purrin

Dude! When did you finally do it - that is order the SR009 and BHSE? Weren't we sitting around about a month ago saying how crazy it would be actually buy one of these?

Well I'm not getting my hopes up too much because ultimately it's dependent upon the US distributor, and we all know who that is. Also I've noted that Needle Doctor is no longer carrying STAX.

Just give it a rest until you yourself (or someone else) actually gets to hear it with the BHSE and a good source. I was hoping the SR009's would ship sooner in time for a local meet in SoCal where I could compare it between my SRM-323 and n3rling's BH, but I don't think that's gonna happen.

Shhhhhhhh!

Yeah. I was trying to avoid this thread on purpose but jumped in on the group buy at the last minute. With all the money Japan is pulling in from the States & Uncle Sam printing dollars, the exchange rate isn't getting any better.

Maybe he truly meant in a "literary" imaginative sense rather than "literally."

Holy crap, looks like STAX must have really cranked a lot - relatively - for its first production run. I'll be trying them out of the SRM-323 (hopefully it will be OK) until by BHSE arrives.

Yay. Are they going to ship everything to SoCal (Yama's?) and then possibly to individual's mailing addresses? I don't mind picking up in SoCal (if it's easier) since I head down there a lot.

Since you are already leaning away or have doubts with some of STAX's tube implementations, just get the SRM323->SR507 combo. I know I'm happy with it.

It was just a matter of finding what's "right" before totally committing. I listen the the 507s all the time now (I don't even touch my other cans), and I know the O2+BH is even more "right" than then 507s.

There are variations of the 414 pads. 414 as-is 414 quarter mod (with quarter sized hole cut through) Reversed 414 quarter mod (with the thicker side between the driver and ear - looks funny) I've heard the big ones also called Jumbo pads.

OK. I traced the board. Just a reality check before I proceed. I still need to get parts anyways. Here is a photo of the relevant portion of the board. Fortunately, it looks like STAX set this up for a balanced input in the first place. It appears the negative leg of the balanced input can simply be soldered to the unmarked open hole at the top (below the "L"): Here is what I intend to do. Additions and modifications are in pink. Note: there are some updates (C5/C1 and R1) from the schematic provided by Kevin Gilmore: Replace R4 with a 470K resistor Populate C2 with 240pF cap Populate R2 with 2000ohm resistor Finally, unless I am missing something, there is no need from anything to be connected to the ground - what's marked "G" on the board.

Got it. I was already doing the math / voltages in my head. Although it's simple, it still gives me a headache since I haven't done this since college. Yeah, understood, I blew up a GS1000 driver and one channel of a DAC's output stage by accident once.

Holy crap! I never would have thought of that in a million years and I just need to head down to Frys. I wasn't exactly looking forward to locating a 4-gang pot. B seems like the plan. I don't have output transformers to worry about, and I need to lose some gain after I go balanced anyways.

LOL, I didn't even realize it was a split pot (balance control). I might glue or find a means of securing the two knob sections together. At least STAX makes it easy to get access to the board with a removable top cover and bottom plate. I haven't had a chance to trace the circuit, but a quick glance at the board, I do see an R2 and C2 labeled but unpopulated, which I assume are the for other leg of the balanced input (R1 and C5 respectively).

Thanks - it looks pretty straightforward. Now I gotta find a 4-gang pot.

Does anyone have a schematic for the SRM323? I can't seem to find one through Google. @Spritzer: I assume it's possible to do a balanced input on it? At least that's what I inferred and seen from other designs - the STAX amps are inherently balanced.

Ouch. I was waiting for that.

WA6SE does. But source is important too. PS1000s have some bad qualities that are difficult to tame. But once you get things to work, they are a lot of fun. Did you buy a new pair yet? I down to ~$900 asking price for mine - I'm betting it will go soon.

Just put a deposit down for the BHSE. Justin says six months. I can wait nine. The deposit did care of of what I wanted to donate to the Japanese relief efforts, so that was nice of Justin (he's donating 10% of all purchases.) @n3rding: my kids are going to hate you because I'm making them each pay a semester of college themselves. You know it's all your fault. You just had to bring all your shit up here.

eeeewwwwwwwwwww - thats like a cap every place where you could possibly have one. I get you on the tube thing though - what I meant was a little bit of that fuzzy 2nd harmonic distortion to warm things up. Although after extending listening with the SRM323, I'm not sure this is necessary. It's a rather warm sounding amp. (I don't know if these transducers break-in or if I'm just getting used to the sound signature.) In the end, I'll probably prefer the sound signature of the O2 better based on my experience with them. The 323/507 is just to get my feet wet to make absolutely sure I want to go in this direction. Will give Justin a call though.

It's certainly a conundrum for me. I've had a lot more time to appreciate the 323/507 combo. The 323 doesn't seem to have a problem driving the 507 - plenty of bass, impact, control, and detail. Also 323/507 sound has opened and warmed up quite a bit since when it was brand new. I've heard better amps drive the SR-507 though - mainly Frank Cooter's plutonium powered amp - but that thing's a beast. My plan was to pick up a WES (no BHSE because I don't want to wait a few years), and consider an O2 or C32 later this year. As K3cT mentioned, I would just like throw tubes in the way - just a personal preference. On the other hand, as Spritzer mentioned, the WES does have a couple of reactive elements in the signal path (I believe there are a lot of caps in the way - between stages and at the output? And no, I'm not into magikcal V-caps either), which makes me think it wouldn't be as clear and detailed as even the 323. LOL, maybe for now, I'll just DIY a simple tube buffer stage between my DAC and the 323. Anyone know if KGSS turnaround times are truly 4 weeks?

Someone please tell me that a WES will drive the 507s better than the SRM-323. The Peak->HD800 sounds awfully close to SRM-323->SR-507 right now. I assume the 507s will scale.

Hoover might be too much. Just suck on it. Or make sure your voice coil is OK - check with a DMM. Or call John Grado - he'll fix it for you in a New York minute.

thank you. I'll be testing the waters soon. Wondering how far this will set me back in the next few years...