[Chefguru]

Does anyone (@kevin gilmore ) know the Vppss (peak to peak, stator to stator) voltage swing measurement for roughly all of the major DIY mafia amps?

I've seen reports that BHSE is 1500vppss and Kgsshv is like 1440~.
Mjolnir Octave is listed as 1150vppss
Where do the others land? Most importantly KGST , KGGG, Carbon, Megatron and DIY T2?

 

[padam]

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/electrostatic-amplifiers-voltage-ratings.582518/

 

[Loz_the_guru]

It has a piece that is securing it, but it is lightly glued in (won't take much effort to disconnect it). So you'll want to just put 1 or 2 drops of super glue to make sure it stays in place. In the USA we have a product called gorilla glue which is what I've used.

Just to say completed the operation today and was much easier than I'd expected. A dab of superglue did the job. In case anyone else comes searching, the plastic cover has a small 'pin' on the other side which goes through a hole in the elastic. This, along with the glue, helps keep everything in place. I don't have to now but if I did I wouldn't imagine replacing the entire piece of elastic would be very challenging at all. Could even swap in a fancier colour!

Thanks again for the help!

 

[gammi]

Spritzer has a Lundahl-equipped SRD-7 for sale on his site. Nearly twice the price of his rehoused Stax units, but for those who want a Lundahl transformer box and don't want to build their own, it's available.

Did it sell already? I'm not seeing it here: https://mjolnir-audio.com/used-amplifiers/
Edit: Nevermind, it's on this page: https://mjolnir-audio.com/products/

 

[SolarCetacean]

Did it sell already? I'm not seeing it here: https://mjolnir-audio.com/used-amplifiers/

It's under estat amps, not used amps.

 

[Seele01]

Hi everyone !

it's been a while i haven't been in here. Earlier this year i managed to treat myself with an SR009 ( coming from a SR 404 signature ) but i feel like my chain is a bit weak for it :

Foobar2000> audio GD NFB-17.32 > Woo Audio GES (sylvania) > Stax SR 009

especially my DAC which is now very old, i was thinking upgrading for a R2R ( starting with a denafrips Ares II )

what would improve the most the sound between the change for a new DAC or a Proper Amp? ( i've read a lot that people don't advice using Woo audio for electrostats )

i could spare 1.5k for the upgrade, so i don't think that would be enough for a good electrostat amp for the 009 ( i'm dreaming for a BHSE /T2 setup but i don't have the liquidity right now for theses )

 

[Svperstar]

especially my DAC which is now very old, i was thinking upgrading for a R2R ( starting with a denafrips Ares II )

The RME ADI-2 DAC offers a ridiculous amount of features. Love mine.

One of if not the most respected elecctrostat amp builder said the Stax 717 is the best amp Stax ever made. I got one on eBay for waaay less then the custom amps. Would drive the 009 like a champ.

 

[Chefguru]

Hi everyone !

it's been a while i haven't been in here. Earlier this year i managed to treat myself with an SR009 ( coming from a SR 404 signature ) but i feel like my chain is a bit weak for it :

Foobar2000> audio GD NFB-17.32 > Woo Audio GES (sylvania) > Stax SR 009

especially my DAC which is now very old, i was thinking upgrading for a R2R ( starting with a denafrips Ares II )

what would improve the most the sound between the change for a new DAC or a Proper Amp? ( i've read a lot that people advice using Woo audio for electrostats )

i could spare 1.5k for the upgrade, so i don't think that would be enough for a good electrostat amp for the 009 ( i'm dreaming for a BHSE /T2 setup but i don't have the liquidity right now for theses )

Likely an amp improvement will make more of a difference but at 1.5k a used Schiit yggy or Pontus 2 would be a good move into an item that you don't need to upgrade twice.
As for the amp, I liked the KGST at the price point you're saying. There is a $2k one for sale right now with a good build. If you sell the GES that would be easily in your price range. BHSE or Carbon are also good with the 009.

 

[Chefguru]

One of if not the most respected elecctrostat amp builder said the Stax 717 is the best amp Stax ever made. I got one on eBay for waaay less then the custom amps. Would drive the 009 like a champ.

I've seen you say this a couple times in different places. Just for your own edification, the 717 is essentially a the KGSS classic (kgss is superior but practically the same thing). While this is a good amp, the kgssHV, or kgssHV carbon are big leaps in orders of magnitude regarding solid state builds.

Your T1 with CCS modification would be more inline with the KGST / BHSE family, each one being a derivative of power but relatable.

 

[Svperstar]

I've seen you say this a couple times in different places. Just for your own edification, the 717 is essentially a the KGSS classic (kgss is superior but practically the same thing). While this is a good amp, the kgssHV, or kgssHV carbon are big leaps in orders of magnitude regarding solid state builds.

Your T1 with CCS modification would be more inline with the KGST / BHSE family, each one being a derivative of power but relatable.

For sure but would you hear the different on the 009? Not sure, the justification for the high power amps is that the 007 is so difficult to drive only an amp with massive amounts of power can do it justice.

One of the reviews for the "lowly" Topping EHA5 had a person switching back and forth between a Carbon and the EHA5 and he said he couldn't hear any difference. Your milage may vary.

 

[bearFNF]

Hi everyone !

it's been a while i haven't been in here. Earlier this year i managed to treat myself with an SR009 ( coming from a SR 404 signature ) but i feel like my chain is a bit weak for it :

Foobar2000> audio GD NFB-17.32 > Woo Audio GES (sylvania) > Stax SR 009

especially my DAC which is now very old, i was thinking upgrading for a R2R ( starting with a denafrips Ares II )

what would improve the most the sound between the change for a new DAC or a Proper Amp? ( i've read a lot that people advice using Woo audio for electrostats )

i could spare 1.5k for the upgrade, so i don't think that would be enough for a good electrostat amp for the 009 ( i'm dreaming for a BHSE /T2 setup but i don't have the liquidity right now for theses )

You could try rolling in some other tubes for the GES (12AX7 mullards or 6S4A GE, I believe, you will want to verify those mentioned tubes as I have not).

I have never been a fan of the Woo offerings, especially due to the fact they (IMO) put crap tubes in as stock tubes and make you pay $$$ for "upgraded" tubes.
I run my SR-009 with yggy A2 and BHSE (Shuguang Treasure EL34) I also run the Cavalli LL2SS off the yggy A2 for my SR-007 MKII

 

[Chefguru]

For sure but would you hear the different on the 009? Not sure, the justification for the high power amps is that the 007 is so difficult to drive only an amp with massive amounts of power can do it justice.

One of the reviews for the "lowly" Topping EHA5 had a person switching back and forth between a Carbon and the EHA5 and he said he couldn't hear any difference. Your milage may vary.

Good question. In my experience I could hear the difference between the kgsshv, carbon and KGST pretty easily on the 009.
The carbon was much tamer and had more control over the highs. Bass was also most dynamic of the 3 when I owned them. But I would also argue that if you didn’t like the 009 with the kgssHV the other options werent going to change your mind .

The only Stax headphone that I’ve found sounded dramatically different with more power was the 007. On some amps the bass literally makes “booming” noises and on super TOTL amps it has a holographic layering not apparent even on the kgss.

This isn’t to say more expensive amps aren’t warranted though.

 

[Seele01]

Likely an amp improvement will make more of a difference but at 1.5k a used Schiit yggy or Pontus 2 would be a good move into an item that you don't need to upgrade twice.
As for the amp, I liked the KGST at the price point you're saying. There is a $2k one for sale right now with a good build. If you sell the GES that would be easily in your price range. BHSE or Carbon are also good with the 009.

interesting thank you, is the Pontus 2 really a step from the AresII ? i heard the Ares is a bang for the buck for R2R Dac.

for the amp i'm really gonna wait to get a BHSE built for christmas ( or maybe a T2 if i have some spare )

 

[Seele01]

You could try rolling in some other tubes for the GES (12AX7 mullards or 6S4A GE, I believe, you will want to verify those mentioned tubes as I have not).

I have never been a fan of the Woo offerings, especially due to the fact they (IMO) put crap tubes in as stock tubes and make you pay $$$ for "upgraded" tubes.
I run my SR-009 with yggy A2 and BHSE (Shuguang Treasure EL34) I also run the Cavalli LL2SS off the yggy A2 for my SR-007 MKII

what was your DAC prior to the yggy?

 

[bearFNF]

what was your DAC prior to the yggy?

I had an uber-frost (upgraded Bifrost, analog and USB boards), but that was before the BHSE and higher end Stax 007,009 (I also have DCA Voce). I only used the uber-frost on dynamic headphones (HD800, HE500, etc.).
I went through a two+ year long demoing phase while waiting for the BHSE to be built, lots of meets and shows and visits to where the devices were available.

Before the BHSE and Cavalli, I ran my Lambda NB on an SRD7/SB (bought back in the '80s) from a toppings amp (among other sources over the years). I had Justin put a normal bias plug in the BHSE so I can run the Lambda on it.