The Stax Thread III

[florence]

Yes, that's a good path. The 007 and KGSShv (most variants) makes a very good pairing; much better than the older KGSS. It's just that the 007 with KGSShv Carbon is even better - and makes for one of the best setups you can put together short of a DIY T2 (with 007, 009). BTW, the KG amps like this don't care if you input a single-ended or balanced signal. It's the same sound quality either way - no penalty, which is certainly NOT the case with many other balanced amps. If your new KGSShv amp comes only with XLR inputs, you can use RCA female to XLR male adapters no problem (I use Cardas to satisfy my psychological need for fancy cables & connectors, but Neutrik work fine too). So choose your DAC based on sound quality and features, not single-ended vs. balanced.

I also have the L700 and like them, but for me they sound best with tubes. I didn't think the KGSShv was an optimal pairing for them. So moving for the 007 at the same time is a good idea.

So you say that I can use idsd micro black as a dac (RCA) with KG amp (XLR) without compromise regarding sound quality? This information means a lot because I thought that I need a balanced dac with XLR outputs to use with kgsshv.

 

[mulveling]

So you say that I can use idsd micro black as a dac (RCA) with KG amp (XLR) without compromise regarding sound quality? This information means a lot because I thought that I need a balanced dac with XLR outputs to use with kgsshv.

Yep! It's a big advantage of these amps, especially for vinyl heads like me who rarely have a phono stage with XLR out. You still want as high a quality source as possible, of course - but you're no longer shacked to needing XLR outs or being forced to use a Jensen ISO-MAX converter. Like I said before, even if you get one of these amps with only XLR in you can happily use adapters to feed it RCA - no penalty, other than the connector itself.

The new GS-X mini can do this trick also, because of its differential input stage. The GS-X Mk 2 CANNOT do this, and when you feed it RCA you're only using half of the amp! The GS-X Mini is a bangin' little amp, btw. I got to borrow one for a night. It sounds amazing with the Meze Empyrean and especially the Hifi Susvara (I really didn't want to like the Susvara either).

 

[florence]

Yep! It's a big advantage of these amps, especially for vinyl heads like me who rarely have a phono stage with XLR out. You still want as high a quality source as possible, of course - but you're no longer shacked to needing XLR outs or being forced to use a Jensen ISO-MAX converter. Like I said before, even if you get one of these amps with only XLR in you can happily use adapters to feed it RCA - no penalty, other than the connector itself.

The new GS-X mini can do this trick also, because of its differential input stage. The GS-X Mk 2 CANNOT do this, and when you feed it RCA you're only using half of the amp! The GS-X Mini is a bangin' little amp, btw. I got to borrow one for a night. It sounds amazing with the Meze Empyrean and especially the Hifi Susvara (I really didn't want to like the Susvara either).

Great news! Thanks a lot.

 

[protoss]

The GS-X Mini is a bangin' little amp, btw. I got to borrow one for a night.

You got to borrow it? The prototype version I am assuming? Whats your full impression or review on it? I want to know if its cold or warm sounding? Too bright for a HD800 for example?

 

[mulveling]

You got to borrow it? The prototype version I am assuming? Whats your full impression or review on it? I want to know if its cold or warm sounding? Too bright for a HD800 for example?

I posted in another thread with a lot of headphone impressions. It is very slightly on the clear/clean side of neutral. Not a good match for Stellia, which needs an outright warm/sweet amp. It was an amazing match with Susvara. This combo kinda blew me away, only exceeded (and not by much) by my Stax / T2 rig. Also awesome with the Meze Empyrian, though I liked the Susvara better. Based on past experience I would not pair it with HD800 (didn't have them on hand to try), but then I never liked those headphones. I think the Mini is a killer amp, and I kinda want one even though I have no need for dynamic headphones!

 

[Torac]

Hi, I was looking on eBay for a cheap stax adaptor and found this srd-6 that looks a bit different, don't suppose anyone knows what the white connector in the front is, my best guess is that it's for the he90 but why six pins, balanced? Also have these been modded or did it come like this from stax?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/STAX-SRD...TATIC-EAR-SPEAKER-UNUSUAL-RARE-/173891818311?

 

[JimL11]

Hi, I was looking on eBay for a cheap stax adaptor and found this srd-6 that looks a bit different, don't suppose anyone knows what the white connector in the front is, my best guess is that it's for the he90 but why six pins, balanced? Also has these been modded or did it come like this from stax?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/STAX-SRD...TATIC-EAR-SPEAKER-UNUSUAL-RARE-/173891818311?

No idea on the white plug/jack. The Sennheiser HE90 jack appears to be 5 pin so it's not that. Also, the correct bias for the HE90 is 500V, and the SRD-6 has a bias supply of 230V. And no, AFAIK Stax never made an energizer that incorporated a jack for non-Stax headphones, so this is clearly modified - the SRD6 only had one (1) Stax jack.

 

[JimL11]

This is the Sennheiser OEM HE90 jack that Moon Audio sells.

 

[Torac]

This is the Sennheiser OEM HE90 jack that Moon Audio sells.

That looks very similar, apart from the pin count of course, maybe a different sennheiser model that used 6 pins instead of 5...

 

[JimL11]

That looks very similar, apart from the pin count of course, maybe a different sennheiser model that used 6 pins instead of 5...

I don't think so. AFAIK there have only been three Sennheiser electrostatic headphones, the HE90, the HE60 and the current HE1, which is an integrated system. The HE90 used a 5 pin plug and from the pictures I could find the HE60 used a rectangular plug. The HE1 headphones can only be driven by its own amp - that's the $55,000 system.

 

[georgep]

Hi, I was looking on eBay for a cheap stax adaptor and found this srd-6 that looks a bit different, don't suppose anyone knows what the white connector in the front is, my best guess is that it's for the he90 but why six pins, balanced? Also have these been modded or did it come like this from stax?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/STAX-SRD...TATIC-EAR-SPEAKER-UNUSUAL-RARE-/173891818311?

That box has been heavily modified by an end user. What the white connector is for is anybody's guess - certainly not the HE90, or any Senn electrostat for that matter.

 

[Torac]

That box has been heavily modified by an end user. What the white connector is for is anybody's guess - certainly not the HE90, or any Senn electrostat for that matter.

I did a bit of looking around, it looks like a lemo 6 pin connector but I'm not sure what they were using it for, perhaps for a DIY electrostatic headphone?
The box also appears to be missing the speaker pass through connectors on the back (I bought the unit in the end) not sure if this has any significance.

 

[florence]

Anyone knows 007A sz2-15xx manufacture date possibly? Is it different than international black sz3 series?

 

[riverred105]

Anyone knows 007A sz2-15xx manufacture date possibly? Is it different than international black sz3 series?

Ditto, also what about pricing?

 

[hpeter]

1.

4. Break segment off that is little less than 2 ribs of the channel. Will need to have it a little longer than the rib walls so it can seal against them.

basically what i have done before, but with other material. search forum for "bassfart mod"

this fights well with low bass issues