Making a thread for the RAD-0!
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I’ll post some more detailed thoughts another time, but I will say that it fits my preferences perfectly, and I would say that if you’re a ZMF fan, then the RAD-0 sounds like a planar that was designed for ZMF fans, with a slightly warm, but detailed sound, with plenty of slam.
I have the regular tuning. I have heard the bright tuning that a friend had chosen for his model, but it was on his setup, and I didn’t have mine on hand to compare. His bright model still sounded like a RAD-0 to me, and he confirmed that he tried all three tunings at Rosson before they custom built his, and the differences aren’t huge.
I first heard a tour loaner and this was the first time I put on a pair of headphones and was immediately smitten, and I messaged Taron at headphones.com that day to ask him what he had available.
What don’t I like about it? I don’t understand why they chose to use 3.5mm headphone connectors but then rewired them to be incompatible with aftermarket cables for Focals.
And it is also the most uncomfortable headphone I’ve tried, because it focuses all the weight into one bump in the strap, which feels like an exercise in trepanning after an hour or so, to the point that I had to wrap a dishcloth around the headband to prevent any pain, much to the amusement of my wife. This was less of a problem with the RAD-0 that I bought, as it was a little lighter than the loaner, but it was still an issue. Luckily, this was easily solved by a suspension strap made by rustyrat on the headphones.com forum. It slots into the RAD-0 headband without damaging it, and I can now wear the RAD-0 for hours without any discomfort. Reach out to rustyrat if you have this issue with your RAD-0.
These are my original unboxing pictures.
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I’ll add that if you ever get aftermarket cables, the holes in the headphones are very narrow, so make sure that the connectors will fit. The Eidolic extended tip plug that Peter uses on his DHC cables fits perfectly.
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I think the focals are also pretty small slots and DHC had mini slim 3.5mm that fit the bill. PlusSound also has the slim extended 3.5mm like you pictured.
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I’d like to try a RAD-0 one day, seems to fit my sonic preference quite well and some of them are gorgeous
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You’re in California, aren’t you? Are you close enough to their office in Reseda to arrange for a demo?
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I’m in northern California (sf bay area) so a bit far but I’ll probably buy one some day and use it at home to audition, only real way to test headphones imo
Wait, what? Are they phase swapped or something?
Well damn. Wish i had seen this tin time i just got back from a trip up that way and would have been more than hapoy to drop them off. Just fwiw ill probabaly be selling my set in a month or so
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Not sure if this helps, but on the website where they sell the RAD-0 cables, Rosson has diagrams of the pinouts:
XLR:
1/4":
Basically rather than using Tip and Shield on the 3.5mm connectors, they wire them in such a way that if you swap the L/R connectors over you get no sound.
If the cups were wired together at the headphone, with that arrangement it would be possible to have it such that regardless of how you connect the cables to the headphones, L and R are always the correct way around, but the Rosson’s don’t do that.
So basically when you use a Stereo Y-splitter (TRS unbalanced to 2x TRS unbalanced), it just works.
Is alright with me!
I legit am not seeing the problem. This is exactly how focal clear and susvara are wired as well. Focal stock cables wont work cause they use 3.5 mono connecotrs but everything else should. Its standard practice to tier the tip and ring together for basicaly all aftermarket 3.5 cables anyways
Has anyone here ever bought B stock from Rosson?
I’m interested in how your experience was/is, and what if any blemishes you noticed?
Thanks!
Has anyone here tried the Rad-0 on tube amps?
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I had one with the mz3 for a little bit. I wasn’t too much of a fan. They didn’t wow me. Maybe it was the pairing but just didn’t care for it.
I know some really like them tho.
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I own the RAD-0, and have tried them on a few different tube amps with the goal of replicating the solid state drive.
RAD-0 on tube amps suffer a similar fate that other planners suffer on a tube amp, not enough current unless it is juiced up from an amp like the WA33 or one of the ampsandsound offerings. Basically talking about greater than 3 watt output, which stuff like LTA or DNA do not push up. Obviously they will drive them, don’t think you are getting the best synergy out of that.
Which tube amp do you use?
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Thanks. In that case, I’ll probably use it with a GS-X Mini. I don’t have a tube amp atm but I’m considering buying one in the near future. What was your favorite amp pairing with the Rad-0?
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You are very welcome.
I have a few SS amps and three of them work well with the RAD-0 in different ways;
Pass HPA-1 is my favorite overall pairing as it provides a fast/tight presentation a shade warmer than neutral;
Naim XS3 integrated amp via its headphone output (which is ironic as these headphone outputs are usually crap) this gives the RAD-0 the most neutral sound. Essentially gets out of the way and lets the source and RAD do their thing;
Bryston BHA-1, when I want a bit more relaxed and good bass thumb this is the amp I use. It can give a bit of a wider presentation which provides more of an oval soundstage rather than a circle.
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As @Camus said, the RAD-0 will sound better on a tube amp that has enough current for planars, even though it obviously isn’t ultra-hungry like a Susvara. I have an ampsandsound Nautilus and really like it on that.
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