Grado RA1 Battery Powered Headphone Amplifier

by Grado

Product Details

• Item Weight: 2 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 11 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• ASIN: B00076VEGG
• Item model number: RA1 BATTERY
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
  • #66 in Electronics > Accessories & Supplies > Audio & Video Accessories > Headphone Accessories > Amps
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

The best way to enjoy the stunning quality of Grado headphones is with the Grado RA-1 Battery Powered Headphone Amp. Built from a solid block of mahogany, the RA-1 uses a pair of audiophile op-amps with high-current output capability and wide bandwidth to deliver true, clear and lifelike sound into your headphones. Two nine-volt batteries will drive the amp for a full 40 to 50 hours. Just hook it up to any line source -- portable or in the home -- and luxuriate in the warm, smooth, and full-bodied sound that has built Grado's world-wide reputation for high-quality headphones.

What's in the Box
Grado RA1 Headphone Amplifier, user's guide, and registration card.

Product Description

After years of relying on other equipment to drive Grado headphones, you can now listen and enjoy headphones through our new Grado Reference Headphone Amp, the RA1. Designed for state-of-the-art performance and specifically to play Grados, the new RA1 will allow you to hear your headphones like never before. This new amp is machined from a solid block of mahogany and measures 5" wide, 5 1/2" deep and 1 1/2" tall and weighs in at 12 oz. The RA1 is available in an AC version or can be powered by two 9-Volt batteries that will drive the amp for 40 to 50 hours of listening pleasure. And the sound? Just like all Grados: warm, smooth, full-bodied, non-fatiguing and rich. Hook it up to any line source (portable or in-home) and drive your Grado headphones to their full potential.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars almost as good as entry level, May 8, 2010

By 

banzairun (Plano, TX United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Grado RA1 Battery Powered Headphone Amplifier (Electronics)

This sounds similar to some of the Altoids amps that hobbyist began making in the 1990s. It is made up of cheap opamps in a fancy wooden cigar box but it's still better than the headphone jack of most components. The hobbyists that made those Altoids amps (literally in little tin Altoids mints boxes) continued to revise, improve, use newer opamp chips, and better components... so this headphone amp is not nearly as good as those are. Avoid.
[spelling corrected - Thanks, internet! -ed]

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Consistant, color free power., December 14, 2010

By 

Darren La Salle (Melbourne, Fl United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Grado RA1 Battery Powered Headphone Amplifier (Electronics)

Since discovering Grado Headphones, I find that I HAVE to keep mine with me when I am out on the road. I find this unit to be the only way to travel with my power hungry cans.

This little mahogany wood unit does a great job substituting for my home set up. It does not alter the sonics nor does it skimp on providing the power of my home setup. In short, it keeps me happy and looks good doing it. Highly recommended.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good choice with Grado headphones, December 4, 2010

By 

ACE (Here and there) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Grado RA1 Battery Powered Headphone Amplifier (Electronics)

I think most of the negative press comes from those using the Grado RA1 with phones other than Grado, and I'm not going to say they're wrong. The RA1 is an excellent choice with Grado phones. I'm using one with the GS1000 and it's a great match. It's pretty much common knowledge in the audio community that Grado headphone amps are optimized for Grado headphones, just as Grado phono preamps are best suited for Grado cartridges.