[ToroFiestaSol]

According to Sprtizer, "cheap" KGSSHV sounds way better than T-8000.

 

[verycoolalan]

Well I gave my $12k deposit a couple of weeks ago for the HE-1.
Final deposit will be done when the headphones are ready to ship I got an estimated time of 3-6 months.

 

[JimL11]

T-8000 I think it is just like T1, the real T2 successor should be in the next year.

Actually, the T1 and T8000 are rather different in design. The T1 is solid state but has 6FQ7 tubes in the OUTPUT section, the T8000 is solid state but has 6dJ8 tubes in the INPUT section. The current Stax amplifier that is closest to the T1 is the SRM006, which has an updated version of the same circuit as the T1. None off these amps has the sheer power of the T2, and the consensus is that neither T1 T8000 matches the T2 in sound quality, even though Stax claim in some of their literature that that T8000 is the successor to the T2.

 

[SeaWo|f]

The output stage of the t2 is also hybrid if I am not mistaken. Using EL34s.

Most say that the original HE90 was quite colored. IDK if spritzer likes his new KGSSHV 'cheap vesrion" more because the new HE1 is colored as well.. It is perceptual in that if you like what it is 'selling' you even if that is not truly neutral some may be happier, others not so much. I will say the options booklet included for the HE1 makes me wonder if Senns is being disingenuous. If I had never seen that I would have purely written it off to personal preferences.

 

[kevin gilmore]

The T2 is a cascade tube input stage followed by a pile of solid state followed by an el34 which is driven with a solid state current source. No other stax amplifier is like this.
It is unlikely that something like the T2 will ever be made again due to parts availability.

The t8000 is a tube input stage driving a solid state folded cascade which drives a resistor loaded solid state gain stage which in turn drives a solid state current sourced output stage. Basically a srm717 with a tube front end.
The t1 and all of its variants including the 006 and 007 are solid state with a tube output stage driven by plate resistors.

these Russian guys have taken my tubesandwich design and made a few changes, tube input stage
solid state middle and tube output stage.

http://forum.doctorhead.ru/index.ph...ttach&attach_rel_module=post&attach_id=169506

the amplifiers inside the cups of the sennheiser are single voltage mosfet driven capacitor coupled gain stages with opamp feedback. Very similar to the hev70
what all the tubes do is not exactly known at this time.

 

[rock416]

My HE1 is arriving on the 2nd November. Can’t wait.

 

[raypin]

Mm...@rock416 and @verycoolalan, congrats on taking the plunge. Soon, I will be lonely no more....

 

[wink]

Yeah, exclusivity can be a curse. It must get lonely at the top.......

 

[raypin]

Mm...yeah.. so exclusive that we may as well refer to the few of us by our serial number........similar to POTUS.....41 is HW Bush, 43 is Bush W etc.

 

[SeaWo|f]

so which one of you wants to volunteer to disassemble and post detailed pics of the inside of the amp?

Also if one of you wanted to remove the driver from the ear piece and recable so testing can be done with a stax amp.. The community would be grateful

 

[verycoolalan]

Ha! Yeah right!

 

[raypin]

so which one of you wants to volunteer to disassemble and post detailed pics of the inside of the amp?

Also if one of you wanted to remove the driver from the ear piece and recable so testing can be done with a stax amp.. The community would be grateful

Mm..sure....I ll volunteer mine.....for as long as the community put into escrow the full value of a new HE 1. I ll be happy to eviscerate mine and lay bare the innards of the Orpheus.

Seriously, I am just waiting for the full 250 hours to be reached so I can replace the 8 tubes. Looking forward to replacing it. Sennheiser Asia promised to send me a video instructions on the how. That’s the most tinkering I ll ever do.

 

[verycoolalan]

Hell nah lol
After import fees and taxes it comes to about $60,000!!!!!!

 

[Dobrescu George]

Mm..sure....I ll volunteer mine.....for as long as the community put into escrow the full value of a new HE 1. I ll be happy to eviscerate mine and lay bare the innards of the Orpheus.

Seriously, I am just waiting for the full 250 hours to be reached so I can replace the 8 tubes. Looking forward to replacing it. Sennheiser Asia promised to send me a video instructions on the how. That’s the most tinkering I ll ever do.

250 hours is a very limitative amount of time...

 

[raypin]

Mm...that's the official estimate for the lifespan of the tubes. After which, Sennheiser recommends replacement of all 8 tubes. The manual does say that the amp will continue to work after that albeit at a reduced level of performance. What that means I guess I will find out soon enough. The led light on the volume knob will turn orange once the tubes needs replacing,