[buzzlulu]

So here is a non detailed and less informative post
Finishing up 2 months with my Kerry T2 after 4 years with a Birgir Carbon

WOW!

PS - changed new production PSVANES out for NOS Mullard XFS2

DOUBLE WOW

PS - it's made by Kerry so it sure looks purty

 

[hifixman]

So here is a non detailed and less informative post
Finishing up 2 months with my Kerry T2 after 4 years with a Birgir Carbon

WOW!

PS - changed new production PSVANES out for NOS Mullard XFS2

DOUBLE WOW

PS - it's made by Kerry so it sure looks purty

Congratulations! I feel you!

 

[musicman59]

So here is a non detailed and less informative post
Finishing up 2 months with my Kerry T2 after 4 years with a Birgir Carbon

WOW!

PS - changed new production PSVANES out for NOS Mullard XFS2

DOUBLE WOW

PS - it's made by Kerry so it sure looks purty

Thanks!
Where did you get the Mullard?
I have PrimaLunas and NOS Siemmens right now that I could use. I also have 6922 matsushita.

 

[hifixman]

We can't talk about systems without referring to budget, so here is my take and recommendations of Electrostatic systems :

A, Under 14k Retail:

009S & Woo 3SE ( Traditional Electrostatic lovers with extensions at both ends and who have some acceptance of the electrostatic high extension)

X9000 & Heardamp BHSE ( Traditional and Non traditional Electrostatic lovers who can't accept electrostactic highs, anologue sounding lovers, vocal and mids lovers, soundstage lovers, for fatigue free long time listening)

B, 20K range:
Eksonic T2 & X9000
( Agree with y'all)

C, 30K range:
Warwick accoustic Aperio (Studio level reference netural sound lovers and who don't want to deal with tubes nor source, cables, dac, and streamer matching, who just want to buy an all in one elegant and neat complete system to plug in and listen, the highs are slightly less than 3se&009s, but you can hear the electrostatic highs)

 

[Chefguru]

Son guys, if you have $14k for an amp for your X9000 would you go for the T2 or something else?

There are only imo 3 amps that compete at that price point.
* T2 obviously
* Megatron built with a rectifier tube on the PS
* Based on specs, DHT KG build that headamp is working on

T2 is the easy pick until we know more about the headamp.

That said, I think they the Mjolnir Novem and other all-tube options might be interesting for the SRX9K but few can verify.

 

[Hubert481]

you forgot 60K-Range

 

[eskamobob1]

you forgot 60K-Range

He 90 + shang sr + x9k + t2 is like 60k all together

 

[hifixman]

you forgot 60K-Range

As a side note, what I mentioned is just pricing of the base for the reference, not really the total price. For example there is X9000&T2 owner here who uses the Linn Klimax DSM/3 (MSRP $39,000) as source for that system, and a friend upgraded the dac, power, isolation, grounding of his He-1 and raised the cost to over 200K.

The point is that I try to keep it real and informational here with systems that I actually own, and/or at least have abundant first hand listening experience instead just bragging for price. Synergy should never be judged by price tags, I personally strongly against the formula of, for example, matching a 30K amp, to 30K dac to 10K cables, which has nothing to do with sonic features. This sort of price tag based rationale makes no sense to me. Price alone can't be the reference nor guidance for good synergy nor good systems. The focus of my posts is system matching with sonic analysis. I actually take pride in building giant killer systems with less for close and even more ( like HE-1 Contenders or even HE-1 Terminators). As far as I'm concerned, that could be a potential measurement of the audiophile expertise and where you are in the audiophile journey.

Shout-out these amazing engineers @justin w. @Kerry from these beloved brands! Their hard work make the music sound better than ever!

​

​

 

[Aspirant Audiophile]

There are only imo 3 amps that compete at that price point.
* T2 obviously
* Megatron built with a rectifier tube on the PS
* Based on specs, DHT KG build that headamp is working on

T2 is the easy pick until we know more about the headamp.

That said, I think they the Mjolnir Nova and other all-tube options might be interesting for the SRX9K but few can verify.

Can you please elaborate on your Megatron comment? I thought all Megatrons (at least, correctly built ones) have the rectifier tube you're describing, i.e. it's not a mod. Also, what the heck is a Mjolnir Nova?

 

[Chefguru]

Can you please elaborate on your Megatron comment? I thought all Megatrons (at least, correctly built ones) have the rectifier tube you're describing, i.e. it's not a mod. Also, what the heck is a Mjolnir Nova?

Here are some in-depth comments from a very knowledgeable head-fi member that may have interest to those here:
“
The T2 operates at 500V+- internally, and is DC coupled; the Megatron is 400+- and is AC coupled (coupling caps).

In reality, the T2 has a few DB more of headroom, and the advantage of being DC coupled (more clarity to the sound, although slight), with the disadvantage of a thermally unstable battery per EL34 to keep the output linear, and rare transistors. They each output 10 watts of pure class A per EL34, 40watts in total, with about 15-18ma to the headphone.

The Megatron uses an EL34 CCS per EL34 output tube. This is a bit "softer", but also a lot more thermally stable. Overall, the biggest difference in sound is the coupling caps in the Megatron, and of course, the tube choice between the amps. The sound of the Megatron will depend enormously on the tubes you choose, however, much more than the T2. In this sense, the Megatron is a much more traditional tube amp. The curves of the tubes will really determine the sound, whereas the T2 pretty much forces any tube to behave in a linear manner, using the brute force of a BJT topology and 231 semiconductors.

The T2 and Megatron are potentially very similar in performance. The Grand Cayman is very similar to the Megatron, it just uses DHT tubes. The T2 will always be slightly more detailed, and the other amps slightly more musical. We are talking THD of about 0.1% on a tube amp in either case, which is excellent. And all the distortion is harmonic, of course. The E180CC tubes in the Megatron give the amp more clean gain than you could ever use. A tube rectified Megatron or Grand Cayman is very expensive.”

I believe the ballpark is a tube rectified megatron is going to be near T2 pricing (aka 10k+). A “standard” is found closer to 6-8k depending on the builder.

My previous post had an autocorrect issue, I meant to write Novem. Which is a less expensive (~$3500?) limited amp Mjolnir offered for a little while that may have synergy with the srx9k (akin to the he90 with the hev90). Only 1 person has verified this, but imo it makes sense given the edginess the srx9k can occasionally exhibit. I heard several people prefer the original sr-omega v1 (not the v2) with weaker more tuby amps like the hev90 vs more power with something like the carbon.

 

[Aspirant Audiophile]

Here are some in-depth comments from a very knowledgeable head-fi member that may have interest to those here:
“
The T2 operates at 500V+- internally, and is DC coupled; the Megatron is 400+- and is AC coupled (coupling caps).

In reality, the T2 has a few DB more of headroom, and the advantage of being DC coupled (more clarity to the sound, although slight), with the disadvantage of a thermally unstable battery per EL34 to keep the output linear, and rare transistors. They each output 10 watts of pure class A per EL34, 40watts in total, with about 15-18ma to the headphone.

The Megatron uses an EL34 CCS per EL34 output tube. This is a bit "softer", but also a lot more thermally stable. Overall, the biggest difference in sound is the coupling caps in the Megatron, and of course, the tube choice between the amps. The sound of the Megatron will depend enormously on the tubes you choose, however, much more than the T2. In this sense, the Megatron is a much more traditional tube amp. The curves of the tubes will really determine the sound, whereas the T2 pretty much forces any tube to behave in a linear manner, using the brute force of a BJT topology and 231 semiconductors.

The T2 and Megatron are potentially very similar in performance. The Grand Cayman is very similar to the Megatron, it just uses DHT tubes. The T2 will always be slightly more detailed, and the other amps slightly more musical. We are talking THD of about 0.1% on a tube amp in either case, which is excellent. And all the distortion is harmonic, of course. The E180CC tubes in the Megatron give the amp more clean gain than you could ever use. A tube rectified Megatron or Grand Cayman is very expensive.”

I believe the ballpark is a tube rectified megatron is going to be near T2 pricing (aka 10k+). A “standard” is found closer to 6-8k depending on the builder.

My previous post had an autocorrect issue, I meant to write Novem. Which is a less expensive (~$3500?) limited amp Mjolnir offered for a little while that may have synergy with the srx9k (akin to the he90 with the hev90). Only 1 person has verified this, but imo it makes sense given the edginess the srx9k can occasionally exhibit. I heard several people prefer the original sr-omega v1 (not the v2) with weaker more tuby amps like the hev90 vs more power with something like the carbon.

Wow...this might be the most detailed explanation of what a Megatron does that I've read (for a layperson like me, at least). Thank you VERY much for sharing!

I hope to receive my Megatron in the near future...the only mod I've requested is no volume control/pot so as to have a cleaner signal path, but the rest will be pretty standard. Looks like the journey is far from over

 

[Chefguru]

Wow...this might be the most detailed explanation of what a Megatron does that I've read (for a layperson like me, at least). Thank you VERY much for sharing!

I hope to receive my Megatron in the near future...the only mod I've requested is no volume control/pot so as to have a cleaner signal path, but the rest will be pretty standard. Looks like the journey is far from over

Please post photos when you get your Soren build & keep us updated with the delivery timing; I was unable to find any when I had reached out to him a month ago.
I suspect that the Megatron is the ideal match for the X9000.

 

[orrman]

Hi everyone, new to the estats world and had just a few minutes with the X9K but that was enough to make me want to listen to it for more time. If anyone in the NJ area (07670) wants to discuss a potential loan/trade I'd be happy to try and get that done. My gear is in my signature. Thanks!

 

[hifixman]

Thanks!
Where did you get the Mullard?
I have PrimaLunas and NOS Siemmens right now that I could use. I also have 6922 matsushita.

Wow you have good stuff
I heard a lot of good things about NOS Siemmens. Please kindly share with us the sonic result and difference with T2.

Btw you could get Mullard like everywhere very affordable and easy to get. It is not for detail retrieval nor ethereal tonality, but to give you punchy bass ( I am bass head craving for HE-1 level bass) and musicality.

 

[buzzlulu]

Btw you could get Mullard like everywhere very affordable and easy to get.

That is the complete opposite to what I found. No one had XF2’s available and prices are insane.
Brent Jesse laughed at me when I inquired a month ago.