Recieved my RSA Apache preamp today!!

[mitchb]

This preamp is the best I've ever had in my system. I can't honestly say it'sthe best I've ever heard but if memory serves me well this preamp is way way up their with some mighty expensive pieces. My system has never quite had this type of musical sound I would only be able to audition in stereo and audio shops on their high end demo setups and usually in dedicated rooms. This preamp is definately among the higher end of gear which is associated with this type of sound. I should mention there is barely any burn in but since this morning I like the direction it's going in. It has a way to burn in but sounds awesome as is 5 minutes out of the box.In the past few hours it's been delivering a sound I did not think a preamp alone could produce.
I should mention that as a bonus it has a pretty good headphone jack

 

[achristilaw]

Scoot over MitchB. I'm coming over to your House. Mine's on order. And I want to play. What a steller piece of Gear you have Sir. And may I comment on your impeccable taste as well. What are you using as a source? If I may be so bold?

 

[mitchb]

I'm using a Talk Thunder 3.1b CDP and magnum Dynalab tuner Etude upgraded to MD100. The Talk is OK but no customer support on this continent. Decent player though.

 

[jamato8]

Here's to some beautiful listening! Burn-in? You don't need no stinken burn-in. What is this burn-in stuff. . . oh wait. . Predator. . I heard a difference after 600 hours. . . sorry. . never mind. . .

 

[jh4db536]

do you like it better with the 650 or 600?

IMO i think the factory Apache with national opamps was made for the 600.

 

[mitchb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jh4db536 /img/forum/go_quote.gif do you like it better with the 650 or 600? IMO i think the factory Apache with national opamps was made for the 600.

I think they're both good. Each do things better or worse than the other. I beleive Ray voices all of his amps to the 600's but they both are nice.

 

[vcoheda]

it's also a pre-amp?

 

[achristilaw]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vcoheda /img/forum/go_quote.gif it's also a pre-amp?

LOL. Here,"Hear"!

 

[johnsonad]

Congrats and welcome to the "Since the Apache has come to my house, my cans get little use club". If your not a member yet, you soon will be

I'm warming up the Aleph now for some early morning listening while coffee brews.

 

[mikeymad]

Congrats mitchb, Enjoy your new toy. I am trying to work up the courage for a B52 order myself. Not there yet.

Cheers,

 

[mitchb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamato8 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Here's to some beautiful listening! Burn-in? You don't need no stinken burn-in. What is this burn-in stuff. . . oh wait. . Predator. . I heard a difference after 600 hours. . . sorry. . never mind. . .

Kidding aside. The Predator keeps getting better and I've lost count at this point. I'm not complaining except I find myself at the computer a lot which ends up costing me money as I like to shop!

 

[jamato8]

Wait until you get even further along. It is one of the fastest cleanest amps I have heard. On the cut Hotel California from the Eagles, "Hell Freezes Over", the bass drum just resounds with a incredible tightness but has life rather than just being tight it also fluctuates with complete control while not interfering with the rest of the frequency range.

 

[mitchb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnsonad /img/forum/go_quote.gif Congrats and welcome to the "Since the Apache has come to my house, my cans get little use club". If your not a member yet, you soon will be I'm warming up the Aleph now for some early morning listening while coffee brews.

You like Pass Labs also? I love the synergy with the Apache and my X250.5 but don't have a lot of time to play my system as we just moved to a smaller townhouse and when my system is playing the house is listening to the music I happen to be playing. I need the place to myself in order to take advantage of the X250.5 and my Hales which I believe sound better than any of my headphones. This is just my opinion but I prefer the sound of decent speakers over headphones. Headphones although technically more correct lack the environment of the speaker/amp system. Headphones limits out the entire room except what's between my ears. I enjoy the sound pressure and experience of being in the music. My rooms limitations are what make it unique to itself.

 

[johnsonad]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mitchb /img/forum/go_quote.gif You like Pass Labs also? I love the synergy with the Apache and my X250.5 but don't have a lot of time to play my system as we just moved to a smaller townhouse and when my system is playing the house is listening to the music I happen to be playing. I need the place to myself in order to take advantage of the X250.5 and my Hales which I believe sound better than any of my headphones. This is just my opinion but I prefer the sound of decent speakers over headphones. Headphones although technically more correct lack the environment of the speaker/amp system. Headphones limits out the entire room except what's between my ears. I enjoy the sound pressure and experience of being in the music. My rooms limitations are what make it unique to itself.

I'm with you on the synergy with the Apache and Pass. The sound is fantastic. The little old Aleph 30 I'm using sounds great but I've been thinking of upgrading to a XA30.5 sometime this year. Thanfully my speakers don't need a lot of juice to sound great and work well in my small listening room. I couldn't agree with you more on the 2 channel vs. headphone experience. The only time my cans are used is at work

Have you thought of getting a small pair full range single drivers for your small room? Something like a pair of Lowther's?

 

[mitchb]

I couldn't get rid of the Hales! They were painstakingly modified with much higher grade tweeters and MUCH higher grade crossover parts.They're not your average Hales Transcendence 5's. They sound completely different in a good way. I got lucky. I could have invested $2,500 to something which sounded dreadful. The fact that my speakers improved the way they did was pure luck. It could have gone either way. I am also lucky that although in a small area the speakers still sound good as they are in a room where the front and back walls are only halfwalls and the sound is not boxy or boomy. The room did require some treatments but all it really involved was some well thought out foam placement. The Hales sound good where they are and even if I did get much smaller speakers it would be too loud regardless. I'm often told to please turn down the headphones when I've got them cranked!