eXStatA Build Thread II

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

I have had the amp board stuffed for some time now and waiting to get the parts for the ps; however, it looks as if I will not be able to for the foreseeable future.  So, I would like to pass this project on to someone else who can give it the life it deserves.  It is the tube version, and I have the amp board stuffed.  The power supply board is not, and I don't have any parts for it except a cap, I think its position is C6.  I also have 5 RCA tubes and 4 other tubes.  Also I have several connectors.  I figured it would only be fair if I charged what I paid for it all, it's not negotiable.  PM me if you have any questions, want pics, the price, etc. 

I have a hybrid eXStatA with a bad right channel.  I have the complete BOM to build SS amp boards to go in it, but I can't stuff them.  I would be very interested in your stuff, where I would take the built amp boards and transplant them into my broken amp (and then sell my SS boards and parts)
 
I'll PM you now.  Thanks!
 

 

[Keithpgdrb]

Hey all. I am embarrassed to say that I am one of those builders who has been sitting on his exstata boards. But, having recently finished restoring a fisher 500c tube amp, I feel a bit more confident in my DIY skills, and am ready to start planning and gathering for the exstata.
 
At this time, I have:
-1 set of exstata hybrid boards
-luvdunhills plugs for both normal and high bias
 
Are there things from the BOM that i should get from members here?  I'm thinking specifically of the matched items. Tubes, jfets, etc.  
 
I have been out of the loop for a while. We're there any tweaks to the hybrid boards that I need to be aware of?
 
Over the next month or so, I will be reading all of the exstata threads to avoid asking questions that have been addressed already.  I will be back for help without question.   I'm very excited about finally getting it together on this. I hope to start building by January at the latest. 

 

[UKToecutter]

Hi
 
If anybody has a board set (SS or Hybrid) that they would like to sell, a PM would be appreciated.
 
Many Thanks
 
Andy

 

[loserica]

Hi,
This is my amplifier. It's the "SS" version. I am very pleased the sound!

 
 

 

[sachu]

Quote:

Hey all. I am embarrassed to say that I am one of those builders who has been sitting on his exstata boards. But, having recently finished restoring a fisher 500c tube amp, I feel a bit more confident in my DIY skills, and am ready to start planning and gathering for the exstata.
 
At this time, I have:
-1 set of exstata hybrid boards
-luvdunhills plugs for both normal and high bias
 
Are there things from the BOM that i should get from members here?  I'm thinking specifically of the matched items. Tubes, jfets, etc.  
 
I have been out of the loop for a while. We're there any tweaks to the hybrid boards that I need to be aware of?
 
Over the next month or so, I will be reading all of the exstata threads to avoid asking questions that have been addressed already.  I will be back for help without question.   I'm very excited about finally getting it together on this. I hope to start building by January at the latest. 

 I might have some parts that you could use and taht i need to get rid of. Let me know and its yours. 
 
 
Quote:

Hi,
This is my amplifier. It's the "SS" version. I am very pleased the sound!

 
 

Nicely done!!!

 

[Keithpgdrb]

geez, would you believe I just found this.  pm incoming.
Quote:

 I might have some parts that you could use and taht i need to get rid of. Let me know and its yours. 
 
 


Nicely done!!!

 

 

[Keithpgdrb]

not much action here anymore.  I must be the last one who hasnt built his amp yet.  how humiliating.

 

[Lou Erickson]

I haven't built mine either.  I keep thinking, "Sometime when I'm not so busy" and that never happens.
 
Last time I checked, I had all the parts.

 

[AmarokCZ]

Before I built my own electrostatic amp I improved eXStatA ... I increased Iq (which was originally quite low), but (for me) with no significant step forward. For me EXStatA is just badly designed amp, because I'm a fan of low distortion amps.
If you are looking for more accurate amp try another one. If you are (as I call it) "distortion lover" try higher Iq.

 

[Keithpgdrb]

​

Before I built my own electrostatic amp I improved eXStatA ... I increased Iq (which was originally quite low), but (for me) with no significant step forward. For me EXStatA is just badly designed amp, because I'm a fan of low distortion amps.
If you are looking for more accurate amp try another one. If you are (as I call it) "distortion lover" try higher Iq.

What?

 

[Sathimas]

Is there any link or proof to that measurements?

 

[AmarokCZ]

Keithpgdrb: you maybe misunderstood me, I am not saying that eXStatA is bad in general. It's just bad for me, because I prefer low distortion, neutral sound,... Many other people like amplifiers that intentionally adds distortion, so from their point of view it's great amp!
marcus1: those numbers are roughly similar to my measurements.

 

[Beefy]

 
Quote:

Is there any link or proof to that measurements?

Yeah, the evidence can be found if you know where to look. The Exstata pushes some pretty high distortion at even 100V P-P. Still sounds great with the Lambda to my ears.

 

[Sathimas]

 
Quote:

Yeah, the evidence can be found if you know where to look

 
Well, this is worse than no answer ...
 
 
I just saw that kevin gilmore himself showed these values, so I think it's reliable.
 
As far as I could see the "improvements" mentioned where never concretely discussed?

 

[Beefy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sathimas /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
I just saw that kevin gilmore himself showed these values, so I think it's reliable.
 
As far as I could see the "improvements" mentioned where never concretely discussed?

Well, by the time you tack on all the extra bits required to bring the distortion down, you lose all the benefits the Exstata had anyway - low power usage, small footprint, etc. So why jazz up the Exstata when you can just start with a more robust base design?