[mc 73]

Hi guys, some of you have experienced the Unison Research with Grado rs1i ? as they go along ?

 

[Howlin Fester]

Hi guys, some of you have experienced the Unison Research with Grado rs1i ? as they go along ?

Hello mc 73.  I just pulled out my Graso rs1i this morning and hooked them up to the Unison Research SH.  Sound is full,lush and wonderful.
 
So far I have listened to two 80s blues recordings.  Ry Cooder - The Slide Area from 1982, and Lonnie Mack -Second Sight from 1987. Older recordings mean lower dB mastering levels, and sometimes less bass.  These are Flac conversions from CD through DB Poweramp.
 
My setup is FLAC L5 > DX50 > line out audioquest green 1/8 inch to RCA > Unison Research SH: Low sensitivity: Volume approximately 10:00 > Grado RS1i.
 
I can hear deep bass and sparkling highs.  But the highs are what I would call "Tube Smooth".  Highs are not sibilant or annoying.  The bass lines are deep, clear and distinct.  For the mids, I can hear the guitars right where they need to be.
 
I am not great at hearing soundstage depth, width, and height.  But with the Grados, they are very close to the ears anyway, so not much of a soundstage there.  I can distinctly hear instrument separation.  Piano right, rhythm guitar right, lead guitar left-front, bass left,  Drum rolls from right to left descending.  vocals front.
 
I'll try some newer recording later and let you know how they fare.  But I expect them to sound great.

 

[mc 73]

  Hello mc 73.  I just pulled out my Graso rs1i this morning and hooked them up to the Unison Research SH.  Sound is full,lush and wonderful.
 
So far I have listened to two 80s blues recordings.  Ry Cooder - The Slide Area from 1982, and Lonnie Mack -Second Sight from 1987. Older recordings mean lower dB mastering levels, and sometimes less bass.  These are Flac conversions from CD through DB Poweramp.
 
My setup is FLAC L5 > DX50 > line out audioquest green 1/8 inch to RCA > Unison Research SH: Low sensitivity: Volume approximately 10:00 > Grado RS1i.
 
I can hear deep bass and sparkling highs.  But the highs are what I would call "Tube Smooth".  Highs are not sibilant or annoying.  The bass lines are deep, clear and distinct.  For the mids, I can hear the guitars right where they need to be.
 
I am not great at hearing soundstage depth, width, and height.  But with the Grados, they are very close to the ears anyway, so not much of a soundstage there.  I can distinctly hear instrument separation.  Piano right, rhythm guitar right, lead guitar left-front, bass left,  Drum rolls from right to left descending.  vocals front.
 
I'll try some newer recording later and let you know how they fare.  But I expect them to sound great.

Thank you, your opinion is very helpful to me . in Italy this amplifier is almost unknown . what other amplifiers have listened rs1i ? I can with the combo I would like to listen to rock / blues . thanks and good 2016 !

 

[Howlin Fester]

Thank you, your opinion is very helpful to me . in Italy this amplifier is almost unknown . what other amplifiers have listened rs1i ? I can with the combo I would like to listen to rock / blues . thanks and good 2016 !

 
@mc 73.  Happy New year to you as well.
The SH amplifier is relatively new.  Are you saying that the amp is not known, or Unison Research?  If UR, I find that interesting, since they are an Italian company.
 
My main genres of music are also rock and blues.  My primary setups have generally been portable.  I really like the Ray Samuels Audio Intruder.  I re-terminated the RS1-i with a mini-4 pin xlr adapter that allows me to change between 1/8, 1/4, and balanced kobiconn connectors.  The RSA Intruder uses the kobiconn.  I really like that setup.  Very full sounding, and Ray makes his amps sound almost tube like.
 
The other desktop setup I have is a Peachtree Audio Decco65 integrated amp.  This is a solid state integrated amp (you can run speakers) and has a tube on the output stage you can engage or disengage.  I have that at work.
 
The EnigmaAcoustics Athena A1 is a great sounding amplifier.  However, I will say that I didn't listen to the RS1i with this setup.  I heard it with Fostex TH900, and Audeze LCD-XC.
 
Hope this helps.

 

[mc 73]

   
@mc 73.  Happy New year to you as well.
The SH amplifier is relatively new.  Are you saying that the amp is not known, or Unison Research?  If UR, I find that interesting, since they are an Italian company.
 
My main genres of music are also rock and blues.  My primary setups have generally been portable.  I really like the Ray Samuels Audio Intruder.  I re-terminated the RS1-i with a mini-4 pin xlr adapter that allows me to change between 1/8, 1/4, and balanced kobiconn connectors.  The RSA Intruder uses the kobiconn.  I really like that setup.  Very full sounding, and Ray makes his amps sound almost tube like.
 
The other desktop setup I have is a Peachtree Audio Decco65 integrated amp.  This is a solid state integrated amp (you can run speakers) and has a tube on the output stage you can engage or disengage.  I have that at work.
 
The EnigmaAcoustics Athena A1 is a great sounding amplifier.  However, I will say that I didn't listen to the RS1i with this setup.  I heard it with Fostex TH900, and Audeze LCD-XC.
 
Hope this helps.

Hello, and thanks for your opinion . Unison Research is known , this headphone amplifier is not. however, this brand focuses on the foreign market ( like most Italian brands )

 

[deafanddumb]

Just to own a UR product would be amazing....always admired their big wooden and metal objects. Did no-one prefer the wooden fronted version?

 

[Howlin Fester]

Just to own a UR product would be amazing....always admired their big wooden and metal objects. Did no-one prefer the wooden fronted version?

I have seen both, and I preferred the understated and classy look of the black face with the Cherry accents.  I have a set of Dali Helicon 400 floor standing speakers with center channel and surround in Cherry.  And my wife and I put Cherry hardwoods in her office.  To me, Cherry is a very "wood and finish" specific look.  Some Cherry/finish combinations I absolutely LOVE.  Like my Helicon's.  Some I am more enamored with just the cherry accents.  The UR SH is one where I love the accents.
 
Shane at Night and Day Audio has both that I have seen.  Blackface is my preference.
 
Below is a link to a Stereophile review of the Helicon's.  Some decent pics there.
http://www.stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/308dali/index.html#4JaTo5JquKh1ylIm.97

 

[JoeDoe]

Hey there fellas, sorry to necro a thread, but I've got an SH en route and I'm curious to know if anyone else out in head-fi is still using one?

 

[Howlin Fester]

Hey there fellas, sorry to necro a thread, but I've got an SH en route and I'm curious to know if anyone else out in head-fi is still using one?

Glad to see someone else is going to get to experience the SH and hopefully post here.  I know we have been talking via PM about the SH.  Post some pics and impressions when you get your amp.  I think it is a great amp and possibly overlooked.

 

[JoeDoe]

Initial impressions: Good looks, good sound, and good design!
 

1. Beautiful design - great blend of retro with contemporary appeal
2. Well-done Sabre implementation
3. Great all-tube Class-A flavor
4. Responds to tube-rolling
5. Not tons of power, but enough for my power-hungry Ori

 
Will add more later!
 
 
 
 
 
 
***Will continue listening, but unfortunately I've had put this bad boy up for sale... Sometimes things are higher than head-fi on the $$$ totem pole!

 

[Lilywhite63]

Hello everyone
I've just joined your forum after looking for news and reveiws about the unison research SH
Sorry for gatecrashing your thread but I was wondering how you are all getting on with this
amp after a bit more time with it and how it compares to similar type products.
I'm mainly a hifi listener but am getting more interested in a home headphone setup, I've
been travelling a fair bit lately and have been using a portable set up and looking to get
something more upmarket for home use..
I stream most of my music these days but have a now redundant CDT from an old system
i could hook up to it.

Thanks in advance for any feedback.

 

[tonyo442]

hello, I am also interested in the Unison SH which should drive the Audeze LCD 4, I could read that a test had been done with an LCD XC but the impedance is not the same, so certain could try some helmets difficult to drive it would be nice to enjoy, thank you

 

[heybaroo]

Hi Folks,

This thread is getting on in years but just thought I would resurrect it as I've recently acquired an SH after much deliberation between a LOT of different amps such as the Auris Euterpe and the HA-2SF, the Feliks Elise MK2, a few different Cayins (1A MK2 and HA6) and a few others. I ended up with the SH mostly due to the dual headphone outs for shared sessions.

I've been pairing it with ZMF Atticus, Fostex TH610s and HD6XXs and loving it with all of all them. I tried the DAC from my PC but much preferred my Gieseler Kompakt R2R DAC. It is such a refined and beautiful listen at all times. Still breaking it in but I'm pretty sure it's going to be a long term keeper.

Anyone else out there still using one or recently gotten one? I haven't opened it up yet to see what the stock glass is yet, but it's sounding pretty damn nice so far...