[miceblue]

oooooooooooh! I actually watched a review of that iFi amp (though without electrostat capability) on YouTube just last week! That thing should be a beast, and with the (hopefully added) ability to drive Stax........damn near perfect.

But *shudder* expensive! 

It should be interesting to hear. I'm more curious about their smaller amp (portable STAX setup????). : o

How expensive are we talking? I doubt it'll be KGHVSS or BHSE expensive. XD

 

[Pahani]

It should be interesting to hear. I'm more curious about their smaller amp (portable STAX setup????). : o

How expensive are we talking? I doubt it'll be KGHVSS or BHSE expensive. XD

The review I watched was for the iFi "Pro" model. The case looked the same as the pic you posted, so I'm assuming it's the same thing.
 
The reviewer quoted a price of 2K.
 
*edit* linky
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oz37ysZ6tiI

 

[Music Alchemist]

  The review I watched was for the iFi "Pro" model. The case looked the same as the pic you posted, so I'm assuming it's the same thing.
 
The reviewer quoted a price of 2K.
 
*edit* linky
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oz37ysZ6tiI

 
So there will be an electrostatic version of this amp? (The current price is $1,695, by the way.)
 
http://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/pro-ican/
 
If anyone has more info, please share!

 

[miceblue]

If anyone has more info, please share!

I might have the wrong assumption. The energizer may not be an amp at all. It may be some sort on converter.

What is the Pro iEnergiser?
[COLOR=333333]An electrostatic headphone/earspeaker cannot be just connected to any headphone amplifier.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=333333]It needs power to 'energise' the panels, which is why there is a large five‑pin connector that looks like a valve seat along with headphone jack and XLR.[/COLOR]

The Pro iEnergiser needs very high voltage (Stax are around 100dB @ 100V, not 105dB @ 1V :eek: ).

On top of that they need a 'so-called bias voltage,' usually between 500V and 650V for modern ones.

The iEnergiser that will be at RMAF will be this.











[COLOR=333333]Yes, the top photo shows a nice vintage Stax being driven by the Pro iEnergiser![/COLOR]

[COLOR=333333]The bottom is the KingSound electrostat! Both sound very nice indeed. The vintage Stax is too rare to bring to RMAF. It is staying in the lab. The KingSound will be there though.[/COLOR]

 

[wuwhere]

So the Pro iEnergiser will also work with speaker amps?

 

[Spork67]

  If you're getting only static and no music then 90% chance the problem is the board for that channel in the amp. It's a balanced setup, so the PSU is fine and one channel is fine.
 
You have a multimeter. Check the balance and offset for the bad channel. Easy to do from the headphone plug at the front. Balance is measured by checking the DC voltage between the + and - of the same channel. Offset is by checking the voltage of + to ground. Balance way away from zero or offset values way off the normal should tell you if something is blown. There should be a labeled pot on the board to adjust each. Odds are the problem is a short, a leaky resistor, bad pot, or blown transistor. Check for the usual scorch and if it's nothing obvious, then start pulling and testing parts.
 
 

 
Thanks mate.
I had a bit of an idea what/how to test but you've made it much clearer.
I guess instead of thinking of it as a busted amp I should try to consider it a learning opportunity / project.
My electronics knowlege and skills are very (very!) basic - everyone has to begin somewhere.

 

[miceblue]

So the Pro iEnergiser will also work with speaker amps?

I'm not sure, but I'll adk iFi at RMAF. STAX calls their boxes that require speaker amp inputs "energizers", so this might be similar.

 

[Music Alchemist]

  So the Pro iEnergiser will also work with speaker amps?

I'm not sure, but I'll adk iFi at RMAF. STAX calls their boxes that require speaker amp inputs "energizers", so this might be similar.

 
In that photo of the back, there are speaker cable connectors. But I hope it's not just an energizer in the sense of an electrostatic converter powered by a speaker amp, as opposed to a real electrostatic amp.

 

[wuwhere]

I'm not sure, but I'll adk iFi at RMAF. STAX calls their boxes that require speaker amp inputs "energizers", so this might be similar.

 
Woo Audio makes the WEE.

 

[wuwhere]

   
In that photo of the back, there are speaker cable connectors. But I hope it's not just an energizer in the sense of an electrostatic converter powered by a speaker amp, as opposed to a real electrostatic amp.

 
That's just an energiser. It has 4 pairs of speaker connectors at the back. The bottom row could be from speaker amp left and right pair. The top row goes to speakers left and right for bypass. Same as the WEE.

 

[Music Alchemist]

  That's just an energiser. It has 4 pairs of speaker connectors at the back. The bottom row could be from speaker amp left and right pair. The top row goes to speakers left and right for bypass. Same as the WEE.

 
If it's just an energizer, I don't see the point of buying it, since STAX's own energizers don't cost much.

 

[wuwhere]

   
If it's just an energizer, I don't see the point of buying it, since STAX's own energizers don't cost much.

 
This will probably sound better. It also depends on how good your speaker amp is. Let me put it this way, if I'm into Stax I would rather buy an electrostatic amp.

 

[Music Alchemist]

  This will probably sound better. It also depends on how good your speaker amp is. Let me put it this way, if I'm into Stax I would rather buy an electrostatic amp.

 
When I said STAX's own energizers, I meant the vintage electrostatic converters. I doubt this more expensive converter would sound better when powered by the same speaker amp. Either way, I'm with you on STAX: I'd rather use a proper electrostatic amp. (Though when I compared the affordable electret converter and electrostatic amp I owned, I did not hear a difference.) The only appeal the iFi would have for me is if it was a real electrostatic amp that rivaled the sound quality of ones around its price range...which it does not appear to be.

 

[wuwhere]

   
When I said STAX's own energizers, I meant the vintage electrostatic converters. I doubt this more expensive converter would sound better when powered by the same speaker amp. Either way, I'm with you on STAX: I'd rather use a proper electrostatic amp. (Though when I compared the affordable electret converter and electrostatic amp I owned, I did not hear a difference.) The only appeal the iFi would have for me is if it was a real electrostatic amp that rivaled the sound quality of ones around its price range...which it does not appear to be.

 
I know the vintage ones, read about them. I didn't buy one though I was asked if I'm interested. I just got a used SRM-717 instead 'til I can get a Carbon later on.

 

[Music Alchemist]

  I know the vintage ones, read about them. I didn't buy one though I was asked if I'm interested. I just got a used SRM-717 instead 'til I can get a Carbon later on.

 
I didn't even know you were into STAX until now. You don't list your equipment anywhere, so I have no idea what you have/had.