[MuZo2]

  Hi David,
 
I like your idea, and I appreciate your taking the effort to do this.  I'm sure it will be a great help to a lot of people.
 
However, as how this thread works, whatever you do and post here today will be buried in hundreds of pages in years to come.  And people who do not read the whole thread will ask the same questions again and again.  What could we do to avoid that?
 
Wachara

May be first post is right place for such list. Else a new thread.

 

[DaveK1977]

I sent you a PM about the source for the film.  Most of the other materials are normal commodities, and prices can vary a bit by source.  If you post a list of materials and sources, just make sure to clarify that it may be possible to save money by taking note of what the suggested item is and trying to locate at the time of ordering.

 

[100VoltTube]

 May be first post is right place for such list. Else a new thread.

It's definitely a good idea. I personally think it would work better as its own thread than a list in the first post of this thread, but that's just my opinion.

 

[Muamp]

Thanks to those who have sent me PM's of their parts lists...
 
So far this evening I have started to compile a list with 5 headings and this is just the stuff for me and Julez.
The headings are:
 
1. Mylar
2. Stators / Spacers
3. Plugs / Sockets / Cables
4. Electronics
5. Production manufactured spares
 
It is already a big list, so hopefully even in the first print it will be benificial and useful to many DIY'ers.
I will keep adding and hopefully get the first print out in a few days time.
Very tired and I need to go to bed, so I will carry on tomorrow.
 
David.
 
PS. DaveK1977, I like your comment on the fun of finding parts.

 

[Muamp]

Hi DaveK1977,
 
I see what you mean, regarding ebay listings becoming out of date when the listing expires.
Your suggestion is a good one. Maybe list sellers name and description of item.
A good example is the ebay sellers of Mylar, they always have Mylar but the link does expire.... and a new different link needs updating in the list.
 
David.

 

[Muamp]

I have completed the 1st edition of the "DIY suppliers parts list", it still needs more input from you. The bottom of the list includes a list of items that would be good to add.
It is located in a new thread "Electrostatic ear speaker DIY'ers suppliers list".
Please keep adding more suppliers, PM me with any details.
 
 
David.

 

[DaveK1977]

I'll actually have a safe, working pair that I can demo to my family at Thanksgiving.  It's far from over, but this is a fun thing to show off now.
 

 

[chinsettawong]

Very nice.

 

[Muamp]

Hi DaveK1977,
 
I was going to ask what the cable was, but then having watched the video I see it is a Koss cable.
Did you use to have a Koss electrostatic head speaker? If so did you cut the cable from them?
If not, where did you get the cable. Good audio ribbon cable is something I am still looking for.
I know I can buy Stax extension leads but at the prices asked, I don't think so.
 
David.

 

[DaveK1977]

It was a Koss extension cable.  I bought two different E-90s on eBay recently, because they tend to be cheaper than any other standalone amp.  One of them came with the extension cable, which I used for this.  I've never had a pair of electrostatics before building one.  I also have a Stax pro energizer that has to be connected to speaker outputs, and a Stax extension cord that I can use for it.  The Stax cable is a work of art, but very expensive.  The Koss cable is much cheaper and nearly as nice to work with, both of them are much more flexible than anything else I had played with trying to get going with this.  I saved the female Koss plug that I cut off the cord so that I can add a male Stax plug to make an adaptor to go back and forth, rather than having to recable.  When starting out, I bought a length of cable that has 5 conductors and is rated for 600v, which is normally used for industrial PLCs.  It's clearly not appropriate for this due to weight and flexibility issues.  I would consider the Stax pro plug to be a de-facto standard for a connector, so the Stax extension cable is a really good way to eliminate one problem. It's just really expensive.  Buying a premade extension cable gets you a safe, usably flexible cable that's terminated in the plug you're already going to have to use.  That's probably worth buying to someone who's DIY.

 

[Julez]

Hello Dave,
 
depending on where you are from I would try the 207 spare cable from Electromod.co.uk. Its available for 40Pound plus shipping.
If you are located in the US I would ask at staxusa.com if they sell spare cables for Stax Lambda headphones. They should not be more expensive as the extension cables but ready to use and already have a y-split in the cable. Plus there are different colors.

 

[Muamp]

Thanks for the info DaveK1977 and Julez,
 
I currently make my own Stax clone plug with gold plated XLR pins from 3 pin XLR plugs and CNC my own base and top to use with 20mm electrical round conduit for the barrel.
So the plug is not an issue. Getting Ribbon cable which is thick enough and ultra soft and flexible (definitely NOT computer ribbon cable which is too stiff and too thin) is a problem.
Currently, for the cable I use 'ultra flexible measurement cable' and either 6 strand plait or loosly held with cable clips.
So what I am looking for is "thick, flexible ribbon cable" similar to the cable used by Stax. Just a supplier for the ribbon cable, to make the lead.... Googled many times, to no avail.
 
David.

 

[chinsettawong]

Hi David,
 
You can buy the extension cord from KOSS directly.  If you live in the U.S., call the customer service and ask to buy it from them.  That's how I got mine.  The last price I bought was very much cheaper than Stax's.
 
Wachara 

 

[DaveK1977]

Ok, the pair that are in the video have since been updated.  I use a thinner wire now, with a little terminal block for the wiring.  They sound quite good.  Definitely good enough to listen to, though I can't excuse the frequency response, which probably looks ugly.  It's never totally deficient, and even has a balanced amount of bass.  It has some sort of mid peak that my DT-990 doesn't have, too.  It has the detailed electrostatic sound, but but there's a warmth as well.  For something made on a project table at home, I'm absolutely delighted with how they sound.
 
 
Before that video was posted, though, I've now heard the real thing in the form of a Koss ESP-950. That was after the dangerous pair-the first time I'd heard an electrostatic headphone.  The 950 is quite an experience of sound beyond what I'm used to.  I've never had or heard anything that sounds like that, but I've never had or even heard anything at that kind of price point.  The 950's frame has some kind of bind that settles with a squeak every once in a while, but the sound itself is hard to find fault with.  Really beautiful transparency and clarity.  At this point, though, I'm quite happy with how the ones I made sound. Are they up to the 950?  Of course not.  That said, I'm not giving up on them.  I'm listening to them right now.  Now I want to use as many real Beyerdynamic comfort and frame pieces as I can.  I want a fresh set of real pads, too.

 

[-JFK-]

Hello, 
 
Long time ! (terrible motorbike accident, but I'm alive !)
 
This is my first prototype and it work !
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3k06KRLerMUU0RldHRWY3I3WGs/view?usp=sharing
 
Really happy.
Now, head part to do and optimisations !