[Audio-Omega]

Do you think music would sound better through balanced input ?

 

[tourneychamp23]

Ray said it wouldn't unless you are using a fully balanced source

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

 
Quote:

Do you think music would sound better through balanced input ?

 
Most balanced amps that convert SE input to balanced sound pretty darn close with SE input.  My Square Wave XL sounded identical using RCA input vs XLR, and my eXStatA also sounds so close I'm not sure I could tell you which input I'm using.  When I tried the RSA A-10 at a meet, the only reason I could tell a very small difference between RCA and XLR input was because the SE input was using different tubes than balanced, and I was able to describe the sonic differences that matched Ray's impressions exactly in regards to the differences between the tubes.  
 
However, the prototype Woo WA22 sounded noticeably better with a balanced input than single ended from my Digital Link III DAC.  I never figured out why because the DL III RCA and XLR outputs were quite similar sounding - when converting the XLR out to RCA with output transformers or RCA to XLR out with the transformers there were very little differences between the different outputs when switching between them.  But with SE input the WA22 soundstage collapsed and was closer to that of my WA6 that I compared it to, and less than the ZDT with the same SE source.  With the ZDT using RCA input and WA22 using XLR input from the same DAC, the soundstage and imaging was almost the same between the two amps.
 
At RMAF when I compared the SR-71b balanced input with Meridian CDP to the single ended output from iPhone 4 line out dock, the differences were surely from the difference in quality of the sources being used.  Until I have some extra cash to buy an adapter for the SR-71b I will only be able to feed it from single ended sources, but at some point I'll be able to try it from my balanced Apogee mini-DAC once I have the adapter.

 

[Jalo]

Thanks Larry for the review with so much info.  One thing if anyone of you can chime in.  I've been charging my 71B since yesterday.  I played my ipod all last night with the 71B plugged in.  Right now, the power on light is still red.  I don't understand why it will take so long to charge up and make it turn to green?  
 
By the way, out of the box I really like the way it sounds with my HD800 and LCD2.  Today, I tried my JH13 with balanced connector on the 71b and it sounded a little grainny.  I hope it just mean that I need to burn it in further (about 14 hours so far).  I compared the JH13 to the Pico Slim SE and at this point Pico Slim sound smoother.  But with full size cans, the 71B is awesome.
 
I've just received my Boomslang today (it's amazing that they can delivery in 3 days from China), so the only missing piece right now is the Cypher Solo.

 

[jamato8]

No graininess with my JH13Pro. Very smooth and extended highs with no metallic edge, just smooth. 

 

[wolfen68]

I don't have a mini xlr to Ray Samuels connector adapter cable yet, so my initial impressions are using it single ended with my RS-1's.  The original SR71 is my all time benchmark, as I am long acclimated to the open sound and tight punchy bass.  I compared the SR71b to the SR71 and I am very pleased with what I hear.  To me (in single ended) the SR71b sounds just like the SR71a, warmer than the SR71 with a hair less treble energy.  The SR71b seems to have a slightly less and tighter bass than the "a" version and so far would appear to fall in between the SR71 and the SR71a.
 
I look forward to trying balanced, and if there is a corresponding improvement in sound like I've seen with my friend's Protector, than the SR71b may be a keeper.  If it is the keeper I hope it is, than research will have to soon follow on how to get replacement batteries for this thing as it may allow me to step off the amp merry-go-round for awhile...
 
Jalo:  I charged my "b" out of the box and it only took an hour to indicate green.  I wonder if you have a bad charger?
 

 

[warp08]

 
And so the burn-in begins...
 
Real impressions will have to wait once I have some of the additional adapters and ICs I've ordered from Whiplash arrives, but I will say this:  no hiss, no graininess, no noise whatsoever when paired with my most sensitive IEMs, the JH16s that gave the iBasso PB1 Toucan such a challenge.  Buttery smooth rendering out of the box and that's especially amazing considering the TWag Hirose to Protector balanced IC is also brand new.  In this setup, both the Polestar USB-B to USB-mini and the TWag balanced IEM cable has been fully burned in.  Full charging took about an hour and fifteen minutes.  Rock solid, typical RSA build quality with a robust pot that is a just to operate.  Ray did not include any instructions this time in the accompanying tiny manual on the recommended burn-in period, so I will give it about 200 hours before starting to gather further impressions using both the Boomslang as well as my Zodiac+ DAC.
 
Gripes?  None with the amp itself, but...can't help but reiterate this pet peeve of mine that applies to the SR71B as well, especially considering the record-breaking $647 grand total "preorder" discount price.  
 
Please, please either include or at least make available as an option some kind of premium, form-fitting leather or even pleather case instead of the cloth bag which is suitable of repelling dust when the amp sits in a drawer but offers little protection otherwise.  I find it completely unacceptable of having to spend hours on end trying to find some kind of camera case that happens to fit my precious new portable amps dimensions so I can actually use it on the go without having to constantly worry about damaging the beautiful finish on the chassis and the corresponding negative impact on its potential future resale value.
 
The price class--justified, though it may be considering the quality and the capabilities of the SR71B--represents a significant investment, orders of magnitude more than a FiiO E7 or even a Pico Slim....which both ship with one in the box.  I would gladly forfeit my preorder discount for a nice, leather case for the SR71B even though in qty of 1,000 one must not cost more than $10-15 at most, depending on materials used and features.
 
Nagging about the case aside, I couldn't help to be impressed about the SR71B's look and feel.  Pictures alone cannot convey the "mil-spec" precision it is crafted and as it exudes Quality from all angles and the feeling of holding a functional work of art in my palm.
 
I would also like to congratulate Ray on executing this launch with a precision of a fine Omega watch.  Excellent communications on the preorder, clear guidelines on payment and quick shipping less than a week after payment transfer are all hallmarks of top-notch planning, supplier management and execution.  And all this concerning a flagship product just prior to the Christmas Holiday Season (Ultrasone are you listening??--this is a one-man operation showing you how a product should be launched)!  
 

Thanks, Ray, for having something under my Christmas tree for myself and Merry Christmas to All!

 

[debitsohn]

awesome pic warp!
 
ray forgot to send me my tracking but i got my unit today too.  looks and feels awesome.  time will tell if it was worth it for all the cables i had made and for the unit itself.  current setup is
 
DacMagic > XLR to sr71b adapter > sr71b > balanced T1.
 
sounds clean but wasnt floored out the box.  its burning in now.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Thanks Larry for the review with so much info.  One thing if anyone of you can chime in.  I've been charging my 71B since yesterday.  I played my ipod all last night with the 71B plugged in.  Right now, the power on light is still red.  I don't understand why it will take so long to charge up and make it turn to green?  
 
By the way, out of the box I really like the way it sounds with my HD800 and LCD2.  Today, I tried my JH13 with balanced connector on the 71b and it sounded a little grainny.  I hope it just mean that I need to burn it in further (about 14 hours so far).  I compared the JH13 to the Pico Slim SE and at this point Pico Slim sound smoother.  But with full size cans, the 71B is awesome.
 
I've just received my Boomslang today (it's amazing that they can delivery in 3 days from China), so the only missing piece right now is the Cypher Solo.

I posted more in the Skylab review thread.  Also, mine charged up to green within an hour or two of plugging it in.
 
Something else to add tonight - with Bink Audio Test CD and my ES5 or JH13Pro custom IEM with TWag balanced cable I'm finding the SR-71b's very deep bass to be rolled off below 30Hz.  While my well burned-in Protector is strong down to 20Hz with both of these IEM tonight, the SR-71b is almost silent at 20Hz and several dB down at 25Hz.  I'm hoping this is just a burn-in issue and that more hours will fix this.  With Bella Sonus album Enamoured, in the first track "From a Standstill" some of the deep bass notes in the intro are missing.  I can hear the notes just fine with my Protector (using Pico DAC-only out of Macbook Pro).
 
There is no graininess for me, and the SR-71b is a much better match for my ES5 than my Protector.  Previously I preferred the ES5 on the Pico Slim, but the SR-71b is also a very good choice, and it's smoother than the Protector. 

 

[jamato8]

I didn't try test tones before so I did so on the lows. 
 
What I get is bass down to 16hz with my LCD-2 with good useable bass at 20hz and down to 20hz with the JH13Pro but they rattle and work best from 25hz up. That is with the Boomslang and the dac and the LCD-2 and JH13 Pro balanced. I have found this to hold up on some well recorded organ music where to large tubes are used that on a speaker system rattle you toes. 
 
Gahhh it is raining so hard the rain in coming in horizontal and getting on my computer and that is 10 feet away from an open door that is 90 degrees to the front and out of the rain! 

 

[Gorthon]

Using the boomslang DAC with the Heartbeat track (FLAC) off the Open Your Ears album from HDTracks/Headfi I am able to easily hear the 50,40,30, and 20 herts signals with my balanced RS1's.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

I didn't try test tones before so I did so on the lows. 
 
What I get is bass down to 16hz with my LCD-2 with good useable bass at 20hz and down to 20hz with the JH13Pro but they rattle and work best from 25hz up. That is with the Boomslang and the dac and the LCD-2 and JH13 Pro balanced. I have found this to hold up on some well recorded organ music where to large tubes are used that on a speaker system rattle you toes. 
 
Gahhh it is raining so hard the rain in coming in horizontal and getting on my computer and that is 10 feet away from an open door that is 90 degrees to the front and out of the rain! 

Gah!  I hope there is nothing wrong with my unit.  

 

[warp08]

Using the boomslang DAC with the Heartbeat track (FLAC) off the Open Your Ears album from HDTracks/Headfi I am able to easily hear the 50,40,30, and 20 herts signals with my balanced RS1's.

 


At about 40 hrs burn-in, I can also hear the 20 Hz test tones using the JH16s quite clearly and without any artifacts on the above pictured setup.

 

[jamato8]

Try some Little Axe, "Champagne and Grits", if you want to run into bass. The 71B handles this fine and delivers all the nuances and the bass never floods the rest of the frequency range. Not my favorite music but interesting and plenty of bass line. 

 

[wolfen68]

No problem with bass down to 20 hz here either.
 
Does anyone know the approximate runtime per charge of the SR71b?  I haven't been able to find it in Ray's documentation via manual or website.