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The Stax thread - Page 139  

post #2071 of 2675
2/1/07 at 6:57am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by sadaqut View Post
Hi, This post is very informative, however I would like some specific information. If someone can help me then please send me a private message. Best Regards,
I guess the definition of 'informative' is somewhat subjective. What do you want to know?

Gear mentioned in this thread:

Koss ESP-950 Electrostatic Stereophone
$632.45 at
See it »
post #2072 of 2675
2/1/07 at 7:16am
I've always been curious of the stats sound, and this thread is giving me the bug too!. I've seen those srd-7 in the bay, but I guess it is not a pro box, right?:

post #2073 of 2675
2/1/07 at 7:19am
Quote:
Originally Posted by mirumu View Post
All I know is if that is what colored sounds like then I like it.
I'm with you there. It's all about finding the sound you like and sticking with it.

The Omegas would surely sing with 2kV behind them.
post #2074 of 2675
2/1/07 at 7:21am
Quote:
Originally Posted by fjf View Post
I've always been curious of the stats sound, and this thread is giving me the bug too!. I've seen those srd-7 in the bay, but I guess it is not a pro box, right?:
No it's a normal bias only
post #2075 of 2675
2/1/07 at 7:21am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by fjf View Post
I've always been curious of the stats sound, and this thread is giving me the bug too!. I've seen those srd-7 in the bay, but I guess it is not a pro box, right?:
The two versions of Stax transformer box with pro bias outputs are the silver SRD-7/mk2 and the black SRD-7 Pro. The former has the same case as the SRD-7 pictured above, only the writing is different and the back has banana-plug sockets rather than screw terminals.

There is also the novel idea of buying a Stax amp (SRM-1 anybody?) or low bias headphones, both of which seem to have fallen out of favour for no good reason.


Quote:
Originally Posted by spritzer View Post
The Omegas would surely sing with 2kV behind them.
And with three?
post #2076 of 2675
2/1/07 at 7:31am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Carl View Post
The two versions of Stax transformer box with pro bias outputs are the silver SRD-7/mk2 and the black SRD-7 Pro. The former has the same case as the SRD-7 pictured above, only the writing is different and the back has banana-plug sockets rather than screw terminals.
My SRD-7 MK2 has screw terminals rather than banana plugs. It's probably some weird version though like my self-biasing SRD-6 (it's not a SRD-6/SB).

Quote:
There is also the novel idea of buying a Stax amp (SRM-1 anybody?) or low bias headphones, both of which seem to have fallen out of favour for no good reason.
Indeed. If my O2s weren't around the normal bias SR-X Mk3 would keep me quite happy.
post #2077 of 2675
2/1/07 at 7:32am
Quote:
Originally Posted by mirumu View Post
It's not quite that bad. A stax amp will still have a pre and power stage internally just as an integrated amp paired with a transformer would. The difference is a dedicated electrostatic amp will try to achieve the large voltage swings by having a gain stage that boosts many times more than normal amplifier. Of course not just any component will be able to achieve the large gains involved hence the use of tubes like the EL34 with their 800V max plate voltages. Personally I'd like to hear a dedicated electrostatic amp made with something nicer than the 12AX7s and EL34s that seem to be the usual choices. Having said that I don't think I'm going to be dropping my transformer for a dedicated amp any time soon, Carl has suggested I get a nice 300B based amp in the meantime which I'm thinking is a good idea. Still annoyed I missed out on that ESC-1001 though.
The ES1 can use 7403/3D21 with adapters as well as the EL34/6CA7s as output tubes and possibly others. I will check with Mikhail. As far as gain tubes for the two stages you can use the following (some require adapters):

Direct Plug-in
12SN7
8SN7
6SN7
6BX7

5687 adapter
5687,
7044,

ECC adapter type 1
12CG7,
8CG7,
6CG7,
12AX7,
12AT7,
12AU7,
ECC99,
6414,
7062,
5965,
5963,
5814A,
5844,
ECC99,
PCC99,
ECC182,
PCC182

ECC adapter type 2
6DJ8,
6922,
PCC88,
ECC88,
ECC189,
E88CC,
CCA,
6ES8,
9B

Loctal Adapter
14N7,
7N7,
7AF7,
7F7,

6350 (adapter),
6463
6456,
ECC99,
ECC182

2c51 adaptor

2C51
5670
Bendix 6385
WE 396A


Happy Listening!
post #2078 of 2675
2/1/07 at 7:39am
Thread Starter 
Not one direct-heated tube. This makes Carl sad.
post #2079 of 2675
2/1/07 at 7:43am
What would be some examples of direct-heated tubes? I can ask Mikhail if an adapter would be possible.

Happy Listening!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Carl View Post
Not one direct-heated tube. This makes Carl sad.
post #2080 of 2675
2/1/07 at 7:51am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Carl View Post
And with three?
Even better of course...

The most famous DHT is the 300b but there are alot of others. I doubt that an adapter is available but it would open up a whole new range of tube rolling...
post #2081 of 2675
2/1/07 at 8:01am
Hey, Carl, I've seen in another thread that you have an Illusion ESC-1001 pro energizer. How good is it (compared with the srd7)?. How do you purchase it (and how much does it cost)?.
post #2082 of 2675
2/1/07 at 8:16am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by abs@nilenet.com View Post
What would be some examples of direct-heated tubes? I can ask Mikhail if an adapter would be possible.

Happy Listening!
10/10Y/VT25/801A
841
26
50
45
46
47
71A
01A
20
3B7
1H4
1G4
1G6
1D5
1B5
1C5
1LD5
1LE3
3D6
2A3/5930
3A5
5A6
PX4
PX25
300B
320B/32B
6286
845
211
212
572B
GM70
GK71
811A
813
4P1L
75TL, 100TL, 150TL, etc
....

Well, you get the idea.
post #2083 of 2675
2/1/07 at 8:20am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by spritzer View Post
Even better of course...

The most famous DHT is the 300b but there are alot of others. I doubt that an adapter is available but it would open up a whole new range of tube rolling...
What is sad is that the 300B is far from the best sounding DHT. Heck, there are direct heated pentodes I'd sooner listen to. Go figure, I guess.


Quote:
Originally Posted by fjf View Post
Hey, Carl, I've seen in another thread that you have an Illusion ESC-1001 pro energizer. How good is it (compared with the srd7)?. How do you purchase it (and how much does it cost)?.
I do. I got it at auction. It's a fair way more smooth and organic than Stax's offterings.
post #2084 of 2675
2/1/07 at 9:27am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Carl View Post
What is sad is that the 300B is far from the best sounding DHT. Heck, there are direct heated pentodes I'd sooner listen to. Go figure, I guess.
True, I've never quite understood the following this tube has. My favorite use of the tube is the OTL 300b amp that Atma-Sphere created with special loudspeakers just to show people that the tube wasn't all that special...
post #2085 of 2675
2/1/07 at 10:09am
All this talk about amps and voltages has me thinking of my Acoustat rig! Let's see, those amps put out 5.4 kV peak-to-peak via a balanced output. Bias charge is also 5.4 kV. A bit high for stax, yes?

Seriously, though, this has me thinking of padding down the 5.4 kV power supply, which has a 1900 V transformer going through a voltage tripler stage. Perhaps I could have a custom transformer made to end up with about a 1000 V swing peak-to-peak at the output? Of course I would then need to make a dedicated bias supply.

That brings up a question... I'm hearing about 800 and 1000 V swings on the audio outputs, but are you guys all sticking with the standard bias voltages?
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Gear mentioned in this thread:

Koss ESP-950 Electrostatic Stereophone
$632.45 at
See it »
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