[bangraman]

Why do some people buy Singlepower amps? Why is the RKV such a highly regarded amp? I think it comes down to euphonics, the same I think applies to the 007t.


For PC-based use with appropriately good EQ (Foobar is not IMO) I feel that the 717 is more versatile, mainly because it seems to be more of a straight path in terms of tonality.


However if you're listening off a CD player I think the 007t is just as viable. It's a matter of taste. I really like the dark (darker than the HD650) but nevertheless very detailed flavour of the 007/007t with classical and jazz for long-duration listening.

 

[Rob N]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bangraman Why do some people buy Singlepower amps? Why is the RKV such a highly regarded amp? I think it comes down to euphonics, the same I think applies to the 007t.

Do you mean 'euphoric'?

 

[Carl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob N Do you mean 'euphoric'?

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=euphonic
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euphonic

 

[fyrfytrhoges]

those who do not like stax should die....

once you go stax you never go bax.

 

[JJ15k]

I have to disagree about the comments made on computer as source. I can certainly be as good than CD players and for cheaper. What s an audio cd player? A CDROM+DAC, that s all, so there s no reason PC+DAC should be inferior.And if you re worried about jitter from the PC->DAC link, just use an I2S DAC. And that s without the obvious advantages of the system.
I Can t comment on the stax, but if you re worried about your source, just upgrade your DAC. Someone just reviewed a north star one which looks interesting.

 

[bangraman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carl http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=euphonic http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euphonic

There's no specific word I'm aware of that describes a variable degree of euphonics due to the individual preference of the listener, even though that sound may be actually be deficient in response / quality. The characteristics of the 007t is perhaps not overtly biased towards euphonics versus performance (and running it balanced seems to improve matters somewhat). Many other amps however may be.


Quote:

Do you mean 'euphoric'?

In relation to the Audiovalves and Singlepowers, most certainly not

 

[Dave1]

Ruppin-To answer the qustion about the Omega IIs, I think that they are magical. I have heard them with every stax amp except the 717, and I think they sound best through the 007T(1). They are very special phones which take the sound up to a detailed, liquid presentation. The only heqadphones I like better are the HE-90.

I listen to a lot of Jazz and some classical and they shine with acoustic performances, adding a sheen and a ton of air without giving up detail. I think you would like them.

Jaybar-I would suggest giving the Omega II another shot in more controled conditions. I have a pair of 404s as well and there is not one area where the O2s do not crush them. It is not subtile. They are slightly dark (I like that about them) but your other descriptions do not fit with my experience.

 

[Ruppin]

Thank you Dave, both for your opinion and for staying on topic.

I would love to hear what you mean when you describe the phones as "dark". Given my existing phones, I can certainly tell the difference between "forward" and "laid back". I like my 650s very much but have noticed that the 701s can be a little more "accurate"[?], have more "definition", and cleaner but less prominent base, with pieces performed by full orchestras. I'm not sure I understand "dark".

To other folks allow me to reiterate that I like my existing audio, but wondered if electrostatics would add something entirely new or better, at least in some areas.

I would appreciate any additional comments on whether the Stax phones are highly desireable, and if so with what amps. If there are other, preferable electrostatics I'd like to hear about them too, provided that they are currently being manufactured and sold (I'm not much for buying used).

Regarding other points,m I am happy to accept "euphonics" and "euphoria" as words with seperate meanings without further debate. While I am very interested in the hard drive vs. cd debate, I'd prefer to get into it in another thread.Thanks.

 

[bangraman]

Dark is... well, the opposite of bright

Less overt treble accentuation, and not necessarily warmer in tone. Just 'dark'. The HD650 will sound slightly more 'sparklier' in the trebles than the O2 with the 007t. However despite the lessened treble, I felt O2 still revealed more than the HD650 in a direct comparison between the HD650 out of the Headroom Max (2003 or 04 edition, I forget) and the 007 / 007t that I did a while back.

 

[Ruppin]

So, would you agree about using a different amp with the Omegas?

 

[bangraman]

Well... I'm not sure I can tell you because my specific preferences will differ. I think if I was listening out of a CD player (especially if it was brittle or analytical) I might prefer the 007t because the combination is very stress-free, although there might be other amps which colour/inhibit the signal in a way which is more pleasing while still leaving the O2's to do their job.


In my case when I'm not going portable, I use a PC for the vast majority of my listening these days. I stick a software EQ in the audio chain to tweak what I want to hear. I prefer this method, and for that the SRM-717 works fine for me. The solid-state KGSS may work better or worse, but I can't comment as I've not had one.

 

[gordie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fyrfytrhoges those who do not like stax should die.... once you go stax you never go bax.

But you can go forward

 

[Lloyd297]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ruppin Lloyd, As I said, I am technically ignorant when it comes to audio. What is a "transformer" in the Stax context and what makes one "Pro"? Do you have recommendations from the current Stax line up?

Sorry about the tardiness of this reply. I had overlooked this thread.

Up until Stax came out with the Lambda Pro in the early 80's, their phones were used with transformer boxes connected to somebody else's power amp (unless you owned a Stax amp of course). With the advent of the Mambda Pro, however, Stax started selling their phones with their headphone amps in a headphone system. These amps were supposedly optimized for the phones and it was assumed they were better-sounding than any outboard amp used with the Stax transformers.

Thus the transformers were gradually phased out. Most of them were only designed to drive the low-bias phones Stax produced up to the Lambda Pro although Stax did make a "Pro" transformer (the SRD7B) that could also drive the high-bias phones Stax were more and more concentrating on.

Now all the Stax phones are high-bias and are sold with a Stax headphone amp. Now my contention is that thse amps suck when compared to the best power amps out there and that Stax phones can only be truly evaluated when heard with a high-class amp through a Stax transformer. The problem is Stax don't make the transformers any more and that the vast majority of S/H units are low-bias. You can drive high-bias phones with a low-bias transformer but you lose sensitivity. Even so, I think it's worth doing until I can somehow get my hands on a "Pro" (high-bias) transformer.

Any questions?

 

[Carl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lloyd297 Any questions?

Yeah; why aren't we lobbying Stax to make a new transformer box available.

 

[spritzer]

First off Stax has always made integrated amps for headphones starting with SRA-4S and 6S in 1960. Stax doesn't assume that the amps are better then the transformers, they simply are better. Well not better if you don't like clarity, bass control and extension but transformers are always a bad option. Every designer of an electrostatic speaker has the dream of driving them direct. The transformers are a compromise.

The transformer boxes were meant as an easy way to integrate the phones into an existing speaker setup where a tape loop wasn't an option. Times have changed in this regard so they were phased out. The Stax amps aren't bad but they are built to a price so and DIY amp will be better because of the lower markup.