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An electrostat noob's Stax O2 + KGSS vs. dynamic headphones (photo) - Page 2

post #16 of 276
7/14/07 at 3:38am
*Drool*!! Wow!! Can someone please send Elephas their HE60 so he can test them on the KGSS? I want to see what he thinks of them
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post #17 of 276
7/14/07 at 3:46am
Quote:
Originally Posted by milkpowder View Post
*Drool*!! Wow!! Can someone please send Elephas their HE60 so he can test them on the KGSS? I want to see what he thinks of them
Well, you have the HE60...
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post #18 of 276
7/14/07 at 4:07am
Quote:
Originally Posted by krmathis View Post
Well, you have the HE60...
You mean you don't have one yet!?!? For shame!
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post #19 of 276
7/14/07 at 4:19am
Quote:
Originally Posted by krmathis View Post
Well, you have the HE60...
What would I do without my precious?!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Elephas View Post
I'm already very impressed with the O2.

Some initial impressions:
  • Extremely refined
  • Smooth
  • Excellent soundstage, imaging and notes separation
  • Deep, impactful, textured bass
  • Superb with classical music
  • Warm and a bit dark-sounding
  • Lacking some treble extension?
  • Lacking some details, especially compared to the R10 and W5000?
I concur with most of your impressions (apart from the last one for I have heard neither of them). My thoughts were similar when I compared the O2 to the HE60, K701, HD600, HF-1, T2 and other generally brighter-sounding headphones. Smooth, refined, dark-sounding and excellent soundstage come to mind. The treble isn't as prominent as some other headphones, but I find that it doesn't really detract from listening enjoyment.

Classical music sounds superb, but IMO, the O2 does jazz even better. It recreates the jazz-house ambience (where possible, ie if the recording permits) much better than the HE60 does. To my ears, the HE60 and K701 are headphones which have more of a "reference" sound. They're colder (especially the K701) and don't really have any aspects which particularly stand out (in the case of the K701, the midrange may sound recessed compared to others). The HE60 also sounds more focussed than the O2, ie the attack and decay are more precise. However, the O2 really has a bass response which I'd love my HE60 to have. It's deeper, warmer and more powerful.
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post #20 of 276
7/14/07 at 4:21am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Carl View Post
You mean you don't have one yet!?!? For shame!
Correct!
..and you don't have an SR-007. So we are pretty much even.

'milkpowder' want someone to send a HE60 to 'Elephas'. When he own one himself that he can send to him...
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post #21 of 276
7/14/07 at 4:23am
Quote:
Originally Posted by krmathis View Post
Correct!
..and you don't have an SR-007. So we are pretty much even.
Ahh yes, but I don't want an SR-007, so that's different.
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post #22 of 276
7/14/07 at 5:23am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by catscratch View Post
Electrostatics in general do tend to have a more relaxed presentation of detail. It's all there, but not quite as shoved in your face as a similarly detailed dynamic headphone would be. Still, the most detailed headphone I've ever heard was a dynamic (Qualia 010). Not that I ever heard the O2 to begin with so I should STFU and /slap myself.
Brighter headphones with more forward treble do have the potential to seem deceptively more detailed.

Would someone come over and slap some sense into me, and delete that blasted infernal "HF" bookmark?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Michgelsen View Post
Why didn't you go electrostatic earlier?
Er, I'm an idiot?

I heard the SR-007 and 007tII once before, at an audio show last year. Source was a Lavry Gold(!). It sounded very good, but it just didn't seem "worth" a move towards electrostatics at the time.

Also, I like to listen to a wide variety of headphones. They all sound different and have different strengths and weaknesses. The availability and selection of electrostat headphones and amps seemed very limited to me.

Quote:
Originally Posted by milkpowder View Post
Can someone please send Elephas their HE60 so he can test them on the KGSS?
Please, have some mercy. You know I would just have to keep it, and be reduced to begging and offering the owner anything.

Jazz playlists are queued up. Jazz At the Pawnshop first up.
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post #23 of 276
7/14/07 at 5:44am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Elephas View Post
Also, I like to listen to a wide variety of headphones. They all sound different and have different strengths and weaknesses. The availability and selection of electrostat headphones and amps seemed very limited to me.
There sure are more dynamic than electrostatic headphones out there.
But take a quick look at this list and you will find that there are "some" electrostatic headphones to choose from:
My Stax Earspeaker, amplifier and energizer units guide
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post #24 of 276
7/14/07 at 6:32am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Carl View Post
Ahh yes, but I don't want an SR-007, so that's different.
Saying something like this can cause you a world of troubles...
Btw. did you get my pm?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Elephas View Post
Er, I'm an idiot?

I heard the SR-007 and 007tII once before, at an audio show last year. Source was a Lavry Gold(!). It sounded very good, but it just didn't seem "worth" a move towards electrostatics at the time.

Also, I like to listen to a wide variety of headphones. They all sound different and have different strengths and weaknesses. The availability and selection of electrostat headphones and amps seemed very limited to me.
Dynamics and electrostatics are about even when it comes to availability of top shelf models. It's true that most of the electrostatics are vintage models but the reliability is excelent and a 35 year old Stax will mop the floor with a HD600.
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post #25 of 276
7/14/07 at 6:51am
Thread Starter 
I'm ashamed to admit after more than two years here I'm still very ignorant about electrostatic headphones. That's the reason for the thread title.

For example, I wasn't sure if electrostat headphones needed to plugged in when powering up the amp, or if I could unplug and plug it back in during operation. Some searching helped.

Thanks for the info, though there's this nagging suspicion that you guys aren't really "helping" me.
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post #26 of 276
7/14/07 at 7:00am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by krmathis View Post
I haven't seen this before.

Oh, no...what's this...

Quote:
HeadAmp Blue Hawaii Special Edition (coming soon-ish)
and this...

Quote:
Energizers:

Pro bias (5 pin connector):

* SRD-7 Pro
* SRD-7 MK2

non-Stax (but have a Stax Pro connector):

* illusion ESC-1001
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post #27 of 276
7/14/07 at 7:10am
Thanks for the pic. One day I'll try out electrostatic world.
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post #28 of 276
7/14/07 at 7:18am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Elephas View Post
I haven't seen this before.

Oh, no...what's this...
Quote:
HeadAmp Blue Hawaii Special Edition (coming soon-ish)
A limited edition Blue Hawaii amplifier, off which 10 units will be built by HeadAmp.
More info here:
Quote:
Originally Posted by krmathis View Post
Here are a short summary of what he (Justin) told me:
  • I will be building 10 of them
  • Parts of the amp might actually be blue
  • It will be a two box unit built much better than the original Blue Hawaii, with many circuit and component improvements. It will also have both Stax and HE90 jacks, like the Aristaeus.
  • There won't be any wood, and the front panel won't extend past the edge of the box (the amplifier chassis will have heat-sinks as the left and right sides of the box, like many power amplifiers).
  • The metal finishing will be the same hand polished as the Aristaeus, and the same laser engraving.
  • It won't be as deep as the regular Blue Hawaii, because moving the power supply to a separate chassis will allow the amplifier chassis to be smaller. However, it will only be in the depth that it will be smaller than the original (about 12" compared to 16"). It's not possible to build the amp smaller than this. The power supply chassis will be about 1/2 the size of the amp chassis.
  • Some of the more major changes I'm making to the Blue Hawaii will involve giving it a more tube-like sound.
  • The estimated price is $3295. I hope to have it released in 2-3 months.
  • I will do the KGST, but not any time soon. I just like doing the limited editions on the electrostatic amps.
  • Because of the influx of HE90 owners on Head-Fi, I will definitely be paying more attention to performance with HE90 and not just Stax.

Quote:
and this...
Quote:
Energizers:

Pro bias (5 pin connector):
  • SRD-7 Pro
  • SRD-7 MK2
non-Stax (but have a Stax Pro connector):
  • illusion ESC-1001
Simple told, a box which allow you to power electrostatic headphones with a regular speaker amplifier.
Connects to the speaker output on the amplifier and to the mains (for bias voltage), then plug headphones into the front of the box.

Here are a picture showing three variations (my energizers):
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post #29 of 276
7/14/07 at 7:34am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Elephas View Post
Thanks for the info, though there's this nagging suspicion that you guys aren't really "helping" me.
Sure we are...
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post #30 of 276
7/14/07 at 7:40am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Elephas View Post
I'm ashamed to admit after more than two years here I'm still very ignorant about electrostatic headphones. That's the reason for the thread title.
No need to be ashamed!
Electrostatic headphones were unknown to the rest of us at some time as well.

Better to arrive here late, than never!

Quote:
Thanks for the info, though there's this nagging suspicion that you guys aren't really "helping" me.
We are just helping you out.
We have some knowledge about electrostatics and love to share this knowledge with new people. he he
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