[michaelwheeldon]

Just a quick question for stax experts, I've acquired a stax srm t1s amplifier in barely used condition.
One owner from new.
The question I have is it seems to take about 30 mins for the earspeakers to get to their peak performance, this is with both my sr L300 and the sr507.
Just wondering if it's a tube problem since they are best part of twenty year old and it's taking a while to get to optimum operating temperature.
I've order a new pair just in case.

 

[Muinarc]

What changes in sound are you hearing over those 30 minutes? I don't experience much change in performance during warm-up on any Stax setup I've owned.

 

[michaelwheeldon]

Just about everything, soundstage width, depth, dynamics everything really.
Basically it generally seems it wakes up.

 

[buke9]

After a little google searching 30 minutes tends to be the time when things get going. I have couple of tube amps but none for electrostats and haven’t noticed a big change like that but usually have them on a bit before I do start listening though.

 

[michaelwheeldon]

I've had a few tube headphone amplifiers for dynamic headphones too but they all were singing in ten minutes and like you say not that much of a change accured.
The difference between first on and 30 min would be likened to closed and open back headphones.
The new tubes have arrived today so I'll give them a try, maybe they will get to normal operating state quicker, fingers crossed.

 

[michaelwheeldon]

Mystery solved, new cyro treated general electric valves fitted.
Pretty much instant bliss.
Old tubes probably on their last legs.

 

[catscratch]

You might have to replace the capacitors too. Over time, they will dry up, and a T1S is about old enough where that starts to happen. Also, electrostatics are revealing enough where you actually will hear changes with warmup, though they shouldn't be drastic, or something is obviously wrong.

 

[michaelwheeldon]

Heard it possibly could be a cap swapping session but went for the easy option first which seems to have cured the problem.
Really glad because them 006 aren't cheap lol