[astrostar59]

Hi All
I would be interested in Stax users views as regards tubed front ends. We see a LOT of users with BHSE and KGSS and other tube energisers/amps.

For me, before I started taking Stax listening above an hour a week, and was mainly using Horn speakers, I had moved away from solid state front ends and oversampling DACS. My horns really are very revealing, which is fantastic for Classical or well recorded Jazz etc, but not so hot with other material or poor (in most cases) more recent recordings.

So I had already found the None Oversampling topology and valve based DACs and Pre-Amplifiers worked best for me. And later I moved on to using a Mac Mini and Audirvana+ mainly for convienience. It was a surprise that this move gave me another level of SQ and a cleaner signal.

I wonder how it would sound with a None Oversampling DAC, preferably with tubes in it, and a BHSE at the other end?
I can't stretch to those budgets. Mind my Audio Note pre-amp feeding my old SR-717 running without the volume in the circuit, it is really great and seems happy driving the SR-007 Mk2.5s. `Without the pre-amp in the gain stage, the SRM-717 sounds more metallic and thinner.

Interesting subject.

The thing is with our hobby, we don't have the luxury in most cases to get gear home and compare. It is demo in the shop only. Actually I bought my SR-007s blind, based on my love of the Lambda Nova Signature transparency.

I now seem to have a system that makes me smile every time I listen to it. The SET amps and the horns sound close to the Stax actually. Nearly as fast, but not quite!

 

[FrankCooter]

SET's and Stax can go together quite well. It's really an under explored area. I use a transformer-coupled 845 amp to drive 507's (see image #114 in the Stax thread). I've also built Egmont variants using the directly-heated (and dirt cheap) Soviet 6P21S as outputs. Either way can add a bit of tonal richness that I think that is sometimes in short supply in the Stax world. Of course this is a very minority position in the Stax universe and is all DIY.

 

[astrostar59]

Hello FrankCopper
Yes, I think you are right. Tubes bring a much needed level of warmth to the table.

I also think, in the case of a good speaker system, the distance from the speakers and furnishings
and room layouts does a calming down of upper mid and higher transients.

Effectively at a live concert we have even more: people in rows in front, distance away from
the stage and enormous space.

BTW I built my DAC 3.1 SE from a kit (www.ankaudiokits.com) and added tantalum resistors and
V-Vap Teflons. I use a Bendix 6X5 equivalent in the power supply, and 2 x 5687 Tungsols on the
output board. Love the sound. It is None Oversampling with no filtering, which I think removes any
digital grain as well.

And having a tubed pre-amp in the chain seems to give the Stax SRM-717 a new lease of live.

 

[raulcf77]

Hello FrankCopper
Yes, I think you are right. Tubes bring a much needed level of warmth to the table.

I also think, in the case of a good speaker system, the distance from the speakers and furnishings
and room layouts does a calming down of upper mid and higher transients.

Effectively at a live concert we have even more: people in rows in front, distance away from
the stage and enormous space.

BTW I built my DAC 3.1 SE from a kit (www.ankaudiokits.com) and added tantalum resistors and
V-Vap Teflons. I use a Bendix 6X5 equivalent in the power supply, and 2 x 5687 Tungsols on the
output board. Love the sound. It is None Oversampling with no filtering, which I think removes any
digital grain as well.

And having a tubed pre-amp in the chain seems to give the Stax SRM-717 a new lease of live.

I cannot make any test right now, but in one month i will be able to try the 009 directly connected to the 717 and then to a Mcintosh preamp (c2300) + 717...lets see.

 

[SoupRKnowva]

The Mafia periodically mentions a SET stax amp, maybe someday we can get a finished design to build. I'd love to hear the 009s on some SETy goodness...