expecting this to work too well with the CA-1a because the preamp's headphone XLR only outputs 3 watts. However, it does work rather nicely, though the volume on the preamp must be set around 80% for a comfortable volume level. The sound is very nice. A slightly warmer Benchmark HPA4.

This Friday, I will finally have time to drive down to RAAL-Requisite in Ventura. I will take the Serene preamp and this new cable to hear the new 1995 phones. I will also take my VM-1a amp if Danny does not have a VM-1a at the shop. The Serene could be great with the Immanis.

On a side note. I started using a neck brace 2 days ago while I work. I listen most of the day to 2-channel. I moved some gear around and put all of it back together over the weekend. The last 2 days as I was listening, I was getting a tiny bit of fatigue, and I thought it was the neck brace messing with my ears. When I went to plug in the new Serene headphone XLR cable today I noticed that I had mistakenly connected XLR1 and XLR2 to my 2-channel amp. The headphone XLR is much lower in power than the 2-channel XLR. After resetting to proper connections, the fatigue is gone.