[Duggeh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ericj /img/forum/go_quote.gif I just completed an ESP950-to-Stax cable for Faust2D, thought I'd share some of what i learned about using the WPI 'microphone' plug to make DIY stax cables. [...] But it's all very reasonable copper, and no worse than I've seen in Stax electret ribbon cables. And there is certainly no enamel.

Most awesome stuff indeed. Well played sir!

 

[facelvega]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wualta /img/forum/go_quote.gif Glad you finally had a chance to hear them. Ain't they swell?

From my short test, I'd say it's perhaps the best single all-purpose headphone I've heard yet, probably what I would choose if I could only have one headphone. However, I have a Lambda, PMB500, Superex, and YH-100 around all at once, and I can live with that.

 

[rsbrsvp]

I live in Israel and have an ES-1. Unfortunately the sound is unbalanced. The sound is fuller and weightier on the left side and lighter and hollower on the right side. I already sent it in to Singlepower and they sent it back unrepaied. I was not surprised as I once bought a SDS-XLR from them and they shipped it to me 5 months late with serious issues. I sent it back at my cost (over $800) and in 6 months after countless begging requests it was returned exactly as it was before- absolutely nothing was done that could be seen physically or heard; it sounded completely ill and none of the outer physical changes that were promissed me were done. It was useless for me to persue the matter furthur as I was being ignored completely for close to a year so I ended up selling it at a huge loss.

The question is what to do now with my ES-1. I love it- I just need to fix this one problem. It really does sound great besides this one issue. There are many competent technitions in Israel. I brought it to one and he said he doesn't know how to open it up because the screws are based on the fractional system versus the metric system used here in Israel and his tool is either to big or to small. Of course Singlepower promissed me a tool to open the screws on the amp. at least 5 times and it never arrived. Unfortunately, after being ignored and lied to no less than 30 times in our relationship, I have decided to part ways with Mikhael- so to speak.

Does anyone know what you call the tool which opens the screws on the ES-1? I have a family member comming from the US to Israel soon and he can bring it to me so I can have a technition here look at it. Also I would appreciate any ideas from the technically minded as to what potentially may be the problem so I can tell my Technition to look in these areas.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rsbrsvp /img/forum/go_quote.gif I live in Israel and have an ES-1. Unfortunately the sound is unbalanced. The sound is fuller and weightier on the left side and lighter and hollower on the right side. I already sent it in to Singlepower and they sent it back unrepaied. I was not surprised as I once bought a SDS-XLR from them and they shipped it to me 5 months late with serious issues. I sent it back at my cost (over $800) and in 6 months after countless begging requests it was returned exactly as it was before- absolutely nothing was done that could be seen physically or heard; it sounded completely ill and none of the outer physical changes that were promissed me were done. It was useless for me to persue the matter furthur as I was being ignored completely for close to a year so I ended up selling it at a huge loss. The question is what to do now with my ES-1. I love it- I just need to fix this one problem. It really does sound great besides this one issue. There are many competent technitions in Israel. I brought it to one and he said he doesn't know how to open it up because the screws are based on the fractional system versus the metric system used here in Israel and his tool is either to big or to small. Of course Singlepower promissed me a tool to open the screws on the amp. at least 5 times and it never arrived. Unfortunately, after being ignored and lied to no less than 30 times in our relationship, I have decided to part ways with Mikhael- so to speak. Does anyone know what you call the tool which opens the screws on the ES-1? I have a family member comming from the US to Israel soon and he can bring it to me so I can have a technition here look at it. Also I would appreciate any ideas from the technically minded as to what potentially may be the problem so I can tell my Technition to look in these areas.

What measures have you taken to verify that the problem is not in the headphones (or source)?

 

[rsbrsvp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by HeadphoneAddict /img/forum/go_quote.gif What measures have you taken to verify that the problem is not in the headphones (or source)?

I have three different headphones. All test with same problem tested on two different sets of ears. Also tried different source and tried rca vs. balanced IC. No matter what I do- same results. To be sure, I flipped all three headphones backwards and both listeners heard the same problem reversed.

 

[John Buchanan]

Is the ES1 dual mono? Possibly try switching some of the valves from the left to the right channel and vice versa?? Is it possible that you have a faulty valve?

 

[Johnny Blue]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdennis /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have an interesting observation to make regarding the power supply for the SRM-212 amplifier I recently received. I have the original Stax wall wart and a transformer. Using my old analogue multimeter (EDIT: just calibrated multimeter on a 1.5v battery, works fine) on the DC plug from the wall wart, it tests 18vdc from 100vac (from the transformer) and 21vdc from 120vac (from the wall). !!!!!!!!!! This is somewhat at odds with the power supply's 12vdc label. Can anyone else test their Stax power supply, Model No. 1240, and see what kind of voltage it's putting out? Now, as it happens, I just finished putting together a beefier power supply (an Acopian industrial supply) for the 212 with adjustable voltage, so I compared the two. With the Acopian supply at 13v, the sound was much poorer than with the Stax -- bass and impact reduced. With the Acopian at 15v, bass and impact were back, and it sounded at least as good as the Stax supply (I listened only very briefly, didn't want to take too much risk). This also brings to mind the one report I saw in this thread from someone who bought a bench supply to use with their 212 or 252, I don't remember which. They complained that the bench supply sounded much worse than stock. I wonder if their Stax PS is pumping out a bunch of extra juice. EDIT: I wonder if it would drop all the way to 12v when powering the amp. Is that likely, given that it's putting out 18 with no load? If so, then I'm not sure what to think about the discrepancy in sound between the supplies.

It was me who bought a bench PS for my SRM-212, and it wasn't 'much worse', it was just disappointing that I'd spent £36 on something that was certainly no better, and probably slightly worse than the wall-wart supplied (although, as you have found, cranking up the voltage output slightly, to 13.5V, brings the sound quality up to the standard of the Stax PS).

The standard Stax wall-wart for the SRM-212 is unregulated, and the voltage drops to 12V under load: try it and see!

(Apologies if there have been other answers in-between times: I've been away from the thread for a while and haven't had a chance to catch up on all the posts since the one quoted above was posted.)

 

[rsbrsvp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Buchanan /img/forum/go_quote.gif Is the ES1 dual mono? Possibly try switching some of the valves from the left to the right channel and vice versa?? Is it possible that you have a faulty valve?

I have completely switched (interchanged) the tubes from one channel to the other and tried brand new tubes- same result..

 

[evil-zen]

I've done the O2A blue tak mod, covering the port totally. It seems like the midbass hump is gone and my O2 finally farts! It's rather worrying when one of my Stax doesn't fart.

 

[spritzer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by evil-zen /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've done the O2A blue tak mod, covering the port totally. It seems like the midbass hump is gone and my O2 finally farts! It's rather worrying when one of my Stax doesn't fart.

Where would we be without the fart??

Please post some more impressions when you've had some time with them.

 

[mypasswordis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Monkey /img/forum/go_quote.gif So I've had the chance to listen to the Lambda Pros and the Sigs using the good input jack. The Pros definitely have more mid-range etch than the Sigs. I still like the Pros, but I LOVE the Sigs. Mesmerizing.

Thanks for following up. I hope I can audition at least one or the other sometime so I have a better idea of an upgrade path. I'm enjoying my normal bias Lambda in the meantime.

 

[wualta]

Quote:

Originally Posted by facelvega /img/forum/go_quote.gif From my short test, I'd say it's perhaps the best single all-purpose headphone I've heard yet, probably what I would choose if I could only have one headphone. However, I have a Lambda, PMB500, Superex, and YH-100 around all at once, and I can live with that.

More than that; it's because you do have all those other worthies surrounding you (not unlike a cloud of witnesses) that your high opinion of the 950 carries some weight. I confess I didn't think you'd like it that much, but there's a bit of what I call klarheit in the 950's sound, and I knew you'd appreciate that.

And no, I wouldn't want to limit myself to just one headphone either. I know you're surprised to hear me say that.

 

[audiod]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wualta /img/forum/go_quote.gif Glad you finally had a chance to hear them. Ain't they swell?

I love my 950's.

I drive them with my SRM-007t.

 

[Tachikoma]

Here's a quick mod suggestion for SR-5 owners out there having siblance-related problems with the headphones: Stick some blu tack on the 3 contact points that support the drivers at the back of the enclosure. You only need a very small amount. If you put too much they'll sound kinda dead, and if you have disproportionate amounts on each side you might get some channel imbalance.

 

[wualta]

Oo. Do you have, or can you point to, photos of the SR-5 that show these support points?