[number1sixerfan]

You're allowed say it man, don't let yourself get gaslit by the direct drive diehards here who haven't experienced your custom trafo setup.

FWIW, I don't see much bashing on here at all of transducer boxes. I personally think a one box, direct drive solution is more ideal, but I don't doubt for a second that you can have great, highly enjoyable sound using one. I think right now, there's just a lack of them product wise out there.

 

[folkguy]

FWIW, I don't see much bashing on here at all of transducer boxes. I personally think a one box, direct drive solution is more ideal, but I don't doubt for a second that you can have great, highly enjoyable sound using one. I think right now, there's just a lack of them product wise out there.

There isn't outright bashing and I agree a one box solution that would meet all of a users preferences seems ideal.

 

[SolarCetacean]

Yeah, it does seem like the best transformer solutions are custom-built. The only exception that I know of is spritzer's Lundahl boxes.

The quest for a one-box solution is what leads me towards the LTA Z10e (ok, it's technically a two-box solution due to the separate PSU, but many estat amps are like that too). It can drive electrostatics and regular headphones with one Stax Pro and 2 6.35mm headphone outputs (one high power and one low power) and also has speaker outputs capable of 12W into 8 Ohms. Very much an all-in-one solution, and the speaker taps still leave open the possibility for a transformer box down the line either for estats or for something like the Raal ribbon headphones. I've heard the Z10e with the X9000 and I thought it sounded pretty good, better than what I currently use, though these demoes were at show or meet conditions. It seemed a bit underpowered for the Corina when I heard that pairing at CAF, as the Corina had notably more powerful and prominent bass when driven from the BHSE, but I no longer have interest in that headphone.

 

[Svperstar]

Anyone know what is the difference between a Carbon and a Carbon CC?

 

[ufospls2]

Anyone know what is the difference between a Carbon and a Carbon CC?

Carbon CC uses silver wire for the signal wires, an upgraded TDK volume pot, higher grade resistors on the amplifier channels, and a higher spec power supply.

 

[Chefguru]

Carbon CC uses silver wire for the signal wires, an upgraded TDK volume pot, higher grade resistors on the amplifier channels, and a higher spec power supply.

This - however, to avoid confusion it is not a higher voltage power supply, still 400v.

He seems to think the 450/500v psu only makes more issues and doesn’t improve SQ. I tend to agree.

 

[Svperstar]

This - however, to avoid confusion it is not a higher voltage power supply, still 400v.

He seems to think the 450/500v psu only makes more issues and doesn’t improve SQ. I tend to agree.

Seems like the differences are very minor then between Carbon and the CC....I was under the impression the CC was higher voltage. Learn something new everyday.

 

[Chefguru]

Seems like the differences are very minor then between Carbon and the CC....I was under the impression the CC was higher voltage. Learn something new everyday.

Birgir himself says there is no sonic improvement between the two models - but the idea is that the CC is made with absolutely most premium hardware. So perhaps there is a longevity benefit. Additionally since it has two jacks it can be made with a pro and NB which is nice.

Price is very high but you’re paying for his craftsmanship which is understandable

 

[Svperstar]

Birgir himself says there is no sonic improvement between the two models - but the idea is that the CC is made with absolutely most premium hardware. So perhaps there is a longevity benefit. Additionally since it has two jacks it can be made with a pro and NB which is nice.

Price is very high but you’re paying for his craftsmanship which is understandable

Someone else said they heard no difference between the KGSSHV and the Carbon CC. I know there's a difference between those.

 

[ufospls2]

Someone else said they heard no difference between the KGSSHV and the Carbon CC. I know there's a difference between those.

Curious if you mean my response to you in my for sale ad? I definitely didn't say the KGSSHV sounds the same as the Carbon CC - as I've never even heard a KGSSHV.

If you mean someone else, apologies, just trying to help.

 

[Chefguru]

Someone else said they heard no difference between the KGSSHV and the Carbon CC. I know there's a difference between those.

The main role of the energizer is to provide voltage to create that drives the diaphragm. The KgssHV and Carbon are of the same lineage of design but the carbon is able to achieve much higher current output capability (~8-10ma vs 18-22ma). For more efficient headphones this is less important. On a headphone like the 007 or CRBN, the difference is noted. I felt the difference between my mini-kgsshv and carbon were well recognized.
As for other amps (not of the kgss relation), the circuit design and output stage can play a bigger role in shaping the sound so its less cut and dry as just being about current capability.

Of course - it's always important to remember that when it comes to this hobby people (1) don't always have the ability to discern differences (2) think they hear differences, that are not real. For instance I did an a/b recently with two different dacs using a switcher that allowed for blind testing. When going back and forth I did not think I was hearing a difference but was asked to pick out the dac I thought I preferred - and lo and behold I had close to a 100% preference for one over the other - but had I not done the blind test I'd of thought they were essentially the same. It was an interesting outcome for me. Similarly if you gave two very different headphones for someone to listen to that was not into the hobby, they may not even identify difference between them - despite our clan suggesting they were night/day.

 

[Chefguru]

the new thing for which there is no name yet is 8 x 211 output tubes. driven from 4 x 300b. pre-driver and input section are e80cc and 12ax7
the 811 are biased at 40ma. the 300b are biased at 15ma.

@kevin gilmore wouldn't this type of amp pose risk of arcing over the headphones? I thought 1500vppss was sort of the safe zone, assuming no unusual humidity. Pushing to 2000vppss+ seems risky? I recall a long time ago a 4070 arcing and creating holes in the drivers because they were located in a humid section of Singapore.

 

[Svperstar]

Curious if you mean my response to you in my for sale ad? I definitely didn't say the KGSSHV sounds the same as the Carbon CC - as I've never even heard a KGSSHV.

If you mean someone else, apologies, just trying to help.

I don't know if it was you or not, but someone I read on here (I think) said they heard no difference between the two so they sold the KGSSHV because they got a great offer

 

[kevin gilmore]

the maximum voltage for the headphones measured in vpss is 4 times the bias voltage of 580v before the diaphram goes negative. so 2320 vppss is max.
i'm shooting for 2200vppss.

this is why many of the modern amplifiers can destroy old standard bias headphones real easy.

the koss esp950 has 600v bias and 2400vppss

some transformer boxes made from lundahl or edcor transformers can easily exceed this. and why its a problem without proper protection.

 

[timb5881]

My L300 arc broke. I am going to try super glueing it back together first. In the event that does not work, I guess I will buy a new arc. Is the L700 mk2 arc a more durable arc and will it fit the L300?