The Stax thread (New) - Page 676

a year. or two.

honestly if you don't know what you're doing and there isn't a known safe way to drain off the power reserve caps in the particular design you're tinkering with, and it's a high voltage design like any and all 'stat amps and most tube amps of any kind, just be careful.

the key with high voltage circuits is that if you're not SURE the power is drained out of the caps, you can only touch it with one hand at a time.

If you draw that current between right and left hands, that path goes across your chest, and there's a fair chance that you'll stop your heart.

So, the oldtimers from the golden age of vacuum tubes used to say, keep one hand in your pocket.

If you've only got one hand in it and you get zapped, chances are it will just hurt like hell. I hear that high voltage DC feels a bit like getting whacked with a hammer. I've been lucky enough to avoid it.

Unless u know how to bleed the capacitors, I suggest don't try to touch anything with your bare hands.

As Victor suggested, use a hairdryer to blow the dust... What I do is I use those compress air tin with the nozzle that I use for my photographic equipment to dislodge the dust first, then with the vacuum cleaner on the other hand suck up the dust, this way you don't blow dust to places that you don't want it to land. NEVER use your mouth to blow off dust.

The dust that are caught at the foot of the capacitors are particularly stubborn, I use a really long anti static brush to remove those there, then use the vac to suck them all up.

Before working on a tube amp it's always a good idea to measure the voltage on the capacitors and then drain them with a resistor. You can also just short them with a screwdriver (insulated handle though) but it's not a good idea as they can blow up and there is quite a bang. One of my screwdrivers still has the scars from where I accidentally touched one of the capacitor terminals in the KGSS I was working on...

You are not that far off...

I know this is probably a long shot....but I was wondering if a Woo GES owner could maybe show/post some internal shots.(either here or send them to me via PM)

The bottom is extremely easy to remove if you are apprehensive. (6 screws)

Much thanks in advance !

There were some photos someone posted in the last month or so - I'll have to rack my brain to figure out where I saw them, because I really don't want to open mine.

EDIT - best I can find

I think I've got it figured. Decided to post it up in case I make a boo-boo.

Thanks Larry...yeah I have seen this one. (from the Woo site)

Still hoping someone can come through with some other pics. I need to know where the elusive 1uf interstage coupling cap is. (I have my doubts that there actually is one of that value or one at all)

There are
10X .22uf (interstage coupling)
4 X 2.2uf (output)
and supposedly
2X 1uf (also interstage)

No 1ufs to be found

This one certainly can come handy.
Thanks a lot!

No prob, glad to share. But hopefully I got it right though.

That is correct. Nice picture you made. You might want to check out this thread too.

I've looked through my stash of internal pics (which I can't share) and I don't see any 1uf caps nor are there any in the schematic. Why are you looking for them?

I did actually. But the problem (a small one though) was that the position of the left+ and Left- for the Stax male pin-out in that thread was opposite from the one in the Headwize page (in this one, its labelled right+ & right-). Though I guess it wouldn't matter as you'd be listening to both sides just that it would be reversed depending if you got it right. Maybe I'm just nitpicking...

"HE60 Pinout?" Thread
http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/he60-pinout-373565/

"Headwize" Thread
HeadWize - Project: All-Triode Direct-Drive Amps for Electrostatic and Electret Headphones by Kevin Gilmore

The phase is correct in your diaphragm.

I ask because they are listed on the Woo website and as you said any pictures, the schematic, etc. None to be found.

the two 1uf are probably refering to the gain stage feedback caps, (c2 in the original gilmore-all-triode schematic, though they were supposedly 4uf ).