spritzer

Since we are on the subject, the mini ES-1 aka. The A11 is up and running. It's not yet running at full power (+/-260v instead of the +/-350v it should be running on) but that's just because I'm lazy and already had a the PSU ready to go. Somehow I always forget about my old KGSS supply which is ideal for this stuff... I'm getting some channel imbalance so I'll have to check all those connections and swap out the tubes but I'm letting the caps discharge for now. DC offset was pretty high at roughly 20-35v per phase so I need to put in some adjustment for that. As for the sound, I spent some 40 minutes listening to it and even crippled by crappy parts, a low voltage PSU and using the Lambda Pro's, it's better then the Egmont.

I believe the term is to go berserk... I do seem to remember a certain Aristaeus being a tube only amp. There are diodes in the PSU and regulators but all the amplification is done by valves.

First off, don't buy a soldering gun. They are for large scale soldering and not for electronics. A cheap soldering station will be more then enough, plus some good solder and a desoldering pump, basic manual one is just fine. We really need pics to see how this amp is configured so pop the top off and it would also be a good idea to loosen up the back panel as well. The Stax amps are all built on an internal frame so all the panels are easy to remove. Those are 6BL7GTA's I believe.

Well, Kane did send some my way already, including a set of XF2's and vintage 6CA7's. If I ever get one of these amps to work well enough that it can be sent out on loan the you are welcome to try it out. It's just easier to stick with the 230v area's since I'm too lazy to put in a voltage switch...

I also saw that Skylab is going to review it it. A clueless fan of barfbeyers which has no 'stat experience or any technical knowledge. The word on the grapevine is that Ray is having a lot of issues with the A-10 and that's not surprising. If he's trying to eek 600v p-p out of those tubes then they will probably self destruct. It would also account for the lack of internal pics which were promised a long time ago...

That's not surprising since they haven't been made for 50 years...

I don't know how it is in the US but in the UK, Clearaudio has some package options where they include some of their own pickups when you buy a table/arm. It would be worth checking out if you have your heart set on one...

There are are even sets I've never been able to find...

If you want the transport in any player to last, never push on it.

Better not say anything more until after I get the amp... Speaking of caps, I was looking for some ES-1 pics and I stumbled across some pics of the HEV90. I never noticed it before but it has Wima MKS4 coupling caps. Sennheiser didn't even spring for the polypropylene units in their "TOTL" design... How are your soldering skills? If you are up for adding a couple of wires, some light desoldering you could just switch the amp over to 117v. Stax have been known to mix things up so we need a picture of the inside of the unit to be sure, but changing the voltage should be easy to do.

Preamp functions (be they passive or not)+power amp.

[DIY drone mode]Must solder parts into empty spaces!!!![/DIY drone mode]

Trust me, I've tried. I suspect meth and crack would be easier habits to kick. Cheaper too...

Hmmm looks like we have a new contender for the magic tweak crown. Just serial connecting some Wima caps will not get you the crown since one cap has to cost at least 400$ and the other less then 1$. Otherwise you are just being practical...

Blah... there is no escaping the clutches of DIY!!!

I thought you were done with DIY amps...?

That can very well be the reason why we like them in the Stax amps. A normal 6CG7 application doesn't have voltages anywhere close to the Stax amps.

A change of tubes will make the amp sound better but not give it the extra power it needs.

Welcome and.... ehhhh.... fuck you...??!!??

Yup, AN Silver caps serial connected with some cheap orange drops. ... Hmmm one wasn't enough so The standard recommended Stax amp is the 717 since it is quite frankly by far the best amp Stax have made in a long time. The 727 isn't as good but if you find one cheaply I'd go for it. The tube amps put me to sleep with the SR-007 so I can't recommend them.

What, the magic tuning procedure of serial connecting caps isn't a good way to build amps? Shocked I tell ya!!! I know the amp has been nothing but trouble and even stayed at Casa Mikhail for about a year while being "fixed". Then it came back with just the same issues... The biasing scheme for the output tubes is flawed so the digital readout could be making things worse or it is simply the over driven tubes (due to the filament-cathode limit being broken) being eaten alive by the amp. I won't know until I open it up and see what's going on. I concur. The 4070 does benefit from a high power amp (Stax only recommended the 717 for use with the 4070) but sound quite nice on "lesser" units.

I may not have the epinephrine but I do have two medium power 'stat amps within reach.

Will do. I'm a bit hesitant to send out the APL and import something new with the economy in this state. The ISK has gone down some 4% this week and it is only Tuesday... I'd say about 5-6.5k$ for a 30.6 based on condition and/or if it was upgraded or not. ML charged 750$ for a new face plate so not all upgraded units have one. I'd say about 7 year's supply today but it could be up to 8 in the next few days. If I could just pay in bread then it would be awesome...

I will, once I convert it over to 230v operation. There will be detailed pics as well.

The baffle is the same size on all Lambdas so it's just plug and play. The new arc's are also a solution but not cheap. KuboTen is far cheaper then those highway robbers at AudioCubes though.