[Mimouille]

That's a dangerous question! You like asking dangerous questions dontcha?

Dontcha wish your amp was raw like mine? Dontcha?

 

[Theta Alpha 1]

     Quote:

Originally Posted by a_recording /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
That's a dangerous question! You like asking dangerous questions dontcha?

 
Haha well... it seems like IC's and valves can co-exist in todays society, but STAX is all separatist. =)

 

[billybob_jcv]

Isn't the SRM-727 II all solid state?

SRM-727II SPECIFICATIONS:
Type :All-stage semiconductors Low noise dual FET input NON-NFB Class A operation, Pure balance DC amplifier configuration Earspeaker driver unit

 

[warrenpchi]

Quote:

Quote:

Hehe, I actually have to review the WA7 soon.  But in my case it must be slightly longer than that.

 
That's why I went a bit crazy and did the two tube amps review. It came out way better than I had expected.

 
Um, what two tube amps review? 

  Linky please?  

 

[jgray91]

@warren, I just had to look to the right side of even this page to find Curra's review. It's the PanAm/WA7 review.

 

[Theta Alpha 1]

      Quote:

Isn't the SRM-727 II all solid state?
Quote:

SRM-727II SPECIFICATIONS:
Type :All-stage semiconductors Low noise dual FET input NON-NFB Class A operation, Pure balance DC amplifier configuration Earspeaker driver unit

 
Yes, it's also all set in stone, unless you have a chisel.  I meant none of them seem to use IC's in particular, which you can pull in and out to improve the sound a tiny bit.
 
My iBasso, after upgrading all the IC's, sounds clearer than my solid-state Audio Technica amp, thus I feel hesitant now to buy expensive solid-states which I can't change easily like that.

 

[billybob_jcv]

      Quote:

Yes, it's also all set in stone, unless you have a chisel.  I meant none of them seem to use IC's in particular, which you can pull in and out to improve the sound a tiny bit.

My iBasso, after upgrading all the IC's, sounds clearer than my solid-state Audio Technica amp, thus I feel hesitant now to buy expensive solid-states which I can't change easily like that.

On the other hand - if you are buying a Stax amp, what makes you think you could select an IC that would work better than what a Stax engineer would select? We're not talking about amps where price & availability was a consideration when it was designed - we're talking about a TOTL piece of gear. Even if they did use an IC, I would expect it to be a surface-mounted permanent installation, not socketed. I think it's a different class entirely - and not made to be tinkered with. I think people that are tinkering with TOTL electrostatic amps are probably capable of building their own - and often do.

 

[Theta Alpha 1]

Hmm yes that makes sense.  Well, Beyerdynamic put really cheap IC's in their A1 amp thing, and I don't think the capacitors were noteworthy either, shame on them.  Hopefully STAX uses quality parts.
 
My initial question was mixed with the thought, why doesn't someone like Fiio or iBasso release a $150 electrostatic amplifier?  Why are there so very few electrostatics?  Perhaps that field of technology is more difficult than the rest, for reasons I don't know.  If electrostatic is the best sound, it should be more popular. =)

 

[DigitalFreak]

That seems to be the discussion in the thread on the new ALO TOTL amp. Supposedly, someone saw the innards of the amp and was able to guess what parts were being used and wasn't impressed.

 

[MuppetFace]

Electrostats require far more power than dynamics and the architecture of the amps are generally very different, so it seems to be trickier to make something small and cheap that would sound halfway good. Stax actually makes a portable stat amp, the SRM-002, to drive their current in-ear monitors. I think the price is around $500 or so. The amp is OK, but it's not great I feel, and even the tiny earphones sound a lot better when driven from a fullsized amp. KingSound is making a $500 solid state 'stat amp for their upcoming Emperor headphones, though I haven't read any impressions for it aside from some marketing blurbs. I think your best bet at that pricepoint is to get a used transformer like the SRD-7 for $200-ish which connects to a speaker amp for power.
 
The technology just has its own unique considerations compared to dynamic magnets and whatnot. I think if Fiio made a $150 stat amp it would be severely underpowered and barely able to drive any 'stats, even earphones. If they made it more powerful, then I'd be weary of it because a cheaply made amp supplying enough juice for fullsized 'stats can be dangerous. As for sound characteristics, I personally wouldn't call electrostats "the best" in any definitive sense. They have their own set of strengths and weaknesses compared to any other type of technology like planar magnetics or balanced armatures.

 

[lee730]

Quote:

Dontcha wish your amp was raw like mine? Dontcha?

Dontcha wish your amp was a freak like mine? Dontcha?

 

[jgray91]

An audio treat for the rocket geek:

[VIDEO]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2aCOyOvOw5c[/VIDEO]

 

[DigitalFreak]

Quote:

Dontcha wish your amp was a freak like mine? Dontcha?

Dontcha wish you were a real off the wall freak like me? Dontcha

 

[Theta Alpha 1]

Quote:

The technology just has its own unique considerations compared to dynamic magnets and whatnot. I think if Fiio made a $150 stat amp it would be severely underpowered and barely able to drive any 'stats, even earphones. If they made it more powerful, then I'd be weary of it because a cheaply made amp supplying enough juice for fullsized 'stats can be dangerous.

 

 
 
I'm inclined to think STAX has positioned their unique offering as an expensive one, much like since there's only one taxi company in Phuket you have to pay 10 times more to get a ride than in Bangkok.  They are called the "taxi mafia".
 
Nonetheless, I'll have the SR-507 soon and I'm looking forward to the ride!

 

[DigitalFreak]

Kmart has it's own electrostat amp?!?!?!?! Nice photoshop.