Could this be my forever amp? [S.M.S.L RAW-HA1]

NOTE: The above linked page describes the unit as a 'headphone amplifier'. Don't worry. It drives loudspeakers just fine. And headphones.

DISCLAIMER: This amp was sent to me for review. Other than this and any affiliate links there is no payment or approval involved, so I can say what I like and I've said it.

00:00 Introduction
01:13 Unboxing
03:04 My forever amp
05:05 Power specification
08:02 Why my forever amp?
10:35 What's missing?

EQUIPMENT USED TO MAKE AUDIO MASTERCLASS VIDEOS

Disclaimer: Videos on this channel may include affiliate links and may feature software that has been received free of charge with an NFR (not for resale) licence, equipment that has been loaned or donated by a manufacturer or distributer, or equipment that has been bought for less than full retail price.

[michaeldeloatch]

I am so playing this unboxing music on Christmas morning at our house as the grandpups tear into their packages. You rock, Mr. AM.

[AbsoluteFidelity]

One of these chinese companies better start coming out with dual sub outs and an adjustable HPF. Then power would be less of a problem. Im still waiting but until then, Ill stick to my legendary and trusty 3 year old SMSL DA9 which has never been turned off and is still going strong like a champ.

[michaeldeloatch]

Vinyls, hell! I want proper EQ curves for my shellac while we're at it.

[LevelCyclery]

after all these years of listening, owning numerous amps, playing with musicians..finally im happy with my SMSL Da-9...such simplicity and the great job it did...why should i find another never ending route?..

[kbjerke]

Back in the 1970s, I was an audio *NUT!* Had tube amps and pre-amps, equalizers, reel-to-reel tape machines, turntables, (*NOT CHANGERS!!*) speaker systems that occupied most of a large room, etc. Then everything changed and I found myself in another consuming (EXPENSIVE!) hobby and forgot all about Audio. Then in the 90s I got back into it again! And again, out, in the 2000s. Yep, another expensive hobby. Guess I'm just fickle, LOL! But those were good times, indeed.

[cunawarit]

Since I’m using powered speakers, I don’t really need a “forever” amp! 😄 I do still have my old NAD 310, which I bought new many moons ago, but I wouldn’t consider it a permanent fixture. It’s old enough that it’ll likely need a capacitor replacement at some point, and I don’t feel strongly enough about it to avoid swapping it out for an Aiyima or Fosi Audio amp when the time comes.

[Douglas_Blake]

The differences between 1/4 inch and 1/8 inch trs is about 1/8 of an inch.
Aside from a bit of added strength in the bigger one, there's no advantage to one over the other.

[peters]

Those must be the biggest NS10 speakers I have ever seen.
And while -20 LUF might be mandatory in the UK, in practice switching from a BBC HD Freeview channel & many of the SD channels can result in an audio level change of nearly 20dBA, as measured on a noise level meter. Huge level jumps between program & adverts is also common, thus in my opinion the LUF regulations are not worth the paper they are printed on.

[mcaik]

I had great success with SMSL raw DAC and AO 200mkii. This should be even better

[trevorbartram]

I listened to the SMSL AO300 for two weeks before concluding it was inferior to my references (Panasonic DVDA player & NAD amp) & sent it back. I believe the RAW-HA1 is a rebadged AO300. AO300 performance & functionality were perfect but sound quality on audiophile CDs was disappointing, a real pity. Trouble is I don't know which of the devices (Cirrus DAC, NJW1194 volume/tone control, Infineon class-D power amp, power supply) in the signal chain is at fault. Perhaps it's better to go with separates, the search continues!

[TheFrugalAudiophile]

A lot of the modern AV receivers let you store settings presets, including volume. Even some of the cheapest models from Denon have this option. Of course, then you would have to have a much larger amplifier in your set up.

[mark]

I love old sony integrated amplifiers. I'm using a ta-f35 at the moment. It's a simple integrated, but it's high quality. With a great sounding phono section. I also have thr f45 and f55, but I like the linear power supply of the f35. At least for now.

[ModernClassic]

YouTube's volume difference drives me crazy too. I watch a ton of YouTube but I also watch the other streaming services with my wife and I am constantly having to turn my receiver up and down as a result. I've quickly memorized the two volume settings on my new Onkyo; 45 for YouTube, 65 for everything else. Someday maybe we'll have playback devices that can assign volume on a per-app basis. I don't know how to deal with this for now without just manually adjusting the volume every time I go back and forth.

[jimdavis]

I am confused about RMS power. I realise that if you multiply the RMS voltage across the load by the RMS current through the load you end up with what I call true power. If you plot the power waveform dissipated in the load using a sinusoidal signal, you end up with a strange waveform which is not sinusoidal and never goes negative because you can't have negative power. Many years ago when I was at college, my lecturer said that power is an imaginary quantity because you only really have current and voltage that are real.

[tomehCanada]

Renting music instead of owning music, statements of real power output, broadcast loudness limits, remote controls, AB blind tests, magical cables, hifi fuses, and on and on. You must be my age with a similar background?? Carry on up the audio river my friend. Well done. From Tom eh in Canada.

[davidmorgen]

Do You have any experience with any Classic vintage H.k amps. Im ( currently) using a rotel integrated mk11. A real nice sounding amp perhaps to polite at times..I miss the guty ness older harman kardon how about You? Since I live in an apt i always try to keep bass at A minimun or zero bass if I can help it..of course if you go thriifting for used (hifi) specially amps it best to make dam sure it not only works but the amp does not produce any extrenious unwanted noise. ..My tates range from Folk to prog an Mimalist as wellfrom Robert Wyatt to king Crimson, Yes The Nice as well as Richard Thompson..Nick Drake well you get the idea.?..i am a tinkerer an am learning about amp mod s an cable mods as well Thanls..

[SnapperX]

I would appreciate updates! I have a Loxjie A40 which has some quirks which revealed themselves over time.

[kbjerke]

I have a couple of milk crates of vinyl in the basement... Thanks for the video!

[jworthe]

Liked for the Jeremy Clarkson reference!

[DonaldOsborn-gp]

6:30 I've owned 2 smsl products, didn't get 24 hrs out of either remote. Don't know why I even bothered with this video being that the company is dead to me.