Raven Audio Osprey Integrated

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Joe Spivey, Sep 9, 2019.

  1. Joe Spivey

    Joe Spivey Forum Resident Thread Starter

    I'm starting a thread specifically regarding the Raven Audio Osprey integrated. There is a couple of threads generally discussing the Nighthawk and Blackhawk that go a bit wider in scope but wanted to hear from any current or interested Osprey folks.

    I've have an early version of the Osprey I bought directly from @RavenDave. It's been a few years now and really enjoy my amp. I've used a few different stand-mount speakers and the Osprey has commanded all with with authority. I do love the grip this push/pull amp has on the drivers with articulate and tight bass. Along with detailed highs but never grainy or fatiguing. Really quite smooth and easy to listen to for hours.

    The Avian series is moving into mk3 version which adds a high pass filter that looks smart. I don't run subs at the moment...if I did I would jump on getting it upgraded. One day when I get a larger listening room perhaps...

    So how are others enjoying their Osprey?? Has anyone moved up the chain from the Nighthawk or made the jump to the Reflection or The Raven integrateds?


    [​IMG]
     
  2. Guss2

    Guss2 Senior Member

    Location:
    South Florida
    subbed
     
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  3. RGBARGEE

    RGBARGEE Forum Resident

    Location:
    Heart of America
    I demo'd one of these amps about 2 years ago. I have Harbeth Compact 7 speakers and I found the amp to be great on "uncomplicated" music, acoustic, small vocal groups etc. However, if I played orchestral music or even more complex rock and roll I didn't think the amp could separate the musical parts well. So I sent it back to Dave, who is a really nice guy. He called me a little later to tell me that the amp had not been set up correctly and that that would explain the issues I had been having. (I don't remember the details of this...sorry). Anyway...that and the inability to bias the amp was a bit of a concern to me. What do you think about the auto biasing feature of the amp?
     
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  4. Otlset

    Otlset I think I am I think

    Location:
    Temecula, CA
    Are those Brimar 13D8 tubes in the input? Did they come stock from the factory?

    Brimar 13D8 tubes are the best 12AU7 type I've found (for my system).
     
  5. Joe Spivey

    Joe Spivey Forum Resident Thread Starter

    That's cool you were able to use the home trial period Raven offers. It's a nice benefit and was so glad I had an opportunity to listen to it in my own home! No issues with the auto-biasing. I have a quite a few quads of NOS and new power tubes I run with the amp. I think it works quite good as well. I've gone "under the hood" and measured with a meter and it all specs correctly so it must be doing it's thing.
     
  6. Joe Spivey

    Joe Spivey Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Those are 13D9! And yes, they do come from Dave. He is a tube NUT! There are many NOS tubes he offers when purchasing.
     
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  7. Otlset

    Otlset I think I am I think

    Location:
    Temecula, CA
    Ah. The 13D9 tube is a 12AT7 equivalent. Very interesting that he uses vintage tubes, unlike most other amp makers.
     
  8. Nephrodoc

    Nephrodoc Forum Resident

    Nice amp!
    Been meaning to try the 13D9 tubes. I'm currently running Brimar 6060 Yellow T's on my Blackhawk MK2, I got them from Dave as well.

    I have not heard the MK3 models yet, nor have I had the chance to hear their speakers. I'm content with the Blackhawk, and have had it over a year now. Unless my next speakers require more power, I don't see myself upgrading.
     
  9. Joe Spivey

    Joe Spivey Forum Resident Thread Starter

    He's got it all too. Primo USA and Euro tubes.
     
  10. Joe Spivey

    Joe Spivey Forum Resident Thread Starter

    I've got a pair of the yellow Ts as well. Great tubes. The Brimar 13D9 look very close in construction to the yellow Ts.

    I missed out on hearing the speakers at Axpona this year. I plan on hearing them at the next one. Very interested in those.

    I'd like to hear your Blackhawk with some Zu speakers. Bet it sounds great! You ever run a sub with them?
     
  11. Nephrodoc

    Nephrodoc Forum Resident

    I am not using a sub. When I upgraded to the Raven from my Peachtree amp, the Zu's now have much more bottom end. So a sub is lower down on the priority list now. I'm going to be upgrading my speakers and turntable next, hopefully I can free up some funds in the next year.
     
  12. Joe Spivey

    Joe Spivey Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Well I experienced the same when moving from a Rogue Sphinx to the Raven Osprey... much more controlled and fuller bass. I eventually changed speakers and eliminated the subs all together.

    Sounds like you might be considering Raven speakers...are there others you're interested in too?
     
  13. Echoes Myron

    Echoes Myron Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    They sure are good looking amps!
     
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  14. Nephrodoc

    Nephrodoc Forum Resident

    My somewhat short list:
    Raven CeLest’
    Legacy Signature SE
    Tekton DI
    Focal Aria
     
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  15. Joe Spivey

    Joe Spivey Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Nice list... should be fun listening for sure!
     
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  16. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    i demoed the osprey twice with kef ls50s and a top of the line cambridge cd player and the setup was literally the best sounding system I have ever heard in some ways. it was painted in white enamel and looked like a vintage appliance. hearing the sound of my familiar CDs on that system has charmed me for ever more.
    the price was more than i was willing to spend at the time so i eventually wound up with a blackhawk that sounded very good- but not close to how the osprey sounded.
    if someone owns one and it isnt sounding magical, im positive that there are things that can be done to bring the magic home.
     
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  17. Joe Spivey

    Joe Spivey Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Well I absolutely agree with you! Fits in very nicely in the main living room. I love it's size too.. not too big taking up lots of space and at 35lbs, not too difficult to handle.
     
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  18. Joe Spivey

    Joe Spivey Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Credit to Avanti! It was his posts here at SHF regarding his listening impressions of Raven Audio that initially peaked my interest. Thanks mate :cheers:

    Did you get a chance to hear Raven speakers at Axpona? Come to think of it maybe they hadn't launched yet....
     
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  19. Blue Gecko

    Blue Gecko Peace

    Location:
    Wisconsin
    Any guess on tube life (hours) on the integrated?
     
  20. Joe Spivey

    Joe Spivey Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Well I'll answer with a generic, "a long time". I don't believe the power tubes are pushed or stressed too hard in their application. Personally no tubes have given up the ghost for me. Another point is the amp doesn't run hot... just a nice warmth to it.
     
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  21. RavenDave

    RavenDave RavenDave

    Location:
    Chita, Texas
    Thanks Joe and everyone else for chiming in here. The new CeLest' speakers will be finished before the end of next month. We'll have all of the first 50 pairs ready by Friday the 13th of September~! The few that are completed now are going to reviewers and have been with us on the road to the shows. You can pre-order them for $3,995.00 and take delivery before Halloween. But don't feel like you will be stuck with them. Everything we do has a full money-back guarantee. You can audition them for up to 6 weeks and still get all your money back if you don't sincerely and absolutely love them. Since they are not Chinese made stuff we can ensure they will all have the quality of a Dallas Steinway grand piano finish. These are very very special speakers for a very special price. Sure, you can get a cheaper speaker pair, but as I said, we guarantee them to be shockingly good or you can just ship them back for a refund. Like our amps, we don't expect any returns... but we have to give you the chance to decide that for yourself. The bottom line is, we don't want anyone out there to have Raven Audio gear that they don't absolutely love.
     
  22. RavenDave

    RavenDave RavenDave

    Location:
    Chita, Texas
    And it was kind of nice to revisit the first original Osprey prototype that Joe owns now. It was built into a Blackhawk LE chassis and for a while had that same faceplate. The new faceplate looks like it should now, with the new MK3 LED's that match the tube glow. That's the last original Osprey faceplate I had in stock. And what used to be done by hand in our little shop here in Chita Texas, is now done in College Station using the newest tech available. The new chassis are a bit larger than the older ones because of the subwoofer filter and the new PC board that is a tiny bit over 1/4" thick now and made of aerospace composites instead of fiberglass, and traced with 3 oz. 99.95% oxygen free copper in the audio pathway. So everything is really nice and heavy. As the tech progresses, we will progress.

    The new aerospace machines at the new manufacturing shop are among the best in the world. After all, these are the same guys that built the boards, assembled and wired the circuitry for the Mars Rovers. The ones that were supposed to be good for 18 months, but are still crawling across the planet well over a decade later~! The ladies that do the wiring harnesses and hand soldering are awesome, and the newest member has been there for over 8 years. It took almost 3 years of waiting and begging to get us into that manufacturing shop. They do a lot of NASA and military stuff. There are weeks when they are shut down with heavy security in the parking lot too. So, there is that. And we got to see one of those big electric semi trucks from SpaceX picking up stuff. So I think we are mighty lucky to have these guys building the Raven Audio Avian Series products. And so are our customers. Each amp is now an almost perfect clone of the rest. QC is down to the microscopic level. All of this makes for a much better product in the end... so we are very excited about what is coming next. I just can't wait until you guys hear the new MK3 stuff.
     
  23. IGD Positive

    IGD Positive Forum Resident

    Location:
    Inner groove
    Will you be at CAF this year?
     
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  24. Joe Spivey

    Joe Spivey Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Hi Dave, thanks for chimming in! Love hearing about the new materials and labor going into the production of these amps. The lights are a nice touch with the mk3s. Looking forward to hearing some of your speakers. Could be moving soon so a trial with your floorstanders would be fun!!
     
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  25. Guss2

    Guss2 Senior Member

    Location:
    South Florida
    Good to hear that business is booming Dave. Raven is on my shortlist of must audition made in the USA products, so please, keep up the good work. I'll be keeping an eye out for the reviews of the new speakers, they look awesome. Gary
     
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