[JimL11]

Yeah, can't afford a BHSE. The T1 would need to be modified to work with the ESP 950? And you'd recommend that over an SRM-1/MK2? Would that need to be modified as well?

Well, the T1 doesn't have to be modified to work with the ESP950. However, it would need to have its old electrolytic capacitors replaced as routine maintenance, and modifying it by replacing its output plate resistors with constant current loads would more than double its effective power. Both the cap replacement and constant current load parts would be about $100. The mod is described in an article in AudioXpress July 2017. I haven't listened to an SRM-1/Mk2 but the SRM-727II with global feedback mod is considered to be one of Stax's best solid state amps and I prefer the modded T1 to that. Note that the SRM-1/Mk2 is as old as the T1, if not older, and would also need its electrolytic caps replaced if they are original. The SRM-1/Mk2 also uses resistor output loads so changing them to constant current loads would likely also be beneficial, although I don't know if anyone has done so and reported on the results.

 

[cobrabucket]

Well, the T1 doesn't have to be modified to work with the ESP950. However, it would need to have its old electrolytic capacitors replaced as routine maintenance, and modifying it by replacing its output plate resistors with constant current loads would more than double its effective power. Both the cap replacement and constant current load parts would be about $100. The mod is described in an article in AudioXpress July 2017. I haven't listened to an SRM-1/Mk2 but the SRM-727II with global feedback mod is considered to be one of Stax's best solid state amps and I prefer the modded T1 to that. Note that the SRM-1/Mk2 is as old as the T1, if not older, and would also need its electrolytic caps replaced if they are original. The SRM-1/Mk2 also uses resistor output loads so changing them to constant current loads would likely also be beneficial, although I don't know if anyone has done so and reported on the results.

If I were to acquire a T1, I have no clue where to look to get that work done. Anyone have any suggestions? Money is tight, so preferably the least expensive options. Any other folks think the T1 to be a worthwhile upgrade over the stock ESP 950 experience?

 

[JimL11]

If you don't want to learn how to do it yourself, you could try a local stereo/TV repair shop. Don't know if they would do the mod but they could certainly replace all the electrolytic capacitors.

 

[cobrabucket]

If you don't want to learn how to do it yourself, you could try a local stereo/TV repair shop. Don't know if they would do the mod but they could certainly replace all the electrolytic capacitors.

Thank you for your input. I would like to be able to repair and maybe even improve my electronic equipment. I guess I could watch Youtube videos to try and learn the basics. The BH Crack that I have was pre-built. I know it would be good to understand how it is built if I needed to work on it for repair or maintenance. I worry that I could mess something up without proper guidance, though. That being said, I am strongly leaning towards getting the SRM-T1.

 

[cobrabucket]

Well, I just took the plunge and bought a T1. Should be here next week. Very excited!

 

[barondla]

Well, I just took the plunge and bought a T1. Should be here next week. Very excited!

Study some tutorials on how to solder. Soldering isn't difficult, as long as the parts aren't ultra small. Buy a little $20 project kit and solder it up. This will get you over the fear of building something. It helps to pick audio kits with simply written and well illustrated instructions. Dynaco/Hafler stuff was that way. The Bottlehead Foreplay was also well documented.
Point is - jump in! Diy can be fun.

 

[barondla]

Does anyone think Massdrop will ship before the February date? Sure looking forward to getting these Koss electrostats.

 

[JimL11]

Study some tutorials on how to solder. Soldering isn't difficult, as long as the parts aren't ultra small. Buy a little $20 project kit and solder it up. This will get you over the fear of building something. It helps to pick audio kits with simply written and well illustrated instructions. Dynaco/Hafler stuff was that way. The Bottlehead Foreplay was also well documented.
Point is - jump in! Diy can be fun.

The most important thing about soldering is to heat up the wire(s) or circuit board at the soldering point and have the wire/circuit board melt the solder rather than melting the solder directly with the iron. One exercise to test whether you can make good soldering joints is to solder two wires together then see if you can bend and twist them around WITHOUT the joint breaking. A more difficult exercise is to take four solid wires about 2-3" in length and solder them into a square, then be able to bend, twist and mash it and then restore it to a square shape without any of the joints breaking.

BTW, if you open up the T1 and look at the bottom of the circuit board you will see how proper soldering joints should look.

 

[barondla]

Good tips @JimL11 . Those are neat soldering exercises. Practice is always good.

Funny soldering story. Arrive at work and find my boss taking apart his pro PA crossover (he DJs on the side). He was fixing an XLR wire that had broken loose from the circuit board. He hates soldering and says it is always hit or miss. He heats up the puddle (too much) of solder on the board. When the solder turns molten, he grabs the XLR 's wire and shakes the heck out of it! He says after warming up the solder he always stirs it up good. Whoa. No wonder his soldering never works. I was trying to keep from laughing. I offered to fix all the connections.

It is important for all parts to remain still until solder cools.

 

[ratboi]

Does anyone think Massdrop will ship before the February date? Sure looking forward to getting these Koss electrostats.

I think they made two drops, but I'm not sure. Showing now is "Estimated ship date is Apr 15, 2019 PT" from https://www.massdrop.com/buy/massdrop-x-koss-esp-95x-electrostatic-system

This drop says it is limited to 200, but they show 424 or so sold. Things got dynamic when we started squawking about how long we wanted the headphone cables to reach. You might want to check with MD directly regarding your order.

I just went for the Grace Standard DAC, it will replace my FiiO E-18 in the signal chain here. I'm getting excited too, I've had my ESP/950 for two years now, and I'm no where near tired of them. At the least, I expect the flatter response of the Grace to help me a little with the low end. One reviewer compared it to his Yggdrasil, found it difficult to tell them apart. What the heck, I'll spend 1/30th, and see how it goes...

 

[ratboi]

Good tips @JimL11 . Those are neat soldering exercises. Practice is always good.

Funny soldering story. Arrive at work and find my boss taking apart his pro PA crossover (he DJs on the side). He was fixing an XLR wire that had broken loose from the circuit board. He hates soldering and says it is always hit or miss. He heats up the puddle (too much) of solder on the board. When the solder turns molten, he grabs the XLR 's wire and shakes the heck out of it! He says after warming up the solder he always stirs it up good. Whoa. No wonder his soldering never works. I was trying to keep from laughing. I offered to fix all the connections.

It is important for all parts to remain still until solder cools.

So, we should learn to solder, maybe with a little kit, and then tear into $1K+ worth of amp with newfound skill?? Ouch. How about a Dynakit? I'm blanking on all the other stuff that used to be popular when I was younger. I'm recommending NOT learning to solder on what is almost a collector's piece. Despite my prior experience, when it came down to it I made a mess of soldering a DIN plug to a Koss extension cable. Mr. Fong did a much better job. Clearly I was out of practice, but I wasn't messing with the PC board either. All I lost was about a foot of cable, and some dignity. I shudder to think what I could do inside the chassis. My advice is simple - pay someone who has done it before!!!

I picked up a newer solid state Stax in February, an SRM-313. They were built from 1999, and the SRM-323 introduced in 2010. Mine is dual Pro output, so it is later in the sequence, but I'm not sure of the year. My caps all look good, thank you, and I'm not messing with them until maybe they melt. Check out the years your other, OLDER amps were originally built, and consider that is _most_ of the reason you are looking at 'maintenance' for them. Your tubes may sound warmer, but I've got zero complaints, since getting my Fong Adapter cable I'm very impressed with the improvement over the Koss E/90. With the Grace SDAC coming Thursday, in fact, I'm almost as giddy as the proverbial school girl. Maybe start with the Toccata and Fugue, and go from there. Woo Hoo!!!

 

[JimL11]

DIY is not for everybody. Some can and some can't, some want to and some don't. To quote an old Dirty Harry movie, "A man has got to know his limitations." And actually, old T1s go for $450-$700 on eBay.

 

[ratboi]

DIY is not for everybody. Some can and some can't, some want to and some don't. To quote an old Dirty Harry movie, "A man has got to know his limitations." And actually, old T1s go for $450-$700 on eBay.

OK, are you saying an SRM-T1S isn't $1K+ worth of amp? Buy one on Yahoo auctions from Japan, or it is in miserable shape, or you are lucky, you may get one for <$500. There's an eBay auction now including the Airbow SC-1 (404+), re-capped, new tubes and extension cord, Buy it Now for $2000. Reserve not yet met at $510. Subtract the extras, what does the owner think it is worth? There's an SRM-006tII there now for about $934; if I wanted a tube fix without worrying about maintenance, I'd probably go that way. Of course, then I'd be spending much more than I originally did on these phones back in 2016...

I got my SRM-313 for $400 on eBay, happy I don't need to work on it much, although the rotary volume knob needed attention with a 1.5mm allen key. Probably spent more than I needed, but WTH. Listening now with my new Grace SDAC to Tchaikovsky's Manfred, Chailly w/ Concertgebouw. I'm loving the brass, the strings, the kettle drums, and hearing the click of the oboe keys. Got my goosebump fix, for sure.

These circuit boards aren't crowded, big caps are pretty easy, I'll give you that. In the same vein, it shouldn't cost much to have someone with experience do it for you if it is needed. My dad was Air Force electronics, did TV repair. He started me out early, but I'm out of practice and my helping hands tool is lost somewhere. I blame that for my cabling issue. Still think someone should do more than an Altoids amp or two before diving in on a more valuable asset. That's all I'm saying.

Peace Out!

 

[JimL11]

OK, are you saying an SRM-T1S isn't $1K+ worth of amp?

You can ask for any price you want, but if you look at eBay auctions over the past several months where the item actually sold, a SRM-T1 usually goes for $450 to $700 - under the free enterprise system, what it sells for is what it is worth. Occasionally one will go for more, occasionally one will go for less. As a matter of fact, the one I bought on eBay was untested, sold for $320, and worked fine.

 

[ratboi]

You can ask for any price you want, but if you look at eBay auctions over the past several months where the item actually sold, a SRM-T1 usually goes for $450 to $700 - under the free enterprise system, what it sells for is what it is worth. Occasionally one will go for more, occasionally one will go for less. As a matter of fact, the one I bought on eBay was untested, sold for $320, and worked fine.

you are lucky