Hi all!
 
As the title implies I just got some Magnavox 1A9217 electrostatic headphones(from the early 1970's). I do have Koss ones somewhere around here, but their drivers are shot.
 
These were used but look brand new and even had new elements installed. They came with their stock amp, and it's most likely pretty weak. I had to modify the amp to accept RCA jacks as it came with spades installed, but I cut those off and soldered on some RCA's.
 
All I can say is that these were well worth the $75 I payed for them. They sound pretty good and are very smooth and oh the mids! They are just so smooth and revealing and the dynamics and transients are solid. They sound pretty fast to me and the bass is good for older headphones and the treble is a bit rolled off. These sound like they'd be good for late night listening sessions.
 
Will update with more info and pictures as the time advances.
 
EDIT:
 
Nearly four years later, I got these all restored and have them amped properly now.

Looking forward for impression. And I would love to take it off your hand for $76

Nice find
 
Also looking forward to future reviews and photo updates

Indeed I will update this thread after a day or so, but I let these things on for a few hours and they sound much much better than they did before. They have become much more balanced.

Surely that's brain burn in, unless they are NOS.

Well one side broke! Not the driver itself, but the arM that attaches to the cup itself. snapped right off...
 
Oh and about the burn in thing, I don't believe in it.

 
repairable?

Quote:

zombie_x said:

These were used but look brand new and even had new elements installed. They came with their stock amp, and it's most likely pretty weak. I had to modify the amp to accept RCA jacks as it came with spades installed, but I cut those off and soldered on some RCA's.

Click to expand...

You are aware that the box that ships with them isn't an amp?  It's just a couple of transformers with a simple bias supply so you need a speaker amp to drive them. 

OH? I didn't know that at all!! There was no documentation with them! I'll have to hook them up to my dad's two channel amp and give them a try! No wonder they sounded underpowered a bit... but at least I know now!

I'm back and tried them with my dad's speaker amp and it was a nice improvement overall. The soundstage opened up a little bit and now they no longer sound muffled. Will give more impressions later on.