[Currawong]

Quote:

I apologize that this is somewhat branching off-topic, but I wonder why all of these different regions adopted such vastly different power standards and have made no effort to reconcile them in this day and age. I'd think it would put a real damper on the importation/exportation of almost everything electronic.

 
They aren't that different now. We're down to about 4 different standards and voltages now that are common with some countries still using their own weird plug and socket variations.

 

[TheAttorney]

For the 2nd time in my O2 Mk1 ownership, I've managed to break the cable

. "To break a Stax cable once may be regarded as a misfortune. To break it a 2nd time looks like carelessness". 
 
Only I didn't do anything wrong the 2nd time - honest guv. The cable should be able to handle the occasional moderate tug. It's not obvious why the "y" clamp is so fragile at the junction - it's looks and feels pretty solid to me, and none of the wires look damaged. Yet a slight twist at the LHS junction point causes the LHS sound to cut in and out.
 
The resolution (for people not brave enough to take their 007's apart) is for the dealer to fit a brand new cable - from memory at around £120 including labour. I'm guessing a brand new cable is is required because that y clamp looks to be integral with the cable - either that or the dealer just wanted more profit.
 
If it ever happens a 3rd time, then...well... I shall get very cross!
 
EDIT: My "Y" clamp description may be misleading. I mean the point at which the cable enters the phone (with "L" and "R" inscribed). Not the point lower down where the single ribbon splits into two,

 

[Solude]

At the Y?  That's new.  The MkI cable mount at the housing is fragile though.  Mine went out on one side back in the day.  Luckily you are in the UK, I had to send mine to the UK because Yama was MIA.

 

[Headzone]

Anyone have any idea what I could do with my broken SRM-212 energizer? Tried contact my country's Stax distributor but never got an answer from there.. It has one channel broken, is it even repairable?

 

[kevin gilmore]

srm212 is definitely repairable. If its the input fet, you may have to search on ebay.
otherwise, parts should be fairly easy.

 

[cat6man]

Quote:

 
They aren't that different now. We're down to about 4 different standards and voltages now that are common with some countries still using their own weird plug and socket variations.

 
There are numerous reasons historically, including national and regional pride/competitiveness.
 
I have to say the most bizarre example I know of is in Japan, where if I'm not mistaken, the voltage is uniform but the east and west sides of the country use 50 and 60hz, which was a real problem after the tsunami when power plants on the west side of the honshu couldn't be immediately used to help the east due to the difference.
 
Anyone know why Japan had these two different 50/60 hz setups?

 

[Nemeske88]

 
Dear Forum!
I'm about to replace the foam on my lambda due optical issues only. If anyone done this before, please help me! Is it requires very agile hands or can easily be worked out?
 

 

[kkqewl]

Quote:

If your tester has a 12BH7 setting then you can test the ECC99 on that.  They are similar but not identical. 

 
 
Ok, using the 12BH7 settings on my tube tester , the good ECC99 tests at 110 for both sections minimum acceptable is 60 , the bad tubes gives no readings at all on either section !
 
The only thing that seems to work on this tube are the heaters.

 

[astrostar59]

Hi David
 
 
Quote:

 
the problem I have is with some recordings using that combo, is there's an edge to the sound that's uncomfortable.

 
 
Do you get that same edge with IanG's LL?  I wonder if the 009 is just so transparent it shows everything (including weaknesses)
 
I know you have a great source (Esoteric) but that is Over Sampling technology. I ran with that for years with less money DACs but still supposed to be good (Naim and Meridian(
then I discovered None Oversampling tubed DACs by Audio Note which did it for me. The dreaded treble digititous to many recordings was gone, and replaced by smooth (and detailed) 
organic music, less hi-fi and steely / false, and more tactile and real sounding. Also the DAC I use has NO digital filet, it has been removed, and the difference is remarkable. It doesn't lift
the treble energy, rather, it removes the last bit of grain and also lets the tiny ambient sounds come through.
 
I would recommend trying an Audio Note DAC 3.1 for example. If you ring Peter Q at Audio Note UK, he might loan you one if you leave a deposit.
I'll bet it will be a keeper. You could use the Esoteric as your CDP only.

 

[David1961]

Hi Julian,
 
There's only some of my CD's I have problems with my 009/ BHSE, and to what I can recall, those CD's weren't used when I heard my 009's with Ian's LL. It's also been around 8 months since I heard Ian's LL, so I can't remember what CD's we listened to. 
 
Thank you for your recommendation on trying the Audio Note DAC 3.1, but I've spent more than enough on audio equipment, plus I need to start with home improvements, so I won't be buying any more audio equipment or headphones for a long time.

 

[jgazal]

Quote:

Anyone know why Japan had these two different 50/60 hz setups?

 
 
 

(...)
The two grids were originally developed by separate companies. Tokyo Electric Light Co was established in 1883 which also established electric power in Japan. In 1885 demand had grown enough that TELCO bought generation equipment from AEG of Germany.^[17] The same happened in the western parts of Japan with General Electric being the supplier to Osaka Electric Lamp.^[17] GE's equipment used the US standard 60 Hz while AEG's equipment used the European standard of 50 Hz.^[17]
(...)
 
^{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_in_Japan}

 

[DefQon]

Quote:

 
Dear Forum!
I'm about to replace the foam on my lambda due optical issues only. If anyone done this before, please help me! Is it requires very agile hands or can easily be worked out?
 

 
Just lift the pads up on sides where the screws are located by referencing to that picture (don't need to remove the pads completely). Once done, use something flat and sandwich it between the gaps of the metal base and the plastic housing (or use your nails) and lift it up. Before completely lifting it up, the cable bit where it comes out there is a flat little piece of metal there lift it up along with the cable and the rest of the stator base. the foam will be double taped on about 4 places so if you want to retain the cotton thingy but replace the foam on the otherside, gently lift it up, rips and tears extremely easily due to age.

 

[ALSO]

Quote:

Japanese sockets are usually only 2-pin usually with only sockets for high-power equipment such as air conditioners and washing machines having an earth/ground screw. Except in older places, the sockets have different sized positive and neutral pins, but the plugs on most equipment have 2 small pins so the plug can go in either way. I can only recall one or two things I've ever come across here that had distinctly polarised plugs.
 
The confusion comes in that the socket polarity is the same as the USA. China uses the US plugs, but with reversed polarity (or you can think of it as the earth/ground pin being above the positive and neutral pins rather than below). China also has another standard that is identical to the Australian system including polarity.

Forgive me for returning to this point, but I am considering purchasing a STAX system here in Japan, since the prices are much better than in the US.  But I see the drivers are set for the Japanese standard 100V 50/60.  I'm planning eventually to use the system in the US, which is 120V/60. I realize there is usually some flexibility, but I don't want to take any chances with these.  Any thoughts or advice?  (And please forgive me if this subject has been covered earlier in the thread--I've just jumped in toward the end.)  Thanks in advance. 

 

[Michgelsen]

A lot of people use Japanese Stax amps outside of Japan. Some of the older Stax amps can easily be converted to accept different voltages by means of a voltage selector (in the form of a jumper block) on the back. Newer amps however do not have this ability, and need to be used with a step-down transformer. Alternatively, it is possible to open up the amp and reconnect the wires from the transformer for your targeted voltage, but this is difficult and requires soldering. In case of the smaller amps (SRM-212, 252 etc.) that use an external power brick, you can buy a new suitable power brick for the correct input voltage.

 

[Nemeske88]

Quote:

 
Just lift the pads up on sides where the screws are located by referencing to that picture (don't need to remove the pads completely). Once done, use something flat and sandwich it between the gaps of the metal base and the plastic housing (or use your nails) and lift it up. Before completely lifting it up, the cable bit where it comes out there is a flat little piece of metal there lift it up along with the cable and the rest of the stator base. the foam will be double taped on about 4 places so if you want to retain the cotton thingy but replace the foam on the otherside, gently lift it up, rips and tears extremely easily due to age.

 
Thanks. I am mainly worry about installing the new foam and the wool in correct depth to avoid any change in its sound signature and also that the wool might be bursted apart while "detaching" it from the doublesiders.