RSA B-52 Review on enjoythemusic.com

[purk]

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/superioraudio/

Not a bad review but I wish the reviewer did a better job at reviewing the B-52 as a headphone amp rather than pre-amp. I'm wondering how well does the B-52 handle the R10, Qualia, and L3000.

[JBLoudG20]

heh, where is Kevin?

[deepak]

I wouldn't use it with low impedance headphones. It sounded like ass with the PS-1, the HR-2/PS-1 sounded much better.

[hYdrociTy]

And, of course, it is undeniable that blocking out extraneous sounds ? which are always there in my downtown Chicago apartment ? promotes a degree of concentration and focus on the music that is quite different from ordinary listening

That's some HD600 he got from ray. Military grade isolation.

[n_maher]

Headphones are not normally my choice for listening to music, except of course for iPod/Walkman duty on long trips. I have never cared for the feeling of having something clamped around my ears

Uh yeah, at this point I think I'll pretty much ignore what this guy has to say about headphones as an audiophile listening experience. The comment about the HD600s providing isolation seals the deal.

[Salt Peanuts]

Kinda opposite of what enjoythemusic.com did when they reviewed Stealth year or so back - the reviewer didn't bother testing it as a preamp since it's output impedance was too high in his book.

[kevin gilmore]

heh, where is Kevin?

Lets see, a one tube preamp. Yeah, great stuff. Gag me with a spoon.

$5k+ for a one tube preamp with no remote control and no switching

and a noisy switcher for the filament supply.

Is that better...

[aerius]

Gag me with a spoon.

Valley girl

She's a valley girl

[Guest sacd lover]

I wouldn't use it with low impedance headphones. It sounded like ass with the PS-1, the HR-2/PS-1 sounded much better.

I thought the B52 was supposed sound the best ever with PS-1's from the Head-Fi meet reviews.

[deepak]

I thought the B52 was supposed sound the best ever with PS-1's from the Head-Fi meet reviews.

If it was I wasn't hearing it, the bass was truly terrible. I thought it sounded much better with the HD600 balanced.

[Guest sacd lover]

If it was I wasn't hearing it, the bass was truly terrible. I thought it sounded much better with the HD600 balanced.

That makes more sense given how high KG said the output impedence was. But, I have read more than one post exclaiming how good the PS-1 is with the B52.

Didn't Iron Dreamer say that in the one CA meets?

[bhd812]

I thought it sounded much better with the HD600 balanced.

out of every headphone I tried this is the match made in heaven. I never heard balanced 701's but at a few meets I was impressed with the 701 and b52 combo. my issue is getting a 701 balanced with a 20ft stock cable, if anyone knows if i could then please point me to the direction.

i read the isolation part in terms like "headphones isolate you from the world" instead of actual isolation for the headphones.

I have a feeling this is just a start of the reviews for this bad boy, can not wait till Stereophile gets their hands on one. of course the reason is I having the first made production so of course i am interested.

[boomana]

I liked the B52/PS1 combo. It was close to a year ago when I heard it, so I'll leave out time-addled impressions, but I've since heard PS1s on systems I liked and didn't like, and I remember liking that one quite a bit. I should have a chance to hear it again in a couple weeks, so I'll see if new impressions match old memories.

[philodox]

The PS1 wasn't bad out of the B52 when balanced... certainly not the best combo I've heard, but not hideous. It definitely did a better job with the K340's than the PS1's, but I ultimately preferred my amp. [which also sounds better with the Grados, though again not perfect]

[Nanoha]

That makes more sense given how high KG said the output impedence was. But, I have read more than one post exclaiming how good the PS-1 is with the B52.

Didn't Iron Dreamer say that in the one CA meets?

What? Iron Dreamer said something good about a RSA product? Oh shit.

[Iron_Dreamer]

LOL I certainly don't recall saying that I liked the B52/PS1. I don't really like the PS1 as it is. Let alone Ray's pair with gawd-awful heavy wiring which makes the headphone even more uncomfortable, and ratshack pads which make it bassier/boomier.

I've only listened to the B52 once that I can recall, over a year ago. Nothing great, nothing awful, just a garden-variety balanced amp, and quite an expensive one for what it is. As I owned a Headamp Reference at the time, which certainly sounded better to me, the B52 at 3x+ the price drew little interest from me, other than to oogle at it's hugeness and exposed parts when Ray cracked 'er open.