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DIY is indeed the issue but this one was designed so that pretty much anybody can build it.  You can get away with little to no matching and all of the parts are relatively easy to source with a large majority in stock at Mouser.  There are some teething problems with the first boards but they will be worked out as soon as the crop up. 
 
Now a KGSSHV in a BHSE type of box will cost pretty much the same as the BHSE.  A chassis of that quality costs a lot to make so any savings would just be down to the tubes and sockets.  The onboard version (where the heatsinks are located on the PCB) can be fitted in a 2U chassis/400mm chassis from Modushop and it looks quite nice for 50€.  
 
 

Hum, you are tempting me... but the closest I got to make something like that was when I was still playing with legos! Well, perhaps I should at least take a look at the blueprint (which I think I saw on this website somewhere, is it possible?).
 
Besides, I assume that if you were to pay 5000K on an amp you would go for the BHSE rather than for the KGSSHV in a BHSE chassis (to drive the MK2 in my case), right?
 
At any rate, thank you very much for your answer Spritzer, it is much appreciated. 

 

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Spritzer could clarify, but I don't think the difference between the KGSS and the modded 727II was all that much. I'm paying parts at cost, plus $600 as a build fee. As I said the parts are all TOTL, so it's not going to be cheap. The Khozmo volume control was $500 by itself. A commercial amp with these parts in it would probably be some $6000 though, so I feel pretty good about it

Dave, do you think the person who is building your amp could be interested in making two at the same time? If not, by any chance, do you know someone in the NYC area who might be interested in that?
 

 

[Elysian]

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Incidentally, when I said “half the price of the BHSE” I meant with labor and the same box quality... That, of course, doesn't mean that I wouldn't be happy paying under 2000$ for such an amp.

You should wait to see some comments about the Eddie Current Electra (standard edition).  We are hoping to have a prototype to test within the next few months, and it should have a lower price than the BHSE.

 

[DaveBSC]

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Dave, do you think the person who is building your amp could be interested in making two at the same time? If not, by any chance, do you know someone in the NYC area who might be interested in that?
 

Ask in the DIY section. You can also Google some of the KGSSHV threads on various forums and see if anyone can help you.
 

 

[spritzer]

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Hum, you are tempting me... but the closest I got to make something like that was when I was still playing with legos! Well, perhaps I should at least take a look at the blueprint (which I think I saw on this website somewhere, is it possible?).
 
Besides, I assume that if you were to pay 5000K on an amp you would go for the BHSE rather than for the KGSSHV in a BHSE chassis (to drive the MK2 in my case), right?
 
At any rate, thank you very much for your answer Spritzer, it is much appreciated. 

I do have a BHSE but I'd rather have a great SS amp rather than a tube amp these days.  This is mostly due to convenience since I can leave my KGSS on for 12 hours a day with no worries but I'd never leave a tube amp unattended.  The KGSSHV was indeed partially born out of me pestering KG for a solid state amp that would at least come close to the Blue Hawaii's level of performance.  
 
That said, the BHSE isn't going anywhere and I'm still building tube amps.  In the works now is a tube amp built in a SRD-7 chassis, SET 300B based design with output transformers and I'm finalizing my version of the WES (just finished drawing up the PSU for that one today). 
 

 

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You should wait to see some comments about the Eddie Current Electra (standard edition).  We are hoping to have a prototype to test within the next few months, and it should have a lower price than the BHSE.

Thanks Elysian, I'll follow the issue. 
 


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Ask in the DIY section. You can also Google some of the KGSSHV threads on various forums and see if anyone can help you.
 

I certainly should explore this website a little more carefully! I wasn't aware that there was a DIY section. I'll take a look at it. 
 

 

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 The KGSSHV was indeed partially born out of me pestering KG for a solid state amp that would at least come close to the Blue Hawaii's level of performance.  
 

Spritzer, it would be great if you could now “pester” Justin enough so that he starts building the KGSSHV sooner rather than later! Do you think there is any chance? 

 

[spritzer]

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Spritzer, it would be great if you could now “pester” Justin enough so that he starts building the KGSSHV sooner rather than later! Do you think there is any chance? 

I have no idea really.  I know I'd buy one if that might help... 

 

 

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I have no idea really.  I know I'd buy one if that might help... 

 

Well, that makes at least two committed buyers (Justin, how many do you need to get the job started!?). 

 

[Elysian]

Go read the BHSE thread where Justin clearly states how many KGSS buyers he's had and why he subsequently shutdown that product line.
 
The fact that he's doing the BHSE was a shift for him already, as he had originally planned on focusing his product strategy on the consumer market (notably PMPs) due to much smaller demand in the high-end.  More than a few people have stated that Justin isn't making a huge margin on each BHSE, and Justin already anted up a lot of his capital before the latest runs of BHSEs.  My hunch is that Headamp is making a fraction of what Schiit is overall.
 
If you want a KGSSHV so badly, build one yourself (more than one person has built a KGSS as their first amp) or go find a DIYer who does commissions.  Last I checked, Headamp isn't Burger King.

 

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Go read the BHSE thread where Justin clearly states how many KGSS buyers he's had and why he subsequently shutdown that product line.
 
The fact that he's doing the BHSE was a shift for him already, as he had originally planned on focusing his product strategy on the consumer market (notably PMPs) due to much smaller demand in the high-end.  More than a few people have stated that Justin isn't making a huge margin on each BHSE, and Justin already anted up a lot of his capital before the latest runs of BHSEs.  My hunch is that Headamp is making a fraction of what Schiit is overall.
 
If you want a KGSSHV so badly, build one yourself (more than one person has built a KGSS as their first amp) or go find a DIYer who does commissions.  Last I checked, Headamp isn't Burger King.

All my hopes have so suddenly vanished! 

 
 
I made a search to find out whether Stax was planning to build a new amp which would be designed to drive the 009 (or in my case the MK2), but didn't find anything. Do you have any info on that subject? -- Sorry to go a little bit off topic, but the KGSS needs to be replaced by something for those who would prefer to stay with a SS amp, doesn't!?
 
 

 

[Elysian]

The Liquid Lighting is solid state: http://www.cavalliaudio.com/liquid-lightning/
 
No word from Stax yet if they are going to put out a new top-tier amp, but people who have been following Stax for a long time have been saying it's unlikely.
 
No idea if the Electra is solid-state or tube, but given EC's past designs, I'd assume it's tube.
 
If you put up a wanted ad for a KGSS (DIY or Headamp) on the marketplace, you might get a bite and it shouldn't be that expensive compared to a BHSE or WES.

 

[DaveBSC]

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All my hopes have so suddenly vanished! 

 
 
I made a search to find out whether Stax was planning to build a new amp which would be designed to drive the 009 (or in my case the MK2), but didn't find anything. Do you have any info on that subject? -- Sorry to go a little bit off topic, but the KGSS needs to be replaced by something for those who would prefer to stay with a SS amp, doesn't!?

 
If Stax does decide to build a new flagship amp, my guess, based on both their past history with the SRM-T2 and the fact that the SRM-007Tii is underpowered and kind of ill suited for their flagship headphones is that they would make a new tube amp. Stax probably doesn't perceive a need for a SS amp above the SRM-727, which I still don't think is a bad choice especially with the Spritzer mod applied. Buy one, have it rewired for 117V and modded, and you're good to go. When Liquid Lightnings are available, sell it if you want and buy one of those. Considering how fast used SRM-717s sell, I don't think you would have any trouble selling a 727 with little to no loss.
 
Or, just buy a WES, those are always available.
 
 

 

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If Stax does decide to build a new flagship amp, my guess, based on both their past history with the SRM-T2 and the fact that the SRM-007Tii is underpowered and kind of ill suited for their flagship headphones is that they would make a new tube amp. Stax probably doesn't perceive a need for a SS amp above the SRM-727, which I still don't think is a bad choice especially with the Spritzer mod applied. Buy one, have it rewired for 117V and modded, and you're good to go. When Liquid Lightnings are available, sell it if you want and buy one of those. Considering how fast used SRM-717s sell, I don't think you would have any trouble selling a 727 with little to no loss.
 
Or, just buy a WES, those are always available.
 
 

Sounds like a good option. Although, I have no idea how to rewire for 117v, even less how to have it “modded.” But I guess it should be not too difficult to find someone in NYC to do that kind of job... 
How are you so sure that the Liquid Lightning will be that good? I am just asking because, if i remember correctly, Spritzer didn't seem to be much impressed with it (even thought to be fair, I think he mentioned that he didn't know much about it either).
 
 

 

[Elysian]

Read the RMAF thread for impressions on the prototype LL.  It received favorable impressions pretty unanimously.  The two comments I took away from the impressions was that the LL was a bit more exciting than the BHSE, and the BHSE lets you hear deeper into the music (so probably better detail retrieval).
 
I wouldn't place too much stock in impressions this early, given how the amp will probably receive further revisions, and I think, for a really fair assessment of a component, you need to have it in your listening system for an extended period of time.  A lot of it will probably depend on your preferred form of presentation.
 
I'm looking forward to hearing a LL, and from the early impressions, it seems like a solid choice for people who like the sound state sound, or don't want to deal with tubes.