The Stax thread (New)

[Maxvla]

If the 'under $500' is to be taken literally, a retail fully finished product with that type of part cost should be at least $1000, if not $1500 or better. 'On a budget' compared to say a BHSE.

 

[Lunatique]

Quote:

If the 'under $500' is to be taken literally, a retail fully finished product with that type of part cost should be at least $1000, if not $1500 or better. 'On a budget' compared to say a BHSE.

I don't get it. That estimate is cheaper than the KGSS, and it's supposed to be an improvement upon the KGSS. So why not make it a commercial product and sell it?

 

[Currawong]

Headamp might well do that.  For a commercial product, it isn't as simple as you put it though. 

 

[n3rdling]

Last I heard, justin wasn't interested in selling commercial KGSSHV's.

 

[Maxvla]

It seems their backlog is sufficiently full as it is. "8 week" delays are turning out to be several months.

 

[Maxvla]

Quote:

I don't get it. That estimate is cheaper than the KGSS, and it's supposed to be an improvement upon the KGSS. So why not make it a commercial product and sell it?

What a standard labor rate goes for and what a completed amp with a lot of hype can sell for are 2 different things. We also don't know if that $500 included casing or merely the internals. If no casing that could easily be another $100 minimum. Headamp cases are always very nicely made.
 
$2300 for a KGSS is probably worth it when you consider it's made by some of the best in the business, with excellent casing, and a 3 year parts and labor warranty. If you figure $50 an hour (pretty generous) does it really take 36 hours (2300-500 = 1800 / 50 = 36) to assemble a KGSS? I wouldn't think so, but that is the premium you pay. I'm sure you could get one made by a qualified DIYer for a good bit less, but it wouldn't have a warranty, and you couldn't be 100% sure of the construction.

 

[Maxvla]

While we're on the topic of Headamp stat amps, I noticed the Aristaeus and the BHSE are nearly the same price and both tubed amps. Anyone have a comparison between the two? I always hear about the BHSE, but not much of the Aristaeus.

 

[jjinh]

Quote:

While we're on the topic of Headamp stat amps, I noticed the Aristaeus and the BHSE are nearly the same price and both tubed amps. Anyone have a comparison between the two? I always hear about the BHSE, but not much of the Aristaeus.

 
I could be wrong, but I thought I read somewhere the Aristaeus was more suited towards the HE90, and the BHSE the SR-007.
 
I believe some headfiers like Elephas have both, but they're not around here very often nowadays.

 

[Maxvla]

With the new Stax flagship coming out it will be interesting to see which amp seems to get the best out of them. Though I did notice on the Headamp site for the Aristaeus they are only making 4 more units, so perhaps a moot point.

 

[svyr]

lol, I'd be more worried about wiring the transformer(s?) the wrong way or wiring any other components the wrong way.. Learning to solder is not that big a deal. Learning to verify what you did is ok before you plug it in is the problem... Unless anyone plans to stalk Kevin or Birgir

 
>how much would the KGSSHV cost as a commercial product? And how much would it cost to have someone build one for you
 
I asked Kevin recently-> to paraphrase: depends who does it for you/who you buy it from if built commercially/what parts (parts approx cost is above). Then it's purely time to build/verification/parts and mark-up based?
 
Pretty sure the case was not incl in the $500 estimate, but i forget.
 
 
Quote:

Just curious, how much would the KGSSHV cost as a commercial product? And how much would it cost to have someone build one for you? There are plenty of people who can't solder worth a damn or lack the knowledge and confidence to do DIY projects in electronics.

 

[Amarphael]

Need some help with stitiching my aquired DIY KGSS that got wounded on it's way to me. The transformer got out of it's seating, it was dangling freely and I found it laying in the corner of the mainboard PCB when i opened the case. worst problem that i notice are the three black and green wires that are disconnected from the transformer, can they be easily soldered back without messing with the transformer?
 
Here is before and after:

 

 
Thanks for any input guys.

 

[ujamerstand]

Looks like the wire got pulled out of the transformer. You'll probably be better off getting a new transformer... It also looks like the caps got knocked out, if the leads are still there you could solder them back.

 

[MuppetFace]

Yes, from what I've heard speaking to people about the Aristaeus, it's designed for the HE90. I've heard some say it does well with the O2, and others seemed slightly underwhelmed. Either way, it looks gorgeous but for that price you're getting awfully close to a BHSE, so why not just go for what amps the O2 best?
 
As for my KGSS, I'm pleased as punch with it. I'm not sure what some people complaining about it "not getting loud enough" in the LCD-2 thread were talking about. On my setup, it pushes the O2 to almost unpleasantly loud levels just three notches above totally silent. Out of all the amps I've ever owned, it gets the loudest the quickest, even with the notoriously power hungry O2.
 
I've noticed that when operating it with a balanced source, it gets louder VS. that same source RCA. Also mine uses a 4ch DACT.

 

[spritzer]

The KGSSHV will be released when it is ready and fully tested.  Since I posted that initial post the design has been changed quite a bit and a lot of effort has gone into making this as idiot proof as is possible at these voltages.  The 500$ amount still stands but it never included anything except the populated boards plus transformer.  Attenuator, chassis, connectors etc. are all extra. 
 
As for comparing something DIY made against commercial products in terms of price is always unrealistic.  If the stuffed boards cost 500$ then I for one would budget at least 500$ for the rest of the parts, chassis etc.  You can use a cheap attenuator but why would you.  A 4-gang TKD 2500 is about 250$ with the yen this high and even the Neutrik connectors aren't exactly cheap.  So if if costs 1k$ to DIY then 3-5k$ wouldn't be far off for a commercial product if  there will ever be a commercial version of the KGSSHV.  As it stands now, only Headamp offers the level of build quality that we deem is good enough with the rest of high profile manufacturers ranging from bad to downright terrible. 
 
For the Rockhopper KGSS, you need a new transformer or insulate the leads and install another 36VCT transformer to drive the +/-15V supplies. 
 

 

[98664c3yijh]

Spritzer, thank you for the help with my O2's! Looks like I've managed to save them.
But soldering a 0.25mm silver litz was a pure, unrestricted PAIN!!! It took me 4hrs.
The driver seems ok, at the beginning I heard a sort of a very-very silent hiss, like
from an old AM tuner when tuning to a station, then it disappeared.
Guess the diaphragm was fighting with
some dust?
 
Cheers,
jk