I'd love to see some pics but as usual with Stax, service manuals are hard to come by. The amp section is supposed to be identical to the SRM-1 Mk2 so the standard DC coupled SS affair.
I'm with Doug, if I'm going to buy music it has to be something I can hold in my hand.
The HEV90 is rather overrated to say the least. Still the HE90 likes an amp that is a bit vague.
Ahh but how about ELS57's with thinner membranes and mounted to a steel stand? Then we might be getting somewhere but I'm sure the SL's would play louder and with moar basses.
Why do you need that strand setup? Extra flexibility and/or the cable will withstand the flexing better? 26AWG would make sense for rewiring headphones...
I also get some sick pleasure for reusing SP crapola in my amps. The latest prototype has filament wiring, terminal strips and capacitor clamps all rescued from the ES-1.
For them to compete with the ET1000, Beyer would have to make a neutral and even handed transducer and I quite frankly can't see that happening. Moar tesla, moar bass!!!!