Under the hood - Electrostatic amp photos
Mar 6, 2023 at 4:49 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 60

Chefguru

Headphoneus Supremus
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As suggested by members on the Stax thread, post photos of your estat amp internal!
Engineers and DIYers - feel free to critique - no mercy !


CARBON CC by Mjolnir Audio
carbon CC.jpeg



KGST by Mjolnir Audio

KGST_1.jpg


NOVEM by Mjolnir Audio
Novem.jpeg
 
Mar 6, 2023 at 5:20 PM Post #3 of 60
1-off DIY hev90-Balanced (2 chassis). It's actually been rock solid since I replaced the undersized main fuse. Sounds super with L700. BHSE-class sound quality, but more of a classic tube sound. Also sounds great with 009 and ES1a if you keep a lid on the volume.
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Mar 7, 2023 at 1:00 AM Post #5 of 60
Mar 7, 2023 at 1:54 AM Post #6 of 60
@kevin gilmore
I don’t think my home owners insurance company would be happy looking at those photos.
Grounds for early termination
 
Mar 7, 2023 at 5:43 AM Post #7 of 60
Mar 7, 2023 at 5:46 AM Post #8 of 60
Mar 7, 2023 at 6:00 AM Post #10 of 60
With this argumentation youtube (and e.g. headcase) should not exist anymore. But if you feel not comfortable, maybe you should not post pics from your own amplifier?
 
Mar 7, 2023 at 7:45 AM Post #11 of 60
With this argumentation youtube (and e.g. headcase) should not exist anymore. But if you feel not comfortable, maybe you should not post pics from your own amplifier?
100% agree. The claim that an 'internals' thread should not exist, for whatever reason, is possibly the most absurd statement I can imagine making on a hifi forum.

I just cannot wrap my head around why anyone would be against a thread whose intent is to increase transparency. Businesses, sure--but not consumers or any truly DIY 'community'. There is so much nonsense posted on Head-fi, and the only reason I know it's nonsense is because I'm part of the nonsense. I have no idea what I'm talking about with hifi--'listening impressions' mean so very little given that we all have subjective ears. All these threads full of talk talk talk, a few big words thrown in for credibility's sake...well, it's an incredibly inefficient way to get into hifi, and it almost seems designed to confuse so that people buy stuff they don't need.

Rant almost over.

If I have the choice between a thread full of listening impressions, and a thread full of photos of the actual tech (and perhaps commentary on those internals), I choose the concrete example every time. Who else would love an Instagram for internals?

My only hope is that builders don't take offense. In my head, this thread would not be an opportunity to gang up on anybody or negatively affect anyone's business, but rather as a way to to reduce abstractions and maybe learn why we prefer one amp over another...and eventually make better-informed decisions. But I've been wrong before...
 
Mar 10, 2023 at 11:06 PM Post #13 of 60
@kevin gilmore
I don’t think my home owners insurance company would be happy looking at those photos.
Grounds for early termination
I don't get the concern? The "after" amps are well engineered & built. You know what does tick me off - some audiophiles will destroy their high end phono cartridges with carelessness, and claim it for reimbursement (and sometimes win). That's not what home insurance should be for.
 
Mar 10, 2023 at 11:29 PM Post #14 of 60
Mar 11, 2023 at 12:45 AM Post #15 of 60
The Soren KGSShv looks great! Here's a circa 2010 KGSShv build with 500V IXYS parts and onboard heat sinks. DACT stepped attenuator (every time I see an Alps Blue in otherwise nice gear, I get antsy to replace it). Out of like 4 - 5 KGSShv variants I've heard, this one is easily my favorite. Very neutral. Pairs well with any headphone. It's the cheapest I've heard a 007 Mk 1 be "properly" driven. I'm not sure I'd pick even a BHSE over this one. And the sound you get with this amp paired to ES1a is just incredible for the money. Unfortunately the top cover has poor ventilation, and is powder coated to boot - so it has heat dissipation issues. You know what (can) happens when an electrostatic amp overheats? First you hear noise, then distortion. With top off it runs clean (yes, dangerous) and reliably all day. I need to get some holes / slots drilled in, or just re-case it.

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