[arnaud]

 
I understand completely, and I've thoroughly enjoyed your posts and admired your depth of knowledge on this hobby of ours over the years..
I'm just stating my opinion..the Abyss fixes everything that is wrong with the 009..it's faster, cleaner, deeper and most importantly: the music is not next to your eyes, it's in front of you.

No worries, I appreciate your point of view and there are certainly many abyss lovers out there, especially those who just found the stat were missing low end / impact.
 
Having now sampled various amps, I'd say half of it is due to the nature of the phones (can't ask for something that's resolving / distortion free whilst at the same time embellishing any music one listens to) and half the battle is in the upstream gear (both amplification and source). All in all, it's an expansive proposition and there are plenty of cost worthy / more convenient alternatives nowadays.
 
If you still have your 727 amp and haven't tried it, give the L700 a shot, it truly shines with Stax amps, in particular the tube versions.
 
cheers,
arnaud

 

[Rossliew]

Can anyone share if the new stax headphones will pair well with the kgsshv /Kgst ?

 

[Rhamnetin]

Can anyone share if the new stax headphones will pair well with the kgsshv /Kgst ?

 
Someone here wrote detailed impressions about the SR-L700 and said the KGST was magic with it.  A perfect pairing and he liked it better than the KGSSHV.  I think this was in the SR-L500 and SR-L700 thread.

 

[Rossliew]

Great, thanks!

 

[purk]

 
Purk, you sure your Carbon is fully burnt in yet? I am thinking 4 weeks plus for the big caps and transformer. Previous experiences with various amps both tube and SS has been 4-8 weeks before the sound signature settled down i.e. the ultimate level. Before 4 weeks for example it can be a roller coaster with crushed dynamics and weaker bass amongst other strange sonic changes.
 
I have also found running them 24/7 then a few switch offs, back on the next day helps as well.
 
I now use a power regenerator for the whole systems mains supply. I can now can get 3 am quality (possibly better) all day as my mains here is a bit rough at peak times.

 
I hope mine is and I do enjoy the sound of it a great deal.  It is a very neutral sounding amp with pretty amazing ability to do soundstage.  However, I do prefer the BHSE tonality & sense of liquid to it.  I'm running my BHSE with NOS EL34 XF4 Holland.  I can see the Carbon indeed surpassing the BHSE with a stock tube for sure.

   
So it does not matter, if there is GE or RCA tubes?

I think the RCA is the one with more treble energy compared to the GE.  The GE however is a little more intimate soundwise but it lacks sense of airiness that the RCA brings to the table.  I wish there are more tubes to roll on the KGST as well.
 

   
Someone here wrote detailed impressions about the SR-L700 and said the KGST was magic with it.  A perfect pairing and he liked it better than the KGSSHV.  I think this was in the SR-L500 and SR-L700 thread.

I think that was Muveling.  I need to get together with him to check out the SR-L700.

 

[Jones Bob]

Have u done any tube rolling? Also spritzer favorite phones is the sr007, so he may have voiced it for the sr007 or a darker sounding Mark 2. Are u running GE or RCA tubes on kgst? I think rolling tubes will take care of fatigue problems for you.

I believe Spritzer was using 14mA current in his KGSTs and that should complement his SR-007s. I use 9mA with good results with my SR-009s. Seems to tame the highs, as I hear no problems like that.

I also use Japanese 6S4As. I've found them more balanced top to bottom than the usual GE, Sylvania, RCAs.

I suspect the Japanese tubes are really repinned 6RA6s as their internals look identical and the heaters take more current in circuit than domestic 6S4As. If so, their Rp would be 40% lower too -which would be a nice bonus.

 

[joseph69]

   However, I do prefer the BHSE tonality & sense of liquid to it.  I'm running my BHSE with NOS EL34 XF4 Holland.  
 

Are you getting this sense of tonality/liquid due to using the NOS EL34 XF-4?
I'm interested in purchasing these tubes (Mullard) for when my BHSE arrives, but I don't know the sound differences between the 
XF-1 through 4 (if any) by any chance would you happen to know?
Thanks.

 

[purk]

  Are you getting this sense of tonality/liquid due to using the NOS EL34 XF-4?
I'm interested in purchasing these tubes (Mullard) for when my BHSE arrives, but I don't know the sound differences between the 
XF-1 through 4 (if any) by any chance would you happen to know?
Thanks.

I'm using Holland EL34 XF4 tubes on mine which I slightly prefer over the NOS Mullard XF3/4 combination. 

 

[joseph69]

  I'm using Holland EL34 XF4 tubes on mine which I slightly prefer over the NOS Mullard XF3/4 combination. 

Are the Holland tubes your preference due to the tonality/liquid sound?
Also I take it that the XF3-4 are more expensive than the XF1-2 tubes?
Thanks.

 

[purk]

  Are the Holland tubes your preference due to the tonality/liquid sound?
Also I take it that the XF3-4 are more expensive than the XF1-2 tubes?
Thanks.

From what I remember, it is a little more open and airy as well as slightly more resolving.  I have done the comparison in a long long time but I just remember that I prefer the combination of the Holland XF4 more albeit the Mullard XF3/4 combination was also excellent.  If you read @ Attorney tube rating for BHSE, he also ranks the Holland XF4 as the best tube for his BHSE.  Obviously, I'm not alone on this.

 

[joseph69]

  From what I remember, it is a little more open and airy as well as slightly more resolving.  I have done the comparison in a long long time but I just remember that I prefer the combination of the Holland XF4 more albeit the Mullard XF3/4 combination was also excellent.  If you read @ Attorney tube rating for BHSE, he also ranks the Holland XF4 as the best tube for his BHSE.  Obviously, I'm not alone on this.

Thanks very much for the information…I'm going to give it a read.

 

[Rossliew]

Can anyone share if a Megatron is worth the time and money to build ?

 

[n3rdling]

Impressions from the few who have built one have been very, very positive.

 

[Rossliew]

Someone on here has built one before but I can't recall his name. Was put up for sale as well and I recall it being very hot running which may suite our tropical weather .

 

[astrostar59]

Someone on here has built one before but I can't recall his name. Was put up for sale as well and I recall it being very hot running which may suite our tropical weather .

Try asking over at the 'other forum' I am sure someone will reply.
 
The heat issue may be problematic though? Capacitor life and other component life is directly related to how hot the 'normal' operating temperature inside the amp and at the component positions. Top respect for anyone undertaking the build mind.