[BaTou069]

I remember when portable RSA amps were all the rage and highly regarded, even around 10y ago he released a fully balanced portable DAC/Amp "The Intruder", or the amps SR-71B, The Shadow and The Hornet.
Who owns one of these and can compare to modern devices?

RSA hasn't released any new model, neither updated any existing model. Prices are still relatively high compared to what's currently available. I wonder if it's overpriced to todays standards or if RSA still is good value compared to what it delivers

 

[ClieOS]

On the big picture, portable amps market in general have been declining since 10+ yrs ago as the market have moved away. Not just RSA, pretty much every major western amp makers has either stopped making new amp or simply just disappeared. These days, you might find a few Chinese brands that are still making portable amps but in general more are making DAC/amp to be used with smartphone or DAP. In fact, Bluetooth DAC/amp and USB dongle that are aimed toward smartphone user are the most popular these days. Even FiiO, at one point the single largest portable amp maker in the world and shipped over a thousand portable amp per month, has not focused on portable amp or wanting to come up with new model for the last few years. On a smaller picture, I think it is a combination of shrinking market caused by great recession just over 10 years ago, plus Ray himself getting older and less innovative / prolific as a whole, that result in RSA phasing away. These days, especially if you are mainly using smartphone as source, you can find much better value / performance products in the USB dongle / small DAC/amp segment than those aging RSA line-up.

 

[BaTou069]

On the big picture, portable amps market in general have been declining since 10+ yrs ago as the market have moved away. Not just RSA, pretty much every major western amp makers has either stopped making new amp or simply just disappeared. These days, you might find a few Chinese brands that are still making portable amps but in general more are making DAC/amp to be used with smartphone or DAP. In fact, Bluetooth DAC/amp and USB dongle that are aimed toward smartphone user are the most popular these days. Even FiiO, at one point the single largest portable amp maker in the world and shipped over a thousand portable amp per month, has not focused on portable amp or wanting to come up with new model for the last few years. On a smaller picture, I think it is a combination of shrinking market caused by great recession just over 10 years ago, plus Ray himself getting older and less innovative / prolific as a whole, that result in RSA phasing away. These days, especially if you are mainly using smartphone as source, you can find much better value / performance products in the USB dongle / small DAC/amp segment than those aging RSA line-up.

I couldn't agree more about the pure HP amps, in todays world this market became even more niche from what it already was. Devices like the Mojo, Cayin RU6, Hidizs S9pro or BT devices like a iFi Go Blue and so on just make much more sense.
Even I mostly use the
I just wonder if the RSA Intruder, the fully balanced DAC/Amp, is still a strong contestant after all these years.

 

[drbluenewmexico]

I still listen through my Emmilene SR71 and Hornet but they sound a bit slow and nonresponsive to the dynamics of electronic music. Tried to get Ray to recommend a unit to amp up DAP output signal for such but he was noncomittal...and I gave up. Centrance M8v2 is great gear with robust power and fine dynamics but is only digital. They have new analogue portable amp coming out that looks promising but is 800$ or so. But their devices are superb! And have great controls and build!

 

[rodel808]

Still listening to the xp7 (opa627 opamps) and sr71a on a daily. Great amp pairing for my collection of vintage Sennheiser cans. The HD540 Gold is just amazing. I sometimes add a little tube flavoring (tung sol 5670) via a schiit lyr 2 as preamp. Other cans I pair it with are Fostex TR-X00 ebony, Sony MDR-Z1R and Hifiman HE6v2. For really sensitive iems, I use the sr71a. I don't care if they don't measure well compared to today's offering so long they sound great to my ears.

 

[whitefang]

Dacs and amps sound more alike than they are different nowadays.

I was never a fan of RSA products but it does have its "house sound" that is hardly replicable and now I kinda miss them.

If you like that sound then it is worth it.

Not RSA but this is still my favorite portable rig today.

If any of these breaks and i can purchase them brand new at their MSRP, i would do it without hesitation. Unfortunately they are all out of business/discontinued.

 

[daanh]

The intruder is also a DAC, that I hooked up to my mobile phone or Bluetooth reciever. It sounded great with my Fostex TH-600, especially balanced.

I hope to find an equally good sounding new dac/amp with built in Bluetooth. Buying a second-hand Intruder is not a option I look forward to, because of having to change the battery every few years.

What did Ray do to give his amps this special sound?

 

[hmscott]

I have been considering the Fluxlab Acoustics Yolot for driving my Hifiman and 600ohm headphones, like the HE6SE V2 and Beyerdynamic DT990/DT880 600ohm models, and I ran across Ray's website in my ressearch, and I found the "The Dark Star", which looks to be an awesome headphone amplifier:
http://www.raysamuelsaudio.com/products/dark-star.html

Has anyone considered or actually purchased the Dark Star recently, or in the last 5 years or so? Would love to get some info on general usage, comparisons of sound tone and power delivery, and of course any anomolies / limitations you've found.

 

[BaTou069]

I have been considering the Fluxlab Acoustics Yolot for driving my Hifiman and 600ohm headphones, like the HE6SE V2 and Beyerdynamic DT990/DT880 600ohm models, and I ran across Ray's website in my ressearch, and I found the "The Dark Star", which looks to be an awesome headphone amplifier:
http://www.raysamuelsaudio.com/products/dark-star.html

Has anyone considered or actually purchased the Dark Star recently, or in the last 5 years or so? Would love to get some info on general usage, comparisons of sound tone and power delivery, and of course any anomolies / limitations you've found.

I’m sure there is some inactive dark star thread here that you could check out or revive

 

[whitefang]

I have been considering the Fluxlab Acoustics Yolot for driving my Hifiman and 600ohm headphones, like the HE6SE V2 and Beyerdynamic DT990/DT880 600ohm models, and I ran across Ray's website in my ressearch, and I found the "The Dark Star", which looks to be an awesome headphone amplifier:
http://www.raysamuelsaudio.com/products/dark-star.html

Has anyone considered or actually purchased the Dark Star recently, or in the last 5 years or so? Would love to get some info on general usage, comparisons of sound tone and power delivery, and of course any anomolies / limitations you've found.

The DS probably has more power than the flux. Or maybe about the same level.
The gain is non sense and you don't want to use high sensitivity cans on it

It sounded pretty impressive and IMO good match with the HE-6. Overall warm sound, VERY PUNCHY bass. It is more than "fun sound", more like exciting sound.
However it is grainy, not very transparent, not so refined. Not totally in a bad way though, a lot of people do like the "flavor" for it.
I came across quite a lot amps with the HE6 but nothing sounds like the DS.
It is typical RSA signature, somewhat close to the tune of SR-71B and also SR71A. Before you spends thousands you might want to try if you like Rays "house sound" first.