The RSA Protector balanced portable: Images and impressions 1st page, Please post your impressions . .
Mar 10, 2010 at 12:59 PM Post #346 of 837
Quote:

Originally Posted by jude /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I received my Protector today. So that I could immediately listen to my balanced HD600 and HD650, Ray included an adapter. As of right now, the balanced HD600 and HD650 are the only headphones I have here that I can use with the Protector (in balanced mode).

Using my MacBook Pro-->Amarra-->Lavry DA11 DAC-->Cardas Clear XLR (female)-RCA adapter-->Cardas iLink mini-RCA-RCA cable-->Protector-->Sennheiser HD600 and Sennheiser HD650 (both balanced), I'm having some difficulty believing what I'm hearing.

At least where the HD600 and HD650 are concerned, this amp may dispel the commonly held (and generally true) notion that a portable headphone amp cannot drive these headphones like a good desktop amp. To my ears, with these headphones, that bridge has been crossed, and you're going to be reading similar comments from others a lot about this amp, as more and more people get their ears on it. Macro- and microdynamically, the Protector is desktop-sounding with the HD600/650--highly resolving, effortless, powerful, nuanced. (I've so far only listened to the Protector/HD600/HD650 combos in balanced mode--I'll try single-ended later.)

I listened to my JH Audio JH13 Pro and Ultimate Ears UE18 Pro with it just briefly (and single-ended only, as I have yet to order my balanced cables for those), and the initial impressions were excellent (again, just a very brief listen), and the channel balance is perfect.

Next up: Contact Whiplash Audio for Protector-terminated balanced cables for my JH13 Pro and UE18 Pro. If Moon Audio has the plugs, I may go for an HD800 cable terminated that way to see how the Protector does with the very picky HD800.

So far, this amp is sort of like a....a PortApache. And anyone who heard the balanced JH13 Pro/Apache system at RMAF will tell you how stunning that setup was. I'm hoping for some such magic done portably, when I get the JH and UE pieces wired up for balanced. We'll see, but this sounds promising so far.

I've been listening to this thing for hours--it's 4:23 a.m., I should be asleep, but I can't put it down.



Thats so good to hear, after everyone that has both saying that the apache is the best amp available for the jh-13's, all i was hoping for was that it would be close to being a miniature apache, and it seems you've confirmed that
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cant wait to get my own (and my jh-13's back from refit) i've even already got my balanced cable from whiplash
 
Mar 10, 2010 at 2:10 PM Post #348 of 837
Quote:

Originally Posted by Audio-Omega /img/forum/go_quote.gif
The connector is quite sturdy but I will have to be careful when plugging in so as not to potentially damaging the four pins.


You have a guide detent that aligns the connector properly before the pins make the contact.
Ray Samuels
 
Mar 10, 2010 at 10:40 PM Post #353 of 837
Quote:

Originally Posted by jude /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I received my Protector today. So that I could immediately listen to my balanced HD600 and HD650, Ray included an adapter.


It's good to be Jude!

Edit: also, it would be nice to hear what you think about the Protector with the DAC not in play. Thanks.
 
Mar 10, 2010 at 11:01 PM Post #355 of 837
Quote:

Originally Posted by nycdoi /img/forum/go_quote.gif
somehow mine is taking a detour to tennessee while im located in new york....hope it will bring back some souvenirs...


How do you know it is in TN? Did you get some type of shipping notification? I have not received any type notification.
 
Mar 10, 2010 at 11:07 PM Post #356 of 837
Quote:

Originally Posted by djbnh /img/forum/go_quote.gif
How do you know it is in TN? Did you get some type of shipping notification? I have not received any type notification.


i asked ray for my tracking # because somehow i knew something like this could come up and mess up the arrival time.
 
Mar 11, 2010 at 6:52 AM Post #358 of 837
Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Great info Jude, thanks!

I should have my Protector by the end of the week, and earlier Tuesday Whiplash audio said I am up next in the queue for building my cables. Those include a 4-pin XLR adapter for full size phones, balanced TWag JH13Pro cable with SE adapter (to use it on other phones), and TWag LOD.

I'm really looking forward to it. I'll be mostly using it with my Macbook and feeding either a Pico DAC only or DACport into it as source.



Nice, think you could do a quick n' dirty comparison of the balanced JH13 -> Protector (fed by HDP) vs SE JH13 -> HDP? Thanks
smily_headphones1.gif
 
Mar 11, 2010 at 7:20 AM Post #359 of 837
Quote:

Originally Posted by Hygienist /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Nice, think you could do a quick n' dirty comparison of the balanced JH13 -> Protector (fed by HDP) vs SE JH13 -> HDP? Thanks
smily_headphones1.gif



Probably, once everything is properly burned in.
 

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