Expectation extraction. "More fluidity and density. Lightness and fullness. Ruggedness without loss of micro detail. More seductive and complex." After tonal balance—possibly in parallel to it, even before—an attentive listener curates a system for its textural balance. Its end stops are sharp/incisive and soft/mellow. It's about the relative weight we place on transients vs decays. A 'front-loaded' tuning focuses on the leading edge, a 'back-foot' voicing on the trailing edge or decay. An attack-centric balance mirrors the nearfield or 1st-row seats where direct sound dominates over reflections. A reverb-laden choice mimics the far-field or central balcony seat which hears more blended reflection-rich sound. One maximizes dynamics, excitement, clarity, separation and damping. It's a lit-up staccato tuning. The other emphasizes gentler transitions, richer tone and more elastic fluidity. It's a darker legato tuning. Personal preference can set a system's textural needle anywhere between these two end stops; or opt for an extreme. As in all other areas of life where balance matters, combining two extremes to have them coexist at full intensity is impossible. The very existence of an extreme demands maximum distance from its opposite. Like '+' and '-', they otherwise cancel out. Intermediate values imply an automatic reduction of an extreme. As our audiophile journey explores various permutations of tonal and textural balance, we come to learn our personal ideal then attempt to manifest it with our final hardware selection. Dragan's descriptions suggest that his current circuit gains of more fullness and ruggedness involve no sacrifices to resolution or clarity. Against this brief paragraph, that's quite a claim. It's what my listening would focus on. Having already reviewed Hyperion Ge and Armageddon, Dragan knew my sonic/music tastes, hardware and approach. He'd best match my review request to one of his four new models. Agony of choice? Not when the creator would decide.
A new combination of frontal gold trim with black no longer gold grills.
About Hypnos: "Back in 2019 we launched the HSA-1b which direct-drove Raal's SR-1a ribbon headphones without an output transformer. This led to ribbon-direct headphone amplifiers under the Raal-Requisite brand. Our extensive experience in manufacturing circuits of this type now led to Hypnos whose topology is a hybrid like its Astræus predecessor. Its discrete output stage is a quasi-complementary topology without ICs. This allows efficient matching of the NPN-type output transistors and minimizes their current-gain offsets. Their MOX emitter resistors use very small 0.1Ω values to reduce losses from the very high current peaks where ribbons can hit 7A. This behaviour makes it difficult to match output transistors hence a quasi-complementary pair is one of the best solutions. It's a quite complex task but one we encountered and solved earlier with our first ribbon-direct models. Such an amp's impulse response is vital to let ribbon headphones express their fullest potential of holographic imaging. The Hypnos input stage uses our new permalloy-core transformers which guarantees identical sonics from the RCA and XLR inputs because it avoids any extra parts on XLR.
"This is followed by a 99-step remote-controlled passive attenuator without op-amp or discrete buffers to transfer the signal without their typical colourations. The next stage is a 6N1P Russian 9-pin twin triode operated at 60% higher voltage than Astræus for even finer 3D imaging. This tube was chosen after testing ECC88, E88CC, 6N23p and 6922 for its more complex yet simultaneously more relaxed presentation. Its special EV version we use guarantees 5'000 hours of working life. The new 4.4mm output will appeal to many IEM fans and there is even a baffle-step compensation switch for the legendary winged Raal SR-1a/b and Alex's forthcoming open-baffle ribbons. Hypnos is extremely load agnostic and all outputs can be operated simultaneously without any impact on sound quality. Into speakers, Hypnos delivers 20wpc/4Ω where Astræus was limited to 8Ω with 6Ω minimum. Hypnos also offers improved S/NR." From Astræus the new flagship inherits the memory function whereby the amp remembers two discrete volume settings for two different loads/outputs to facilitate rapid comparative swaps between them; and remote control to support Hypnos as speaker amp where unlike in most pure headfi scenarios, placement could put us out of reach of its volume knob.
About Armageddon MkI [€7'700 ex VAT]: "A larger more efficient heatsink allowed us to push the output stage deeper into class A. The new input stage now combines permalloy transformers with single-ended PNP transistors and the 99-step volume control inherited from Astræus offers four times higher adjustment resolution. Speaker power is 15/30wpc into 8/4Ω, headphone power 4wpc/32Ω. Max allowable input voltage is 8Vrms, input sensitivity 0.6Vrm for full power. Three of its outputs can be cut by -5 or -10dB to accommodate loads of higher sensitivity." Ribbon-direct drive remains for Perseus and Hypnos, remote control and memory function for €9'400 Astræus and Hypnos in the new Ultimate range. Discontinued are the HSA-1c, PDA-1b, Hyperion GE and standard Armageddon. About the €11K SE version of Astræus, "input stage voltage acceptance is now 8Vrms or 25Vpp to accommodate hotter sources together with a lower 10kΩ input impedance for higher S/NR. The tube stage now sits behind the transformer inputs and volume control then direct-couples to the Germanium transistors." Post Shanghai, Dragan's promotional priorities had clarified. "Our Italian dealer organized a Perseus review with their domestic magazine Suono so my current focus is on Hypnos, Armageddon MK-1 and Hyperion LF. I won't have review samples of the first two models for at least another month if not longer since we're currently prepping a larger lot for China. We should probably aim for Hyperion-LF." Serbia's ongoing exclusion from the EU levies high VAT on their exports to EU countries. Dragan had the additional challenge of organizing an EU dealer who'd be happy to receive a sample, pay for it then ship it to me before taking final possession. Hyperion generates 12/10wpc into 8/4Ω to look at speakers happy on such a diet then shelves down to 3wpc/32Ω and 0.3wpc/300Ω. Its input stage can handle up to 4.5Vrms. Full power generates with already 0.5Vrms. Not only can even narrow-chested sources get into Hyperion's bed. There's no advantage to a hot mama. You'd only trigger deeper resistive attenuation on the amp. That burns off more signal as heat. Stick to standard or low-gain types. Not being a balanced circuit, RCA will be the purist's choice. Dimensions are 30.5x24x10cm WxDxH, weight is 5.5kg, max power draw a studly 50W, 1/3rd that at idle.
"In Serbia, the physical distance between Alex and I is ~240km. However, that doesn't stop us from seeing each other very often to exchange experiences and impressions. It is a truly beautiful relationship. We listen carefully to each other. Alex is the one person to whom I owe the fact that I even started building commercial amplifiers. Our exchange of experiences and impressions is extremely enriching for us both. It is characterized by honesty and deep goodwill. Alex's ribbon headphones have enabled me to test my amplifiers with serious—one might even say reference—sources. Today he truly sits on the throne of headphone sound quality with new standards. This gives me opportunity to rediscover subtle nuances and musical details and make them accessible to audiophiles through our amplifiers. With Hypnos and Perseus, you can drive his ribbon headphones without the impedance-matching output transformer and its extra umbilical. It's not just more convenient when an amp can drive ribbons like any other headphone type. Everything becomes much more elegant and some new details appear. Direct ribbon drive is becoming the new standard in the realm of high-end amplifiers. So far, many still fail to realize this option without losing quality in the presentation. Here we have a lot of experience since we have been making direct-drive amplifiers for Raal ribbon headphones since 2019." Three other brands that offer their own ribbon-direct drive are Allnic, Solaja and Woo. As non-OTL pure tube solutions, they all precede the final load with output transformers. The ribbon tap simply adds extra windings; or as in Allnic's case of an otherwise OTL platform, "the optional 0.2Ω 'direct drive' output implements their hand-wound silver/nickel/permalloy balanced transformer". The SAEQ amplifiers don't use output transformers. That's how their direct drive differs from competing pure valve amps. In the past, the only true direct-drive alternative was Schiit's now long discontinued Jotunheim R. I still have mine. At present availability, Woo's all-transistor $8K WA12 Zircon is that alternative. That more elite headamps now sport male XLR4 shows how Raal's ribbon tech evolved from initial obscurity into full SummitFi recognition which ambitious designers support with their own dedicated outputs. On that route, Dragan Domanovic simply has quite the head start; and a uniquely—um, direct relationship with Aleksandar Radisavljević. It's how he knows of forthcoming open-baffle models which will once again require baffle-step compensation like the original SR-1a/b. It's why Hypnos offers it already.
Added Alex, "I asked Dragan to add the OB EQ feature not because there's some concrete plan behind it yet but because he's not planning to make any more flagship models in the next two years. During that time, I might want to revisit OB. If I do, it would be nice to have an existing flagship SAEQ amp ready. We just want to keep the options open for both of us. In the meantime, SR-1 owners can already make use of the feature. Speaking of direct ribbon outputs and baffle-step EQ, the next one with that feature will be a new Trafomatic 300B amp. Aside from the three you mentioned already and the upcoming Trafomatic, there is also the Auris Audio Headonia 300B II with ribbon-direct output. It is very nice to see all of this being accepted and incorporated in excellent amps."
… to be continued…
