Recent content by AudioCats
  1. AudioCats

    The Stax Thread III

    hah! Thanks for posting the link, the information is very inspiring. Maybe somebody can do a "hybrid D10 thingey" ** use DC/DC to get high voltage ** RCA input --> 12ax7 long tail first stage ( splits ) --(DC coupled to)--> 12au7 long tail 2nd stage --(capacitor coupled to)--> apex modules...
  2. AudioCats

    Jade II Discussion

    nice, can't wait to read your reviews on them.
  3. AudioCats

    The Stax Thread III

    a speaker amp of some kind is probably more suitable for He6se. It needs quite a bit of juice to run. again, the He6se's are very heavy phones. Your posture will change with extensive use. They are good as reference phones to put on every once in a while, not for "all day every day" use...
  4. AudioCats

    Old tube vs new tube amps sound

    tube circuits use DC blocking capacitors in the signal path, newer productions likely use more polyprop which is sharper sounding than the paper/oil used in older amps. metal film resistor is common, which is sharper sounding than carbon film. Not big differences, but this kind of little...
  5. AudioCats

    The Stax Thread III

    Maybe a HiFiman HE6-SE, ~$500 from adorama. They were $400 earlier this year, I think the price has gone back up a bit since. But they are very heavy phones.
  6. AudioCats

    Stax SR-X9000

    so the top of that list is a 212, with +/-250v rails and only 1mA CCS current in the output stage? ( you did not mention upping the CCS current in your mods) does that mean the 9000 doesn't need that much voltage swing? It makes me wonder if a lower-voltage-higher-current 006t might be a good...
  7. AudioCats

    The Stax Thread III

    what is that flat round thingy on top of the 717, a fan?
  8. AudioCats

    The Stax Thread III

    L300 are very good phones, much better than the older series such as the 303 ( I have both; L300 wins hands down). srd-6 is not good enough for the L300, even after solving the bias voltage problem. The little transformers inside are not the same as what is in a srd-7. But, IMO the srd-7Pro is...
  9. AudioCats

    The Stax Thread III

    That is a very nice 007t. I'd suggest maybe put a "117V" label to cover the 100v marking since it is already configured to the 117v setting?
  10. AudioCats

    The Stax Thread III

    the 007t is a great all-purpose amp. IMO a L300 + 007t combo is very hard to beat. The newer generation silver faceplate 007t have fixed power voltage, so use step up/down transformer if necessary. It has more (unnecessary IMO) signal inputs. Amp circuit looks to be basically the same. for...
  11. AudioCats

    The Stax Thread III

    get an older generation Stax amp, the ones with golden faceplate and selectable power voltage. From yahoo.jp auctions via Buyee. Then do some light refreshment (clean up, new power capacitors, etc). Stax amps can basically last forever.
  12. AudioCats

    STAX QUERY - variable BIAS Voltage ?

    the main advantage of a bias-adj box is it being an add-on device it will work with any existing amp. I don't have a meter with high enough input impedance to measure the voltage that an amp's bias pin, I think something like 100M ohms is needed, the highest I got is10M. Hence the use of a...
  13. AudioCats

    STAX QUERY - variable BIAS Voltage ?

    I have a DIY box ( with Lundahl LL1620's inside), with multiple bias voltages. The voltages are taken off a zener diode string so should be relatively accurate. The effect of different bias is easily auditable but not huge. There is not that much difference between 580 and 620v. If you just...
  14. AudioCats

    Any opinions / reviews on Gemtune APPJ PA1502A

    after adding the wood box under the 1502A, it is no longer easy to work on the circuit board, at least the underside of it... I think I am done modding on it. I just noticed that the 1502A is currently available on aliexpress for around $200 (without tubes, which usually gets replaced by NOS...
  15. AudioCats

    Any opinions / reviews on Gemtune APPJ PA1502A

    yeah, those are some interesting little transformers. From what I can see in the mini2013, the output transformer core appears to be just normal stacked EI without a deliberate air gap. Maybe they are counting on the air gap, which is naturally there between E and I pieces, to be close enough.
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