Entered CNET Catalog: 03/05/2005
SKU: RA-1 AMP BATTERY POWERED
Manufacturer: Grado Labs
Manufacturer description
After years of relying on other equipment to drive Grado headphones, you can now listen and enjoy headphones through Grado Labs' Reference Headphone Amp, the RA1. Designed for state-of-the-art performance and specifically to play Grados, the RA1 will allow you to hear your headphones like never before. This amp is machined from a solid block of mahogany and measures 5" wide, 5 1/2" deep and 1 1/2" tall and weighs in at 12 oz. The RA1 is powered by two 9-Volt batteries that will drive the amp for 40 to 50 hours of listening pleasure. And the sound? Just like all Grados: warm, smooth, full-bodied, non-fatiguing and rich. Hook it up to any line source (portable or in-home) and drive your Grado headphones to their full potential.Product summary
The good: Audiophile-grade headphone amplifier; elegant solid mahogany case.
The bad: You'll hear a loud pop through the headphones when you turn the RA1 on or off; only the RA1-HG model plays loud with non-Grado 'phones.
The bottom line: This remarkable little amplifier brings out the best sound from your headphones.
Editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 03/11/2005
With measurements of 5 inches wide, 5.5 inches deep, and 1.5 inches high, the RA1 is tiny enough to fit anywhere. It weighs just 12 ounces. Connectivity is restricted to a pair of RCA analog line-level inputs and one 1/4-inch headphone jack. Buy a Y cable, and your RA1 will drive two sets of headphones; likewise, an 1/8-inch adapter (also not included) can be used to connect standard minijack-equipped headphones.
To assess the sound, we compared the RA1 to the headphone jack in our old $1,500 Pioneer VSX-27TX receiver using our Grado SR125 headphones. The Pioneer actually sounds pretty good on its own, but on the Ladykillers CD soundtrack, the RA1 clearly delivered deeper, better-defined bass, and the gospel singers sounded more natural. Switching back and forth, the Pioneer consistently sounded harsher, brighter, and more aggressive.
On DVDs such as The Matrix Reloaded, the differences between the Pioneer and the Grado were less obvious, but for audiophiles who crave the best sound, the RA1's greater clarity will add a new dimension to the listening experience. To put it another way, the RA1 made the Grado SR125 headphones sound like more-expensive headphones.
We noted two small snags with the RA1: Even with its volume control turned up all the way, it wouldn't play all that loud with other brands of headphones. Our Ultrasone HFI-2000 headphones never made it past moderately loud. That's why Grado introduced a "high-gain" model, the RA1-HG ($425), for use with other brands of headphones. Second: When the amp is turned on or off, you'll hear a pop sound through the headphones. We got around that problem by removing the headphones from our head when we switched the amp on or off.
The Grado RA1 is a welcome addition to any listening station, but even the battery-powered version is a bit hefty for toting around. Listeners on the go can opt for HeadRoom's BitHead headphone amps instead--both are more affordable and portable than Grado's luxurious offering.
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