The Stax Thread III

[Hi-Fi-Apricity]

No, Carbon was not voiced to tame 009. Carbon was voiced to Synergize and pair with 007 MkI

BHSE, Grounded Grid and other tubes from KG design. I think Stax original T2 was used for 009, they are magical together

BHSE was the one made to synergize with the 007 and the Carbon was infact made for smoothing out the 009. The T2 was made for pairing with the SR-Omega of years past.

 

[Whitigir]

BHSE was the one made to synergize with the 007 and the Carbon was infact made for smoothing out the 009. The T2 was made for pairing with the SR-Omega of years past.

Yeah, perhap. It was just that I observed differently. Carbon couldn’t give 009 that body even at 16.5mA, where Grounded Grid did even at 20mA. Then 007 MKI was overly warm on Grounded Grid and T2, but wa awesome on 20mA Carbon. So, I will just take it back. It is my personal preferences

If you asked me about 009 brightness and sibilant ? I would say it is not bright , just boring out of the Carbon. Grounded Grid and T2 are awesome with it though

 

[protoss]

Enjoyable 009s conversation so I hope not to make to much of a detour HOWEVER this is the "Stax" thread - so now for something different (sorry!):

Fresh opinions on a KGSSHV amplifier? I am playing around with my first Stax setup - L300Limited and 353 amplifier. Obviously a 009/009s awaits
A KGSSHV is really not much of a financial step up from the 353 - and I am early in my journey and do not know if I am ready to Carbonize things yet (although price is really not an issue)

So - I am going to assume that:

a KGSSHV will take the L300Limited to a higher level than the 353?
a KGSSHV is significantly better than any CURRENT Stax amplifier? How much so?

Finally - a KGSSHV can easily make a 009/009s strut its stuff - and better than any current Stax amplifier?

And while we are at it - one more - and this really applies to any KG amplifiers - Carbon, HV etc. etc.
Obviously the Stax engineers have a certain "sound" they aim for and this is accomplished with their own headphone and amplifier pairings - the Stax sound as envisioned by Stax.

Do the KG amps change this Stax envisioned sound into what their own KG/Mafia vision is for what the sound should be - or do they keep the Stax engineers intended sound and simply improve upon it?

All you need is only Stax amps! Forget all the mumbo jumbo. Get a nice $1000 stax amp 727 or whatever and you good to go.

Get this for $899 and this will sound amaze-balls! Dont spend unnecessary 2k or 4k for nothing!

 

[buzzlulu]

No, Carbon was not voiced to tame 009. Carbon was voiced to Synergize and pair with 007 MkI

From Birgir's website:

"The original design concept for this amp was born to tame the rough top end of the SR-009"

 

[buzzlulu]

All you need is only Stax amps! Forget all the mumbo jumbo. Get a nice $1000 stax amp 727 or whatever and you good to go.

Get this for $899 and this will sound amaze-balls! Dont spend unnecessary 2k or 4k for nothing!

Sorry however I heard this at CanJam NY after listening to the 353X. Let me simply say - I hope they improved upon it since CanJam

 

[protoss]

Sorry however I heard this at CanJam NY after listening to the 353X. Let me simply say - I hope they improved upon it since CanJam

I heard they did fix all the problems and feedback they got from listener. Fingers cross. But my original point stills holds. $1000 max

 

[buzzlulu]

I heard they did fix all the problems and feedback they got from listener. Fingers cross. But my original point stills holds. $1000 max

Yes however the 353X I currently have - was $990 new - ie the same price as the D10 portable.
In other words cheaper and better

 

[buzzlulu]

The short answer is: why not try that amp? There really aren't many of them around, so if you think it is not enough improvement for the amount you spent, just resell it and move on.

Not many around - are you referring to the Carbon or KGSSHV?

 

[georgep]

BHSE was the one made to synergize with the 007 and the Carbon was infact made for smoothing out the 009. The T2 was made for pairing with the SR-Omega of years past.

From Birgir's website:

"The original design concept for this amp was born to tame the rough top end of the SR-009"

Maybe where the Carbon started, but maybe not the whole story: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the-stax-thread-iii.677809/page-523#post-12304366

Also worth noting the final KGSSHV Carbon version that most DIYers build is slightly different than the one Birgir/Spritzer builds (both the amp boards and the psu).

 

[padam]

Not many around - are you referring to the Carbon or KGSSHV?

I could refer to any of them, they are not that common for the obvious reason that they are not mass-produced. But of course, the newer, the rarer.

 

[mulveling]

From Birgir's website:

"The original design concept for this amp was born to tame the rough top end of the SR-009"

Yes. But after the original design was finished, I recall he wrote that the Carbon had ended up being their best all-around Solid-State amplifier for Stax headphones -- not just for 009. Maybe that verbiage doesn't appear on the site. Anyways, listening tests will tell you that's exactly what it is - the top tier general-purpose solid-state amplifier for high end Stax headphones. It doesn't "tame" the 009 at all. In fact, I found my old Carbon to be a relatively better match for 007 Mk I than for 009 and L700 (to be fair, mine didn't have the GRLV supply upgrade). If you need to tame the 009/L700, the KGST or BHSE is a better bet. Or even one of those old warm sounding 450V Sanyo KGSShv builds.

Just speculation, but the KGSShv Carbon and 009S might be an epic match. When I get the 009S I'm worried I'll regret selling my old Carbon.

 

[buzzlulu]

Yes. But after the original design was finished, I recall he wrote that the Carbon had ended up being their best all-around Solid-State amplifier for Stax headphones -- not just for 009. Maybe that verbiage doesn't appear on the site. Anyways, listening tests will tell you that's exactly what it is - the top tier general-purpose solid-state amplifier for high end Stax headphones. It doesn't "tame" the 009 at all. In fact, I found my old Carbon to be a relatively better match for 007 Mk I than for 009 and L700 (to be fair, mine didn't have the GRLV supply upgrade). If you need to tame the 009/L700, the KGST or BHSE is a better bet. Or even one of those old warm sounding 450V Sanyo KGSShv builds.

Just speculation, but the KGSShv Carbon and 009S might be an epic match. When I get the 009S I'm worried I'll regret selling my old Carbon.

Correct - the part about it ending up being the best all around SS is on his website - I just didn't include it in the quote
GRLV supply upgrade - I ran across that - Golden Reference - do current Mjolnir Carbon's have that incorporated?

 

[buzzlulu]

[QUOTE="georgep, post: 14207675, member: 54517"
Also worth noting the final KGSSHV Carbon version that most DIYers build is slightly different than the one Birgir/Spritzer builds (both the amp boards and the psu).[/QUOTE]

In what way? And which are more current and up to date in terms of boards and psu's?

 

[Whitigir]

Well, if 009S was tuned from T8000, then what you will need is an T8000DR from Kevin Gilmore and not the Carbon (Done Right! T8000). I would call it the KG-T.DR., but I don’t know what would KG want to call it. Apparently typing out KG-T8000DR isn’t convenient lol

 

[SeaWo|f]

Maybe where the Carbon started, but maybe not the whole story: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the-stax-thread-iii.677809/page-523#post-12304366

Also worth noting the final KGSSHV Carbon version that most DIYers build is slightly different than the one Birgir/Spritzer builds (both the amp boards and the psu).

He is a tinkerer and always trying to make things better. With the 007mk2.9 his BHSE is remarkably transparent. I am really excited about the initial impressions of the 009S as the tonality looks like a nice match for my system.

Each individual builder can add their own flavor to these KG amps because of their particular parts choices.

Edit: Spritzers amps are obviously more unique than most because he often redoes the board work for the amps and PSU. I think the blurb at the top captures it best in that the nature of his work is "more experimental"