RSA Hornet goes well with...?

[Agphoto]

I love being able to ask questions on here. Everyone has such great input.

I actually just sent an email to Ray himself asking this very question, he said that for all the cans I mentioned it would work just great, and should provide me with the enhancement I'm looking for.

so. Soon as everything gets sold and I find my 580s. I'm gettin one

 

[88Chris]

my ipod/hornet/hd580 setup is phenominal.

 

[lextek]

I'm very, pleased with my Hornet, HD600/Cardas, iPod/ALO set up. The Hornet also sounds good with my vintage Grado SR-60s. I also prefer the 600s to the 650s I had a while back. As always best try it with your own ears.

 

[mrarroyo]

I find that either The Hornet "M" or the Tomahawk mate well with the Grado or Senn HD600. Some may prefer The Hornet "M" if thy play ultra loud but for me the Tomahawk is plenty.

 

[Jesse Peters]

IMHO the RSA Hornet is a very detailed and warm amp - I have heard a headphoenus supremus comment that it may even sound like a tube amp despite that it is a solid state. I would use it with any of my headphones, but the consensus seems to be it works well with Grado - but yet again there are people who would tell you Grado works well with anything

.

 

[mrarroyo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jesse Peters /img/forum/go_quote.gif ... Grado works well with anything .

Of course they do! From rock to jazz no problem, specially via a good tube amp.

 

[mrarroyo]

Oops double post, sorry.

 

[Agphoto]

Here's another twist to the equation.

Would you go with a brand new hornet, or a headroom micro that's been burned in ( 2006 model ) It would save me a large bundle of money to be honest. But the hornet is just so sexy...

So in summary. I have it down to 3 amps.

Hornet
Tomahawk
Headroom Micro

to drive:

ety er4p
grado sr225
senn hd580/600 ( whichever i wind up getting )

 

[mrarroyo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Agphoto /img/forum/go_quote.gif Here's another twist to the equation. Would you go with a brand new hornet, or a headroom micro that's been burned in ( 2006 model ) It would save me a large bundle of money to be honest. But the hornet is just so sexy... So in summary. I have it down to 3 amps. Hornet Tomahawk Headroom Micro to drive: ety er4p grado sr225 senn hd580/600 ( whichever i wind up getting )

To make things worst I would ad the SR71.

 

[Agphoto]

Agh stop making this harder that it needs to be! lol.

Only reason im rushing is someone is selling a 2006 headroom micro for a decent price, so Im trying to figure if i should jump on that or save up to get a hornet or tomahawk

I think to be perfectly honest, If i'm to buy a RSA amp new, I have to go with the tomahawk, because it'll cost just a couple bucks shy of $400 for the hornet, then I just remembered I have to get an ALO line out dock. *sigh* you people are going to ruin me.


So what about this:
get a tomahawk,
get the alo line out ( any one of them. i have someone who will sell me their spare one )
call it a day.

 

[sgprater]

I've been listening to my SR225s and K701s on the Microstack (with the Desktop module) for about a year now. I just recently bought the Hornet, and I've been using that almost exclusively as both my portable and desktop amp for the past few weeks. I've been connecting it my Ety ER4S for portable listening.

I have to say, I'm in love with the Hornet. To me, it sounds warmer, fuller, and adds just the right touch of velvet to the the K701s, SR225s, and ER4S, all of which tend to be on the bright side. I'm a Grados kind of guy myself, never could get into the Sennheiser sound, but I do like a bit of syrup on my pancakes.

I don't say this as a slur on the MicroAmp; the Hornet and the Microamp are both excellent. At this level of play, it mainly comes down to a question of preference: do you prefer a more neutral sound (the Microamp), or do you like a warmer sound with your cooler headphones? IMHO, I find the Hornet goes very well with brighter headphones.

 

[Agphoto]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sgprater /img/forum/go_quote.gif do you prefer a more neutral sound (the Microamp), or do you like a warmer sound with your cooler headphones? IMHO, I find the Hornet goes very well with brighter headphones.

Very useful bit of information right there. Much appreciated. That means the tomahawk should be right up the same alley huh? ( only with a touch less bass i hear )

 

[sgprater]

Not having heard the Tomahawk, I couldn't say, but I imagine that it's very close to the Hornet in terms of character.

Have you read GAD's recent review of a bunch of portable RSA amps? It may help (or muddy the waters further)....

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=242689

 

[mrarroyo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sgprater /img/forum/go_quote.gif Not having heard the Tomahawk, I couldn't say, but I imagine that it's very close to the Hornet in terms of character. Have you read GAD's recent review of a bunch of portable RSA amps? It may help (or muddy the waters further).... http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=242689

At about 600 hours of burn in the Tomahawk starts sounding very similar to the Hornet. By 800 hours of burn in the only difference is that the Hornet has a little bit more bass impact but IMO not very much.

 

[socrates63]

[quoter=Jesse Peters]IMHO the RSA Hornet is a very detailed and warm amp - I have heard a headphoenus supremus comment that it may even sound like a tube amp despite that it is a solid state.[/quote]
Jesse, the "Headphoneus Supremus" title indicates absolutely nothing about an individual's knowledge or experience. As one Head-Fi'er told me when I first joined Head-Fi, the only thing that it tells you is that the individual had too much time on their hands and posted way too often

. If you reply to all the birthday threads, you'll become a Headphoneus Supremus soon enough. In case you didn't know, you become one when your post count reaches 1500.