[ericohgb]

Not yet.

The KGSSHV is being rebuilt from the start by an audio engineer friend of mine. Since it's not among his priorities, he told me it will take some time. He already changed all the fried transistors and resistors, but the amp's groundind is still not ok, that's why he found safer to rebuilt, resolder, rewire it from start. Mr. Gilmore was very gentle to offer his help solving the amp's problems.

Regards,
Erico

Rebuilding the KGSSHV has reached its final stages. On next Wednesday I've scheduled with my technician to follow the testings. Hope everything sounds right this time.
Regards
Ericoo

 

[sridhar3]

Quote:

Rebuilding the KGSSHV has reached its final stages. On next Wednesday I've scheduled with my technician to follow the testings. Hope everything sounds right this time.
Regards
Ericoo

 
Hope everything works out.  Please let us know.

 

[spritzer]

Quote:

Rebuilding the KGSSHV has reached its final stages. On next Wednesday I've scheduled with my technician to follow the testings. Hope everything sounds right this time.
Regards
Ericoo

 
It's great to know that this mess will have a happy ending. 

 

[Radio_head]

They always do in Brazil.

 

[mwilson]

^ You don't say.

 

[sridhar3]

Quote:

They always do in Brazil.

 
In Brazil, the happy ending results in the mess.

 

[ericohgb]

Quote:

 
In Brazil, the happy ending results in the mess.

We'll see if the ending is music or another big explosion...

 
There won't be explosion this time, but I hope it will sing like it must.
 
I'll post pictures.
 
Regards,
Erico

 

[Vicks7]

I finally managed to have my first proper listening session with my SR 009s and Woo Audio GES.

Woo delivered the amp with some very average tubes weeks ago one of which failed within 20 minutes of first being powerd up so I have been waiting for weeks for some decent tubes to arrive from tubeworld. The tubes originally supplied (12BZ7) by Woo were International Servicemaster which as I understand was not a maker of tubes but rather they bought tubes from major US, Japanese and European manufacturers and put their name on them but did not have the highest standards. Disappointing given I purchased the GES and SR 009s from Woo Audio.

Anyway, enough of my rant. With some Sylvania 12AX7s and RCA 6S4s, I fired up the GES. I have the GES connected to the record out on my Audiopax Model 5 SE preamp. Source is an APL modified Esoteric X-01 - referred to as the APL NWO 4.0SE which is a wonderful CD/SACD player. I played Ray Brown Soular Energy - a current favorite of mine followed by Keith Jarrett The Melody at Night with You. To give this some context my previous headphone rig was a Singlepower MPX Slam and Grado 325is. In short, this is a phenomenal set of headphones and the first headphones that I have listened to which creates a sense of spaciousness between the ears which I imagine is as close as it gets to listening to speakers. The clarity and transparency is superb - upper midrange and treble is to my ears perfect - full but not lush and the speed and attack,is fantastic. The GES seems to be a good combination with these phones although still very early days and also unfortunately as I live in Brazil no chance to audition other amps - I would certainly love to compare a BHSE and see how much of an upgrade it represents. More to come as listen more over next few weeks.
.

 

[Pettnolf]

Very interesting impressions Vicks, I have both a GES with auricaps cap replacements and an sr-009 incoming. Since the 009 are less power-hungry than the 007 I think this will become a great sounding combination that doesn't cost an arm and a leg
 
The GES have alot going for it; very compact form-factor, low power usage (51w compared to 200+ for some of the highest end amps) and of course the signature Woo die-cast anodized aluminium chassi. Looks matter!
 
Have anyone tried swapping the standard caps for their GES and what kind of sonical differences did it make?
 
Also have a matched quad of reissue mullard 12AX7s ready to be swapped in asap when the amp arrives. No replacement for the 6S4 yet though. Not sure if rolling the power tubes makes any difference tbh. Any input from people that tried?
 
//Petter

 

[spritzer]

I wouldn't waste money on these caps.  First off the stock caps will have better spec and second, the money is better spent elsewhere on a better power supply and modifying the input stage for balanced operation. 

 

[ericohgb]

I finally managed to have my first proper listening session with my SR 009s and Woo Audio GES.
Woo delivered the amp with some very average tubes weeks ago one of which failed within 20 minutes of first being powerd up so I have been waiting for weeks for some decent tubes to arrive from tubeworld. The tubes originally supplied (12BZ7) by Woo were International Servicemaster which as I understand was not a maker of tubes but rather they bought tubes from major US, Japanese and European manufacturers and put their name on them but did not have the highest standards. Disappointing given I purchased the GES and SR 009s from Woo Audio.
Anyway, enough of my rant. With some Sylvania 12AX7s and RCA 6S4s, I fired up the GES. I have the GES connected to the record out on my Audiopax Model 5 SE preamp. Source is an APL modified Esoteric X-01 - referred to as the APL NWO 4.0SE which is a wonderful CD/SACD player. I played Ray Brown Soular Energy - a current favorite of mine followed by Keith Jarrett The Melody at Night with You. To give this some context my previous headphone rig was a Singlepower MPX Slam and Grado 325is. In short, this is a phenomenal set of headphones and the first headphones that I have listened to which creates a sense of spaciousness between the ears which I imagine is as close as it gets to listening to speakers. The clarity and transparency is superb - upper midrange and treble is to my ears perfect - full but not lush and the speed and attack,is fantastic. The GES seems to be a good combination with these phones although still very early days and also unfortunately as I live in Brazil no chance to audition other amps - I would certainly love to compare a BHSE and see how much of an upgrade it represents. More to come as listen more over next few weeks.
.

Yes. You do.
I live in SP and own different amps that can drive the 009. Just send a PM.
Regards
Erico

 

[Pettnolf]

Thanks for the answer spritzer. Yes I know that the solen cap have 5% tolerance while the auricaps have 10%, but numerous reviews are highly recommending the auricaps and the best wima/solens have managed is rather bland.

Would I really see any sonical improvements by going balanced between dac and amp considering I will only have 20cm of well-isolated cable in a relativly rf-free enviroment?

Improving the powersource sounds very intersting though! Is this something easily doable on the ges?

 

[spritzer]

It's not really the tolerance I'm worried about but the actual electrical properties of the caps.  This is a reason why I'd never use Auricaps and the only upgraded cap I'd spring for are some of the cheaper Mundorfs.  There is a simple reason why those work well in some applications.  Other than that I'd stick with the high end Panasonics. 
 
One thing to remember about those cap comparisons, they are almost always done on SET's so how can you get accurate results from that.  It's like measuring voltage with a single digit DMM.  So 6 but what, 6mV or 6V?
 
If the GES is converted to a balanced input stage then it has even lower distortion.  Nothing to do with the length of cable or anything else. 

 

[achri-d]

The SR-009 goes well with Stax own amplifiers as the SRM-323s & SRM-727II. Ideally, I would like to do some double-blind trials using esoteric amps like BHSE in order to verify whether these are (so much) better than Stax' own amplifiers.

 

[rudi0504]

Dear Spritzer
 
as opening from our local headphone store i have the chance to hear two Stax Sr 009 Set Up as follow :
 
Headphone : Stax Sr 009
 
Set up A :
 
Head Amp : BHSE
 
Source : Bladeious Embla HD Player
 
DAC : Neko USA
 
Impression : It is better than Set Up B , Why the Power from BHSE so Low , I must turn almost full?
 
 
Set Up B :
 
Head amp : Woo Audiuo WA 5 + WEE
 
Source : Onkyo NDS 1 + Ipod Classic
 
Impression : I hear The Sound Quality all instrumnent and Mid to forward
 
 
Compoare to my own set Up at Home : as Set Up C
 
Source : Stello CDA 500
 
DAC : Eximus DP 1
 
Head Amp : Stax Srm 727 Mk 2 , i switch internally to DIRECT
 
Pre Amp : T + A Tube P .10,.2
 
Impression : my set up sound quality must better than two set up above interm of
 
                   Separartion, Soundstage , Black Background
 
6 of mny friends have the same impression like me, why BHSE sound so bright and No Power and WA 5 + WEE sound too forward
 
and fatique.
 
4 of my friends heard for the first time Stax Sr 009 with these two set up A and B , they said not so impressed .
They said why Stax Sr 009 sound like that 
 
 
My friend Set Up = Set Up D
 
Headphone : Stax Sr 007 mk 2 Z Series
 
Source : Onkyo NDS 1000 + Iphone 4 S
 
Head amp : Stax Srm 727 mk 2
 
Dac : Eximus Dp 1
 
Pre Amp : Eximus Dp 1 
 
Impression : with this set up Sr 007 mk 2 even better than sr 009 with set up A and B
 
4 of my friends was so impressed with this Set Up D SR 007 mk 2 comnpare to set Up A and B use Sr 009
 
 
Please advise Spritzer , what wrong with these 2 set up A and B ?
 
Thank you