[cosmopragma]

Quote:

Originally Posted by WmAx To everyone who can't stay on the topic: I don't mind relevant side discussions, but I am stating, just to make it clear: BACKGROUND NOISE and DRIVING WITH HEADPHONES are not a topic to be covered in this thread. I started this thread to find useful information concerning the topic of suitable equipment and method(s) to use the Stax OMEGA II portably. I entertained a few of the posters in this regard, but it is becoming redundant. I should have not participated with the first person on this off topic. So far, it seems that over 90% of the posts are crap as a result. If you want to discuss some issue feel is is 'morally responsible', 'irrelevant to the thread', etc. please start your own thread covering these topics. I greatly thank those that have actually contributed to the thread with RELEVANT INFORMATION AND DATA. -Chris

I just decided that you didn't meant me by your complaints.

The only amp in current production that fits to the term "portable" is the SRM-212, look here .
Normally it's been powered by an external power supply at 12V.Stax doesn't offer a "portable" bundle, you have to look for your own battery solution, alternatives are already mentioned in another post.
Regarding the sound quality this amp delivers compared to some huge stax amps the only thing I have to say now is : maybe later if you are interested.

 

[NeilPeart]

I usually prefer to stay out of stupid threads, but WmAx's arrogance, rudeness and lack of respect deserves a response. Yes, the Omega II can be used portably, with certain considerations and sacrifices made. However, even Kevin Gilmore (the sole “inventor” of the transportable OII rig) has stated that the solution is not ideal, especially in noisy areas such as airports (and while driving...

). This brings me another point. The members who mentioned how driving with headphones is stupid, selfish and dangerous are correct, and beyond the safety issues is the matter of practicality. Is achieving maximum sonic bliss while operating a vehicle so important that you're willing to endanger yourself and others? If so, your priorities are scrambled, and your responses to the legitimate questions regarding your probably-accident-causing use of the O2 rig have reduced your integrity and character; instead of addressing the concerns of others you simply attack them and seek solace under the guise of free-choice. Well I'm all for freedom and choice, but when those actions endangers others I must protest. Driving while using headphones is a dangerous idea, and the wonderful properties of the Omega II will be negated by the conditions. BAD IDEA.

 

[Edwood]

C'mon guys. Ease up. Let's see him build a portable Stax Rig. It'll be worth it for the pics alone. Again good ole Dr. Gilmore has accomplished this. It may not be ideal, but since when is anything portable ideal?

WmAx:
How about a transportable Stax rig? Can it be carried in a backpack? Or maybe on your belt utility belt style?
How long battery life would you need?

What's your budget too? The more money you can spend, the better stuff you can get, of course. Getting better battery technology would be a significant cost too.

-Ed

 

[WmAx]

If you want to discuss your OT stuff, start your own thread.

If you require step-by-step directions on how to POST a NEW THREAD I can provide such directions.

-Chris

Quote:

Originally Posted by NeilPeart I usually prefer to stay out of stupid threads, but WmAx's arrogance, rudeness and lack of respect deserves a response. Yes, the Omega II can be used portably, with certain considerations and sacrifices made. However, even Kevin Gilmore (the sole “inventor” of the transportable OII rig) has stated that the solution is not ideal, especially in noisy areas such as airports (and while driving... ). This brings me another point. The members who mentioned how driving with headphones is stupid, selfish and dangerous are correct, and beyond the safety issues is the matter of practicality. Is achieving maximum sonic bliss while operating a vehicle so important that you're willing to endanger yourself and others? If so, your priorities are scrambled, and your responses to the legitimate questions regarding your probably-accident-causing use of the O2 rig have reduced your integrity and character; instead of addressing the concerns of others you simply attack them and seek solace under the guise of free-choice. Well I'm all for freedom and choice, but when those actions endangers others I must protest. Driving while using headphones is a dangerous idea, and the wonderful properties of the Omega II will be negated by the conditions. BAD IDEA.

 

[WmAx]

Quote:

How about a transportable Stax rig? Can it be carried in a backpack? Or maybe on your belt utility belt style? How long battery life would you need?

I am targetting utility belt-style. 5-6 hours would be adequate.

Quote:

What's your budget too? The more money you can spend, the better stuff you can get, of course. Getting better battery technology would be a significant cost too.

So far, it seems that the SR-212 is the most feasible solution of the options suggested by people so far. THis leaves the actual battery system to be used as the main variable. The batter/charger, I do not see being a signficant cost relative to the main cost of the headphone.

-Chris

 

[The Quality Guru]

Quote:

I don't mind relevant side discussions, but I am stating, just to make it clear: BACKGROUND NOISE and DRIVING WITH HEADPHONES are not a topic to be covered in this thread. I started this thread to find useful information concerning the topic of suitable equipment and method(s) to use the Stax OMEGA II portably. I entertained a few of the posters in this regard, but it is becoming redundant. I should have not participated with the first person on this off topic. So far, it seems that over 90% of the posts are crap as a result. If you want to discuss some issue feel is is 'morally responsible', 'irrelevant to the thread', etc. please start your own thread covering these topics. I greatly thank those that have actually contributed to the thread with RELEVANT INFORMATION AND DATA. -Chris

Sir Christopher, aka Wmax,

I'm going to be totally blunt with you. You've been rather short with even those people whom you claim to be of help to you. I, for instance, was not mocking you or poking fun at your idea of this setup, but rather telling you of its practicality (or lack thereof) and you quickly deemed it 'irrelevant to the thread.' Man, you do not have to be so blunt and use caps, especially to those who are trying to help you. And why are you so offended by people who find this concept odd? If I weren't in a better mood, I would have joined the "Wmax is an idiot camp" but I chose not too; although it's even more tempting now because you're being an @ss to seemingly everyone. Be humble, man. Most of us here do not have incomes expendable enough to do wacky stuff like this.

Oh, and let's take a quick glance at what you originally asked on this thread: "Stax Omega II - Possible To Use Portably?" For some reason you're getting all pissy and acting like some idiotic slack-jawed yokel when we did indeed answer your question. The answer was a resounding "no." Some of us, including myself, took the time to explain why the Omegas are not ideal portable headphones-- and now I don't blame the people who just laughed at you. Let's go over some of the reasons why people have said this is not a great idea: 1) ambient noise 2) practicality 3) dust is statically attracted to the transducers 4) to sound their best, the Omega's need a long time to charge, and therefore would use a lot of battery power- so another vote for 'impractical.'

You should change the title of your thread and make it a declaration of will, not a question of whether something is possible. We've given you so many reasons why this is a rash idea, yet you seem to be set on the Omega's. Oh, and by the way, who told you that the Omega's are the paramount of headphone sound quality? They're one of the best, sure, but there others that sound almost as good and would be more practical. You ask a question, then you listen. It's how it works around here.

Just curious, if you were to ask a Ferrari salesman if you could take the 360 Modena off-road, did he seriously tell you why or did he smile and laugh? If he realized your state of confusion, and that you weren't joking, he might have told you to look into an SUV. That's what we've done for you, but you keep insisting that you want to take your Ferrari off-road. Your choice, your loss.

 

[WmAx]

The thread title is like a header, or any other title of an article. It is an extremely generalized line of text in order to get attention to the actual article/subject. The actual post was specific, and did not ask or inquire about issues related to background, noise, etc. In the case I was still unclear, since I did not specifically state NOT to discuss issues of backgroiund noise, I did reply to the thread today and made it clear these were not relevant issues to this topic. I attempted to make this known in a striaght-to-the-point manner. Your post was replied to covering this issue only because it was the latest one.

-Chris




Quote:

Originally Posted by The Quality Guru Sir Christopher, aka Wmax, I'm going to be totally blunt with you. You've been rather short with even those people whom you claim to be of help to you. I, for instance, was not mocking you or poking fun at your idea of this setup, but rather telling you of its practicality (or lack thereof) and you quickly deemed it 'irrelevant to the thread.' Man, you do not have to be so blunt and use caps, especially to those who are trying to help you. And why are you so offended by people who find this concept odd? If I weren't in a better mood, I would have joined the "Wmax is an idiot camp" but I chose not too; although it's even more tempting now because you're being an @ss to seemingly everyone. Be humble, man. Most of us here do not have incomes expendable enough to do wacky stuff like this. Oh, and let's take a quick glance at what you originally asked on this thread: "Stax Omega II - Possible To Use Portably?" For some reason you're getting all pissy and acting like some idiotic slack-jawed yokel when we did indeed answer your question. The answer was a resounding "no." Some of us, including myself, took the time to explain why the Omegas are not ideal portable headphones-- and now I don't blame the people who just laughed at you. Let's go over some of the reasons why people have said this is not a great idea: 1) ambient noise 2) practicality 3) dust is statically attracted to the transducers 4) to sound their best, the Omega's need a long time to charge, and therefore would use a lot of battery power- so another vote for 'impractical.' You should change the title of your thread and make it a declaration of will, not a question of whether something is possible. We've given you so many reasons why this is a rash idea, yet you seem to be set on the Omega's. Oh, and by the way, who told you that the Omega's are the paramount of headphone sound quality? They're one of the best, sure, but there others that sound almost as good and would be more practical. You ask a question, then you listen. It's how it works around here. Just curious, if you were to ask a Ferrari salesman if you could take the 360 Modena off-road, did he seriously tell you why or did he smile and laugh? If he realized your state of confusion, and that you weren't joking, he might have told you to look into an SUV. That's what we've done for you, but you keep insisting that you want to take your Ferrari off-road. Your choice, your loss.

 

[darkclouds]

What's wrong with you people? I can't see why you all are jumping on Wmax for wanting to build his portable system, although it may seem extreme. Hell, most people outside of headfi think we're nuts for spending rediculous amount of money on our hobby. Practical? What's practicality has to do with our hobby? Dropping a grand on a headphone amp is not practical, it's a luxury that's kinda ludicrous (if you really think about it)... and it's extreme to most folks. Wmax seems to have taken things, not only beyond most non headfi'ers levels, but beyond ours as well. There's nothing wrong in pushing the boundaries, as long as you can afford to.

Wmax... good luck on your endeavour!

 

[bln]

i don't think practicality is the only issue. aside from the 'safety' thing, which has been debated previously on head-fi, many of the members who have advised Wmax against using the O2 portably have done so because they doubted that it would yield the best possible sound in a portable environment. i, too, doubt this. electrostats, according to many, need to be charged for long periods to sound their best, so starting them up fresh for portable use might not sound great. they're also entirely open phones, and outside noise can degrade their sound quality very much. there are also issues with the seal the O2 creates around your ears, which can lead to problems with pad positioning and extraneous noises. even if i was entirely ignoring price and convenience, i think i'd choose a closed, dynamic headphone over an open, electrostatic one.

 

[WmAx]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bln i don't think practicality is the only issue. aside from the 'safety' thing, which has been debated previously on head-fi, many of the members who have advised Wmax against using the O2 portably have done so because they doubted that it would yield the best possible sound in a portable environment. i, too, doubt this

Ambient noise levels are not an issue for my intended listening purposes. I should not have to go into detail, but if only to satisfy the redundancy: I have already tried open back headphones as a test in the circumstances. The noise floor was adequate for my purposes.

Quote:

electrostats, according to many, need to be charged for long periods to sound their best, so starting them up fresh for portable use might not sound great.

I'm not asking, nor interested in anyone's 'opinion' on this issue.

Quote:

i think i'd choose a closed, dynamic headphone over an open, electrostatic one

I do this now(MDR-CD3000). I desire a specific different performance then the MDR-CD3000 provides. The only headphone that did this for me, that I have heard, was the Omega II.

-Chris

 

[bln]

Quote:

Originally Posted by WmAx I'm not asking, nor interested in anyone's 'opinion' on this issue.

this is why you're having such a difficult time with your original question. like it or not, what i wrote has a definite relevance to using the Omega II as a portable phone, but you seem to dismiss anything that suggests it might not be the best idea. if you'd adopt a less dismissive tone with people who are legitimately trying to help, you'll have more success in getting the information you need.

 

[taylor]

How big of a battery are you willing to carry? A car battery would work well, but if it's too big, lead acid works too. However the best way is to try and find a lithium ion battery from a laptop, since these have the best power to weight ratio. However, they aren't always 12v. I've had a few and the're all weird voltages like 10.8v.
But, I have to echo everyone elses opinion, Omega IIs are just not portable. Transportable, definetly, but not something you'd run off batteries. I've had some experience with Omega IIs, and I can attest to two things:
They don't like a lot of ambient noise
They need to be running awhile to sound their best
Many people leave their O2s on 24/7 so they don't have to wait 5 hours for them to be charged and sounding their best.
If I were you, I'd just go pick up a decent dynamic can that has a low impedance. Hd595 comes to mind, along with SR225, among others. Getting one of those, a meta42, and a decent PCDP will provide much more satisfaction for portable use, not only for your ears but also for your back, not having to carry huge batteries.

 

[The Quality Guru]

Ode to Wmax

O fair Wmax, how doth thy temprament tangle my soul into shards of drain-o,
For the electrostatic tuki-tuki bird hath sung its last song to thee,
And henceforth into the night we must prance like a gaggle of gnomes,
To the house of Salazar the Superfluous we will flee, in hope that one day
The electrostatic tuki-tuki bird might fly again, free from the non-portable
Reign of Salazar the Superfluous and his alternating current of doom.

In other words, go for the gold, man- do your portable Omega thing. You must fight Salazar and his henchman who say it cannot be (of whom I am one) and fulfill your destiny. But you must understand that your Ferrari might get a little dirty. And totaled.

 

[WmAx]

I started this thread in hope of soliciting specific information. While this information has been provided, for the most part(a paritcular battery for my use is still undecided) in this thread, the number of threads that have no relevance to my inquiry are essentially noise. This makes the thread inefficient, especially for me, replying to the irrelevant posts(wasting time).

-Chris

Quote:

Originally Posted by bln this is why you're having such a difficult time with your original question. like it or not, what i wrote has a definite relevance to using the Omega II as a portable phone, but you seem to dismiss anything that suggests it might not be the best idea. if you'd adopt a less dismissive tone with people who are legitimately trying to help, you'll have more success in getting the information you need.

 

[taylor]

Here's another analogy: You're trying to use your toaster to keep your milk cold. Everyone has politely suggested that you use your refridgerator, but you are dead set on using your toaster.

We're not trying to flame you or waste your time, we're just making suggestions so that you get a better portable experience.