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Best Amp With Some Warmth and Midrange Magic To Pair With The RAAL Requsite SR1a's?

I just ordered a pair of these after hearing them fairly extensively in a couple systems. These amazing ear speakers have absolutely incredible speed, detail and clarity, and very surprising bass. I'm not sure you could equal those qualities in a speaker at 20 times the price. However, I think they are capable of moving from amzing to absolutely magical when used with the right amp. That would be one, which brings some warmth and midrange magic to the party. 

Normally this would clearly mean a good tube amplifier.However, the numbers of tube amps that would fill the bill are greatly narrowed due to the fact that, to perform optimally, the RAAL's require 150wpc solid state, and 100wpc tubed. And there are no shortcuts. As one reviewer experienced, as also did my friend and I, even the excellent ARC Reference 75 tube amp (with a rock solid 75wpc) came up a bit short in our listening. As did a very respected solid state amp rated at 100wpc.  

I would appreciate any recommendations of warmer solid state amps of the necessary wattage, or any potential tube amps that come to mind. My finances would great appreciate limiting the cost to $2500.00 or under, used. Older amps are fine unless they are at a point where they would need to be recapped/refurbished at significant expense. 

Any recommendations, thoughts or expertise is greatly appreciated. Thanks.
nightfall
soix
9,456 posts
 
@yyzsantabarbara — which amps?
yyzsantabarbara
4,810 posts
 
For the RAAL SR1a I have or had in the house by either buying or demoing (2 weeks or longer) the following gear:

- Benchmark AHB2 + DAC3B + HPA4 = awful with SR1a

- Benchmark AHB2 x 2 + DAC3B + HPA4 = not so awful but not great (my 2 channel reference gear)

- Benchmark AHB2 x2 + AudioMirror Tubadour III SE (AMT3SE) tube DAC + HPA4 = very good

- CODA CSiB (from July 2018 build) + AMT3SE DAC = 10/10

- CODA CSiB + Benchmark DAC3B = 9/10

- KRELL K-300i + internal DAC = 7/10

- KRELL K-300i + AMT3SE DAC = 10/10

- RAAL HSA-1b + Benchmark DAC3B = 9/10 but I was not able to test with XLR which is better

- CODA 07x preamp (not delivered yet) + AMT3SE DAC + Benchmark AHB2 single amp = TBD

I sold the CODA CSiB and use the KRELL in another room now which does not have the RAAL amp interface box or a better external DAC.

I wrote a long write up about this testing I did in the Headphone section title "Best Speaker ..."
denf
241 posts
 

Any new updates here? I too had a chance to audition the RAAL’s and came away very impressed, however I did have the same feeling that more musical ‘magic’ could be rung out of them with a better amp. Anyone tried a really good Class D amp like Bel Canto, NuPrime or Rogue’s DragN?

mahgister's avatar
mahgister
13,011 posts
 

I put my eight pair of headphone in a drawer because of my room acoustic done right...Dont underestimate room acoustic treatment and mechanical control...

But i am very interested by this specific headphone system.... Perhaps WHEN i will be in an other smaller house condition in the few years to come now, i am 70 years old , i will buy this one system....because my audio room will be also my sleeping room and it is impossible to do acoustic right in a sleeping room like i did in my dedicated room...

Anyway i proved for myself that, perhaps save for the best top headphones there is, nothing could beat an acoustically controlled room...

Save perhaps Raal and very few other high-end headphones, certainly not the 8 others i owned... They were good but were not able to rival my room acoustic done right ....They are old Stax SR5 Gold and some basic Stax lambda, and Hifiman H-400 old magneplanar, an hybrid one AKG 340 , and dynamic one like Beyerdynamic T990 pro, Beyerdynaic T150, Fostex T-10, AKG K701....By the way i modified each one of them for the best with succeess...

😁😊 But it was not enough to beat my room...

I think i will try a Raal if i am in the obligation to settle for a small house with no dedicated room  in the near time to come... 

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