The Stax Thread III

[astromaddie]

I would audition it before laying down your money. Also, who designed and built it would be helpful

It was designed (and seemingly built?) by a local engineer who's published articles in a major tube quarterly magazine here, but I wouldn't be able to try it out before buying it. Especially since covid, people are mostly just selling things online recently.

Edit: One more piece I can add is that it does seem to have a constant current source... but I'm not entirely sure of that one.

 

[chocolates]

Here's some quick pictures of the amp internals. Looks identical to the one in the thread I linked here. I'm a bit confused as to how to wire it up for 120V, although it appears to support that configuration!

Any help would be much appreciated, thanks!

you might get more help on head-case or by emailing spritzer/kg but i believe you just need to jump two of the sockets; you'll probably want to check out which transformer windings are paired to which socket though

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/stax-srm-1-mk2-100v-to-240v-conversion-is-this-correct.872626/

 

[kevin gilmore]

that particular unit has the 100v only sticker on the back. So you will have to fix the transformer, and then do the correct jumpers by hand.
the missing voltage plug has a number of jumpers in it.

 

[Deolum]

Do Stax benefit from balanced connection between dac and amp?

 

[astromaddie]

I saw this come up on a local market, and I don't know enough electronics to make much sense of it (though it is very cleanly made). It's pro-bias but also has speaker output options. Seems to have first-stage 12AU7, driver-stage 12BH7, and quad output 2A3 tubes. Is this worth a purchase for my 007A?

Just wanted to bump this again, am I incorrect in thinking that it looks a lot like a modified T2? From comparing schematics to what I'm seeing here, there are a lot of similarities, though obviously it's not the same since this can handle speaker output too.

 

[Swann36]

I use an L300 LE on a modded 006t and to me, it’s my own personal TOTL experience. Detailed and punchy. Sometimes I will run the NB Lambdas, which give more of a sweet experience, but missing some of the fine grained details. I can’t pick my favorite between the two, but the L300 LE gives much more of the details and slams harder. I will likely get one of the 007 (too planar-like!), 009 (too expensive!) or the ES1a (too ???!) but that will also require spending a couple grand on a new energizer so I’m not in a rush and enjoy Lambda-land.

Enjoy yours and wait for the shows to happen again before diving into The 00’s.

Thanks for replying and thats interesting to know ... and i will wait till the shows start again hopefully later this year or 2022

 

[Swann36]

L300 has it's own dedicated thread probably that's why this thread is focused on 007/009 and alternatives more. 353X is a great amp, you don't need a huge bulky amp for L300LE or SRX mk3 pro to make them shine. Does SRX mk3 pro(with SRX mk3 Normal Bias drivers) sound more detailed than L300LE to you? I've heard that Mk3 pro's are one of the most detailed sounding headphones Stax ever put out.

Thanks for the reply ...its good to know that the 353X is considered a great amp .. comforting for me .. on the SRX Mk3 question ...i'd have to agree that it's a smidge more detailed ...i know that Birgir tuned mine to be slightly darker than they would otherwise of been which suits me really well due to tinnitus in my right ear ... they both sound great to my ears ..i'm not sure what more i could get from moving further up the chain but different amps and the 007s or 009s are only things i can read about for now ... roll on shows to go and hear

 

[Swann36]

L300 thread with a lot of discussion of the LE in the 2nd half of all pages, primarily about pad differences. May be new toy syndrome, but having just acquired the regular L300 I'm shocked how much I like it compared to the SR-007MKII, especially given the price difference. The L300 is just so engaging, exciting, with a lot of detail and musicality, especially on EDM. The presentation is just so different from my other headphones. It's my new favorite fun headphone, and after some pad swapping to my ears, thicker pads are far more comfortable but eliminate the magic I'm getting out of them.

Thanks for the repy ..i've found the thread and are avidly reading from the beginning as i'm keen to see what others think before the LEs and then after they came out

EDM .... electronic dance music ?

 

[118900]

Thanks for the repy ..i've found the thread and are avidly reading from the beginning as i'm keen to see what others think before the LEs and then after they came out

EDM .... electronic dance music ?

Yes

 

[118900]

Do Stax benefit from balanced connection between dac and amp?

I think that depends on the source, whether it is a true balanced design, or whether you would need the extra power or not, etc. I know that Rob Watts of chord has posted several times that the balanced outputs on their DACs add an extra component to the signal path with actually decreases transparency very very slightly, however I have no idea whatsoever as to whether someone could pick up on such a difference or even hear the sonic “benefits” of balanced connections on short cable runs.

I guess it’s a question of try it and see. I’m using SE and I’m perfectly happy with the choice.

also remember that older Stax amps have a different wiring selection relative to US or European balanced if I recall correctly.

 

[Deolum]

I think that depends on the source, whether it is a true balanced design, or whether you would need the extra power or not, etc. I know that Rob Watts of chord has posted several times that the balanced outputs on their DACs add an extra component to the signal path with actually decreases transparency very very slightly, however I have no idea whatsoever as to whether someone could pick up on such a difference or even hear the sonic “benefits” of balanced connections on short cable runs.

I guess it’s a question of try it and see. I’m using SE and I’m perfectly happy with the choice.

also remember that older Stax amps have a different wiring selection relative to US or European balanced if I recall correctly.

But does the Stax connector equal that of XLR or SE? I'm only asking because of the volume.

 

[118900]

But does the Stax connector equal that of XLR or SE? I'm only asking because of the volume.

The volume depends on the source output, not the receiver.

https://www.boxcast.com/blog/balanced-vs.-unbalanced-audio-whats-the-difference

 

[kevin gilmore]

that is nothing like a t2. transformer output.

 

[astromaddie]

that is nothing like a t2. transformer output.

I was confused about that. It clearly has transformer output but also tube output. Could the transformer be for speaker output? It’s a toggle between Stax and speaker, rather than simultaneous output.

 

[kevin gilmore]

Something has to be the load for the output tubes. In a T2 it is solid state cascoded current sources. In this amplifier the load is the transformers. Stax hooked up to the high side of the transformers (primary) speakers hooked up to the secondary. There are a number of other amplifiers that have had stax hooked to the transformer primaries. Usually when you do this there is some resistive load on the output of the transformer.

T2 is a completely dc coupled amplifier. This thing is ac coupled everywhere. T2 has a slew rate of more than 100v/us. This thing is much slower.
Still, its really nicely built with high quality iron.