[AudioCats]

 a modded SRM1mk2 might be the ticket. Upgrade three power caps, then of course you can add regulation to the power rails which should expend the stage and "refine" the sound a bit.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

it takes quite a bit of fire power to "well amp" the 950. The SRM-1/MK2 should have the juice to do that, but they are not a very good match: 950 is a bit closed in, so is the SRM1/MK2.
 
I can't think of a mid-level amp more powerful than the SRM1MK2.
 
 

 
The vintage Stax SRM-T1 did pretty well with the ESP-950, and noticeably better than the SRM-1 Mk2 Pro.  It was not quite as good as a pre-production GES that I compared it to, but it was very close.  
 
I preferred the 950 over my Lambda Signature and sold those due to the etch and some sibilance, but the Jade were better than the 950 and so those went away too.  Once I got the WES amp then the O2 Mk1 and HE-60 were amped well enough that the Jade went bye bye as well.  Funny how things go, eh?

 

[sinae]

Im about to buy a thunderpants from smedggy do you have an opinion on those compare to your O2 mk1 and HE60 with WES amp.. i know its totally another league but i wonder against the ESP950.. smedgy likes is thunderpants more than ESP-950 well amped.. so i wonder.. I need a little more guidance before making my move
 
From your experience should i wait for a used stax o2 mk1 or HE60 and invest a little more money..
 
or should i go LCD2 rev2
or thunderpants (no leakage and that is great for work and home with girlfriend)
 
I might go thunderpants first and find an awesome open pair later to accompagny those

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Im about to buy a thunderpants from smedggy do you have an opinion on those compare to your O2 mk1 and HE60 with WES amp.. i know its totally another league but i wonder against the ESP950.. smedgy likes is thunderpants more than ESP-950 well amped.. so i wonder.. I need a little more guidance before making my move
 
From your experience should i wait for a used stax o2 mk1 or HE60 and invest a little more money..
 
or should i go LCD2 rev2
or thunderpants (no leakage and that is great for work and home with girlfriend)
 
I might go thunderpants first and find an awesome open pair later to accompagny those

I have never heard a Thunderpants TP1 yet, sorry.
 
I prefer the HE-60 (refurbished) over the O2 Mk1, with either my KGSS or WES amps.  The O2 Mk1 are still nice but even my hot-rodded KGSS with higher than normal bias doesn't drive them as well as the BHSE that I've heard before.

 

[AudioCats]

 
Quote:

 
The vintage Stax SRM-T1 did pretty well with the ESP-950, and noticeably better than the SRM-1 Mk2 Pro.  It was not quite as good as a pre-production GES that I compared it to, but it was very close.  
 
I preferred the 950 over my Lambda Signature and sold those due to the etch and some sibilance, but the Jade were better than the 950 and so those went away too.  Once I got the WES amp then the O2 Mk1 and HE-60 were amped well enough that the Jade went bye bye as well.  Funny how things go, eh?

The T1 has a much finer sound, but I could feel the power lacking at times. T1/950 combo was fine for small classical pieces but didn't rock well enough for me.
 
 
 

 

[sinae]

Power lacking? with what amp?

Finer sound than 950?

 

[Nevod]

I'm thinking about bying an used pair of ESP 950s and seriously modding them. I've considered making a totally DIY ESL headphone, but making the headband and enclosures for them is too much for my limited skills. Kosses though seem to be a fine ESL headphone as they are, and from pictures of their insides on Wikiphonia it seems that there are some mods easily possible.
 
1) Removing damping and maybe adding 'phase corrector' like on old Fostex T50 - a felt ring which suppresses high frequencies coming from outer parts of their drivers to even out phase and frequency responce.
2) Regluing drivers to remove possible squealing.
3) Maybe drilling some vent holes around driver to play with air loading on both directions - if needed. As Kosses are regarded as very tonally level, I suppose it's already alright.
4) Using laser CNC to cut a more open and more stiff stators to replace stock ones. Stocks seem to be not very stiff and having too little open area. Also I don't get the purpose of 'tubes' on their stators' holes. These can be replicated by thicked PC board, I believe.
5) Recabling them using DIY 'Verumecce' cable: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/analog-line-level/194548-new-interconnect-design.html Additional opposite bias would be required though, but that is not a problem.
 
So, I'm asking more experienced people here, would these mods provide improvements? Maybe someone already tried something like that? Thanks!

 

[satwilson]

Quote:

I'm thinking about bying an used pair of ESP 950s and seriously modding them. I've considered making a totally DIY ESL headphone, but making the headband and enclosures for them is too much for my limited skills. Kosses though seem to be a fine ESL headphone as they are, and from pictures of their insides on Wikiphonia it seems that there are some mods easily possible.
 
1) Removing damping and maybe adding 'phase corrector' like on old Fostex T50 - a felt ring which suppresses high frequencies coming from outer parts of their drivers to even out phase and frequency responce.
2) Regluing drivers to remove possible squealing.
3) Maybe drilling some vent holes around driver to play with air loading on both directions - if needed. As Kosses are regarded as very tonally level, I suppose it's already alright.
4) Using laser CNC to cut a more open and more stiff stators to replace stock ones. Stocks seem to be not very stiff and having too little open area. Also I don't get the purpose of 'tubes' on their stators' holes. These can be replicated by thicked PC board, I believe.
5) Recabling them using DIY 'Verumecce' cable: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/analog-line-level/194548-new-interconnect-design.html Additional opposite bias would be required though, but that is not a problem.
 
So, I'm asking more experienced people here, would these mods provide improvements? Maybe someone already tried something like that? Thanks!

About a week ago I received on loan a 12 year old pair of ESP950s. I am looking to upgrade from my SennHD280s as I have recently purchased an AGD NFB12, fed by my laptop, both set to 96/24. I listen to mainly to EAC FLAC rips and 96/24 HD Tracks downloads, all types of music. I am trying to decide among others HD650s, DT990s, Thunderpants but have none of the above to audition and am indebted to all you HEADFI'ers for your impressions and reviews. My first impressions of the 950s fed by the fixed outputs of the NFB12 were lukewarm at best. Certainly better than my HD280s. After reading this thread I set the output on the NFB12 to variable, the E90 volume to 90% and control the volume with the NFB12. YIKES, the soundstage appeared, details and sound artifacts I had never heard suddenly appeared, bass now tight,articulate, a totally different experience. Power supply upgrade next but the possible mods suggested by Nevod have me wondering how much better these phones can get. I am not interested in(and can't afford) expensive upgrades like the MaCalister amp. I am looking at the evolution of the Fostex to Thunderpants as my path for the 950s. Bump for Nevods suggestions! 

 

[charliex]

I totally concur with HeadPhoneAddicts chronology, as I followed much the same path with the same combinations of headphones ... ESP-950's, Jades, Stax 404LE and HE-60
with amps like SRM-1/Mk2, SRM-T1 etc and have now ended up with the glorious combo of HE-60 phones and eXStatA Hybrid amp - totally refined power and synergy  -  audio nirvana!

 

[pabbi1]

Quote:

...and have now ended up with the glorious combo of HE-60 phones and eXStatA Hybrid amp - totally refined power and synergy  -  audio nirvana!

A glorious combo, indeed.
 
 

 

[sachu]

Quote:

I totally concur with HeadPhoneAddicts chronology, as I followed much the same path with the same combinations of headphones ... ESP-950's, Jades, Stax 404LE and HE-60
with amps like SRM-1/Mk2, SRM-T1 etc and have now ended up with the glorious combo of HE-60 phones and eXStatA Hybrid amp - totally refined power and synergy  -  audio nirvana!

YOu should post a pic of your rig
 
The ESP 950 sounded best to my ears with a hybrid Exstata by the way.