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The Stax Thread III

May 10, 2020 at 11:48 AM Post #18,586 of 27,911
Has anyone come across any DIY or proper retail male Stax connectors? And if so, care to link please?
Am looking for something qualitative, gold-plated, etc.; so for example, Moon Audio's "offerings" do not apply.

* and yes, i could butcher an extension cable and use its existing one, but no, that wasn't the question :)

Edit: Was..am.. hoping to avoid the 'custom' part of this, but if all else fails, yes, am aware it can be made from scratch nowadays (3D printing magics!). I've already asked someone about this, i remember them from head-case too. Ultimately, the goal is something like a Transparent cable, only for Stax electrets ^^
 
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May 10, 2020 at 2:44 PM Post #18,587 of 27,911
Aenra said:
Has anyone come across any DIY or proper retail male Stax connectors? And if so, care to link please?
Am looking for something qualitative, gold-plated, etc.; so for example, Moon Audio's "offerings" do not apply.
Click to expand...

I don't believe so. If there are good sources for such, they are well hidden from routine searches.
For good quality parts you're probably going to have to find a local 3D printer or machinist.

For ready sources, not much other than Moon Audio, et al for the raw male plug. Which you could then put inside a Neutrik XLR type housing and/or wrap in heat shrink. The problem as you imply is that these all seem to be based on the ill-fitting Amphencol/WMI plugs. They work but the pin spacing is slightly off. So they don't give the perception of quality and in the long term might damage the mating socket.

A few people like Kevin Gilmore made limited runs of proper plugs machined from nylon/teflon and gold pins salvaged from Neutrik XLR plugs. And someone else had 3D printed some. But I haven't seen well made plugs on offer for some time.
 
May 10, 2020 at 3:19 PM Post #18,588 of 27,911
@ired just wanted to enquire in case i was missing something, happens often when it has to do with the internet :)
If i don't hear back from the forum member i've PMed, i will employ someone to design it in CAD for me, i have the exact dimensions.

Just to continue the conversation, a bit of expanding:
In terms of female sockets, nothing limited about them; you can still purchase as many as you please from a certain online store we all know about in this thread, albeit overpriced as hell, or from an Esthonian ebay seller at much a saner pricing.
* Have purchased from him myself and can assure you he's not only legit, but actually conscientious.
The overpriced version's the white teflon one you may have been talking about, and definitely the one found in certain non-STAX amps.

As to the Amphenols, it's a 'complaint' i've come across a number of times, but in reality, they were never meant for what some of us intended them for; the term 'DIN', overly used in the US even when it shouldn't be is a good indicator as to that:)
More trivia, but unless i'm mistaken the particular socket was originally produced by another company and for military grade components; Amphenol simply acquired their tooling later on and for some period continued the plug's production.
 
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May 10, 2020 at 4:22 PM Post #18,589 of 27,911
Aenra said:
@ired just wanted to enquire in case i was missing something, happens often when it has to do with the internet :)
If i don't hear back from the forum member i've PMed, i will employ someone to design it in CAD for me, i have the exact dimensions.

Just to continue the conversation, a bit of expanding:
In terms of female sockets, nothing limited about them; you can still purchase as many as you please from a certain online store we all know about in this thread, albeit overpriced as hell, or from an Esthonian ebay seller at much a saner pricing.
* Have purchased from him myself and can assure you he's not only legit, but actually conscientious.
The overpriced version's the white teflon one you may have been talking about, and definitely the one found in certain non-STAX amps.

As to the Amphenols, it's a 'complaint' i've come across a number of times, but in reality, they were never meant for what some of us intended them for; the term 'DIN', overly used in the US even when it shouldn't be is a good indicator as to that:)
More trivia, but unless i'm mistaken the particular socket was originally produced by another company and for military grade components; Amphenol simply acquired their tooling later on and for some period continued the plug's production.
Click to expand...

The devil is always in the details but my understanding is pretty much what you outlined. And one can only hope that someone on the forum might know of a better source for good quality parts.

"DIN" is often misused in America to label almost anything metric or "foreign". Often inappropriately as DIN is a proper standards organization. There is, as you were elaborating, nothing wrong with the Amphenol connectors other than they were not intended to be used for Stax equipment. They just happen to be a close match that many employ as the OEM part is not available.

Amphenol is a large American multinational that has swallowed any number of military equipment manufacturers. I believe that the connector in question appears to be a miniature XLR microphone connector that has been around in America since at least the 1950's. My understanding is that the Amphenol tooling for this connector series was purchased by Wire Pro Inc, who in turn was purchased by Cooper Interconnect, now a division of Eaton. Someone else can fill in the details if this is incorrect. This is just incidental history that I gleaned along the way, I surely didn't look into it in any depth.

So yes the Ampenol/WPI connector is a workaround. Moon audio is a convenient source, sometimes seen cheaper on Ebay. A lot cheaper if you look for a surplus dealer. I've seen people machine proper connectors for some short-run DIY or boutique amps. But I am pretty sure that Kevin machined his own. And at least two forum members were said to have 3D printed plugs.

KG-stax-pro-plug.jpg


This is one of the plugs that Kevin made (headcase thread).
And one that another headcase member 3D printed here. Dimensions for machining here or here.
 
May 11, 2020 at 1:26 PM Post #18,590 of 27,911
AudioThief said:
There is zero chance anyone can distinguish the amps in blind testing, and everyone knows that here. I can promise you that every single one of the mafia heads have no confidence in any sort of rigorous testing. One amp isn't more "detailed" than another, or make a headphone sound warm or cold. And it definitely doesn't work like "the more you pay for the amp the better it is". You could give someone literally owning a Carbon, put a 353x inside a Carbon chassis and show it to him, and he wouldn't be able to tell it apart from his own. Guaranteed.
Click to expand...

I've listened to the Carbon and the BHSE side by side. While they were very similar overall, there were *frequency response* differences that were absolutely clear. For example, on one Muddy Waters song, there was a bass note that was really loud with the Carbon and nearly silent on the BHSE. I felt the BHSE was better based on more subtle high-frequency difference.

I also used to own a modded Stax 727 ii. I used my 009s with it for a year and was very happy. However, when I got my BHSE, I was able to compare them and found the mid-range in the 727 to be hard. Again, side by side, the differences were easily hearable.

And, for what it is worth, I don't believe in high-end cables and I think DAC differences and widely exaggerated.
 
May 12, 2020 at 2:02 AM Post #18,591 of 27,911
@ired apologies for the belated reply, am a single-threaded type of person.. partly some sales i'm trying to do, partly some missus-induced headaches, well, there you go :)

Already had the dimensions, but i do appreciate your taking the time to link them, thank you! Chinsetta was actually kind enough to write back to me, eventually sent me his 3D model via email, so am all good as it turns out ^^
(thank you again Chinsetta)

Will take time and money, not the first time i try (and fail) to make a Transparent clone, i know i can't; or rather, not as well as they used to. But judging by past experiences, if i can get the cables as good as i used to, they'd still be way better than STAX's. Just.. bit of trial and error, lol. My trusty Tektronix stands ready.

As to the specifics, i think you're spot on. And is actually how i came to 'learn' about Amphenol myself, buying old US army equipment only so as to 'salvage' the JANs, just kept some plugs along the way as well; among other things :)
I've crates and crates of JANs; and original unused Matsushitas (including some that were commissioned by Luxman, got their brand name on them); and Raytheons, Telefunkens (W. Germany), etc. etc. They sit smug and comfy in a humidity-regulated storage room, right next to my other crates, lol, yeah.. it's a disease ^^
* this is a hobby for older people indeed.

I've stories to tell about DINs and what customers did with them, but it's a small country and i fear someone will recognise themselves in my description.. yes, a very.. confusing practice that eventually exceeded the strictly geographical, but let's leave it at that!
 
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May 12, 2020 at 10:53 AM Post #18,592 of 27,911
AudioThief said:
There is zero chance anyone can distinguish the amps in blind testing, and everyone knows that here.
Click to expand...

I tell you I will distinguish my KGSSHV and BHSE amps correctly every time in blind testing. The bass has clear audible difference in quantity that is easy to spot. Other than that, soundstage and treble is a bit different. However, these latter qualities I could probably not identify blinded.

Now, in theory, these amps should sound the same, right? To me this is not the case, so which of these amps adds coloration deliberately or by design?
 
May 12, 2020 at 11:53 AM Post #18,594 of 27,911
VandyMan said:
I've listened to the Carbon and the BHSE side by side. While they were very similar overall, there were *frequency response* differences that were absolutely clear. For example, on one Muddy Waters song, there was a bass note that was really loud with the Carbon and nearly silent on the BHSE. I felt the BHSE was better based on more subtle high-frequency difference.

I also used to own a modded Stax 727 ii. I used my 009s with it for a year and was very happy. However, when I got my BHSE, I was able to compare them and found the mid-range in the 727 to be hard. Again, side by side, the differences were easily hearable.

And, for what it is worth, I don't believe in high-end cables and I think DAC differences and widely exaggerated.
Click to expand...
I have Freya tube pre in front of Kgsshv Carbon
protoss said:
Is it really fair to do a TUBE flavor tube amps (BHSE) vs a solid state (Cabon) amps?

My answer is no its not a fair comparison.
Click to expand...
I have Freya tube pre in front of Kgsshv Carbon to drive 009s with excellent result.

It give tube flavor but also with full and deep bass.
 
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May 12, 2020 at 12:16 PM Post #18,595 of 27,911
sonics said:
I tell you I will distinguish my KGSSHV and BHSE amps correctly every time in blind testing. The bass has clear audible difference in quantity that is easy to spot. Other than that, soundstage and treble is a bit different. However, these latter qualities I could probably not identify blinded.

Now, in theory, these amps should sound the same, right? To me this is not the case, so which of these amps adds coloration deliberately or by design?
Click to expand...

As Protoss said, tube vs SS is a bit different, as tube amps have significanly higher distortion figures than SS. Anyways any talk of blind testing we have to go into the sound science forum to have. So I apologize for derailing the thread with all this talk about the amps. I've said my peace on the topic, and any further discussion we can have in the sound science forums.
 
May 14, 2020 at 7:30 AM Post #18,597 of 27,911
I picked up a pair of STAX SR-40 electret headphones a few years ago out of curiosity, and I couldn't get the left channel working. Is it more likely that the driver has lost it's charge, or that the adapter/energiser has gone bad?


f3bb8b0ec792fa0b1ac03b8814b90e73.jpg

(pic not mine, but this is the right model)
 
May 14, 2020 at 10:51 AM Post #18,598 of 27,911
May 14, 2020 at 10:57 AM Post #18,599 of 27,911
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