[astrostar59]

  I would guess that "audible distortion" is a language translation issue.
 
One advantage the Pavane  has over TotalDAC is that there is only one Pavane model.
There are far too many TotalDAC variants and options for me. Whichever one I chose, I'd be forever fretting about upgrades etc.
Of course, for some people this choice would be very attractive.     

I see your point. I was /thinking at some point in looking to upgrade my Audio Note DAC 4.1 kit. However so far I haven't heard anything that makes me jump. So I am upgrading pretty much all the parts count in my DAC to max it out. I feel happier with tubes in my system chain, I went all solid state before and it wasn't for me, even with R-2R.
 
I am sure the Pavane is much better than the little Octave MK2 I have.  One of my problems is the Pavane has no volume pot. My Audio Note DAC has transformers on the output thus very low impedance so can run longer interconnects. This has allowed me to use a passive pre-amp and miss out a stage and the SQ loss of that.
 
I think Metrum should bump up the output and add the volume pot like on their headphone amp. Most folk have one source nowadays.
 
The TotalDAC has volume option and a good amp stage I read.
 
Back to the review by Kalgerman's buddies, I am wondering if the input method affected the SQ? I find it odd how a CDP sounds better than a well setup Mac or PC on USB. I have bettered my CDP by at least 20% or more, and it was a 10K CEC belt drive unit. 90% of the users on computeraudiophile.com agree.
 
It may be the guys liked Delta-Sigma better, it can come across as more exciting and 'hi-fi' IMO, but R-2R as non oversampling on RedBook sounds right to me and wins in long session with less fatigue or more realism. If the data is up sampled at the input or by the PC software, it will wreck the sound IMO. Too many variables here to know. We need more info to judge. Maybe other users can chime in?

 

[Michgelsen]

Can we cut the dac-cr*p and get back to Stax? It's unbelievable how this thread is half-filled, or half-polluted I should say, with the constant nagging about r2r/nos/filterless/whatever dacs. Feel free to start a 'suitable sources for a stax system' thread in the sources forum. The only dacs discussed here should be Stax dacs. If you don't have anything 'Stax' to add, then don't add.

 

[Earspeakers]

I'm on it!
 
A Stax DA-80 driving a SRD-7, with a SRM-T1W as the passive volume control
 

 
 
Serious Stax. 

 

[Michgelsen]

Great, with pics as well! Next step: Stax monoblocks with a transformer box?

 

[DougD]

  I'm on it!
 
A Stax DA-80 driving a SRD-7, with a SRM-T1W as the passive volume control
 

 
 
Serious Stax. 

 
I have an SRD-7, it came new with my SR-X Mk3 cans, and I've never made a decision on how I want to upgrade. Happily both still work fine.
 
But given the lowly reputation/status of the mere energizers, and knowing that you have a collection of Stax gear that possibly runs second to only the Stax Museum in Japan, I am TOTALLY NOT UNDERSTANDING why you ever bothered to hook this up as you have. 
 
Could you explain ?

 

[Earspeakers]

Because I could 

 
Actually there is some logic to it. I got some SRD-7's that came along for the ride with headphones, so figured I should try them out. But I didn't have an amp having ditched all my regular amps. Options seemed to be ....
 

1. Get some cheap SS amp like a class T
   Rebuttal: Why bother with a cheap amp? Maybe it would sound fine but it seemed odd to be running such high end stuff with a $50 amp
2. Get a nice cheap tube amp
   Rebuttal: Having built too many of these I didn't want to do another and didn't want to spend too much money. There are some relatively inexpensive ones on eBay but reviews seem mixed on quality. Technically having two transformers in the chain, one on tube output and one to match to headphone seemed like a poor solution
3. Get an OTL amp
   Not too many of these, I used to have an Atmasphere but didn't want to go that route again
4. Get a high end (maybe class A) SS amp
   Overkill, but technically few detractions

 
The last seemed to be the best option since the silicon might be balanced by the transformer. Since I like Stax it's a natural combination. 
 
Sound wise is something quite unlike the active amps. They (energizers) have a slight/more than slight hyper quality - even the low key KGST, that I'm not hearing with this combination. It's immensely powerful yet with presence. Doesn't sound like SS or tube either but something of both maybe. 
 
I'm using adjectives that make it seem more different than it is. It's not hugely different, but it is quite different from the rest of the pantheon. I think the transformer couplers are sleepers and I'd like to find a Woo Wee too one day. 

 

[soren_brix]

Even though it's a rather old post, it might still be a good read in context of the latest postings:

  I've spent a lot of time comparing transformers vs. dedicated amps and the good dedicated amps always win out.  These are transformers far superior to the Stax/WEE units and much, much bigger.  Some of them even cost more for a single unit then a Blue Hawaii costs to build.  

  Add to this the most advanced bias supplies ever designed for headphones (far superior to those fitted to any amp/adapter) and yet the transformers just can't match the utter indifference to the load the good amps have.  They always sound colored and with less bass/treble control then I'd have liked.  The end result isn't bad but my own preference is for the amp to not have any sound of its own and just leave that to the transducers. 
 
For these tests I always used various Class A SS amps since it makes very little sense for me to feed a transformer with a tube amp.  Why have a high ratio transformer step down from the tubes down to 8ohm to just feed the same signal through a second transformer to get it back up to high voltage/high impedance?  It makes a lot more sense to do what Frank Cooter is doing, take a SET amp and fit it with a low ratio (1:1.5 or even less) phase splitting transformer to drive the headphones directly.  This causes a lot less issues and is the only realistic way of making a fully DHT based electrostatic amp for those that want that kind of thing.  KG's 12 tube, fully DHT equipped design costs about 4K$ just for the tubes alone... 

 
One thing that people should also be aware of, is the unnecessarily high stepup ratio of the Stax/WEE boxes.  Now if you are using 3W amps then you need this kind of stepup but anything above 10W and this just causes distortion.  Unlike an amp where the extra voltage swing can only bring improvements (higher slew rate, running the amp far away from its limits etc.) the higher the stepup ratio, the more non-linear transformers get.  When the first Stax transformers were introduced in 1960 amps were very different to what we have today but they always stuck to that rather high ratio (1:20-1:30 depending on vintage and model) burning up countless headphones when people weren't careful with the volume control. 
 

 
From the WEE - new product from Woo Audio thread

 

[vapman]

   
I have an SRD-7, it came new with my SR-X Mk3 cans, and I've never made a decision on how I want to upgrade. Happily both still work fine.
 
But given the lowly reputation/status of the mere energizers, and knowing that you have a collection of Stax gear that possibly runs second to only the Stax Museum in Japan, I am TOTALLY NOT UNDERSTANDING why you ever bothered to hook this up as you have. 
 
Could you explain ?

I've actually been really enjoying my SR-X MK3 / SRD-7 combo being fed by a Crown D-75A.
Enough to the point the Woo WEE is slowly climbing its way down my priority list.
Clean, clear uncolored amp which works very nicely with the transformer box IMO. Plus the volume dials are stepped, so channel imbalance isn't a concern.

 

[Rayzilla]

 
...
Personally, I never thought about being suspicious in this case because of the positive reputation of PJ. Let's hope there will be nothing to tarnish their reputation because I will be considering getting the 009 from them down the road if I have a good STAX experience here.

 
 

  ...
I hope that they will still honour the prices that some of us ordered it for yesterday. It would be the right thing for them to do.   I haven't received any email from them yet.

So I got the bad news email from PJ. Here is what they said and are offering me:
 
"Lowest shop of STAX SR-407 (who sells SR-407 with 20314 Yen price) turned out fraudulent.
We could not provide SR-407 based on the price of the fraudulent shop.
If SR-407 price is normal price (37500 Yen), it will lift total amount by US$150.
You can cancel your order and get full refund, or you can keep your order by additonal US$100 payment ( we will be resposinble for the remaining $50 )
Please select one between two options;
1. You can cancel your order and get full refund,
2.  you can keep your order by additonal US$100 payment to our paypal account"
 
So unfortunately the, if it's too good to be true... saying applies here.
 
I am somewhat disappointed here because I was hoping that they would still honour their price. This shouldn't be the first time that they would be encountering possible fake suppliers, so they should have a system of checking them out before posting the sale price. The reason I am disappointed is that even though they offer a full refund, I will be hit with the exchange rate spread that PayPal charges when they convert from US$ back to HK$. I was already hit with and interest rate spread when I made the original payment, as they converted my HK$ to US$. And this spread will be on my FULL purchase price, which includes the amp, HP stand and HP cover.
 

  ...
Hmm, well I paid and got a note from Kaneda confirming and saying he'll be shipping them out soon. I wouldn't pitch a hissy fit if it doesn't come through, but that would be that an order would get that far and not make it. 

I received the confirmation email as well but I guess it doesn't mean much. Have you received an email from Kaneda?

 

[Earspeakers]

  Even though it's a rather old post, it might still be a good read in context of the latest postings:
 
From the WEE - new product from Woo Audio thread
I've spent a lot of time comparing transformers vs. dedicated amps and the good dedicated amps always win out. 

 
Yeah I know Birgir feels this way. For whatever reason I keep finding myself disagreeing with his assessment of SQ. For the record, Birgir is a wonderful person who has done a great service for the community, and I've personally received lots of help from him. It's not about that, but I do keep finding that his opinion on the SQ is opposite mine. For example, he thinks the 007mk1 is the best, I have one and think its, well among the worst. He has issues with the 009, I have none. He has issues with most all of the Stax amps, I find good music in all of them, he thinks transformers lose out, I think in the right context they sound great. And so forth. Maybe its our musical tastes, or ears or who knows what. 
 
My point is form your own conclusion, don't think that Birgir, myself or anybody who has heard a lot of Stax gear has a definitive opinion. 
 

  So I got the bad news email from PJ. Here is what they said and are offering me:
 
"Lowest shop of STAX SR-407 (who sells SR-407 with 20314 Yen price) turned out fraudulent.Have you received an email from Kaneda?

 
Yeah same deal. Well if it was too good to be true I guess. 

 

[Ali-Pacha]

  My point is form your own conclusion, don't think that Birgir, myself or anybody who has heard a lot of Stax gear has a definitive opinion. 

Quote of the day

I think I'm somewhere in beetween about SQ. But I definitely like the variety Stax has to offer, and I'm not looking to dynamic side of this hobby. Or almost : I'll end with some HD800 one day, for sure

 
Quote:

Yeah same deal. Well if it was too good to be true I guess. 

Yep. No exchange rate / fees problem by my side (bank transfer), the price switches to "insanely affordable

" to "mmh, not so bad

" with this 50$ cut, so I'm continuing on this path

 
Ali

 

[soren_brix]

   
Yeah I know Birgir feels this way. For whatever reason I keep finding myself disagreeing with his assessment of SQ. For the record, Birgir is a wonderful person who has done a great service for the community, and I've personally received lots of help from him. It's not about that, but I do keep finding that his opinion on the SQ is opposite mine. For example, he thinks the 007mk1 is the best, I have one and think its, well among the worst. He has issues with the 009, I have none. He has issues with most all of the Stax amps, I find good music in all of them, he thinks transformers lose out, I think in the right context they sound great. And so forth. Maybe its our musical tastes, or ears or who knows what. 
 
My point is form your own conclusion, don't think that Birgir, myself or anybody who has heard a lot of Stax gear has a definitive opinion.

The posting was not about how Spritzer feels about this.
The point being, that Spritzer makes some valid points about using a transformer for driving stats. Facts ... not feelings. 
As far as I know the Woo box turned out to be not so glorious when looking under the hood; still some people might choose the Woo anyways.
Knowing what one is buying or using when listing to music will give you a far better understanding on what to look for.

 

 

[uchihaitachi]

   
Yeah I know Birgir feels this way. For whatever reason I keep finding myself disagreeing with his assessment of SQ. For the record, Birgir is a wonderful person who has done a great service for the community, and I've personally received lots of help from him. It's not about that, but I do keep finding that his opinion on the SQ is opposite mine. For example, he thinks the 007mk1 is the best, I have one and think its, well among the worst. He has issues with the 009, I have none. He has issues with most all of the Stax amps, I find good music in all of them, he thinks transformers lose out, I think in the right context they sound great. And so forth. Maybe its our musical tastes, or ears or who knows what. 
 
My point is form your own conclusion, don't think that Birgir, myself or anybody who has heard a lot of Stax gear has a definitive opinion. 
 
 
Yeah same deal. Well if it was too good to be true I guess. 

Don't the 007mk1 vary a lot from pair to pair?

 

[Arthrumus]

Yeah same deal. Well if it was too good to be true I guess. 

I just got the same message. It's a bummer, but isn't that $353 price still a pretty good deal for the 407? I'm still considering paying the extra $100.

 

[Earspeakers]

The point being, that Spritzer makes some valid points about using a transformer for driving stats. 

 
Got it

  Don't the 007mk1 vary a lot from pair to pair?

Don't know, I haven't heard that. 
 

I just got the same message. It's a bummer, but isn't that $353 price still a pretty good deal for the 407? I'm still considering paying the extra $100.

All the Stax gear from Japan is a fantastic price right now due to the exchange rate. If anybody is thinking about getting a 009 from PJ I'd jump on it. This incident is unfortunate but not surprising given how his business works. I personally wouldn't let it deter me.