I had a Meze Empy ($3K) + Benchmark HPA4 preamp/headphone amp. I then got a RAAL SR1a and sold the Meze because it was no contest. The RAAL are like 2 channel speakers on your ears. They do not sound like headphones to me. Read the Head-fi thread on the RAAL SR1a for user perspectives on these phones (mostly compared to other headphones).
I have had the RAAL SR1a headphone amp in the house for a few weeks. It is an easy way to get up and running to some sonic bliss. I think they are a combined $7K. They have a new tube based amp being introduced next month.
However, there are other ways to get to the promised land with these headphones. I have not read this whole thread so I do not know if the OP is a ROON user but if he/she is then this is what I recommend.
1) Get the CONVOLUTION filler for ROON (or JRiver) specify made for the RAAL SR1a by Accurate Sound’s Mitch Barnett. It costs $250. Mitch actually did the same for my Thiel CS3.7’s in a small room (my office). Genius level skills on this sound engineer. I spoke with RAAL management on this CONVOLUTION filter and they were very impressed by the description of how it was created. That is the measurements taken and used.
2) I found out that the associated gear is less important after the CONVOLUTION filter was used. However, before the filter I found that the excellent and warmish Gustard X26 Pro ($1500) was the very best DAC I had used with the RAAL SR1a. The SR1a is bright.
3) I owned and tried the following amps with the SR1a
- KRELL K300i integrated amp
- CODA CSiB integrated amp
- CODA #8 amp
- Benchmark AHB2 stereo and mono amp
- D-Sonic M3a 800s stereo amp ($1500)
4) I also bought the CODA 07x preamp which has 2 sets of XLR outputs. I use 1 for my 2 channel and the other to an amp to drive the SR1a. This preamp is magic with the SR1a. Better than the Benchmark HPA4 and the other 2 integrated amps listed above.
The KRELL was the best without the CONVOLUTION filter. I have not heard it with the filter but will do so in 2 or 3 weeks. The AHB2 was the worst without the filter, but with the filter I liked it the best. I even used Audience FrontRow speaker cable with the AHB2 and could hear the improvement over the Audience Conducter SE and Benchmark speaker cable.
I currently use the D-Sonic with the filter and either the Benchmark DAC3B or the Gustard X28 Pro DAC. Most importantly all connected to the CODA 07x preamp. This is almost as good as the other amps and the CONVOLUTION makes this even closer.
If you use the filter you can save some money to get extraordinary sound from the SR1a. A place to learn more on this is AudiophileStyle.com website where the site owner is gaga over the SR1a (like me).
Another place is to come to CanJam in Los Angeles in Sept 2021 to hear the SR1a and compare it to the other competition. They will have the CONVOLUTION filter available to demo.
BTW - I also use the silver headphone cable from RAAL. I found it was better than the good stock cable. I am surprised I like silver on these headphones.
I have had the RAAL SR1a headphone amp in the house for a few weeks. It is an easy way to get up and running to some sonic bliss. I think they are a combined $7K. They have a new tube based amp being introduced next month.
However, there are other ways to get to the promised land with these headphones. I have not read this whole thread so I do not know if the OP is a ROON user but if he/she is then this is what I recommend.
1) Get the CONVOLUTION filler for ROON (or JRiver) specify made for the RAAL SR1a by Accurate Sound’s Mitch Barnett. It costs $250. Mitch actually did the same for my Thiel CS3.7’s in a small room (my office). Genius level skills on this sound engineer. I spoke with RAAL management on this CONVOLUTION filter and they were very impressed by the description of how it was created. That is the measurements taken and used.
2) I found out that the associated gear is less important after the CONVOLUTION filter was used. However, before the filter I found that the excellent and warmish Gustard X26 Pro ($1500) was the very best DAC I had used with the RAAL SR1a. The SR1a is bright.
3) I owned and tried the following amps with the SR1a
- KRELL K300i integrated amp
- CODA CSiB integrated amp
- CODA #8 amp
- Benchmark AHB2 stereo and mono amp
- D-Sonic M3a 800s stereo amp ($1500)
4) I also bought the CODA 07x preamp which has 2 sets of XLR outputs. I use 1 for my 2 channel and the other to an amp to drive the SR1a. This preamp is magic with the SR1a. Better than the Benchmark HPA4 and the other 2 integrated amps listed above.
The KRELL was the best without the CONVOLUTION filter. I have not heard it with the filter but will do so in 2 or 3 weeks. The AHB2 was the worst without the filter, but with the filter I liked it the best. I even used Audience FrontRow speaker cable with the AHB2 and could hear the improvement over the Audience Conducter SE and Benchmark speaker cable.
I currently use the D-Sonic with the filter and either the Benchmark DAC3B or the Gustard X28 Pro DAC. Most importantly all connected to the CODA 07x preamp. This is almost as good as the other amps and the CONVOLUTION makes this even closer.
If you use the filter you can save some money to get extraordinary sound from the SR1a. A place to learn more on this is AudiophileStyle.com website where the site owner is gaga over the SR1a (like me).
Another place is to come to CanJam in Los Angeles in Sept 2021 to hear the SR1a and compare it to the other competition. They will have the CONVOLUTION filter available to demo.
BTW - I also use the silver headphone cable from RAAL. I found it was better than the good stock cable. I am surprised I like silver on these headphones.