[amartignano]

I've receiveid the Rudistor RP3 two months ago, the "entry-level" of Rudistor line-up, a gift for me and my HD650.

For the technical features see the site http://www.rudistor.com/soundsystems/RP3-en.htm .
The ampli looks very solid and well constructed, it has a strong specific-weigth, it looks very professional.

The first thing that suprised me is the sound pressure level, not very high, but enough to surpass the listenable level, even if inferior to the pressure that an integrated amp will give. But I think that this impression is also caused by the absence of distorsion (at least inferior to the one of the headphone output of the Marantz PM4200).

But now... the sound.

It's the firts headphone amp I have, so I make comparison with the headphone outputs of my ampli (PM4200) and my cd-players (Marantz CD5400/CD7300).
The frequency response is wider at both the extremes, but specially at the high frequency, where precision and harmonic detail increase a lot. This feature brings a more defined and precise headstage (this word is copyrighted by Nik). One thing that surpise is the increase of the dynamic and power of all the sound, as I heard in Graceland of P. Simon and in Shine on you crazy Diamond part II of Pink Floyd.
I've found the RP3 very balanced, but it does not forgive harshness and digital coldness (if the source or the record has it).
The Rp3 for sure corrects a features of the HD650, which sometimes have a somewhat redundant mid-bass: with the Rp3 this is no more, and the bass becomes quicker, more dynamic, compact and "clear".

But the main difference between this amp and the "normal" headphones output it's the environment information; the stage is wider and more natural and relaxing. I've been able to listen to something near what I've heard when I visited Nik and listened to the Egmont Reference + Omega2 system: the sensation of complete and continuous tridimensionality of the scene and the instruments. Ok this sensation is not so big as the Egmont/Omega2 but it's present.


Classical music and all which is acoustic and recorded with few microphones make the Rp3/HD650 system happy

with a strong feeling of natural sound and a dynamic aggressivity wich is really exciting. Exciting beacause you can hear interpreative information wich often was lost with the normal headphones output. Someone says that top Senns have a kind of veil in the sound: with the Rp3 this I can't hear this veil.

I'm very happy for this amp, and i must say that 400$ are worth paying to upgrade from the normal headphones output.

I want to stress the differences between the Rp3 and the output of the Pm4200 and CD5400/7300 for the guys that has this question in mind: "It's worth to spend money for a dedicated headphone amp?"

- the Cd headphone output has similar freq response (but inferior in the highs), there's the sensation of mid-bass redundance and the dynamic is inferior. There's no ambience information (there's a little of ambience in the CD7300, to say the truth).
- the ampli output has a more confused sound and a narrower freq response, respect of the CD you gain "air" and the headstage is wider, but it's all blurred in respect of the RP3.

Neither the CD or the AMP output can't be really compared to the Rp3.

Compliments to Rudi!!!

Bye
Andrea

PS. sorry for my "approximated" english, it's very difficult to write a review-like post...

EDIT - 100 posts!!!

 

[Nik]

Congrats Andrea,

you have described so well what the "entry level" RP3 can do with the top level HD 650 !!!

Best!
Nicola

 

[Bill Ward]

Thanks for the post. That's a well-written summation that addresses exactly the points I was most interested in seeing discussed. I can identify with the experience you report, and I appreciate the iinformation.

Thanks again.

BW