[Xoton]

I just got my SR-71 on Tuesday, and I love it! I'd have to say it kind of sounds how it looks...solid, black, smooth, clean, sharp, well-crafted, simple and pure, professional, heavy, crisp, and deliciously high-end. This is my first amp...so...my impressions are surely that of amps in general, as well as of this particular amp. (..and I have been enjoying the "best amp" thread too, by the way!)

I've got about 4-5 hours on it and it truely sounds marvelous. What's amazing to me is how it can take what it's given and make it sound better.

Articulate is the word. I guess I just don't understand amp technology as of yet...but I've listened to my line-out without the SR-71--and while cleaner than the headphone out, it still sounds dirty and confused to me now without the SR-71. How does an amp, or the Sr-71 in my case, take an inferior signal and clean it up? It's like it says to the line-out; "No, no the bass goes here, the treble needs to do this...and hey, you see this?...this particular detail should sit here attached to the bass notes."

I'm thinking amps are removing some kind of electrical interference that distorts or shuffles sonic frequencies, while pushing or holding the sound up where it sags. I don't know...but I think Ray Samuels has a pretty firm grip on how to do it right!

I spent many hours reading about the different portable amps out there and was back-and-forth between the SuperMac, A Classic (no longer available), Little, Porta Corda...heck I think I've had all of them "in my cart" at one point. I even had the SR-71 written off as "out of my league"...but...decided in the end to do it right the first time, and put all this nonsense behind me. The SuperMac still sounds like a steal, especially at it's basic $250 config...but again, even being an Ety user, I felt that owners of the SR-71 were confident and satisfied they had something special.

That's all I really wanted. Something simple and special. No opamp questions, gain adjusters...I was tired of thinking...I wanted what Ray thought was good, I wanted a firm decision. I don't know if there were better "bangs for the buck," or better "synergistic matches" with my line-up or not...I just want something I could look at and say..."yeah..."

I'm very happy with this little industrial strength beauty. The SR-71 sounds sweet and rich and detailed--but not the least bit fatiguing--I'm really looking-forward to hearing how things change as it burns-in. Any idea of what to expect here?

So, yeah, I'm $400 dollars the less, my wife's got "hand" for awhile, and I'm now a confirmed patient of Head-Fi.

 

[1UP]

Nice review. Be nice to the wife!

 

[PATB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xoton Any idea of what to expect here?

If you are like me, you will fall in love with the SR-71 so much it will become your home amp, and then end up purchasing an HR-2 for your home rig so you can relegate the SR-71 back to full time transportable/portable duty.

Be really nice to your wife.

Congrats and welcome to the club!

 

[mattigol]

...very well worded mini-review! Wonder what RS had to say. It even harder for me to resist the temptation of buying one myself. But just about anything (or -one) that can stir up passion like the SR-71 comes with a steep admission, so nothing new here. I think I will sell a few rarely-used goodies I have around the house and add the SR-71 to my arsenal.

Cheers M.

 

[iamdone]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xoton I'm really looking-forward to hearing how things change as it burns-in. Any idea of what to expect here?

I know Ray's other amp are supposed to have 100 hours already burned in but I'm not sure about the SR-71, since it only uses batteries.

Mine seems to be improving as I'm using it but it sounded great from the start.

 

[chumley]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iamdone I know Ray's other amp are supposed to have 100 hours already burned in but I'm not sure about the SR-71, since it only uses batteries. Mine seems to be improving as I'm using it but it sounded great from the start.

When I bought my SR-71 from Ray last year, he told me to 'hang in there' with regard to the sound, as the SR-71 was indeed the only amp he sells without 'burn in' time already on its clock, as it were... and, sure enough, around 100-120 hours, I noticed that I was listening to a 'better' sounding SR-71!

Be patient: output will get * even better *... no kiddin'...

 

[SunShip]

That's it, as soon as I can afford it, I'm buying myself an SR-71

 

[HomeyC]

Damn. I just bought a Gilmore Lite to go with my MS-2's (Which I love by the way. Thanks Justin), now I'm getting the itch again.

 

[digihead]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HomeyC Damn. I just bought a Gilmore Lite to go with my MS-2's (Which I love by the way. Thanks Justin), now I'm getting the itch again.

I love the SR-71 + MS-2 combination...sounds incredible to me....

 

[kunwar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by digihead I love the SR-71 + MS-2 combination...sounds incredible to me....

someone stole the title of my thread
As digihead mentioned the bass on the grados with the SR-71 is killer to die for yada yada yada and so on.

 

[Turner_Brown]

Okay...I'm seriously thinking about ordering one of these. I know about the 7 day "trial" period and that will probably be the one factor that makes me buy it...but I don't wanna waste my time or shipping costs. Read below:

I primarily listen to music at work through an iriver h120 mp3 player with either sr-225's or sharp md-33's (depends if it's a gym day or not). I also use the 225's at home a lot from the computer and from a yamaha receiver. But recently I have noticed that I have tinnitus (ringing in the ears). I imagine this has to do with me playing my music too loud on my walk to work as to drowned out all the other noises. So recently I have made a conscious decision to play
my music at relatively quiet levels as to not worsen my condition. But my curious side really wants to hear the 225's amped. Do you think it would be stupid to buy an sr-71 given my current situation? Will I notice a big improvement in sound quality even at low-moderate volume levels?

 

[Xoton]

Oh man...if you're killin' your only set of ears to drown out exterior noise -- STOP!! It sounds like you're a candidate for a set of canalphones...i.e. Ety's. They seal out the world of unorganized sound and allow you to listen to clean, healthy sound levels.

But yes...one of the things I've noticed about my SR-71 with my set of Ety's (ER-4S) is how well the sound "scales" at all volumes...even at very, very low levels the sound is perfect.