[edstrelow]

I am  dubious about the fact that the new Sennheiser is  "system,"  and curious as to whetherthey  have really come up with a better "headphone" or rather a "system"  where we do not know what is the respective contribution of the parts of the system. Whereas the original Orpheus could be run on other systems, this one may very well not be compatible with other equipment.  As such Sennheiser may not have actually produced a better headphone, but rather a very refined and expensive  "system."
 
It may very well be that some or all of the apparent quality of this system has more to do with the amp and dac  than with the phones themselves. If it is  not possible to test the phones away from the rest of the system it may be impossible to find out .  Because  the phones have  some kind of built-in amplification in the earcups  we may end up not knowing what is truly going on. 
 
The use of  amplification in the earcups  is not a new idea,   Koss did this in the 60's with its ESP 6 which had  step-up transformers in the
earcups.  Not quite identical but a definite conceptual  resemblance.
.
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/234504/koss-esp6-refurbished-vintage-electrostatics
 

 

[potkettleblack]

My heart just skipped a beat.

Sennheiser's new electrostatic headphone system (successor to the legendary Orpheus, out next year) will actually cost...around 50,000 Euros. O_O

http://www.head-fi.org/t/786512/sennheiser-orpheus-successor-the-sennheiser-he1060-hev1060-first-look

Due to its controversial nature, this will inevitably be nicknamed the "STAX killer" even if some people don't like it as much as the best STAX. My best friend wants it too. haha

Why don't you hop over to the sennheiser thread? I know you've only heard the HD598, but the new Orpheus is clearly the one for you.

 

[Music Alchemist]

  I am  dubious about the fact that the new Sennheiser is  "system,"  and curious as to whetherthey  have really come up with a better "headphone" or rather a "system"  where we do not know what is the respective contribution of the parts of the system. Whereas the original Orpheus could be run on other systems, this one may very well not be compatible with other equipment.  As such Sennheiser may not have actually produced a better headphone, but rather a very refined and expensive  "system."
 
It may very well be that some or all of the apparent quality of this system has more to do with the amp and dac  than with the phones themselves. If it is  not possible to test the phones away from the rest of the system it may be impossible to find out .  Because  the phones have  some kind of built-in amplification in the earcups  we may end up not knowing what is truly going on. 

 
You raise valid points. The onboard DAC can be bypassed when you connect an external DAC via the analog inputs.
 

Why don't you hop over to the sennheiser thread? I know you've only heard the HD598, but the new Orpheus is clearly the one for you.

 
While I agree that this thread should be about STAX, and the new Orpheus should be primarily discussed in its own thread, other electrostats are highly relevant and should at least be mentioned, especially something like this.
 
No, in the HD series, I owned the 280, 590, 650, and 700, and auditioned the 558 and 800. Never heard the 598.

 

[edstrelow]

   
You raise valid points. The onboard DAC can be bypassed when you connect an external DAC via the analog inputs.
 
 
 

But I don't think the earcup amps can be bypassed.

 

[Music Alchemist]

  But I don't think the earcup amps can be bypassed.

 
That is correct. The proprietary system cannot be entirely bypassed.

 

[labrat]

 

[Music Alchemist]

  Have you become the leading expert here on Sennheiser "Orpheus" too?

 
No, I just read the available information and watched the videos too. Anyone who did the same would know that there are amplifiers "integrated directly into the cups of the headphones."

 

[Yubacore]

Get a room, guys.
 
Mods?

 

[Jones Bob]

A padded room.

 

[Jones Bob]

I recognize those two amps at the top. :rolleyes:  

Since you are the builder of mulveling's beautiful amps, was wondering if his KGST is based on the earlier group buy PCBs with simple CCS 6S4A loads. Or did you build with the later design with cascode CCS?

TIA

 

[carbonfet]

Since you are the builder of mulveling's beautiful amps, was wondering if his KGST is based on the earlier group build PCBs with simple CCS 6S4A loads. Or did you build with the later design with cascode CCS?

TIA

It's the earlier version of the CCS. The cascode CCS boards are slightly larger. It would be a very tight fit in that chassis.

 

[zxathlon]

Hello guys I need some help.
I just got a new 727II. When I test the bias voltage I found between R/L to GND they are all above 10V. I believe it shouldn't read like this. The power cord is already grounded. Do I need to adjust the OFFSETS? I am so confused since it is brand new. Is it supposed to be like this? Or I'd better return it for the possibility of part defects? 
 
Also when I use the bypass mode that 727 offers, even the voltage imbalance between R+/L+ and R-/L- grows large and unbelievably oscillating. 

Who knows it? Please help...

 

[Michgelsen]

  Hello guys I need some help.
I just got a new 727II. When I test the bias voltage I found between R/L to GND they are all above 10V. I believe it shouldn't read like this. The power cord is already grounded. Do I need to adjust the OFFSETS? I am so confused since it is brand new. Is it supposed to be like this? Or I'd better return it for the possibility of part defects? 
 
Also when I use the bypass mode that 727 offers, even the voltage imbalance between R+/L+ and R-/L- grows large and unbelievably oscillating. 

Who knows it? Please help...

 
10V is not that much in the range of hundreds of volts in which the amp is operating. If you like, you can adjust the offset to compensate, but do so with the amp on for a few hours (with the top already off, so that you don't have to fiddle with that later with the amp on), so that it's fully warmed up and stabilized. When I did this on my SRM-T1, warming up the amp for a few hours helped decrease the oscillating.
There's no need to return the amp, unless you are unable to adjust the offset to 0V, for example when you max out a trimpot and you still measure more than 10V offset. Then maybe there's something wrong, but I wouldn't worry for now.
 
I don't know about the imbalance between left and right oscillating. Do you have a source with a steady, for example 60Hz, test tone connected? Or could it be your multimeter that's not measuring steadily?

 

[Tinkerer]

  Hello guys I need some help.
I just got a new 727II. When I test the bias voltage I found between R/L to GND they are all above 10V. I believe it shouldn't read like this. The power cord is already grounded. Do I need to adjust the OFFSETS? I am so confused since it is brand new. Is it supposed to be like this? Or I'd better return it for the possibility of part defects? 
 
Also when I use the bypass mode that 727 offers, even the voltage imbalance between R+/L+ and R-/L- grows large and unbelievably oscillating. 

Who knows it? Please help...

 
Seconding that you should definitely make sure you let it warm up for a couple hours before measurements. They can drift a bit.

 

[chinsettawong]

It's normal that the output DC drifting somewhat. I wouldn't worry about 10-20V drifting.