Spatial Audio Raven Preamp

Interesting thread. I recently demoed a budget preamp in my system and was surprised by how much more dynamic and alive it sounded compared to using the volume control from my dac. If there was any loss in resolution, I couldn’t hear it, and the improvements were dramatic, so I am now in the market.  A couple of questions:

1) how much gain does the raven have, and is it the same balanced and single-minded? I don’t want to have so much gain that the volume control is touchy.

2) I’m currently using single engine connections from my dac to my amp. I’m going to need to buy a new set of interconnects.  Any recommendations regarding whether I should stay single ended, run balance connections into the raven and single ended out, or sell my single interconnects and buy two balanced ones. I really like the iconoclast cables I have and they will add to the cost.

Thanks. 

Hi

The Raven gain is about 13.9 dB (5X voltage gain).  The RCA and XLR inputs have the same gain.  The Khozmo volume control has a very nice log taper and you should have good adjustability in most systems.  Not touchy.   

I would run XLR from DAC to Raven if you can, but it is not required.   It will generally sound better with most DACs.  Also, if you ever change amplifiers you can run XLR out to an amp with balanced connections.   The RCA output of the Raven will by definition have less gain.  That said, there is plenty of gain to drive almost any amplifier.  I believe Spatial has a return policy if it doesn't work in your system, but honestly, it will work well with most anything, single ended or balanced.

I have owned the Raven preamp now for about 6-7 weeks feeding a Pass X350.5 solid state amp.  Compared to my previous solid state preamp, a quite capable Ayre K-1xe, the Raven was better at everything but mostly in the areas of soundstage depth, image stability, 3-dimensionality, focus, clarity and tonal colors. However, I suspected that I wasn't getting everything the Raven was capable of  due to my interconnect cables which are a good value for their price but after having owned the much better Nordost Tyr 2 in the past, had certain limitations.  At the suggestion of Don Sachs I ordered up the top level 5.3 XLR anti cables from Paul Speltz and had them cryo'ed and burned in for 150 hours. They are used between my DAC and Raven, and from the Raven to the Pass amp.  Speaker cables are from Triode Wire Labs.  OMG!  The gains in clarity, transparency, speed, dynamics and image focus are off the charts.  Vocals are so clear that I can now understand certain words that I used to have to struggle to understand. My system now sounds leaps and bounds better than ever.  Even the wife agrees but don't tell her I have my eye on the Spatial Blackbird amps.  With a daughter getting married in the fall those will have to wait a while.

What you’re hearing is the Less Is More approach. A ultra-simple signal path, including the very straightforward cables.

Wires, a switched resistor volume control, transformers, and triodes.

@lynn_olson I’m a believer!  The Speltz level 5.3 XLR Anticables are very reasonably priced in my opinion and seem to be a perfect match for the Raven.  Talking with Paul Speltz about his cables and pickleball among other things was a pleasure.  Many thanks to Don for pointing me in the right direction.