2100 0 Report post Posted November 24, 2005 Just how many things in this world are nearly worth its costs? Nothing much. But i must say the 2 sources I have, TS Lim CD-67SE and James' EAM 963sa, are very very very very very very very good value for money. The Chinese products are actually pretty good, stuff like the Cayin HA-1A. At least I know they cost the same amt as the RA-1 but they have much more stuff inside. I just received my 5 pcs of Victoria Secrets panties! Woohoos.... US$25 for the goods and US$19 for shipping. I opened it up, alas, a "Made in Sri Lanka" sticker in font 20 size awaited me. Wife regretted like mad. Hope she doesn't aim CD, LV or Chanel from now on liao..... Afterwards see if the $299 DT880 or DT770 got discount or not..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2100 0 Report post Posted November 24, 2005 Haha! Makes you wonder whats really underneath all the techflex in the audio cable market. Yup, even for those w/o the thickness, one can still DIY and save quite a bit. Eg, I use vdH D102 Mk III, with decent plugs it's only like 75 bucks a pair. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
av98m 0 Report post Posted November 24, 2005 (edited) Just how many things in this world are nearly worth its costs? The Chinese products are actually pretty good, stuff like the Cayin HA-1A. At least I know they cost the same amt as the RA-1 but they have much more stuff inside. Ah...but more parts does not equal better sound all the time. I'm sure TS Lim will agree with that statement, after looking at his products and design philosophy. Expensive parts also do not always sound better in any circuit, like when Firefox pulled out many of the stock Blackgates in my Rotel and put in cheaper Sanyo, Panasonic and Elna caps in the power supply sections which really improved things. I've spent a lot of time(months) with an RA-1 and a Pimeta(with upgraded parts, alps volume pot etc) and quite frankly, I like the RA-1 a little bit more, esp with Grados, but its also a suprisingly good match with the Senn HD600. I also noticed that hardly anyone had anything bad to say about the RA-1 UNTIL the insides were exposed! Then suddenly it sounds like crap! A case of reverse placebo effect? Check out some of the old head-fi threads on this. Edited November 24, 2005 by av98m Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2100 0 Report post Posted November 24, 2005 av98m, You are also right here. I know what you are talking about, coz I own both TS Lim and EAM modified products. Hmm.... I guess I have fallen prey to that "bigger is better" problem again (think firemen hose cables). Curse "high-end" hifi! Brainwashed. But then if the RA-1 design is really that good, US$100 would be a better price. Then again....!! If it's so cheap then it's not good. Sigh.... Look at Gucci, when they offered $800 lelong sale last year the image immediately dropped. This world is crazy! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fishball79 0 Report post Posted November 24, 2005 Bang for buck aside... The RA-1 is a well designed product. The mahogany enclosure provides vibration control, enhancing some of the resonances like a wooden speaker box would. The capacitors in the outputs also colour the sound. It is all in all designed to give more of the grado sound. The volume pot could be better though.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
N@Z 0 Report post Posted November 24, 2005 The world isn't crazy, it's the people in it that makes it so. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
av98m 0 Report post Posted November 24, 2005 Hmm.... I guess I have fallen prey to that "bigger is better" problem again (think firemen hose cables). Curse "high-end" hifi! Brainwashed. Just to avoid accusations of pot calling kettle, I'll admit I have a fetish for big capacitors and big, expensive volume pots. When my amp was being recased I was toying with the idea of using 10,000uf caps in the power supply, but sanity prevailed and the original 4700uf caps stayed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
adhoc 0 Report post Posted November 25, 2005 av98m, 10000uf caps?! those can kill! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
av98m 0 Report post Posted November 25, 2005 (edited) av98m, 10000uf caps?! those can kill!  I had a couple of them put into my previous cd player. Nobody died and the bass improved. As far as the expensive volume pots go, there's actually a good reason for them. The good ones present the full details and soundstage at nearly the minimum volume,even with the gain set as low as 3, without any channel imbalance or noise. I love the Noble and Alps Black Beauty pots. Haven't had the chance to try a stepped attenuator just yet. There's this nice looking TKD one I was looking at but it costs more than 400 dollars! Ack! What this means is that unless you listen at very low volume levels, you can save your money. Edited November 27, 2005 by av98m Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ccontreras 0 Report post Posted February 22, 2007 Rc 121k Rd 464k C1 4.7uF - 5.1uF C2 0.1uF - 0.12uF Improvements to the RA-1? Caps sizes. Other Opams: Original JRC4556 - JRC2114D - AD826 (no work fine) - OPA2604 JRC4556 - Mylar caps 0,1uF (but with Auricaps is so warn - not work fine for me)) - Auricaps 4,7uF Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
