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Raal Immanis top of the line headphones

Not sure how many here are using really high end headphone systems. But has anyone tried, or is planning to try, the new Raal Immanis? I am a huge fan of their CA-1a headphones and find them to be an amazing value for the price compared to things like the top Hifiman headphones which don't do much for me. 

That said the Immanis is almost $10K which feels pretty crazy for a headphone. I love headphones because they take away the room acoustics with all the flaws involved, but also because they allow people to get a killer full range system for a much lower price than going with speakers. But when a headphone costs $10K that benefit is no longer in play. I certainly can afford an Immanis but not sure it makes sense to do so. Just curious if anyone else has tried them or has any thoughts.

v-fi

Showing 4 responses by v-fi

v-fi OP
173 posts
 

I never quite connected with the SR-1a. Not sure why, maybe I didn't get the adjustments right or something. The CA-1a blows me away though. After owning so many headphones from Hifiman, Audeze, Focal, and Sennheiser, some of which I liked and some not so much, the CA-1a just scratches the itch like no other. Which is why I'm intrigued by the Immanis.

Very curious why there seems to be much less interest in the Magna. Maybe people just figure if they are going high end anyway, they should just go all the way? I just wonder if Magnus is similar but lesser than the Immanis, or if it has a distinct signature that sets it apart. @yyzsantabarbara were you able to try both or just the Immanis?

v-fi OP
173 posts
 

@yyzsantabarbara Thank you for those detailed impressions, very helpful. Obviously I will want to demo them both before making a decision. But it really seems like the Magna might be the better fit for my tastes. Looking forward to hearing both as soon as possible though. 

v-fi OP
173 posts
 

Good stuff thank you for posting!

v-fi OP
173 posts
 

I agree we are all a little nuts in a way. We could all just buy a bluetooth speaker and stream spotify and still connect with the music on some level. Good music is good music. Even if you listen out of a tin can with a string connected, you can still be moved by a musical performance.

That said, I think anyone hanging around this website is looking for something better than that. How much better is a matter of taste and we all draw the line somewhere. Your line might be in a different place than mine, but I guarantee most people out there would think we are both crazy for spending more than $40 on an amazon bluetooth speaker or $20 on some earbuds. 

@yyzsantabarbara is obviously a big fan of Raal but the point being made is a very good one - some people don't have the best room for a speaker setup, so headphones become a very compelling option. I have enjoyed some Grado headphones in my day such as the old PS500 and RS1. Others I didn't like so much but none have been as enjoyable to me as my Raal headphones. And that's perfectly ok.

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