[alota]

so...a few considerations on the modified 007. I didn't like the normal 007 at all apart from the large sound stage. the modified version improves in all parameters. especially instrument separation, detail, low range definition, note decay. the handling remains almost unchanged. with the 009 the most successful marriage, as the 007 is softer while the t1 seems a little more aggressive. I don't notice big differences with the modified t1 as many write. Of course there are differences but we are talking about not huge differences. if I had to choose between the modified 007 or the t1 I would undoubtedly choose the 007. but for anyone who already owns a modified t1 it's not worth the change for me
@KDS315

 

[Svperstar]

Someone who fails to hear 18kHz monotone in a hearing test doesn’t necessarily mean that a playback system’s frequency and phase response above 18kHz no longer makes a difference for him/her.

If I removed all information >18khz on your music collection and didn't tell you, would you notice? Would anyone over 30?

 

[gammi]

See carbon’s data here.

https://www.head-case.org/forums/topic/28658-topping-eha-5/page/5/#comments

If only I had thought to look for Carbon measurements in the "Topping EHA-5" thread

Thank you for your help, it's much appreciated.
Unfortunately that data seems to have been collected with no capacitive load but it's a start. Also Mr Gilmore mentions in that thread he had an SRD-7 to test, maybe I can find where he posted those results, that's something I'd like to see.

Is a "STAX Reference Thread" something that you guys would contribute to and be interested in? Idea being the 1st post would be maintained with links like this in an effort to keep some of the more obscure data in one place. As far as I see that doesn't really exist, at least not well. Or even more generally an electrostatic reference thread.

 

[VandyMan]

Btw, I found some BHSE measurements and my god, it starts rolling off at 3k. This is what we're saying is better than a transformer which is flat to 20k?
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...-review-comparison.17161/page-16#post-1604138

I'm not sure I trust these measurements at all. The BHSE is covered in dust and looks to have been scraped in the front. The tubes don't appear to be stock and who knows what condition they are in. Additionally, the frequency response chart is a lot more zoomed in than most people are used to, so be sure to check the y axis.

That said, the rolloff from 3 kHz to 10 kHz is 0.5 dB. The threshold of human hearing for volume differences is estimated to be between .3 dB to 1 dB, but the lower level would require a silent room and a trained listener with perfect hearing.

From 10 kHz to 20 kHz, it shows an additional 1.5 dB rolloff. That is not ideal, but it will not be easily heard by most listeners, especially people over 40.

While I would not expect a tube amp to be ruler flat, this is a bit more rolloff than I'd like to see. However, I have a lot of hours on my BHSE and have never perceived any rolloff at all. In fact, my SR-009s could use a bit less upper treble.

Edit: I'm actually not sure which line is the BHSE in this, so I assumed it was the worse one.

 

[Chefguru]

I'm not sure I trust these measurements at all. The BHSE is covered in dust and looks to have been scraped in the front. The tubes don't appear to be stock and who knows what condition they are in. Additionally, the frequency response chart is a lot more zoomed in than most people are used to, so be sure to check the y axis.

That said, the rolloff from 3 kHz to 10 kHz is 0.5 dB. The threshold of human hearing for volume differences is estimated to be between .3 dB to 1 dB, but the lower level would require a silent room and a trained listener with perfect hearing.

From 10 kHz to 20 kHz, it shows an additional 1.5 dB rolloff. That is not ideal, but it will not be easily heard by most listeners, especially people over 40.

While I would not expect a tube amp to be ruler flat, this is a bit more rolloff than I'd like to see. However, I have a lot of hours on my BHSE and have never perceived any rolloff at all. In fact, my SR-009s could use a bit less upper treble.

Edit: I'm actually not sure which line is the BHSE in this, so I assumed it was the worse one.

This.
Also taken from the thread “The original Blue Hawaii can be tuned into zero roll off at 20kHz with -3dB well beyond 230kHz. The BHSE must have taken some trade offs between the sound, stability and what not.”
For those that are not aware the BHSE is the 2nd ver of the BH. The SE = special edition.

 

[VandyMan]

Kevin Gilmore also raised issues with this test: "biggest problem with the attenuator above is that the resistance is too low and will effect the gain and frequency response of the amplifier."

 

[gammi]

Yeah, agreed it's not that much roll off.
But if we're gonna point out the transformer roll off (when it actually slightly increases, at least for Lundahls) it would be intellectually dishonest to not point out the roll off of direct drive amps.

The main argument presented here was the roll off is worse and current is worse on the transformers but those two things actually seem to be better on the transformers from the data presented so far.

 

[Omerg1]

Hi.
Has anyone heard about Ray Samuels Thunderbolt A-10 electrostatic amplifier?

I found two reviews on it but i wanna know some additional info, especially how it compares to other amps.

 

[Omerg1]

Hi.
Has anyone heard about Ray Samuels Thunderbolt A-10 electrostatic amplifier?

I found two reviews on it but i wanna know some additional info, especially how it compares to other amps.

There's a thread for this amp but it's dead since 2009, and from what i understand there were several updates to this amp since then.

 

[simmconn]

If I removed all information >18khz on your music collection and didn't tell you, would you notice? Would anyone over 30?

Anyone who is able to tell between 44.1k CD audio and hi-res should be able to notice the difference. In the early times of digital audio, 32KHz, 44.1KHz and 48KHz are available sample rates. There is a good reason why 32KHz didn’t become popular. Are you trying to prove that 44.1KHz (22kHz theoretical bandwidth) is more than good enough?

 

[gilency]

Hi, i recently bought 2nd hand 7xxxx sr007 mk1 and CCS modded T1 from Mjolnir audio, i love the headphones but vocals sound a bit muted to my taste and i like it better on my Sennheiser 6xx, is there anything i can do to improve the vocals?

Parametric eq. Then use crinacle or oratory settings.

 

[gilency]

Hi.
I was thinking maybe to purchase LTA Z10E because i really like the idea of having an all in one solution for all of my headphones, so i did some searching and i stumbled upon head-case.org
from what i understand spritzer from Mjolnir audio who's very highly regarded on head-fi (or at least i thought he is) is a mod there and i did some reading and he basically says that everything electrostatic related which isn't kgsshv or bhse is crap, should i take what he says seriously, he flat out said that every other major company ( viva audio, LTA, Woo audio and more) that makes electrostatic amps are crap and bad quality.

Is the LTA Z10E not a good product?
is the kgsshv actually superior for almost half the price?

The photo is just one example but he repeatedly says that on different posts.
Not to mention that he calls the best headphones on the planet crap, is he to be trusted?

Spritzer and Kevin Gilmore are the most knowledgeable people in electrostatics.
They have found multiple defects and poor workmanship in a variety of amps. I trust them more than anyone else.

 

[Omerg1]

Parametric eq. Then use crinacle or oratory settings.

I have APOaqualizer and i tried oratory1990 and innerfidelity eq, i liked innerfidelity eq better so i'm using it.
I probably should buy some tubes and maybe upgarde my DAC as well.

currently i have stock tubes and Topping d10s. i'm thinking maybe to get R2R DAC. i'm considering Holo audio Spring/May Sonnet Morpheus, and Schiit Yggdrasil.
But i have no idea which tubes i should look for.

 

[Omerg1]

I have APOaqualizer and i tried oratory1990 and innerfidelity eq, i like innerfidelity eq better so i'm using it.
I probably should buy some tubes and maybe upgarde my DAC as well.

currently i have stock tubes and Topping d10s. i'm thinking maybe to get r2r dac. i'm considering Holo audio spring/may Sonnet morpheus, and schiit yggdrasil.
But i have no idea which tubes i should look for.

I like forward vocals, some would say it's unbalanced but it's the way i like my music, anyway i'm thinking now maybe to go back to oratory1990 eq but add a shelf to the mids and raise it by 4-5db

 

[Svperstar]

Anyone who is able to tell between 44.1k CD audio and hi-res should be able to notice the difference. In the early times of digital audio, 32KHz, 44.1KHz and 48KHz are available sample rates. There is a good reason why 32KHz didn’t become popular. Are you trying to prove that 44.1KHz (22kHz theoretical bandwidth) is more than good enough?

No, I said nothing like that. Just that as you age super high frequency gets harder to hear. What % of recorded music even has relevant information in the >18k range? Is it a big deal if >18k has roll off?

Someone posted measurements of a BHSE rolling off starting at 3k, to be fair that is one BHSE and one test so who knows if they all do or not.