Testing the claim: "I can hear differences between lossless formats."

[Music Alchemist]

  Short of glaring defects in other areas, the one that allows for the highest frequency to be reproduced at full level using the ES headphone of choice ( capacitance ).
That would invariably be the most powerful one.
 
Not because of loudness, but quality of sound. If the 009 really requires only 900 Vpp drive - the amps could be even made limited in voltage and whatever excess of power in output elements remains, that excess could be used for extending the frequency of  full output by using more current.
 
And that rules out any Stax model save the big one (forgot the model) that IIRC is no longer in production - or is being rumored again or whatever.

 
So you can't specify any amps currently in production that meet your criteria?
 
Most electrostatic headphones require far less voltage than the SR-009 and SR-007 do. Not sure about the other needed specs.

 

[analogsurviver]

  Too much is never enough!

Just look at the nature of a pure capacitor = ES driver; and do the math. 
 
And then with those "minimum requirements" try to design an ES amp that will not sound inferior to any decent amp for dynamic phones. If that would be easy, we would have had much more manufacturers of ES gear than presently available.

 

[Head Injury]

   
Most electrostatic headphones require far less voltage than the SR-009 and SR-007 do. Not sure about the other needed specs.

Actually the SR-009 requires about as much voltage as the rest of the Stax line.
 
The SR-007 has a sensitivity of 100 dB/100 Vrms, whereas the SR-009 and the rest have a sensitivity of 101 dB/100 Vrms, all according to manufacturer specs. Koss ESP-950 is much more sensitive if I did my math right, at 118 dB/100 Vrms. That's about it for modern electrostats, I don't know about Stax's old models if you want to count those.
 
But anyway, amping wise the entry-level SRM-252S is enough for most listeners with the SR-009. Until you get into the esoteric "quality of sound".

 

[analogsurviver]

   
So you can't specify any amps currently in production that meet your criteria?
 
Most electrostatic headphones require far less voltage than the SR-009 and SR-007 do. Not sure about the other needed specs.

I would have to see the square wave or sine wave of the amp in question at  the full output into a chosen ES headphone - like said, that Woo WES looks promising for power bandwidth around 8-10 kHz. 
 
Like I said, an ES direct drive high voltage amp capable of supporting full level response to 50 kHz is - deadly.
And it is OK it is not commercially available - human nature being as it is, some would try to troll with this, thinking it is a joke - waking up in H-V-N .
 
Regarding voltage - Stax Lambdas require more voltage, not to mention the Jecklin Float - MUCH more. 
 
Other models with limited voltage have very narrow gaps between the stators and diaphragm, yielding limited and poor response in the bass at anything like normal level of listening. In ES, there is inherent tradeoff among sensitivity(voltage swing required)/gap dimension/capacitance(current required) - in relation to amp or transformer available. 
 
There is a reason why Stax Lambda is around for so long - it somehow has this "trilema" sorted out better than most and is practically hardly changed in gap dimension since Mercedes Benz required a headphone capable of reproducing noise in the car as recorded by dummy head - normal Lambda with smaller gap could not do it in the bass. Lambda pro increased the gap ( and bias ) to 0.5 mm and 580 V - and the bass improved to usable condition.

 

[bigshot]

Gosh! I'm getting sleepy. I think I'll take a nap.

 

[analogsurviver]

  Gosh! I'm getting sleepy. I think I'll take a nap.

Finally we agree on something - 01:30 here. Good night !

 

[prot]

   
What you are saying is hilarious because the 323 has an output stage current of 5.5 mA x 4. That is equivalent to the KGSSHV, which is well known as one of the best amps to drive the SR-009.
 
I have talked to lots of people who own various electrostatic headphone amplifiers, and many say that such high power consumption is unnecessary. As mentioned, the high-end amp only sounded slightly better (and even worse in some ways) than the affordable amp to my associate who owns and uses both with the SR-009.
 
Maybe you should use that headphone with the amps in question before telling me it won't work with one that can obviously drive it well.

 
According to some replies on that thread you linked to, it's not even a viable option.

I did not test myself but those Audiovalve amps mentioned by analogsurvivor have a pretty good reputation in DE/EU.  Another interesting test thread .
 
And not so many know it, but you can have one of those quite cheap, see here .  That is a DIY kit made by the same people and quite similar to the RKV Mark2 ... should be about €500 fully built.  May not be 100% as good as the Mark2 but €500 vs €3000 is a bit of a difference .  For electrostats, you have to add this converter.  Total price about €1200 ... not exactly cheap anymore but still much less than the €3000 they ask for the Luminare.

 

[Music Alchemist]

  I did not test myself but those Audiovalve amps mentioned by analogsurvivor have a pretty good reputation in DE/EU.  Another interesting test thread .
 
And not so many know it, but you can have one of those quite cheap, see here .  That is a DIY kit made by the same people and quite similar to the RKV Mark2 ... should be about €500 fully built.  May not be 100% as good as the Mark2 but €500 vs €3000 is a bit of a difference .  For electrostats, you have to add this converter.  Total price about €1200 ... not exactly cheap anymore but still much less than the €3000 they ask for the Luminare.

 
Why would I spend nearly $1,200 on that when I can get a perfectly capable electrostat amp for under $500? =D
 
Anyway, once money isn't as much of an object, I may collect high-end electrostat amps, but not anytime soon.

 

[prot]

Why would I spend nearly $1,200 on that when I can get a perfectly capable electrostat amp for under $500? =D

Anyway, once money isn't as much of an object, I may collect high-end electrostat amps, but not anytime soon.

According to various posters that solution should be at least same as good as the top stax amp (3000+). And will drive *any* HP. And btw, the US-price is prolly more like $1500.
Anyway, just posted it as an option, cant say for sure whether it is worth the money.

 

[Music Alchemist]

According to various posters that solution should be at least same as good as the top stax amp (3000+). And will drive *any* HP. And btw, the US-price is prolly more like $1500.
Anyway, just posted it as an option, cant say for sure whether it is worth the money.

 
The top STAX amp in terms of price is the SRM-007tII ($2,150 retail), but the SRM-323S ($875 retail) is actually the best STAX amp currently in production.

 

[prot]

The top STAX amp in terms of price is the SRM-007tII ($2,150 retail), but the SRM-323S ($875 retail) is actually the best STAX amp currently in production.

http://mobil.idealo.de/preisvergleich/OffersOfProduct/1103128_-srm-007tii-stax.html
Looks like we live in two very different price-worlds .
And why do you say that the 323s is the best stax amp? Any test/reviews/measurements to confirm...or just your exp!?

 

[Music Alchemist]

And why do you say that the 323s is the best stax amp? Any test/reviews/measurements to confirm...or just your exp!?

 
So says the mighty spritzer. (I'd be surprised if I ever talked to anyone who knows more about electrostats than him. He even builds electrostat amps.)

 

[bigshot]

If you can afford that much for headphones, just buy a house with a dedicated listening room and set up a really nice speaker setup.

 

[Music Alchemist]

  If you can afford that much for headphones, just buy a house with a dedicated listening room and set up a really nice speaker setup.

 
In time. ^_^
 
Then again, a house would cost far more than any of the headphones, etc. I want.
 
By the way, I'm still curious about which studio monitor headphones you use.

 

[Whitigir]

If you can afford that much for headphones, just buy a house with a dedicated listening room and set up a really nice speaker setup.

You know ? I have both of these...but then babies come...and I can't no longer enjoy my speakers setup ..... Now I have to look into portable devices...such as nw zx2