spritzer

So here is an odd one. To try and improve the KingSound KS-H1 I need new earpads. Now I could just use Stax ones as they are about the right size but 150$ earpads on a 500$ headphone... That leaves me with dynamics and I'm well out of my comfort zone. What I need are 95-105mm earpads that are solid, leather or pleather. One thing that is never listed is the diameter of headphones so you give me some suggestions? Audio-Technica, Fostex/Denon etc. all make models that might work but I don't know the diameter of the pads.

Also just check zener and 130V on the bottom and show similar. 863-1N5952BRLG works just fine.

They are made of FR4 or something similar. Nice enough but a far cry from the SR-007 drivers. They are all glued together so it's hard to get a look at the stators... That foam is going into the bin and I'll probably coat the back with dynamat. The plastic is truly nasty though so I wonder if it will have much, if any effect. The next big change will be the earpads. Looks like the Denon D500 pads might fit but I'll have to do some more research.

Ahh yes, me failing at putting things into perspective... Here is how they look when opened. The earpads just twist off counter clockwise and there are four screws to undo. The screens are stock and also the only dust covers. Seriously, the drivers Wachara is making are far superior to this stuff.... Here is the side that faces the ear. These drivers are beyond cheap to make. I also see no markings that point to matching them.... This shows the entire assembly. The rings that seals the baffles looks to be cut by hand. Here is the mod again, creating a seal so the rest of the housing is taken out of the equation. The change is far from subtle, the whole spectrum is much more linear now but it does unearth smaller issues. The biggest are the earpads as they are just idiotic. Too big and nothing in the way of accommodating the shape of the head so they leak and there is some reverb too So here is a question, what 110mm (11cm) earpads are there out there that I could try? Pleather/leather and the smaller the opening, the better. Thinner is also better.

First step in fixing the KingSound: http://i.imgur.com/7zvcu6C.jpg Unmasks other issues though...

That is the plan. I'll play with the amp a bit too but it's just bound for a nice rebuild.

I never tested it. Just compared it with the data sheet but I clearly got it wrong. Will fix now but it's too late for these boards... Sorry about that but the LSK389 is better anyway.

Just got the KingSound and it works just fine off Stax Pro bias. The "manual" (small card thing) even says that the headphone should be used with "professional" amps aka Stax Pro bias. Their pathetic excuse for amps are optional extras. Not sure where that 450V BS came from as the SS amp clearly states in its manual (again a small card) that the bias is 580V. As for the sound... well... they are not good after the first hour. Not good as in the OEM models Stax made in the 70's have more redeeming qualities. The backwave is clearly restricted so everything sounds shut in, there is not HF sparkle and there is no midrange presence. The sound is just... there, but not in a good manner. Why anybody would state that the bass on these is acceptable let alone useable just goes to show that meet impressions are useless. It is severely lacking as it is so muted and lacking in heft. Thump becomes thhhhhfffffttttt.... That said the packaging is nice and the headphones are worlds apart from something like the Jade in terms of engineering. I'm worried about the lack of proper dust covers on the drivers but I'll just add some when I open them up tomorrow. I also have mods planned for the SS amp to make it at least semi stable. Remove all that bass boost crap and put in a volume pot that isn't the cheapest thing on the bloody planet. Install silver mica output caps, better anode resistors and perhaps try to regulate the PSU. Then heatsinks for the main offenders.

We have 13 of them so this is a tricky question...

EL34 = 6CA7. The former was developed by Mullard/Philips in Europe and the latter is just different enough to not fall under the former patent and thus avoiding the royalties manufacturers would have to pay. It was made only in the US by Sylvania/GE though Sylvania would end up being Philips in the end... Electrically they are almost identical and can be exchanged at will. As for NOS, some are better... some are not.

The front end draws very little power so that isn't a problem. It's also easy to increase the current limiting of the KGSSHV supply. Now that would make Kevin truly furious... Did you ever see the inside pictures of that amp? So he didn't want to spring for a +/-15V supply but the amp was filled with Z-foil resistors...

This is the problem of not being in it for the money, the will to do something new always outweighs the will for more money.

It is better but you can also just use the dropping resistor. I'm going that route but this is team overkill anyway so an extra PSU would be welcomed.

Nope, sadly not.

Sure there is, we just did it for convenience.

Only if it gives us the required magic.

I did post about on HF today but basically I'm very happy with it. It has even made me like... well tolerate RS-1's which says quite a bit. The amp is simply effortless and that's usually the sign of something great. My only slight complaint is that it could do with a touch more bite with the HD800. The Dynalo with the impedance adapter has a similar sound signature but more bite and HF presence. Could be a tube issue though so I'll get some new ones from Doug when he's settled.

Some of it was from Mikhail... Are you bad mouthing Soviet high tech!!??!!

Here is something for people who think the L-2 is a bit plain looking... It's my birthday present from Kevin and along with it came the L-2 power umbilical. I can finally move the amp now as the temp cable was just a fire hazard waiting to happen.

Hmmm but does that make it part of the balance.... I wish we had a thought leader to guide us on these matters...

All hail the balance!!!

Not substantial but it helps when using the 007's at crazy levels. That said I'm going to see how the amp is at lower voltage but higher current.

You got lucky there. I'm chasing ghosts in one HV channel I haver here as it makes a nice sssssshhhhh sound that changes all the time. All the front end has been replaced and everything checks out fine but still can't find it. Bloody annoying...

The HE90 uses tensilized Hostaphan C aka Mylar C same as the Stax sets. The only real difference is the thickness of the stators and their damping abilities. The Senn stators are easily 3-4 times thicker than the Stax ones and that will change the sound a lot. Not sure why they did that as most ES designers frown on this.

Ouch... that always puts a dent in the day. As for the current, first plans were always to make this an offboard design only but the circuit is so bloody linear that it behaved just as well at currents that work on the onboard sinks.