[mirumu]

I wouldn't think it's the bias signal at fault given the background noise I'm hearing. I hadn't given it much thought until now but yes, it's kind of odd to hear the noise if the mains is only providing the bias signal? Perhaps though the circuit is more active than would at first appear. With the SR-X MK3 being fed from the SRD-7 Mk2 it sounds like cassette tape hiss whereas the SRD-6 is largely silent in comparison. The O2's mask a lot of it with their reduced efficiency but I can still hear it faintly there. My SRD-7 (non Pro) that is currently in need of a new zener diode was different again with some audible mains hum. Don't believe that would come through the bias either. My suspicion is that the mains is somehow corrupting the signal lines. Should be easy enough to verify looking at PCBs.

 

[Carl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mirumu /img/forum/go_quote.gif I wouldn't think it's the bias signal at fault given the background noise I'm hearing. I hadn't given it much thought until now but yes, it's kind of odd to hear the noise if the mains is only providing the bias signal? Perhaps though the circuit is more active than would at first appear. With the SR-X MK3 being fed from the SRD-7 Mk2 it sounds like cassette tape hiss whereas the SRD-6 is largely silent in comparison. The O2's mask a lot of it with their reduced efficiency but I can still hear it faintly there. My SRD-7 (non Pro) that is currently in need of a new zener diode was different again with some audible mains hum. Don't believe that would come through the bias either. My suspicion is that the mains is somehow corrupting the signal lines. Should be easy enough to verify looking at PCBs.

Check how the audio transformers are connected up. Are they being run completely passive?

 

[akira]

Quote:

Originally Posted by spritzer /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've plugged a normal bias phone into a pro socket and they are just fine. I wouldn't do it intentionally though...

How did you make that? I think normally it's not possible because there is a pin in middle on normal socket which avoids connection into pro jack.

Akira

 

[edstrelow]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Traddad /img/forum/go_quote.gif So....How do Stax cans work at low volumes? I have sensitive ears and need to listen at low volumes but really hate the hit sound and imaging takes when you crank the knob towards zero. Does the "faster" quality translate to better low volume quality?

No reason why stats wouldn't work at low volumes. However, you have to consider the frequency response of any phone to see what it will sound like at low volumes. The ear loses sensitivity at both end of the spectrum, with decreasing volume, although mainly in the bass region. See:

http://ccrma.stanford.edu/CCRMA/Cour...labs/loudness/

Phones which are already bass-shy will probably not sound too good at reduced volume. I would say that the Stax SR001/003, Sigma and I suspect 02, will probably hold up best at low volumes because of their somewhat enhanced mid-bass. By comparison, the various Lambdas (404,303,202, Nova) may seem bass deficient at low volumes because they have less midbass (although they do have deeper bass than some of the previous phones.

Also, if the phones are self-biased (probably from a self-biasing transformer) they may lose some of their bias at low listening levels and sound unsatisfactory. This should not be a problem with a headphone amp, although I would still run the phones for a few seconds/minutes at high volume to get them properly charged up.

 

[Carl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by edstrelow /img/forum/go_quote.gif Phones which are already bass-shy will probably not sound too good at reduced volume. I would say that the Stax SR001/003, Sigma and I suspect 02, will probably hold up best at low volumes because of their somewhat enhanced mid-bass. By comparison, the various Lambdas (404,303,202, Nova) may seem bass deficient at low volumes because they have less midbass (although they do have deeper bass than some of the previous phones.

For what its worth, I find the 4070 does low volume better than the Sigma Pro, so I suspect things are a little more complex than that. Not 100% sure, though, as I don't generally listen at particularly low volumes.

 

[mirumu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carl /img/forum/go_quote.gif Check how the audio transformers are connected up. Are they being run completely passive?

That'd certainly be my first suspect. I'll check when I get a chance.

 

[patrickamory]

Man, I wonder if there's an option in vBulletin to have the page numbers wrap around when they're wider than the width of a browser. It's getting annoying to scroll somewhere roughly seventy feet to my right every time I want to move to the next page

Patrick

 

[Carl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by J Harris /img/forum/go_quote.gif Man, I wonder if there's an option in vBulletin to have the page numbers wrap around when they're wider than the width of a browser. It's getting annoying to scroll somewhere roughly seventy feet to my right every time I want to move to the next page Patrick

Maybe they're in cahoots with widescreen monitor manufacturers.

I know what you mean, though. Actually, I believe there is an option to add a "..." an skip most of the pages, but as to why it's not activated you'll have to ask Jude.

 

[derekbmn]

It's a good thing I have a widescreen then. I only have to scroll 20 feet.

 

[gordie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by J Harris /img/forum/go_quote.gif Man, I wonder if there's an option in vBulletin to have the page numbers wrap around when they're wider than the width of a browser. It's getting annoying to scroll somewhere roughly seventy feet to my right every time I want to move to the next page Patrick

I agree, I'm surprised the BB software on the server doesn't wrap to the width of the rest of the page.

My solution is to just increment the number in the link and hit enter. For instance, the last page was this:

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/showth...91438&page=127

I just type in the link line in the browser and change the 127 to 128 and hit enter, so no megascrolling required.

-- Gordie

 

[feckn_eejit]

I have been able to hear line noise seeping in on my mains-biased earspeaker adapters.

A PS Audio P500 clears it up real nice though!

 

[Carl]

Gah. I'm getting increasing frustraited with the solid-state amplifier I'm using to power my transformer box. The dangers of temporary solutions that become semi-perminant.

I'm going to have to track down a cheap direct-heated tube amplifier if I wish to keep my sanity.

 

[spritzer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by akira /img/forum/go_quote.gif How did you make that? I think normally it's not possible because there is a pin in middle on normal socket which avoids connection into pro jack. Akira

Anything is possible if you are tired enough. I was using one of my old extension cables that have a 6 pin socket but a 5 pin male plug and I plugged it in a pro socket on the T1. They got really loud...

 

[Carl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by spritzer /img/forum/go_quote.gif Anything is possible if you are tired enough. I was using one of my old extension cables that have a 6 pin socket but a 5 pin male plug and I plugged it in a pro socket on the T1. They got really loud...

You're lucky you didn't damage anything. I knackered my 4070s with a simple mistake like that.

 

[Johnny Blue]

Quote:

Originally Posted by J Harris /img/forum/go_quote.gif Man, I wonder if there's an option in vBulletin to have the page numbers wrap around when they're wider than the width of a browser. It's getting annoying to scroll somewhere roughly seventy feet to my right every time I want to move to the next page Patrick

Agree totally! I was going to have a moan myself about this very thing, but have now side-tracked myself with self-bias vs mains bias issues!

How about, at least, having the 'Next Page' arrow duplicated (or even moved) next to the 'Previous Page' arrow: this should save a lot of waiting 20 minutes whilst my ancient PC deigns to scroll to the right!