Jazz1
1000+ Head-Fier
I know I'm not talented enough to go one of the "big boy" type reviews. But I have been able to spend more time with the Raptor and I can confirm what others have already said about the incredible sound that this headphone amplifier produces. The talented and experienced reviewers have already given the thumbs up on the Raptor.
Somewhere deep in these forums I may have already lamented about how I miss the soundstage that my long sold ProAc Studio 150 speakers used to produce. That was pure magic for me. I suppose somebody wil probably respond that headphones will never attain the soundstage that good speakers will, and I won't argue that point.
Since that time I never thought it was possible for headphones to have any soundstage until I listened to the Raptor. It was not immediately apparent to me, because I wasn't really expecting it I guess. But, the other night while I was listening to The Band's Last Waltz CD collection I was struck how I could place the voices and instruments in different places on the stage. It was if I could hear, feel, see the drummer moving over the drums and cymbals, as well as place the guitarist and vocalists across the stage.
As good as the HR-1 and SR-71 are I never heard my personal Holy Grail, a soundstage, from headphones before. The soundstage wasn't there with my Cosmic Supreme or early Airheads of yore, or my Perreaux.
Many of you probably have a much wider experience with headphone amplfiers and headphones. I'll yield the floor to anyone that wants to tout their superior experience with brand X, Y, or X headphones amplifers/headphones. Hell, maybe I'll want to buy what your into
It isn't that I'm the only one that has stumbled on the excellence of Ray Samuels' equipment. It is just that until you actually hear the Raptor you might be skeptical that good cans, good source, and great headphone amps. can bring on home a fabulous musical experience. I am totally convinced that you'd have to pay much more for a system that used full range speakers, amplfier, pre-amp, etc. to get the sound i'm getting out of the Raptor (and in this case Senn. 650/600 headphones).
My TIVO thinks I've committed suicide since I got the Raptor, and my spouse is ready to cut the Zu cable with an axe so we can have some quality time.
Somewhere deep in these forums I may have already lamented about how I miss the soundstage that my long sold ProAc Studio 150 speakers used to produce. That was pure magic for me. I suppose somebody wil probably respond that headphones will never attain the soundstage that good speakers will, and I won't argue that point.
Since that time I never thought it was possible for headphones to have any soundstage until I listened to the Raptor. It was not immediately apparent to me, because I wasn't really expecting it I guess. But, the other night while I was listening to The Band's Last Waltz CD collection I was struck how I could place the voices and instruments in different places on the stage. It was if I could hear, feel, see the drummer moving over the drums and cymbals, as well as place the guitarist and vocalists across the stage.
As good as the HR-1 and SR-71 are I never heard my personal Holy Grail, a soundstage, from headphones before. The soundstage wasn't there with my Cosmic Supreme or early Airheads of yore, or my Perreaux.
Many of you probably have a much wider experience with headphone amplfiers and headphones. I'll yield the floor to anyone that wants to tout their superior experience with brand X, Y, or X headphones amplifers/headphones. Hell, maybe I'll want to buy what your into
It isn't that I'm the only one that has stumbled on the excellence of Ray Samuels' equipment. It is just that until you actually hear the Raptor you might be skeptical that good cans, good source, and great headphone amps. can bring on home a fabulous musical experience. I am totally convinced that you'd have to pay much more for a system that used full range speakers, amplfier, pre-amp, etc. to get the sound i'm getting out of the Raptor (and in this case Senn. 650/600 headphones).
My TIVO thinks I've committed suicide since I got the Raptor, and my spouse is ready to cut the Zu cable with an axe so we can have some quality time.
