RAAL requisite audio SR1a Review: HOLY MOLY! Buy this now!

Sounds like it would be better to power them from a solid state amp. I’m not really a fan of push-pull KTxxx amp, all I built or heard sounded way too “brutal” for a tube amp, it’s always single-ended for me. Even the 833 could theoretically output 140W, the THD is 6%.

 

Any update on the Jot R timeline and package price with the Raals?

 

I read on HF that they were looking at a January release Not sure on the pricing scheme however.

 

The January release reference on HF is the latest chapter in Jason's online book. For price this post on headphones.com:

So far no mention of a package deal with RAAL-requisite. It would be cool if they even just sold the SR1a without the interface box in a Pelican case pre-cut to accept the Jotunheim R.

 

At $800, it seems they’re expecting small production or high-margin monopoly pricing, or a bit of both.

 

^ or the jagoffs who want thousands on some audio jewelry BS.

Only $799 for the amp? That's a killer deal especially in light of the praise the proto has received.

Jason ur nutz!

P.S. I hope you're working on a bigger tube amp that works great with Senns.

 

Dont people usually pair super efficient speakers with tube amps?

Personally, the Jot R will be attractive only in tandem with the SR1A and so for me to chose it over say the more versatile Vidar, it will have to be available as a package with the SR1A at a good price. Or sound significantly better.

 

Ever since the Jotunheim-R reveal I'd been fantasizing of trying it with a Verum. Should be one smooooth experience.

 

FWIW @Torq feels the production qualifier Jotunheim R he has been listening to is significantly better than a single Vidar.

Even if you already had a Vidar for your speakers you might want the Jotunheim R for the SR1a for convenience.

 

Jot regular is 399. What exactly makes Jot-R twice as expensive?

 

Well Jot R has heatsinking, Nexus (Pivot Point 2?) and probably some special sauce output stage to support a 0.2 Ohm load directly, and of course also it's the first of its kind so yes there's some small production higher-margin stuff, though if one were to be able to dump the transistor box that comes with SR1A it'd really cost 399 if not less. The real question should frankly be the value of Jot after Jot R comes out, since Jot probably costs way less to make than the original pricing with Schiit having perfected producing that kind of chassis+ card slot circuit, though I suspect Jot 2 Nexus is inbound after this.

 

I covered this before, I think at headphones.com.

Basically it's a completely different product, literally the only things that are the same is the bottom chassis and the pot.* Different transformer (a much higher current design), different topology (Nexus, which means lots of matched parts), different board (with 4 oz copper), different outputs, different protection (an insane level of protection, both hall effect over-current and solid state thermostat over-temperature, to make bulletproof for when someone tries to make a headphone "adapter" for 3-pin TRS stuff), internal heatsinking, hell, different massive output relays, different caps...you get the picture.

Add in low production quantities, and you have a massively more expensive product. Them's the breaks. You can always use the Raal resistor box and a speaker amp you already have if the price is a problem.

*An aside on both Jotunheim and Jotunheim R--take a look at the custom 4-gang Alps RK27 "Blue Velvet" pot we're using, and consider the inexpensive 9mm pots other stuff in the same price range. Maybe ask the other guys about value?

 

No, it costs more, there have been significant increases in transformer and potentiometer costs--and Jotunheim remains the only discrete, high power, great sounding, great measuring, balanced headphone amp with a 4-gang 27mm Alps potentiometer and a linear supply inside the chassis (rather than a wall-wart), designed and built in California, at the same price it was when we introduced it 4 years ago.

 

Is that the same Alps pot used in the Valhalla? There is no channel imbalance even at the lowest volumes and has a smooth torque feel. Fantastic pot.

 

It is a 4-gang version of that pot. More than 2X more expensive. Completely custom. It's not even shown as an option in the Alps catalog.

The only things above the Alps Blue Velvet are exotica like the RK50 ($$$), Spectrol ($$$), the Noble Black (defunct, not made anymore), and then on to craziness like resistor ladders.

 

@schiit - Does the Jot R sound better than the Vidar + box, IYO?

 

Far far better.

IMO, of course.