[dogrelata]

Well, the SIRIUS is EUR1,650 but it has a less expensive brother at EUR650 (!!), the SIRRAH: https://www-high--amp-de.translate....sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=de&_x_tr_pto=nui which also is a TRANSISTOR Amp (with XLR inputs, but could be had with RCA inputs on request).

Both sound neutral, the SIRIUS has a bit more punch, but depending on music preferences it may not be needed. I listen to Jazz, Acid-Jazz, Rock, and some R+B and Classic music at times and I use 13:00 hours at max. on the amp volume setting, so basically use only 60% of the max loudness it has. Why then did I not get the SIRRAH if you ask me - because of that "power hungry" 007 I also possess....and if I ever get an original OMEGA

Over the last few weeks I've been spending a lot of time on various forums and knew I'd seen something about the Sirrah somewhere. I've tracked it down again and it was on the 'other' site, where it got a hard time for its design and build quality of internals, etc. I know that's par for the course over there, but it's still a bit disconcerting.

Thanks.

 

[catscratch]

I'm not surprised there are differences in how we hear the L700, it's very fit dependent. When I swapped the yokes on my L700 mk1 for socas3d ones, the fit changed and the sound changed quite a bit with it. When I put a mk2 headband on it, it sounded like the mk2. So obviously there's some variation due to fit going on.

In terms of comparing the 007 to traditional headphones, there really aren't any. Focals spring to mind since they're also very fast, resolving, and focused sounding, but the 007 is more V-shaped in its tuning whereas Focals are more mid-centric. However when I gave a Clear to a friend to listen to, his first comment was "this sounds like a 007," though to my ears not even the Utopia resolves like the 007 can.

If the 007's headband is loose, you can just bend it into shape and you won't damage anything. It's an archaic design without earcup articulation but the bendable headband and rotating pads do kinda make up for it.

 

[shabta]

Over the last few weeks I've been spending a lot of time on various forums and knew I'd seen something about the Sirrah somewhere. I've tracked it down again and it was on the 'other' site, where it got a hard time for its design and build quality of internals, etc. I know that's par for the course over there, but it's still a bit disconcerting.

Thanks.

Those guys sure are opinionated, but if they say an amp isn't safe, I'd believe them. What bothers me about the SIRRAH and Sirius is you only hear about the VRMS as if that was all that mattered. With electrostatic amps its important to know the current it feeds headphones (and maybe the slew rate). That's one reason why carbons and BHSEs sound so good, they provide a lot of current. Several times the best stax amp. Also the kevin gilmore designed power supplies and and and.

 

[Tugbars]

high-amp's best ss amp has about 15mA current output and that is enough to provide full 20-20khz voltage swing in normal listening levels.

 

[dogrelata]

Those guys sure are opinionated, but if they say an amp isn't safe, I'd believe them. What bothers me about the SIRRAH and Sirius is you only hear about the VRMS as if that was all that mattered. With electrostatic amps its important to know the current it feeds headphones (and maybe the slew rate). That's one reason why carbons and BHSEs sound so good, they provide a lot of current. Several times the best stax amp. Also the kevin gilmore designed power supplies and and and.

Realistically I'll probably end up with a used 353X, 323S, 717 or maybe even a modded 727 and still be within budget. Even through the Stax-less years, I've been keeping an eye on Mjolnir site and he sometimes has interesting budget offerings, including a protoype Octave II at the moment.

Thanks.

 

[shabta]

high-amp's best ss amp has about 15mA current output and that is enough to provide full 20-20khz voltage swing in normal listening levels.

That's really interesting. I couldn't find that info last time I looked (a couple of years ago), maybe I missed it. But it's there now . Anyway, that puts it way above a KGSSHV, almost as much as a SRX+ build. And probably good enough that unless you go to crazy volume that it will be enough for an SR007... Even then it should sound pretty fine. For comparison sake, I got a European builder to make me an SRX+ for 1800 euro. So, the price for the sirrius at 1650 seems fair.

 

[KDS315]

I have the high-amp ALPHA CENTAURY V9.5 hybrid amp now here to compare it with my SIRIUS V9 transistor amp.

 

[DuncanDirkDick]

I compared the Sirius once against a modded 727 (gain and feedback). It barely had more headroom than the stax amp, before you could hear bass distortion. But that’s probably only an issue when listening loud with an EQed sr007. Sadly that was exactly my use case.

 

[KDS315]

I compared the Sirius once against a modded 727 (gain and feedback). It barely had more headroom than the stax amp, before you could hear bass distortion. But that’s probably only an issue when listening loud with an EQed sr007. Sadly that was exactly my use case.

Well I listen with 80-85dB then there is plenty of headroom left.... :LOL:

 

[shabta]

I compared the Sirius once against a modded 727 (gain and feedback). It barely had more headroom than the stax amp, before you could hear bass distortion. But that’s probably only an issue when listening loud with an EQed sr007. Sadly that was exactly my use case.

The big potential problem with eq is that you lower headroom. It's pretty bad news that a sirius doesn't do better than a modded 727. Maybe it was a much older iteration?

With an SRX+ the main difference I hear compared to a BHSE is at very loud volumes you have very slightly less bass extension and treble extension, with the 007. But I am not convinced by the Harmon curve so I can't say for sure after eq. I have eqed the 007 with out any noticeable distortion but I normally don't listen much louder than 85db, and have done an apples to apples eq with a BHSE or carbon

 

[KDS315]

I don't think (or assume) that an average listener will most likely ever encounter such situations, as I never before heard about that situation; and I also assume that many other amps will most likely behave similar, while listening at those mentioned levels and that music type. It is simple physics as headroom is what's left between average and max listening volume, so if you listen at say 80dB then there is 30db headroom left (max is 110dB as per Stax tech info), if you listen at 100dB then there is just 10dB left and of course then clipping and distortion with likely happen.

A very rare situation, never ever happend to me...

 

[DuncanDirkDick]

The big potential problem with eq is that you lower headroom. It's pretty bad news that a sirius doesn't do better than a modded 727. Maybe it was a much older iteration?

With an SRX+ the main difference I hear compared to a BHSE is at very loud volumes you have very slightly less bass extension and treble extension, with the 007. But I am not convinced by the Harmon curve so I can't say for sure after eq. I have eqed the 007 with out any noticeable distortion but I normally don't listen much louder than 85db, and have done an apples to apples eq with a BHSE or carbon

I guess it was the current iteration. So my benchmark is 2:40 to 2:50 of Blake Neely, London 2166 for dynamic/peak impact. The only way I could get there with a bass port modded 007 + EQ was the carbon.

 

[Axel]

Wanted to share an interesting experience.

I've recently journeyed back into head-fi after deciding to freshen my headphone setup.

Echoing a listening experience I've had ~15 years ago, I recall listening to the SR-007 and the matching Stax tube amp, the experience was sublime.
Even though in recent years I've based my headphone gear around planars, I always had a sweet spot for e-stats following this experience.

So, as part of my journey back, I've decided to try (in a parallel route) e-stats, specifically the SR-007.
I wasn't intending to spend too much, so the local dealer, from whom I've purchased the SR-007Mk2, provided me a demo unit of the SRM-006tS.

The sound coming from the SR-007 driven by the 006tS was "nice". Very polite and smooth, but it didn't have enough volume and I've felt it lacked involvement.
I've ordered from Mjolnir audio his version of the SRD-7 energizer to try it out with my speakers amps.

Reading reviews of such units and the feedback around in this forum (as in other similar forums), they are only recommended as a back-up plan, if a complete e-stat amp cannot be purchased.

Once I've connected the SRD-7 to my stereo amp (and preamp), the impact was immediate.
The sound completely transformed, as if I was listening to a different set of headphones.
The sound opened up, soundstage was huge and the instruments space was expended. Suddenly there were dynamics and impact and almost endless volume (I've reached ear-bleeding volume without any distortion).
The amazing thing is that it sounds so smooth and so right. Neutral, with a natural tone and timbre.

I'm awaiting a TOTL headphones amp (non e-stat) which is on-order. Once I receive it, it'll be interesting to hear how TOTL planars compare to the e-stat setup.

BTW, my stereo amp is able to show the wattage it outputs. When connected to the SR-007 through the SRD-7, it peaked at ~1W during ear-bleeding sound levels.

 

[John Wimberley]

Wanted to share an interesting experience.

I've recently journeyed back into head-fi after deciding to freshen my headphone setup.

Echoing a listening experience I've had ~15 years ago, I recall listening to the SR-007 and the matching Stax tube amp, the experience was sublime.
Even though in recent years I've based my headphone gear around planars, I always had a sweet spot for e-stats following this experience.

So, as part of my journey back, I've decided to try (in a parallel route) e-stats, specifically the SR-007.
I wasn't intending to spend too much, so the local dealer, from whom I've purchased the SR-007Mk2, provided me a demo unit of the SRM-006tS.

The sound coming from the SR-007 driven by the 006tS was "nice". Very polite and smooth, but it didn't have enough volume and I've felt it lacked involvement.
I've ordered from Mjolnir audio his version of the SRD-7 energizer to try it out with my speakers amps.

Reading reviews of such units and the feedback around in this forum (as in other similar forums), they are only recommended as a back-up plan, if a complete e-stat amp cannot be purchased.

Once I've connected the SRD-7 to my stereo amp (and preamp), the impact was immediate.
The sound completely transformed, as if I was listening to a different set of headphones.
The sound opened up, soundstage was huge and the instruments space was expended. Suddenly there were dynamics and impact and almost endless volume (I've reached ear-bleeding volume without any distortion).
The amazing thing is that it sounds so smooth and so right. Neutral, with a natural tone and timbre.

I'm awaiting a TOTL headphones amp (non e-stat) which is on-order. Once I receive it, it'll be interesting to hear how TOTL planars compare to the e-stat setup.

BTW, my stereo amp is able to show the wattage it outputs. When connected to the SR-007 through the SRD-7, it peaked at ~1W during ear-bleeding sound levels.

My experiences with transformers and speaker amps versus Stax amps have always been overwhelmingly positive. To the point that it’s now my preferred listening method, the only upgrade possible is better speaker amps.

 

[tjlindle]

Anyone have experience with pairing the RME ADI-2 DAC with a 009? Good synergy?

Looking at my chain, DAC is definitely the weakest link and I've been eyeing the ADI-2 for a while due to its performance and feature set.