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Great thread. I decided to save my cash and not buy a $24K DAC I had been planning on fo a while. I have a Yggi+ LIM and love it on my slightly bright office system. I have a slightly darker system in the Livingroom and this thread helped me decided to get a Yggi+, but in this case the MIB. Having 2 Yggi's will help me $$ wise to upgrade my amp in the Livingroom.

If a headless server is one that does not have a mouse, keyboard, or monitor then that is what I have for my ROON Core setup. A $500 Dell computer that automatically starts up each morning at 7AM and shuts down at 2:30AM. I have the DELL under a bed in the guest bedroom. I RDP into the server if I ever need to reboot the machine (sometimes on ROON updates). I use fibre optic for streaming so whatever cheap component resides before the fibre does not matter, at least to my ears. That ROON Core serves up 3 ROON Endpoints perfectly. Convolution filters will also stream perfectly, though I am not currently using any. BTW - I heard the new RAAL 1995 Immanis and Magna headphones that were at Axpona with both the RAAL VM-1a amp and a SS amp. Wow is all I can say. I am selling some gear to raise money and get in line.

I am trying to quickly find a proper cable for the XLR1 output of the Serene so that I can test out the new RAAL 1995 Magnis and Immanis that I am getting to my home this week. I only found out yesterday that the phones will be coming my way. (55) RAAL 1995 headphones, Magna and Immanis | Headphone Reviews and Discussion - Head-Fi.org I have the RAAL VM-1a tube headphone amp | Schitt Mjolnir V3 preamp/headphone amp | Schitt Aegir amp | Benchmark AHB2 amp to all try with the 2 new phones. I would also like to try the Serene preamp directly with the phones. The Serene is connected to the Aegir amp via RCA so I will hear some of the preamp. However, I am also looking to hear the Serene naked on these phones. Does any use that XLR1 output with headphones and if so, what cable do you recommend? For RAAL gear they have special cables, I was wondering if that was the case for the Serene. Yes, I have tried to contact Tim at HoloAudio – Serene Pre-Amplifier | Kitsune HiFi - HoloAudio USA However, no response yet so I thought someone on this thread would have some ideas.

The combo of the Serene, CODA #16 amp with my Yamaha NS5000 speakers is great in my Livingroom. Though I think it is the very impressive Schitt Yggi+ Less is More DAC that is the secret sauce in this mixture. I was listening to Sinead O'Connor's A Drink Before the War and had shivers with this combo. I never heard it that good before. This is a pairing I am keeping long-term though my final item to get is the PlayBack Designs second or best DAC. The Yggi+ would go to my office system or vici-versa. I have also heard the Serene with a PeachTree GAN400. Another good combo with the GAN400 not really at the same class as the Serene. I am using the GAN400 has a headphone amp for my RAAL SR1a and CA-1a in the office. I no longer own this amp but I am 100% sure that the KRELL Duo 175XD would sound amazing with the Serene. In fact, I may replace the GAN400 with the Duo 175XD or Duo 300XD (both used). Cost and size of the amp keep me using the GAN400. I also own the Benchmark LA4 preamp and have switched the Serene and LA4 back and forth between the office and Livingroom systems. In fact, the goal was to use the Serene in my office. However, I sit a bit off-center and the Balance Control in the LA4 ends up with a better sound than the Serene. It is not just the Balance that attracts me to the LA4. It is also a bit sharper sounding than the Serene, which for my ears is a plus. The Serene and LA4 are rather similar sounding, with the Serene a touch warmer and the LA4 a touch clearer to my ears. Not selling either, though the idea of getting the Benchmark HPA4 preamp to easily incorporate my RAAL phones made me think I needed to sell one of the LA4 or Serene. The Serene was the one I would have scarified to make that work. This week, I sold the very best headphone amp for the RAAL phones, the VM-1a. I want to get close to the sound of the VM-1a in a convenient manner. The following post explains what I figured out for both the LA4 and Serene. https://www.head-fi.org/threads/raal-ribbon-headphones-srh1a.890603/page-465#post-17685298

To answer the question from above about the Convolution filter. I have had Mitch create a Convolution filter for my 2-channel system in the past and it was a life saver for the speakers I had at that time. When I used the SR1a with the old RAAL adapter box and certain amps, I needed the old SR1a convolution filter. I get fatigued very quickly when the sound is not correct. I tried the new SR1a Convolution filter with the SR1a and VM-1a and I found the sound missing something. I do not have time to pinpoint the actual issue I have with the combo, so I just removed the filter and listen to the VM-1a for both the SR1a and CA-1a without filters. That combo seems to work the best for me. Perfection. I have tried various DACs with the VM-1a. Before I got the VM-1a, I used the Musetec 005, which was amazing with both my 2-channel and SR1a. I used the old RAAL adapter box then. I also used the old Convolution filter (about 50% of the time). When I got the VM-1a, the Musetec was awful with it. In fact, Danny at RAAL concurred with that opinion. I then put in the brighter Benchmark DAC3B and it was a lot better. After that I put in the Lumin X1 which was a bit better. All my streaming is done via Fibre Optic. After reading your review of the Schitt Yggi+ LM I gave that a try and that was even better than the Lumin X1 on the SR1a, CA-1a, with the VM-1a and also my 2-channel. So, thanks for that review, you saved me money and provided me better sound. I have not used the new SR1a convolution filter with the TL-1b adapter box, but likely will do so since I am getting the Benchmark AHB2 amp for my office 2-channel next week and it will also be used with a RAAL 25-foot cable from the amp to the TL-1b so that I can use the phones in another room. The AHB2 is not ideal with the RAAL phones for my ears and the Convolution filter could save the day.

Need to compare this with the VM-1a amp + CA-1a, without any convolution filters, the Yggy+ Less is More DAC (or dCS DAC), and RAAL Star8 headphone cable. I do not think the VM-1a sounds as good with filters. The filters are great, I own 3 sets from Mitch, but not with the VM-1a amp. I also have the Tl-1b interface. The Tl-1b comes awfully close to the VM-1a, which is a major accomplishment,, but I think it cannot reach the upper level magic of the VM-1a. The music path to the headphones is cleaner and shorter with the VM-1a compared to the TL-1b. BTW - a CODA #16 amp + the TL-1b interface is also something special, though not as good as the VM-1a.

The new Tl-1b adapter gets you closer to the very best RAAL SR1a sound, which is with the RAAL VM-1a tube headphone amp. The TL-1b is extremely good and much better than the old RAAl adapter box. I use the TL-1b with a CODA #16 and a modded PeachTree GAN1 (great amp). You can also run very long cable from the amp to the TL-1b and then have a short headphone cable to the phones. My long wire is 25-foot and the headphone cable is 6-foot. All these cables are from RAAL so I know they will work for the intended purpose. I have Mitch's filters but do not use them with the VM-1a. I used to use them with my old adapter box. I will consider them again with the CODA#16 and the PeachTree. A nice DAC/streamer combo with the SR1a or CA-1a is the Lumin X1 DAC/Streamer. I am in the process of upgrading that DAC and streamer to the Playback Designs Dream DAC and PBD Stream-IF streamer. The Stream-IF is the best streamer I have owned. A bit better than the Sonore OpticalRendu and Lumin X1 (both used fibre). Though I am not even using the very best part of the Streamer-IF, the fibre optical Plink. The SPDIF to my Benchmark DAC3B is amazing via the Stream-IF.

I have had feedback from an owner of the Benchmark LA4 and the Holo Serene saying that they are very similar with the Serene a touch warmer. I was going to buy a second LA4 from my new Livingroom system but I am now thinking of giving the Serene a shot. Mostly for the similar form factor, since it would physically match nicely with my Musetec 005 DAC. I would place the Serene on top of the 005. Anybody else compare these 2 preamps?

@bbosler I tend to agree with your DAC comments. I have a Benchmark DAC3B (a little bright but love it), and 2 Musetec 005's for my office and Livingroom. The Benchmark is for the RAAL VM-1a headphone amp. I looked at your A'gon profile and could not see what DAC you currently use. Do you mind sharing that? BTW - We have similar tastes in amps. I also use Benchmark AHB2 monos for my office KEF LS50 Metas and a KRELL Dou 175XD as my office RAAL SR1a headphone amp.

If anyone is looking for an excellent integrated amp for the SR1a and or CA-1a the following amp was mine and I sold it to the guy selling it again on this link. This amp was so good that I ended up upgrading to the KRELL Dou 175XD which is a bit better. I am posting this here because the seller is a friend. Krell K-300i (150 wpc Integrated) with internal DAC option. Black For Sale - US Audio Mart One of my SR1a setups is a Musetec 005 DAC | CODA 07x preamp | KRELL Dou 175XD amp that replaced the functionality of the KRELL K-300i listed above. A lot more money for an incremental improvement. I use this system for my 2-channel also (preamp has dual XLR outputs), so that made sense to upgrade. BTW - the Benchmark DAC3B I like so much with the VM-1a can be improved upon. I would love to hear what people are using with the VM-1a.

I am very curious to hear which DAC's people like with the RAAL VM-1a. I have a Musetec 005 DAC (2 of them for 2 systems). I love this DAC on my speakers, but not on the VM-1a. My Benchmark DAC3B, which is a little bright, sound amazing on the VM-1a and what I use now with the SR1a and CA-1a.

I recommend upgrading your SR1a to the new RAAL-Requisite VM-1a tube headphone amp and use a neutral DAC with it (I have not tried a warm DAC with it yet). This amp is better than ANY 2-channel gear on the SR1a (no amp interface box). It is also better than the RAAL-Requisite HSA-1b amp. The new RAAL-Requisite CA-1a headphone, that also works with the VM-1a amp, is also something special.

The RAAL VM-1a amp is indeed the very best way to hear the SR1a. I have heard all the dedicated SR1a amps and many 2-channel amps. The new KRELL XD amps come close to the VM-1a, but they have to go through the amp interface box and a dedicated SR1a amp. like the VM-1a, does not. Waiting on delivery of the VM-1a.

I would have been interested in this unit as a gift for my teenage nephew but it does not seem ready for prime time. BTW - great choice of KCRW on the picture above. I recently bought 2 more classic tuners to listen to this station over FM.

I am also a little nuts with my RAAL SR1a. I should first say that the CODA 07x preamp is incredible with the RAAL. I have tried 2 other preamps with the SR1a (Topping pre90 and Benchmark LA4). The CODA 07x also has dual XLR outputs so I was able to run one set into my SR1a amp and the other to my 2 channel amp for my office floor standers. I also have the Accurate Sound Convolution filter for the SR1a and my floor standers. However, I no longer use either one. Changes I made to the room and also my RAAL SR1a gear made it not so essential. I will redo the filter for my floor standers in the future. The RAAL SR1a needs a lot of power. The power meters on one of my amps confirmed this to me. The meters danced more with the RAAL SR1a than with my power hungry floor standers. Here are the amps I have used with the RAAL. - D-Sonic M3a 800s (lot of power, cheap, Class D. Pretty good results) - LSA Voyager 350 GAN (modded by EVS). (excellent clarity after the mods,, however it sounded a little lean on SR1a) - Benchmark AHB2 stereo and mono (what the RAAL designer uses, but too bright for me. My favorite amps with speakers) - CODA #8 (great sound but not as clear as the AHB2 or modded LSA Voyager. Sold the Voyager and kept the better overall #8) - Parasound A21+ (a surprising result, I love the pairing with the SR1a, I currently use this in the office with the SR1a) The very best amp with the SR1a is none of the above, it is the KRELL K-300i integrated. It is very smooth, very powerful, and has enough detail for the very detailed SR1a. This amp is one that really makes you relax on 2 channel speakers. Thus, this is a great match for the SR1a, which can be bright. I use the KRELL in my bedroom with a Accuphase tuner. My KRELL has the internal DAC and it also supports ROON READY streaming so it is a very clean solution. I prefer the KRELL K-300i to the CODA 07x and Parasound A21+ SR1a combo of my office. though that could be because I am laying in bed and super relaxed when listening to the KRELL. It was suggested to me that I should check out the upcoming RAAL tube amplifier, however, I do like this rolling of amps that I can do with the CODA 07x. My next decision is whether to get the new RAAL SR2a (in 2022) or a second (better sounding) SR1a for my bedroom. The SR1a is not ideal for putting your head on a pillow. Though I do make it work by raising my head up on pillows. The SR2a would be ideal on a pillow but does not have that incredible SR1a 2 channel sound.