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Jul 24, 2009 at 12:42 AM Post #11,521 of 24,807
I have been driving my O2mk1 with a border patrol SE300B through my SRD7 mk2. The amp is an 8 or 9 watt which couples to a huge external power supply. I also have the balanced B22 and previously the 717 and the T1s. I totally agree that the amp makes a big difference. The only problem now is that I am getting a bit of hum and I am trying to sort it out. Any opinions will be greatly appreciated. I have tried unearthing the power cords but the hum is still there - mixture of hum and tube buzz.
 
Jul 24, 2009 at 1:05 AM Post #11,522 of 24,807
Quote:

Originally Posted by Victor Chew /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I have been driving my O2mk1 with a border patrol SE300B through my SRD7 mk2. The amp is an 8 or 9 watt which couples to a huge external power supply. I also have the balanced B22 and previously the 717 and the T1s. I totally agree that the amp makes a big difference. The only problem now is that I am getting a bit of hum and I am trying to sort it out. Any opinions will be greatly appreciated. I have tried unearthing the power cords but the hum is still there - mixture of hum and tube buzz.


of all the amps you have mentioned, which one did you prefer with the SRD-7 mk2?
 
Jul 24, 2009 at 7:46 AM Post #11,523 of 24,807
Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Yes, soundstage is similar because the K1000 and Sigma also both offer a bit of extra crosstalk between the ears as well. But I found the K1000 to be much more detailed than the Sigma Pro, and not rolled off at all like the Sigma Pro that I borrowed from Plaidplatypus. And the Sigma Pro were also quite picky about amplification, sounding a little better with my Nuforce Icon 12-watt amp/SRD-7 pro combo than with the GES. The O2 Mk1 and Mk2 sound much better off the GES than the Sigma Pro did, and I even prefered my SR-Lambda to the Sigma Pro. I will get to hear a Sigma/404 this weekend, so I am looking forward to that one.


I wouldn't have described my Sigma pro or Sigma/404 which I had at Canjam as lacking in detail compared to the K1000. As I noted above, the best of the K1000 set-ups was at the next table to my Sigma set-up so it was easy to make comparisons. As with the K1000 I am sure that amps make a difference. I had a 717 amp and MIKEYMAD had a Singlepower set up for his 007 which I sometimes used with the Sigmas. With his amp, the difference between the 007 and Sigmas in regard to detail became less pronounced. The 007 being a super detail phone.

The main things I felt about the Sigma pro/ K1000 comparison was the loss of ambience in the K1000 with possibly too much in the Sigma pro. That and the residual raspiness that even the best dynamics such as the HD800 show. Still I thought the K1000 were fun phones.

I will be interested to see what your group thinks about the Sigma/404.
 
Jul 24, 2009 at 2:16 PM Post #11,524 of 24,807
Quote:

Originally Posted by DefectiveAudioComponent /img/forum/go_quote.gif
There are some noises that maybe perhaps shouldn't be there with my Toshiba X1 electret. There could be dust / dirt on the drivers, I'm thinking. Is there any good way of getting it out without damaging anything? (if that's the problem)


I have no idea how these drivers were made so I need pics to know what we are dealing with. Most electret drivers were never meant to be serviced though...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Victor Chew /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I have been driving my O2mk1 with a border patrol SE300B through my SRD7 mk2. The amp is an 8 or 9 watt which couples to a huge external power supply. I also have the balanced B22 and previously the 717 and the T1s. I totally agree that the amp makes a big difference. The only problem now is that I am getting a bit of hum and I am trying to sort it out. Any opinions will be greatly appreciated. I have tried unearthing the power cords but the hum is still there - mixture of hum and tube buzz.


First off, try to run the amp without an input and if that doesn't work, power everything up and then unplug the energizer from wall power socket and see if it makes a difference. Hum in a tube amp is often the sign of parts slowly dieing so bear that in mind...
 
Jul 24, 2009 at 2:26 PM Post #11,526 of 24,807
Quote:

Originally Posted by spritzer /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I have no idea how these drivers were made so I need pics to know what we are dealing with. Most electret drivers were never meant to be serviced though...


I think you are right. If I try to remove the driver, I believe I will end up with a pile of small driver plates. I can't see any other clamps or devices to keep the pile together except for the clamps that are attached to the baffle.
x1driver.jpg


Japanese description of the driver construction.
auc1.jpg


I managed to gently brush out a piece of crumbled pleather out now. I hope that was it.
 
Jul 24, 2009 at 2:30 PM Post #11,527 of 24,807
Quote:

Originally Posted by spritzer /img/forum/go_quote.gif
First off, try to run the amp without an input and if that doesn't work, power everything up and then unplug the energizer from wall power socket and see if it makes a difference. Hum in a tube amp is often the sign of parts slowly dieing so bear that in mind...


The amp powered up alone without the CD player plugged in has no hum at all through pro or normal bias. When everything is powered up and connected, there is a slight hum with some tube buzz through pro bias but perfect through the normal bias.

I was thinking that the CD player is the cause of the hum but with it connected to the B22, no hum at all whether through normal or pro bias. I am guessing that there may be a ground loop somewhere, but can't find to break it. I tried grounding the SRD7pro but still no good. Damn, this thing is really causing me a back ache bending up and down.
 
Jul 24, 2009 at 3:55 PM Post #11,529 of 24,807
Quote:

Originally Posted by Tachikoma /img/forum/go_quote.gif
My SRD-7 had a huge hum when I plugged it in backwards (ie live and neutral were reversed). Have you checked that?


Yes, but unfortunately no difference in the hum department
frown.gif
. Just for my knowledge, which is live and which is neutral. I have not managed to figure this out yet but I just treat the wire with the words as the live - not knowing if that is correct or wrong.
 
Jul 24, 2009 at 9:29 PM Post #11,530 of 24,807
Just tried the SRD-7 MK2 and an Audiolab amp (don't know exactly which amp, it was 100W per channel I think) driving the Sigma and the results were great. The SR-007 MK1 wasn't bad at all either although it wasn't as good as the Stax amp (but it had more slam). The Sigma really improved, though. Gained better bass control.
No noise issues either, which really surprised me.
 
Jul 25, 2009 at 2:48 AM Post #11,532 of 24,807
Quote:

Originally Posted by Victor Chew /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I have been driving my O2mk1 with a border patrol SE300B through my SRD7 mk2. The amp is an 8 or 9 watt which couples to a huge external power supply. I also have the balanced B22 and previously the 717 and the T1s. I totally agree that the amp makes a big difference. The only problem now is that I am getting a bit of hum and I am trying to sort it out. Any opinions will be greatly appreciated. I have tried unearthing the power cords but the hum is still there - mixture of hum and tube buzz.


I had a slight hum problem with my SRD-7 Pro, no buzz though. It was actually a weird problem. I put my speaker amp in a short TV stand, and usually I have a laptop on top of the stand instead of a TV. When I would take my laptop off while I had my Stax on, I would get a hum. If I put the laptop back on the stand, then the hum would go away. I'm not sure what the problem was... the laptop wasn't even on, lol. Anyway the speaker amp I used was really cheap, so it's possible that there was some sort of power supply interference going on.

I think the problem would have been solved if I moved the speaker amp or transformer somewhere else.
 
Jul 25, 2009 at 5:46 AM Post #11,533 of 24,807
Quote:

Originally Posted by edstrelow /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I wouldn't have described my Sigma pro or Sigma/404 which I had at Canjam as lacking in detail compared to the K1000. As I noted above, the best of the K1000 set-ups was at the next table to my Sigma set-up so it was easy to make comparisons. As with the K1000 I am sure that amps make a difference. I had a 717 amp and MIKEYMAD had a Singlepower set up for his 007 which I sometimes used with the Sigmas. With his amp, the difference between the 007 and Sigmas in regard to detail became less pronounced. The 007 being a super detail phone.

The main things I felt about the Sigma pro/ K1000 comparison was the loss of ambience in the K1000 with possibly too much in the Sigma pro. That and the residual raspiness that even the best dynamics such as the HD800 show. Still I thought the K1000 were fun phones.

I will be interested to see what your group thinks about the Sigma/404.


The Sigma Pro that I tried were noticeably lacking detail - some parts of the music that I knew were there could not be heard.
 
Jul 27, 2009 at 1:37 AM Post #11,535 of 24,807
Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif
The Sigma Pro that I tried were noticeably lacking detail - some parts of the music that I knew were there could not be heard.


Quote:

Originally Posted by Victor Chew /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Thank You guys for all the help.


The Sigma/404 I heard at the meet this weekend were noticeably better than the Sigma Pro - there was better detail and dynamics, and I would be more willing to own a Sigma/404 than a Sigma Pro which I have no interest in.
 
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