junki
100+ Head-Fier
I'm surprised there isn't a thread for this guy, so I'm starting one.
Product page: http://www.arcam.co.uk/products,rSeries,Accessories,rHead.htm
John Grandberg (@project86) put the rHead on InnerFidelity's Wall of Fame. The Master Switch listed it as one of the best headphone amps of 2018 while stating, "we’re going to go on record and say that this might be one of the best solid state amps we’ve heard."
Well, these guys have heard more than their fair share of audio equipment, and I just happened to be on the market for a new signal chain for my Sundara. After the disappointing pairing between the Massdrop CTH and the Sundara, I have been on the lookout for a great class A solid state amp, and despite this amp not being well marketed on my freedom and fast food side of the pond, I felt it was a no brainer to pull the trigger on the Arcam rHead.
It arrived today all the way from the Queen herself.
What are my impressions? Well, as I told a friend:
Or, more likely, I'll just keep on listening.
As of this post, the rHead is available on Analogue Seduction for roughly $250 shipped to the US when it once MSRP'd for a buck shy of $600. In my opinion, for this level of engineering and sound quality, it's an absolute steal. My Sundara has never sounded so good.
Product page: http://www.arcam.co.uk/products,rSeries,Accessories,rHead.htm
John Grandberg (@project86) put the rHead on InnerFidelity's Wall of Fame. The Master Switch listed it as one of the best headphone amps of 2018 while stating, "we’re going to go on record and say that this might be one of the best solid state amps we’ve heard."
Well, these guys have heard more than their fair share of audio equipment, and I just happened to be on the market for a new signal chain for my Sundara. After the disappointing pairing between the Massdrop CTH and the Sundara, I have been on the lookout for a great class A solid state amp, and despite this amp not being well marketed on my freedom and fast food side of the pond, I felt it was a no brainer to pull the trigger on the Arcam rHead.
It arrived today all the way from the Queen herself.
What are my impressions? Well, as I told a friend:
The rHead is seriously good. I can't quite put my finger on it. There's this naturalness, smoothness, creaminess, and remarkable listenability with its sound. It sounds really good, but I can't yet figure out why. Two things immediately jump out: the borderline glare that I'm so accustomed to hearing with the Sundara on some recordings is completely gone. Just utterly vanished. The other thing is that the bass isn't as pronounced, but I can't say that it's diminished either. I think it's just more taut and less boomy?
I'm very pleased so far. This is exactly the sort of amp I was looking for with my Sundara. Class A, transparent, discrete analog volume control, all designed by Cambridge-trained engineer and Arcam cofounder John Dawson. I might write up something more detailed after I've wrangled further with what this is I'm hearing.
Or, more likely, I'll just keep on listening.
As of this post, the rHead is available on Analogue Seduction for roughly $250 shipped to the US when it once MSRP'd for a buck shy of $600. In my opinion, for this level of engineering and sound quality, it's an absolute steal. My Sundara has never sounded so good.
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