[maverickronin]

  Correct. I have Lambda Pro and SR-207 is a variation on the theme - the capacitance differences are negligible, around 10 pF IIRC.
 
Now please see what this capacitance means regarding the corner frequency of whatever Stax amp you have ...- hope not it is the little one from the pic I posted above.

 
Assuming my cheapo multimeter has high enough input impedance not to load the SRM-252S I have sitting at my desk I get a zout of ~24.5K and a cutoff of ~48.8khz.
 
Maybe I'll check my T1S later.

 

[davidsh]

 

So the Stax headphones have specs that are like 120 pF and very little resistance.. How does that roll off the high end?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitance

Very informative.. not. Perhaps you could give a hint

 

[analogsurviver]

   
Assuming my cheapo multimeter has high enough input impedance not to load the SRM-252S I have sitting at my desk I get a zout of ~24.5K and a cutoff of ~48.8khz.
 
Maybe I'll check my T1S later.

Even if that is indeed the correct output impedance, this does not mean this little amp can drive the Lambdas (around 130 pF) with full output to the frequency mentioned. Much larger SRM1MK2 only manages to be able to power these 130 or so pF up to approx 4 kHz at the full output swing - and its dive capability is then falling at 6 dB/octave. 
 
As you have the T1S - please describe the difference in sound between the two on complex music and high volume - like the finale of the Mahler's second symphony...

 

[analogsurviver]

  Very informative.. not. Perhaps you could give a hint

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_impedance

 

[maverickronin]

  Even if that is indeed the correct output impedance, this does not mean this little amp can drive the Lambdas (around 130 pF) with full output to the frequency mentioned. Much larger SRM1MK2 only manages to be able to power these 130 or so pF up to approx 4 kHz at the full output swing - and its dive capability is then falling at 6 dB/octave. 
 
As you have the T1S - please describe the difference in sound between the two on complex music and high volume - like the finale of the Mahler's second symphony...

 
Hey, this one is at least possible.
 
I've never noticed that difference though so either the 252S has enough current capacity for it's output voltage or I just don't listen at the ear bleeding volumes required to tell the difference.

 

[RRod]

These cans sound horribly complicated to deal with. Do they do your laundry too or something?

 

[davidsh]

 
Very informative.. not. Perhaps you could give a hint

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_impedance

The impedance falls with frequency demanding more current from the amp. Is that a problem?

 

[analogsurviver]

   
Hey, this one is at least possible.
 
I've never noticed that difference though so either the 252S has enough current capacity for it's output voltage or I just don't listen at the ear bleeding volumes required to tell the difference.

Well, I did have the SR-252S on test for two or so days.
 
It took me the whole two seconds to hear the difference between it and SRA-12S - and it was audible at low levels too. But the greatest differebce between the two is in the treble - the higher the frequency and the higher the loudness, the bigger the difference.
 
Is the T1S the original amp for the Omega ? If yes - I never liked it - even a bit. It could not push the Omega to anything like real loudness/dynamic range. Pure, nice, rafined - but so limited in dynamics it was really sad.
For compressed recordings only - or very low dynamic range music.

 

[cjl]

   
The power efficiency is not important on a home audio system. Losing 5% of power is barely an audible difference.
 
However the resistance of the cable will affect the speaker's damping, which may be audible in extreme circumstances.

To be fair, multi-driver speakers with several passive crossovers can have impedance curves that vary hugely with frequency (example here: http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_12_3/images/b&w-804s-speaker-impedance-phase.gif ), so if you have cables that have a significant resistance (relative to the speaker) you can create clearly audible frequency response changes, and since a lot of speakers drop to 5 ohms (or less) and have cable runs of 10 feet (or more), this can actually be an issue if you try to wire them with something like 24AWG (or even 18AWG for long in-wall runs or the like). Of course, the solution is easy: don't use 18-24AWG for low-impedance speakers. Spend an extra few cents per foot and get 14AWG or 12AWG instead.

 

[analogsurviver]

The impedance falls with frequency demanding more current from the amp. Is that a problem?

DRUM ROLL..... - YES ! That is EXACTLY the problem.
 
Once the amp runs out of steam, it can prioduce all sort of odd sounding noises when driving electrostatics. The first is trough slewing induced distortion - the signal is faster over period of time amplifier can follow - creating typical grainy sound of electrostatics when driven by too small current capable amps.
 
You can create similar by conecting TWO pairs of headphones - and if STILL do not get to hear it, you can add the ultimate insult - the Stax extension cable i between. It will cut  the frequency response limit by which an amp can perform properly - in half or less.
 
You can avoid this from happening by either using bigger more powerful (in this case supplying more current ) amplifier - or you can try reducing the overal capacitance load with the existing aload. Since real values are such to clearly affect audible range, it means that by replacing factory cable for something with appreciably lower capacitance can give you the same result as original cable plus more powerful amp.
 
This CAN be measured - and heard. One can hardly produce an amp powerful enough or cable low capacitance enough not to have an effect within audible range with electrostatics - specially headphones, which are usually conected trough cables having capacitance greater than the electrostatic driver itself.
 
And - this is NOT all this said cable does wrong.

 

[lamode]

 
To be fair, multi-driver speakers with several passive crossovers can have impedance curves that vary hugely with frequency (example here: http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_12_3/images/b&w-804s-speaker-impedance-phase.gif ), so if you have cables that have a significant resistance (relative to the speaker) you can create clearly audible frequency response changes, and since a lot of speakers drop to 5 ohms (or less) and have cable runs of 10 feet (or more), this can actually be an issue if you try to wire them with something like 24AWG (or even 18AWG for long in-wall runs or the like). Of course, the solution is easy: don't use 18-24AWG for low-impedance speakers. Spend an extra few cents per foot and get 14AWG or 12AWG instead.

 
10 ft of 16 AWG (a typical gauge) would have a resistance of around 0.1 ohm, which will not be an issue in terms of impedance interaction with a load which drops to 5 ohm.
 
Even 24 AWG at this length has resistance of around 0.25 ohm - also not enough to create audible FR anomalies with such a speaker. The cable voltage difference from peak to dip would be under 5% (inaudible).
 
(I pulled these resistance figures off the first website I could find.)

 

[maverickronin]

  Honestly around here it won't matter what gear someone lists in their profile.  Someone or other will get around to blaming it for not be "resolving" enough eventually.
 
Someone with the exact same gear will instead blame you for having improper taste in music.

Is the T1S the original amp for the Omega ? If yes - I never liked it - even a bit. It could not push the Omega to anything like real loudness/dynamic range. Pure, nice, rafined - but so limited in dynamics it was really sad. For compressed recordings only - or very low dynamic range music.

 
Point proven.

 

[analogsurviver]

   
Point proven.

Well, if you are around live music much - that can not co-exist with T-1S for long. 
 
How on earth has KG measured bigger voltage swing on T-1S than on SRM1MK2 is beyond me http://www.head-fi.org/t/582518/electrostatic-amplifiers-voltage-ratings the sample I was able to listen to briefly could not reach the volume of the SRM1MK2 no matter what .  It was looong ago, perhaps it was an early sample - but that was not "usable" - at all.
 
It sounded as rafined compressor - at best. It would not grossly distort or clip - it just stayed at certain level of SPL for far longer than it should have. It was most non lifelike of anything I have ever heard by Stax. If it could maintain its positives when things get tough - it would be great. But so limited - not. 
 
Music heard live has dynamic range - and it is not to be compressed by equipment. Particularly headphones that aspire towards being the best.

 

[bigshot]

It's really kind of sad what has happened to this thread lately. I remember when the first post was made. It was a tremendously useful resource.

 

[manbear]

It's really kind of sad what has happened to this thread lately. I remember when the first post was made. It was a tremendously useful resource.

Someone should start a new thread called "analogsurvivor cage match"