sachu
Headphoneus Supremus
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its nice and sunny...
going to go out now..check out the hippie district and ****..
going to go out now..check out the hippie district and ****..
eXStata DIY Electrostatic Amp for Intermediate DIYers
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spritzer
Member of the Trade: Mjölnir Audio
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If you want it bad enough then you can use a low ratio transformer to step up the voltages.
A simple/cheap solution would be to build something similar to Frank Cooters amps i.e. a normal speaker amp with a custom made output transformer.
smeggy
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yah, I'll get right on that...
wiatrob
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Enjoy the weather Sachu! And do let us know how it goes...
I just got back from meeting Satchu in San Francisco. I was late arriving due to an accident on the free-way, and more traffic than I expected at the Bay Bridge.
I took my Cal Audio Labs Icon MkII cd player as a source with some Transparent interconnects. Sachu's eXStata was a sand version and he brought the ESP-950s.
Here are my quick impressions jumping from album to album quickly, not taking time to take notes and not replaying sections to better describe them.
First up was Mahler Sym. No. 1 by Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Sir George Solti directing. Ho hum...nothing special, but this album has never struck me as great.
I quickly changed to Folger Consort, This England and wow! I have never heard this sound so pretty. It was open and clear and the parts just played against one another with plenty of air...it was truly great.
Next up, I wanted to see how the ESP-950 handled some bass, and how much impact it had. So, I threw in Bella Fleck and the Flecktones, Flight of the Cosmic Hippo. This sounded pretty good, and the bass had good presence and impact. I wish I had brought some good organ music to try, but I didn't.
Next I put in Stuck Mojo (big shift in genre), Rising. Drums have really good impact. There is a sound in the song "Assasination of a Pop Star" that is VERY low, containing some sub-sonics. With a superb speaker system, or at least one with a good sub woofer, this sound makes me a little queazey, and on my Grado HF2 out of the CTH, the sound is very present, but the ESP-950 barely registers this sound. So, they go low, but not LOW.
Korn, Issues, was up next. I really didn't like this album played on this system; it was just kind of flat and harsh (somehow it managed to be both at the same time).
Then I put on Joe McGuinness, From These Seeds. The acoustic guitar had great attack with a great plucked string sound and it sounded great until the vocal came in, then it sounded very boxy.
So, in goes Sublime's self titled album. Starts out great, then when the vocal comes in, it's that boxy sound again. I can hear it a bit on my HF2 as well, but the eXStata and ESP-950 just put a spotlight on it.
Finally I put in Eric Clapton, Unplugged. This album was absolute magic! It's a good album, but I have never heard it this good. The live ambience on this album just opens up wide and swallows you.
Conclusion after a short listening session:
This combo seems merciless with inadequate recordings, but did not have a sound that I would describe as overly analytical. It wasn't that it was hyper detailed, but it would just shine a spotlight on certain parts of the music that were flawed. On Eric Clapton and Folger Consort, it was spectacular. Considering that this system could be put together for about $600 if you pick up the ESP-950 used, it would be a shame NOT to build it. That's pretty cheap for a system that offers up so much wow factor, even if most recordings can't cut it.
Thank you Sachu for hauling your system all the way from Portland so I could hear it.
Scott
I took my Cal Audio Labs Icon MkII cd player as a source with some Transparent interconnects. Sachu's eXStata was a sand version and he brought the ESP-950s.
Here are my quick impressions jumping from album to album quickly, not taking time to take notes and not replaying sections to better describe them.
First up was Mahler Sym. No. 1 by Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Sir George Solti directing. Ho hum...nothing special, but this album has never struck me as great.
I quickly changed to Folger Consort, This England and wow! I have never heard this sound so pretty. It was open and clear and the parts just played against one another with plenty of air...it was truly great.
Next up, I wanted to see how the ESP-950 handled some bass, and how much impact it had. So, I threw in Bella Fleck and the Flecktones, Flight of the Cosmic Hippo. This sounded pretty good, and the bass had good presence and impact. I wish I had brought some good organ music to try, but I didn't.
Next I put in Stuck Mojo (big shift in genre), Rising. Drums have really good impact. There is a sound in the song "Assasination of a Pop Star" that is VERY low, containing some sub-sonics. With a superb speaker system, or at least one with a good sub woofer, this sound makes me a little queazey, and on my Grado HF2 out of the CTH, the sound is very present, but the ESP-950 barely registers this sound. So, they go low, but not LOW.
Korn, Issues, was up next. I really didn't like this album played on this system; it was just kind of flat and harsh (somehow it managed to be both at the same time).
Then I put on Joe McGuinness, From These Seeds. The acoustic guitar had great attack with a great plucked string sound and it sounded great until the vocal came in, then it sounded very boxy.
So, in goes Sublime's self titled album. Starts out great, then when the vocal comes in, it's that boxy sound again. I can hear it a bit on my HF2 as well, but the eXStata and ESP-950 just put a spotlight on it.
Finally I put in Eric Clapton, Unplugged. This album was absolute magic! It's a good album, but I have never heard it this good. The live ambience on this album just opens up wide and swallows you.
Conclusion after a short listening session:
This combo seems merciless with inadequate recordings, but did not have a sound that I would describe as overly analytical. It wasn't that it was hyper detailed, but it would just shine a spotlight on certain parts of the music that were flawed. On Eric Clapton and Folger Consort, it was spectacular. Considering that this system could be put together for about $600 if you pick up the ESP-950 used, it would be a shame NOT to build it. That's pretty cheap for a system that offers up so much wow factor, even if most recordings can't cut it.
Thank you Sachu for hauling your system all the way from Portland so I could hear it.
Scott
pabbi1
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Sand and tube variants operational:
wiatrob
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You've got my ghetto wiring beat! Congrats Al!
pabbi1
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I hate how the camera flash exagerates fingerprints, etc. And waffling on powdercoating the top, but details, details.
Big nod to smeggy for the feet design - as overblown as they are - built in the brick shiitehouse fashion, but also to help isolate from source on vibe and to allow ventilation, not that this runs all that hot.
Three down, two to go. Raven on the bench.
Big nod to smeggy for the feet design - as overblown as they are - built in the brick shiitehouse fashion, but also to help isolate from source on vibe and to allow ventilation, not that this runs all that hot.
Three down, two to go. Raven on the bench.
les_garten
Headphoneus Supremus
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@Pabbi1 Is your day job in a lumbar yard?
Emooze
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Do you have any impressions on the differences in sound between the two?
dBel84
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Looking good pabbi , taking this one came up without the fanfare
..dB
wiatrob
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Knowing Al, he will be waiting for burn in before commenting...
wiatrob
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Quote:
or Fireworks!
| Originally Posted by dBel84 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Looking good pabbi , taking this one came up without the fanfare
|
or Fireworks!
pabbi1
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Quote:
Me - have a drama free build? Uh...
Nope - ordered runeight extra digitalis. If I would ever learn to follow directions, or somesuch, oh, and not work on HV when I am not well rested. But, everyone else will benefit with better directions from my boneheaded wanderings, and one day, I swear, I will learn V from mV.
Most any stupid things a builder can do have already been done. And, amazing how FORGIVING the design is, especially in casing. To wit, I have a tube and heatsink literally touching a pot, with no buzzing and sparks. Will remedy this, but, just a testiment to the design.
I have a couple of other designs that are, well, less forgiving.
BTW, my day job is International corporate taxation (more planning than compliance), and I just think it is as easy to work with really nice wood if you are going to bother, since I (over) value my hobby time. Actually I spend a small fraction on wood compared to DIY components. Faceplate is Honduran rosewood, the back and sides are Limoncilla , and the feet black walnut (literally glued scraps), which is about $30 in wood, all told.
| Originally Posted by dBel84 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Looking good pabbi , taking this one came up without the fanfare
|
Me - have a drama free build? Uh...
Nope - ordered runeight extra digitalis. If I would ever learn to follow directions, or somesuch, oh, and not work on HV when I am not well rested. But, everyone else will benefit with better directions from my boneheaded wanderings, and one day, I swear, I will learn V from mV.
Most any stupid things a builder can do have already been done. And, amazing how FORGIVING the design is, especially in casing. To wit, I have a tube and heatsink literally touching a pot, with no buzzing and sparks. Will remedy this, but, just a testiment to the design.
I have a couple of other designs that are, well, less forgiving.
BTW, my day job is International corporate taxation (more planning than compliance), and I just think it is as easy to work with really nice wood if you are going to bother, since I (over) value my hobby time. Actually I spend a small fraction on wood compared to DIY components. Faceplate is Honduran rosewood, the back and sides are Limoncilla , and the feet black walnut (literally glued scraps), which is about $30 in wood, all told.
wiatrob
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Woodcraft Al? I need to case my hybrid, too...
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