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KOSS ESP-950 Thread - Page 11

post #151 of 967
3/20/12 at 1:34pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by maverickronin View Post


But they are planar drivers which are very susceptible to backwave cancellation.  They still need to be sealed on the ear side.



The ESP-950 are electrostatic, not orthodynamic.

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post #152 of 967
3/20/12 at 1:42pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by dagothur View Post

The ESP-950 are electrostatic, not orthodynamic.


'Stats are also a type of planar driver.  The diaphragm is flat, like a plane and driven over most or all of its surface.  It contrasts to "normal" divers with some kind or cone, dome, or other curved surface.

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post #153 of 967
3/25/12 at 3:39am
Thread Starter 

Trying my ESP-950's out with a Stax SRD-7 and a clone F3 JFET power amp.  Sound is very good.

 

Amplifier produces about 10~15 watts / channel. Power seems completely adequate - this setup will drive the ESP-950's as loud as I can physically tolerate, and more, with no hint of running out of steam.

 

Wow, this amp gets HOT. Been a while since I've used it, forgot how hot it runs.  I've used it on some speakers, and on HE-6 headphones.  Always runs really hot.  All these F3 clones do, and so do the factory F3 amps.  Even though there's LARGE heatsinks, the JFETs are biased VERY high, a TON of current is going through them. Well- not a TON, but several amps anyway.  (Wonder how many amps a TON of electrons would be? Let's see, mass of an electron is about 9.1 × 10^-34 metric ton.  So a ton of electrons would be 9.1 x 10^34 electrons. An amp is 6.3 x10^18 electrons per second, so a ton of electrons per second would be 1.5 x 10^16 amps.  15,000,000,000,000,000 amps. 15 quadrillion amps.  No, there's only something like maybe 3 amps flowing through this JFET I'd guess.  So, really, it's SOMEWHAT lower than a TON of current.wink.gif)

 

SRD-7-setup.jpg


Edited by milosz - 3/25/12 at 4:04am
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post #154 of 967
3/25/12 at 10:58pm

^ This is your portable rig correct?  tongue.gif

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post #155 of 967
3/26/12 at 2:24pm

Looks like it.

Just add a few of these and he's ready to roll out the door.

 

bands1.jpg

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post #156 of 967
3/26/12 at 5:11pm

..........


Edited by thelostMIDrange - 4/2/12 at 4:01pm
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post #157 of 967
3/26/12 at 5:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by thelostMIDrange View Post

hey fellers, welcome me to the koss 950 club. Being thoroughly impressed with the little koss ksc75's for $16, I just plunked down a fiver for the 950's. Looking forward to hearing the koss electros....I'm wondering whose ears designed these? John/michael ? this design has been around awhile it seems. Is there consistancy over the years?  thanks for any history/info..........



Congratulations! A great electrostat.  Hope you have a decent electrostatic amp to drive these babies.

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post #158 of 967
3/26/12 at 6:38pm

.............

 

 


Edited by thelostMIDrange - 4/2/12 at 4:01pm
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post #159 of 967
3/26/12 at 9:36pm

They really are a nice phone that doesn't get enough respect. They were actually introduced before the R10s. I had them (2 pairs) for a long time (long ago).

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post #160 of 967
3/27/12 at 1:03am
Quote:
Originally Posted by thelostMIDrange View Post

oh, i've got one/

 

 



What might that be?

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post #161 of 967
3/30/12 at 1:24pm

Has anybody used these with the stock energizer and a regular solid state amp?  If so, how well does that work?  I'm thinking of getting these in the fall since my purchasing my NFB removed the funds for obtaining them this Spring, but I don't want to have to add the expense of a speaker amp.

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post #162 of 967
3/30/12 at 7:09pm

I too would love to know about a solid state amp + the 950 combo, something like the Burson HA160 known for excellent imaging and staging qualities.

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post #163 of 967
3/31/12 at 7:33am

You don't need an amp with the ESP-950.  The supplied E/90 energizer serves the same function as the Stax driver units and requires only a line level input into its RCA jacks (or 1/8" mini-plug). 
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by swbf2cheater View Post

I too would love to know about a solid state amp + the 950 combo, something like the Burson HA160 known for excellent imaging and staging qualities.



 

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post #164 of 967
3/31/12 at 9:08am
Quote:
Originally Posted by WilCox View Post

You don't need an amp with the ESP-950.  The supplied E/90 energizer serves the same function as the Stax driver units and requires only a line level input into its RCA jacks (or 1/8" mini-plug). 
 



 


But if I so desired, I could simply use my NFB as a pre-amp/DAC with it?  That was my original question.

 

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post #165 of 967
3/31/12 at 4:16pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by dagothur View Post


But if I so desired, I could simply use my NFB as a pre-amp/DAC with it?  That was my original question.

 

You bet.  If the NFB has a line level DAC out, you're all set.
 

 

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