[Nekochu]

 
Plenty of Heat Sinks on the Select, same chassis is used for the Headphone Amp.
 


As has been pointed out, I will not be able to compare against another Stat Headphone Amp, what I will be able to do is to compare it to TOTL Dynamic and Planar amps, valve & SS.

Would love to hear your impressions on the MSB and you could always cast your mind back to the BHSE  

 

[mulder01]

 
IMO I somehow doubt it will be 5 x better than any amp anyone has ever heard. But I am prepared to be convinced if that indeed proves to be the case...

 
It won't be, just like a $5000 amp is not 5x better than a $1000 amp.  I thought diminishing returns was one of the most commonly known facts here.

 

[Pale Rider]

I am looking forward to Simon's impressions. Granted, I wish he was able to do a direct comparison between something like the BHSE or a Carbon. But even without that, we should be able to get a clue as to whether MSB is on the right track. Personally, though I love my Select, and MSB has a good track record with other amps, and seems to have excellent engineers, I am skeptical they hit a $37,000 home run on their first at-bat. And I too am a bit turned off by what seemed to be the primary value proposition on the new-and-improved web site, emphasizing the expense. Meh.

 

[earthpeople]

This was briefly discussed a few years back, but I wanted to check consensus on disconnecting headphones before turning off electrostatic amps. I've done it a few times in the last couple days just to see if anything happens, but it seems there's been no adverse effects. 
I ask just to make sure I'm not long-term damaging my headphones or amps. I suspect it's fine due to the STAX connector not shorting like a regular TRS plug when inserting/removing. Of course, I stop any music and turn the volume to minimum before doing this. 
 
My KGSSHV makes some popping sounds (fast then slows down, like stopping a fan or propeller) on power down if the headphones are connected, I'm guessing because there is no muting circuit, but again if there is no problem with disconnecting the headphones before powering off, then it's not really a concern as long as I do so.
 
Thanks for any insights!

 

[soren_brix]

  This was briefly discussed a few years back, but I wanted to check consensus on disconnecting headphones before turning off electrostatic amps. I've done it a few times in the last couple days just to see if anything happens, but it seems there's been no adverse effects. 
I ask just to make sure I'm not long-term damaging my headphones or amps. I suspect it's fine due to the STAX connector not shorting like a regular TRS plug when inserting/removing. Of course, I stop any music and turn the volume to minimum before doing this. 
 
My KGSSHV makes some popping sounds (fast then slows down, like stopping a fan or propeller) on power down if the headphones are connected, I'm guessing because there is no muting circuit, but again if there is no problem with disconnecting the headphones before powering off, then it's not really a concern as long as I do so.
 
Thanks for any insights!

if you increase the size of the caps of the low voltage supply, the "strange sound" when powering down will disappear - nothing to be worried about though and probably not worth the hassle.
Leaving the phones connected to the KGSShv wouldn't hurt.
though you might benefit from shorting the legs of the plug with your thumb, to discharge the diaphragms, after disconnecting

 

[joseph69]

 

  Though you might benefit from shorting the legs of the plug with your thumb, to discharge the diaphragms, after disconnectin

My KGSSHV makes some popping sounds (fast then slows down, like stopping a fan or propeller) on power down if the headphones are connected, I'm guessing because there is no muting circuit, but again if there is no problem with disconnecting the headphones before powering off, then it's not really a concern as long as I do so.
 
Thanks for any insights!

What you're hearing is the capacitors discharging and it's normal/safe.
 
What is the benefit of shorting the pins with your thumb afterwards? I'm asking because I don't do this, so should I?
Thanks.

 

[astrostar59]

  What you're hearing is the capacitors discharging and it's normal/safe.
 
What is the benefit of shorting the pins with your thumb afterwards? I'm asking because I don't do this, so should I?
Thanks.

On all my previous Stat amps inc the KGSShv and current Carbon I unplug the phones before powering down. Also power up then plug in the phones. Sometimes I leave the amp on all day and night if I am about the house. But on any extended periods I always unplug the phones.
 
I am not sure if this is required, but it seems that not sending 580v bias to the phones when not in use makes sense.

 

[joseph69]

  On all my previous Stat amps inc the KGSShv and current Carbon I unplug the phones before powering down. Also power up then plug in the phones. Sometimes I leave the amp on all day and night if I am about the house. But on any extended periods I always unplug the phones.
 
I am not sure if this is required, but it seems that not sending 580v bias to the phones when not in use makes sense.

I've always done the opposite with all 3 of my stat amps (and my SS/tube amp as well)…plug in-power on/power off-unplug.
What would be the reason for shorting out the pins to discharge the diaphragms? I would have thought the opposite so the diaphragm doesn't have to be fully charged again when used the next time? How long does it takes for the diaphragms to fully charge anyway? IIRC I read it takes a new pair of electrostatic HP's about 2 days to fully charge, so I'm thinking if you fully discharge the diaphragms it would take about 2 days to fully charge them again? Once again, I'm asking because I don't know so go easy. 

 

[chinsettawong]

A good pair of electrostatic phones will take probably one or two seconds to charge up and will take less than a minute to discharge itself.  

 

[joseph69]

  A good pair of electrostatic phones will take probably one or two seconds to charge up and will take less than a minute to discharge itself.  

Thank you. 
No that I think about it, the subject was about an older pair of estats I had read about.
By "discharge itself" you mean without shorting the pins, correct?

 

[soren_brix]

  I've always done the opposite with all 3 of my stat amps (and my SS/tube amp as well)…plug in-power on/power off-unplug.
What would be the reason for shorting out the pins to discharge the diaphragms? I would have thought the opposite so the diaphragm doesn't have to be fully charged again when used the next time? How long does it takes for the diaphragms to fully charge anyway? IIRC I read it takes a new pair of electrostatic HP's about 2 days to fully charge, so I'm thinking if you fully discharge the diaphragms it would take about 2 days to fully charge them again? Once again, I'm asking because I don't know so go easy. 

not sure if anyone knows why some phones build up residual charge, but it happens ... and for those I've had (very old Lambda, SR-X and SR-5's): charging, thumb-discharging, several times seems to cure the residual charge, and it charges up fully (at least identical in each channels) after some excercising.
I use thumb-discharging occasionally, and sometimes leave the phones in the amp for days and so far haven't experience any problems. 

 

[joseph69]

  not sure if anyone knows why some phones build up residual charge, but it happens ... and for those I've had (very old Lambda, SR-X and SR-5's): charging, thumb-discharging, several times seems to cure the residual charge, and it charges up fully (at least identical in each channels) after some excercising.
I use thumb-discharging occasionally, and sometimes leave the phones in the amp for days and so far haven't experience any problems. 

So you're just discharging occasionally to eliminate the residual charge, which will dissipate over time by itself anyway?
What would/could be wrong with residual charge…wouldn't it be just like a capacitor holding its charge and then loosing it over time?
 
Thanks.

 

[soren_brix]

  So you're just discharging occasionally to eliminate the residual charge, which will dissipate over time by itself anyway?
What would/could be wrong with residual charge…wouldn't it be just like a capacitor holding its charge and then loosing it over time?
 
Thanks.

I dis-charge occasionally on my working-as-they-ought-to phones
I do dis-charge/re-charge exercise quite a bit on those old ones I receive having a residual charge - had a pair of SR-5 that kept the charge for days, and never seemed to loose their charge fully.
 
I assume that residual charge will impact the diaphragms ability to fully charge - they will work, but not to their full potential as some part of the diaphragm is not fully charged
 
Only encountered the problem with a few (not all) <1978 sets I came around

 

[astrostar59]

  So you're just discharging occasionally to eliminate the residual charge, which will dissipate over time by itself anyway?
What would/could be wrong with residual charge…wouldn't it be just like a capacitor holding its charge and then loosing it over time?
 
Thanks.

I wouldn't stress over it. It will discharge naturally as there is no capacitor to 'hold' the energy. I would say it is more important not to leave them plugged in 24/7 with the amp turned on.
I did that with my 009s and one of the drivers failed. I don't know if that was the cause, but now I play safe and unplug.
 
Also plug in after you switch on, then no chance of any thumps in the moment when everything comes alive.
 
All this IMO and I have no technical data to back this up, only my 009 failure.

 

[yates7592]

I wouldn't stress over it. It will discharge naturally as there is no capacitor to 'hold' the energy. I would say it is more important not to leave them plugged in 24/7 with the amp turned on.
I did that with my 009s and one of the drivers failed. I don't know if that was the cause, but now I play safe and unplug.

Also plug in after you switch on, then no chance of any thumps in the moment when everything comes alive.

All this IMO and I have no technical data to back this up, only my 009 failure.

I do the same. Totally OCD with my new 009's. Power on amp, plug in phones, turn volume up, listen, turn volume to zero, unplug phones; power off amp. I don't know if it helps or not as I've only had them 4 weeks so far. Give it another couple of years.