The Stax Thread III
Jun 19, 2022 at 8:29 AM Post #22,546 of 25,529
Is there a listing page somewhere, of all available energizers out there for common Stax/Pro Bias?

Let's see... I know of:
  • Mjolnir (Carbon CC, Carbon, KGST, KGSSHV, Octave II, Stax rebuilds)
  • HeadAmp (Blue Hawaii, Aristaeus)
  • Stax (252s, D10, D50, 353/353X, 006s/t, 007s/t, T2, T8000, 500t, 717, 400s, 727, 007tII, 727II, etc...)
  • Eksonic (Aeras, T2)
  • iFi (iESL)
  • Audiovalve (Solaris, Luminare)
  • HiFiMaN (Shang, Shang Jr, Jade II)
  • Koss (E/90)
  • Woo (3ES, WES, ES8)
  • Bottlehead (Stat)
  • Cavalli (Liquid Lightning 2 - seems long out of production)
"KGSSHV Mini" also seems to be a fake/knock-off product(from MyHeadFi), after a quick search. My friend has one of these :\
 
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Jun 19, 2022 at 8:36 AM Post #22,547 of 25,529
I would try hifishark. Edit: ops clearly I read your question as you were looking for available listings on whatever classfieds. you can add MSB Select Headphone Amplifier to the list. Ive seen others (namely I remember Eddie Current's) but not available anymore. Also High-Amp energizers.
I never heard or seen any of them, nor can speak of their qualities and design differences, of course Im just trying to remember different names to add to your list.
 
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Jun 19, 2022 at 9:14 AM Post #22,548 of 25,529
Is there a listing page somewhere, of all available energizers out there for common Stax/Pro Bias?

Let's see... I know of:
  • Mjolnir (Carbon CC, Carbon, KGST, KGSSHV, Octave II, Stax rebuilds)
  • HeadAmp (Blue Hawaii, Aristaeus)
  • Stax (252s, D10, D50, 353/353X, 006s/t, 007s/t, T2, T8000, 500t, 717, 400s, 727, 007tII, 727II, etc...)
  • Eksonic (Aeras, T2)
  • iFi (iESL)
  • Audiovalve (Solaris, Luminare)
  • HiFiMaN (Shang, Shang Jr, Jade II)
  • Koss (E/90)
  • Woo (3ES, WES, ES8)
  • Bottlehead (Stat)
  • Cavalli (Liquid Lightning 2 - seems long out of production)
"KGSSHV Mini" also seems to be a fake/knock-off product(from MyHeadFi), after a quick search. My friend has one of these :\
Piggybacking on this, what would be VERY interesting would be a list of all the builders, not just businesse with their own websites.

It took me over a month of daily searching for a builder, and although I learned a ton along the way, I'd imagine builders wouldn't mind if potential clients have a more direct route of knowing they exist. I had a number of misfires, nearly got scammed a couple times, and I was super close to giving up and buying a Stax amp, which would have been a mistake imo.

Now, fingers crossed that Soren's amps wind up being what I'm confident they will be--very good and superior to a conventional Stax amp. But making a simple shareable Google spreadsheet with builder names, reputation etc would seem to benefit everyone.

Feel free to correct me with impunity:)
 
Jun 19, 2022 at 9:40 AM Post #22,549 of 25,529
$150(used to be $130 recently) to be precise. Used them on my L300, and never the stock pads. Essential.
https://staxaudio.com/earpad/stax-ep-l700-earpad
L700 pads on L300 greatly improve the bass, but make it sound much warmer, quite veiled.
L500 pads on L300 are a much better combo - bass is as good as with L700 pads, but clarity/transparency is now much closer to the original L300.
Basically, this is now L500 at a much lower cost.
 
Jun 19, 2022 at 9:43 AM Post #22,550 of 25,529
Is there a listing page somewhere, of all available energizers out there for common Stax/Pro Bias?

Let's see... I know of:
  • Mjolnir (Carbon CC, Carbon, KGST, KGSSHV, Octave II, Stax rebuilds)
  • HeadAmp (Blue Hawaii, Aristaeus)
  • Stax (252s, D10, D50, 353/353X, 006s/t, 007s/t, T2, T8000, 500t, 717, 400s, 727, 007tII, 727II, etc...)
  • Eksonic (Aeras, T2)
  • iFi (iESL)
  • Audiovalve (Solaris, Luminare)
  • HiFiMaN (Shang, Shang Jr, Jade II)
  • Koss (E/90)
  • Woo (3ES, WES, ES8)
  • Bottlehead (Stat)
  • Cavalli (Liquid Lightning 2 - seems long out of production)
"KGSSHV Mini" also seems to be a fake/knock-off product(from MyHeadFi), after a quick search. My friend has one of these :\
- PALTAUF ESD
- High-amp.de : SIRIUS, ELEKTRA, ALPHA CENTAURI, ANTARES, SIRRAH
 
Jun 19, 2022 at 10:31 AM Post #22,551 of 25,529
anyone have the 007t mod with CCS/6s4a? if so - was wondering if you've tried changing the tubes and what the effect on sound was, if any...

havent really been able to find much info on tube sound characteristics in this amp. though my tube rolling days are past me, i would make an effort to get a few different brands if it makes a difference. if not ill just get a bunch of the same type
Ive the same amp and curiosity, there is some RCA 6s4a's for sale in my country (pictured) but I believe the quartet sitting in my amp has still good running time, specially since I dont use the amp that much.
1655649073592.png
 
Jun 19, 2022 at 11:49 AM Post #22,552 of 25,529
Is there a listing page somewhere, of all available energizers out there for common Stax/Pro Bias?

Let's see... I know of:
  • Mjolnir (Carbon CC, Carbon, KGST, KGSSHV, Octave II, Stax rebuilds)
  • HeadAmp (Blue Hawaii, Aristaeus)
  • Stax (252s, D10, D50, 353/353X, 006s/t, 007s/t, T2, T8000, 500t, 717, 400s, 727, 007tII, 727II, etc...)
  • Eksonic (Aeras, T2)
  • iFi (iESL)
  • Audiovalve (Solaris, Luminare)
  • HiFiMaN (Shang, Shang Jr, Jade II)
  • Koss (E/90)
  • Woo (3ES, WES, ES8)
  • Bottlehead (Stat)
  • Cavalli (Liquid Lightning 2 - seems long out of production)
"KGSSHV Mini" also seems to be a fake/knock-off product(from MyHeadFi), after a quick search. My friend has one of these :\
Linear Tube Audio Z10e
 
Jun 19, 2022 at 1:06 PM Post #22,553 of 25,529
To be clear, is there such thing as a KGSSHV Carbon? Other than the knock-off by MyHeadFi, the only place I've seen one. I haven't seen such an amp at Mjolnir's site.
To quote from KG earlier in the thread. So yes, the KGSSHV Carbon is a thing. The Carbon made by Spritzer/Birgir has his own designs changes and modifcations vs the DIY version of the KGSSHV Carbon.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the-stax-thread-iii.677809/page-1490#post-16966787
"
the kgsshv-carbon is my design. started with the kgsshv, turned the 3rd and 4th stages into a single silicon carbide jfet high power output stage with cascode current source drive. hence the carbon label. the circlotron also uses the same silicon carbide jfet, and both amps can easily run 25+ma output stage current. with suitably large power supplies. many people had their hands in the grhv power supply including birgir,kerry,justin and jiml. and possibly others that i forgot about.

birgir makes all his own boards, and has made changes to parts and design elements. in addition the CC uses single strand pure silver wire hand stuffed in teflon tubing.
the hand stuffed silver wire is beyond my insanity limit.

birgir, justin,kerry, joamat and now dukei all do their own board layouts. and all of them are making modifications, sometimes extreme modifications. all of these things are of the highest quality, pick your poison.

on the other hand a couple of companies like jr audio and felista do some really evil things with obviously predicitable results. stay away from any boards on ebay that have the silkscreen layer modified into R# and C#. all the real gerbers are available and jlcpcb does a great job of making boards, delivering in a week, and at pricing that no one else seems to want to compete with.

and for the couple of amps out there with 1500uf juice can power caps, stay very far away from them.


"
 
Jun 19, 2022 at 7:13 PM Post #22,554 of 25,529
Price and reviews. Plus I want to try the hybrid pads, which supposedly tame the top end. I’m going from two alcantara hybrids (one for the 007 and another for the 300LE, in addition to their “closest to stock” brown leather 007 pad.

Prices were reasonable, I got three pads and a headband for less than $300.
thanks for the info! i may do the same for my 007s
 
Jun 19, 2022 at 10:31 PM Post #22,555 of 25,529
So yes, the KGSSHV Carbon is a thing. The Carbon made by Spritzer/Birgir has his own designs changes and modifcations vs the DIY version of the KGSSHV Carbon.
So Mjolnir's "Carbon" and "Carbon CC" are short names for KGSSHV Carbon, KGSSHV Carbon CC?
 
Jun 20, 2022 at 4:36 PM Post #22,558 of 25,529
009 with 007mk2 drivers inside🧐
Looks good and sound is like original 007mk2 but much cleaner with bigger soundstage and very musical, this is another contender as the best electrostatic headphone.




9092A60B-9FCD-484B-8DCA-5F9EB23B2182.jpegE5E29C12-2131-4D76-9636-336F04AA25B5.jpeg
Heretic! Witchcraft! What manner of sorcery is this?!
 
Jun 20, 2022 at 10:55 PM Post #22,559 of 25,529
Jun 21, 2022 at 12:26 AM Post #22,560 of 25,529

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