[milosz]

OK, so I emailed Kingwa, and he says there's no sonic advantage in adding ACSS to the existing T2 amplifier, because the ACSS couldn't be integrated "seamlessly" into the T2.  Which is to say, if you added an ACSS input to the T2 design, you'd need to convert it from current to voltage in order for the signal to be able to drive the amp.  So, really, it doesn't matter whether I convert the ACSS signal in my NFB-10es DAC to voltage domain inside the NFB-10 and take the signal to the T2 by balanced audio cables, or if I were to connect the NFB-10 to the T2 by an ACSS cable using an ACSS input module in the T2 that would then have to convert to voltage domain inside the T2 to drive it's input stage- in both cases the ACSS signal is turned into a conventional audio voltage-based signal, and you lose the value of staying always in the ACSS domain.  The topology of the T2 would require a radical change to make it amenable to ACSS input. 
 
The  kgss or  kgsshv amps, which are current-domain direct drive amps for Stax 'phones, would be more amenable to ACSS I would think, but I am not building one of those, I am building the DIY SRM-T2 so my interest in rigging an ACSS input for my "ultimate" Stax amp ends here.
 
Probably would only have offered marginal audio benefit anyway, but what is audiophilia if not a ceaseless quest for every possible audio benefit, marginal or otherwise.

 

[realmassy]

It would be nice to see an amp from Audio-GD by the way

 

[dukja]

If T2 does not work in current domain, then you might want to check with the ACSS -> XLR cable.  It has a resistor at the XLR end to convert signal to voltage domain.  A headfier here also sell such cable.  If you are interested,  you can search the Ref-1/Ref-7 thread.  (Sorry, it has been long time and I cannot recall where it is exactly).
 
Quote:

OK, so I emailed Kingwa, and he says there's no sonic advantage in adding ACSS to the existing T2 amplifier, because the ACSS couldn't be integrated "seamlessly" into the T2.  Which is to say, if you added an ACSS input to the T2 design, you'd need to convert it from current to voltage in order for the signal to be able to drive the amp.  So, really, it doesn't matter whether I convert the ACSS signal in my NFB-10es DAC to voltage domain inside the NFB-10 and take the signal to the T2 by balanced audio cables, or if I were to connect the NFB-10 to the T2 by an ACSS cable using an ACSS input module in the T2 that would then have to convert to voltage domain inside the T2 to drive it's input stage- in both cases the ACSS signal is turned into a conventional audio voltage-based signal, and you lose the value of staying always in the ACSS domain.  The topology of the T2 would require a radical change to make it amenable to ACSS input. 
 
The  kgss or  kgsshv amps, which are current-domain direct drive amps for Stax 'phones, would be more amenable to ACSS I would think, but I am not building one of those, I am building the DIY SRM-T2 so my interest in rigging an ACSS input for my "ultimate" Stax amp ends here.
 
Probably would only have offered marginal audio benefit anyway, but what is audiophilia if not a ceaseless quest for every possible audio benefit, marginal or otherwise.

 

 

[mcdeeda]

okay guys
so i'm looking into getting a pair of SR 507s, and i was wondering what a good amp for it would be, preferably under $1000, but i'd be willing to pay a bit more if it's really worth it
any suggestions?
thanks, btw

 

[svyr]

okay guys
so i'm looking into getting a pair of SR 507s, and i was wondering what a good amp for it would be, preferably under $1000, but i'd be willing to pay a bit more if it's really worth it
any suggestions?
thanks, btw

SRM-1/mk2 (recapped power section) or better

 

[livewire]

 
Quote:

okay guys
so i'm looking into getting a pair of SR 507s, and i was wondering what a good amp for it would be, preferably under $1000, but i'd be willing to pay a bit more if it's really worth it
any suggestions?
thanks, btw

Get a SRM-323S for your Lambdas, or what svyr said. Good used unit for the money.
 
FYI, There is a pair of almost new 507's for sale at a fair price by a trusted HF member over at Agon.
 

 

[anetode]

Quote:

OK, so I emailed Kingwa, and he says there's no sonic advantage in adding ACSS to the existing T2 amplifier, because the ACSS couldn't be integrated "seamlessly" into the T2.  Which is to say, if you added an ACSS input to the T2 design, you'd need to convert it from current to voltage in order for the signal to be able to drive the amp.  So, really, it doesn't matter whether I convert the ACSS signal in my NFB-10es DAC to voltage domain inside the NFB-10 and take the signal to the T2 by balanced audio cables, or if I were to connect the NFB-10 to the T2 by an ACSS cable using an ACSS input module in the T2 that would then have to convert to voltage domain inside the T2 to drive it's input stage- in both cases the ACSS signal is turned into a conventional audio voltage-based signal, and you lose the value of staying always in the ACSS domain.  The topology of the T2 would require a radical change to make it amenable to ACSS input. 
 
The  kgss or  kgsshv amps, which are current-domain direct drive amps for Stax 'phones, would be more amenable to ACSS I would think, but I am not building one of those, I am building the DIY SRM-T2 so my interest in rigging an ACSS input for my "ultimate" Stax amp ends here.
 
Probably would only have offered marginal audio benefit anyway, but what is audiophilia if not a ceaseless quest for every possible audio benefit, marginal or otherwise.

Now that you mention it, ACSS seems like a great choice for a stat amp input. Wouldn't it be possible to use ACSS on something like http://gilmore2.chem.northwestern.edu/projects/showfile.php?file=gilmore2_prj.htm?

 

[livewire]

 
Quote:

Now that you mention it, ACSS seems like a great choice for a stat amp input. Wouldn't it be possible to use ACSS on something like http://gilmore2.chem.northwestern.edu/projects/showfile.php?file=gilmore2_prj.htm?

That would be the KGSS amp you reference there. (the prototype unit from ~11 years ago)
 
And no, I dont have a clue about adapting the ACSS thing.
 
 
 

 
 

 

[DaveBSC]

Quote:

okay guys
so i'm looking into getting a pair of SR 507s, and i was wondering what a good amp for it would be, preferably under $1000, but i'd be willing to pay a bit more if it's really worth it
any suggestions?
thanks, btw

SRM-323S is the way to go.
 

 

[mcdeeda]

 
Quote:

SRM-323S is the way to go.
 

Quote:

Get a SRM-323S for your Lambdas, or what svyr said. Good used unit for the money.
 
FYI, There is a pair of almost new 507's for sale at a fair price by a trusted HF member over at Agon.
 

Quote:

SRM-1/mk2 (recapped power section) or better

 
Thanks guys, i'm going to do more research, but those all look like good options, and i'll check out the 507s on Agon

 

[The Monkey]

Let's eliminate the a-gd nonsense from this thread.  Thanks in advance.

 

[sphinxvc]

Pulled the trigger on a 252S today.  

 

[milosz]

Quote:

Now that you mention it, ACSS seems like a great choice for a stat amp input. Wouldn't it be possible to use ACSS on something like http://gilmore2.chem.northwestern.edu/projects/showfile.php?file=gilmore2_prj.htm?

Yes that amp would be an ideal candidate - it's a "current domain" topology. In fact, to the best of my knowledge, that's the only stat amp that has the kind of topology that would make it amenable to using ACSS.   That is the amp known as the "kgss" - Kevin Gilmore Solid State.  There is a new version,  kgsshv - Kevin Gilmore Solid State High Voltage which has a greater voltage swing, which is said to be ideal for SR-007.
 
How, exactly, you would interface ACSS to this amp is beyond my tech level. I don't really know what an ACSS (or, the similar scheme used by Krell- 'CAST") signal looks like, except it must involve transfer current from a high-impedance source to a low-impedance load, which would pretty much eliminate any interaction of the audio cable in the circuit.  Also, since you are staying in current mode, you can eliminate the I-to-V stage in the DAC, which means you can eliminate a stage.  And, if you keep the volume control in the ACSS current-signal realm, audio effects of interactions with the volume control are lower than when using a pot or stepped resistors as a voltage divider in a normal audio signal chain.  There are advantages to it.  
 
Maybe I'll ask Kevin Gilmore if he's ever considered it.
 
By the way, I asked Kingwa if he ever considered building a direct-drive electrostatic amp, and he indicated he had no interest in doing such a product.  If he ever did build a direct-stat amp, you can bet it would be built around ACSS.  I suspect the demand is just too small.
 

 

[milosz]

Quote:

Let's eliminate the a-gd nonsense from this thread.  Thanks in advance.

Why?  And what makes it nonsense?

 

[ManBeard]

Quote:

Why?  And what makes it nonsense?

 
There's more than enough Audio-gd talk in this forum. We don't need it in this thread.