LSA Voyager GAN Amplifier

I did the SNIFF test again with the RAAL SR1a,  Gustard, and CODA #8. First of all it sounds amazing. I may not have the volume set at the same level as when I tested last time with the Voyager and Thiel. It may be actually a bit lower on the RAAL test. I could hear the 0:08 sniff much clearer. A little irritating to hear that sniff during the music. At 1:12 it was much louder and 4:35 was likely in-between the other 2 in terms of loudness.

So to be thorough I moved the amp interface box to the Voyager so I can test the same thing with the RAAL and Voyager. I put CODA #8 to STANDBY and left the CODA 07x preamp at the same volume level as before. Now I am not sure if the gain is the same on the Voyager. The volume from the Voyager seemed a little lower. The Gustard DAC is still used. It is the only DAC I can use with this delicate flower of a CODA 07x preamp without me getting annoyed by the crackling and buzz.

At 0:08 I do hear the sniff though it is not as prominent as with the CODA #8. At 1:12 it is not as loud as with the CODA #8. At 4:35 I could not hear it at this volume level.

So the facts to me seem that the CODA #8 is more detailed than the Voyager. The #8 is a pretty fine piece of work and cost 2x more than the Voyager.  The fact that the CODA is also more warmer is an interesting attribute. Warmth and detail in the same box. The CODA #16 is supposed to be their best amp.

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The RAAL also has the wings that can be adjusted to increase or lower the bass. Sounds like they copied the AKG K1000  you have.
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The CODA 07x preamp issue with my 2 neutral DACs has got me annoyed so I decided to split up my Benchmark AHB2 from my living room.  I will move 1 to my office so that I can use the Topping pre90 with the Benchmark DAC3B and my Thiels. I have all the wiring in place to make this happen from when I owned the Benchmark HPA4 preamp.  All I need to do would be to change the speaker wire from one amp to the other.

Sometimes I want a neutral sound over the juicy CODA sound. The pre90 | DAC3B | AHB2 | Thiel CS3.7 will be great with well recorded music.  This will also be the king of details because the other gear is no where as quiet as this stack.

I hope you disconnected the Coda from the preamp (removed the interconnect to the Coda AT the preamp) when you listened to the LSA.  If you are driving two amps (or even just two interconnects) at the same time (even though only one is on) it will degrade the sound of the one you are listening to.

Are you using the same speaker wires with both amps when using the Raal? If the wire is lower quality (less detailed) on the LSA then you may be listening to the difference in the cables. What connectors are on the ends of the cable you use with the LSA? If bananas.....then there is more degradation as bananas almost always sound worse than spades. Everything has to be done exactly the same when you A/B otherwise, you really cannot draw any valid conclusions.

Audience Conductor speaker wires were an entry line speaker cable when designed years and years ago. The Front Row Audience cables are the latest top of the line cables. The far more expensive Front row should be WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYY more detailed and clear.

The Coda and the Benchmark amps have five way binding posts.  You could use the Conductor cable on all three amps that way.....eliminating the difference in cables.

In our lab tests we have found that heavy-duty 40-amp SpeakON™ connectors consistently outperform spade lugs, pins, and banana plugs. The SpeakON™ connectors provide a reliable low-impedance connection that can withstand high-currents. Of the more traditional speaker connectors, we have found that locking banana plugs provide the next best connections. In contrast, spade lugs and pins often provide poor connections. Spring-type (non-locking) banana plugs almost always provide poor connections and should be avoided.

This is Benchmarks comments on speaker connectors. Which matches what @ricevs is stating.

I do agree with @ricevs that the FrontRow is a much better cable. It also has SpeakON terminations. So that is why I was not able to use it with my Voyager.

I spoke with CODA about having 2 amps hooked up to the CODA 07x preamp at the same time via XLR. They said that is fine as long as one amp is turned off. Nevertheless, to satisfy this audience I have removed 1 amp from the 07x preamp.

I also took my 15 foot Benchmark XLR that was used between the Voyager and Coda 07x and reattached it from the CODA 07x to the CODA #8. So now this is apples-to-apples.

In this scenario, the CODA #8 does not look good. It sounds great but the SNIFF test is a big lose. At 0:08 I cannot even hear it at louder volume than I previously tested. Now my house is a little loud with life but nothing to preclude me from hearing the music. At 1:12 I do hear the sniff and it is not as loud as with the Voyager. At 4:35 I cannot hear the sniff. My ears hurt now from how loud I had to play this to hear at least one sniff.

I now re-tried the Voyager. The Voyager now has more than 80 hours and has been jamming in the back ground without my headphones connected. I do know that current is flowing out of the amp.

In all 3 cases I was able to hear the sniff. It was not as good as with the FrontRow and other interconnects I was using but it was audile at LOWER volume with my ears hurting. So a big win for the Voyager.

I like an idiot adjusted the volume next when I went to connect the Benchmark AHB2 stereo amp replacing the CODA. In this case, I am not able to hear the first 2 sniffs but the volume is different. So I would say that it was at best the same as the CODA maybe even as good as the Voyager if I had the same volume.

When I get home from playing some squash I will test out the AHB2 driven by the Topping D90se DAC without any preamp.

The sniffs are very, very low in level, so near the threshold of perception, if the volumes are not matched, on one amp at lower overall volume, the sniffs could disappear.  Even on the most resolving AHB2, if it is lower in volume, this could happen.  The best you can do is to listen on the RAAL at the same comfortable level, which will be within 1 dB.  If the house is not absolutely quiet, since the RAAL is totally open to the environment, the sniffs could be lost, even if the overall music is not.

Despite all the problems of this demanding test, you got the relative volumes of the 3 sniffs correct, a tribute to your good ears on this unfamiliar music.  I read some reviews of the RAAL.  They are a true reference.  Thanks for exposing me to the RAAL.  One review said the HEDDphone was possibly superior in micro detail and was brighter in HF.  The AHB2 will be shown in careful tests to be the most revealing on the RAAL, for esoteric sniff tests and for music, as you know.