spritzer

Nice looking plugs. Now all we need are WBT silver XLR's with matching sockets. Wonder what they would cost...

"We need a bigger boat"

The drivers have always been attached by double sided tape (or rather adhesive sheets) but now Stax have gone green and the new stuff just isn't as good as the one they have always used. I've opened up my fair share of Lambdas and Sigmas and I've never seen any of the old models "creep" like this. The other change is also the second layer of double sided adhesive which isn't helping matters. I've not managed to spend nearly enough time with the SR-404 tonight but I did try a few different materials underneath the pads and nothing compares to this "fiber paper" that I'm using. I've also switched to just one layer of felt on the back of the drivers and I'm just going to let them stay like this for a while. That really is the best way for me to evaluate anything as any small issues eat at me as time goes on. Btw. If anybody has a SR-303/404 and wants to try this layer of paper between the front of the drivers and the ears, just PM and I'll send you some. It's always nice to get a second opinion. It's better though that you have the new type of earpads since the is easier to fit the paper that way but the old ones should work as well.

I could have swore that there was more choice then Sylvania but it was their tube so you are probably right. It will be nice to have a quad of 7n7's in an ES-1 or perhaps a pair of ECC99's and a pair of 7n7's.... Now I've started to wonder if a smaller ES-1 would work with 6S4A's for output and ECC99's for the first two stages...

I wouldn't be too quick to write off the old Lambda chassis... I've removed the back damping now and just have the front damping and I quite like them this way. They are more forward then they should be (next to no hump though) and the bass has this "lighter then air" feel to it but the extension and speed have returned. Next I'll try some minimal damping to the back of the drivers and see how they respond but I could live with the phones as they are now.

Since your ES-1 is all p-p (well is should be but the "artistic" pictures Mikhail supplied it could be anything) then I'd just have some local technician swap out the octal sockets for some mil-spec teflon loctal units. The 7n7's were never made in the same numbers as the 6SN7 cousins but there is plenty of choice and they are dirt cheap, even from reliable sellers. Damn all this ES-1 talk has made want to begin work on the DIY version... It's a good thing I have all these 9 pin PCB sockets on the way...

I've been listening to the SR-404's for a few hours now with two layers of this paper-like material on the front of the drivers and tow different layers of felt on the back and there is no more midrange hump. In it's place is a strange "thwack" coloration but it's rare and not overwhelming in any way. This does point to me having gone too far with the damping so I'll try some different materials and see if they work better. The bass has suffered though and lacks both extension and depth so I have to find a way to increase its depth.

There are things to make your life easier, switch out the ECC83's for some other similar tubes and install loctal sockets in your amps so that you can use 7n7's instead of 6SN7's. I wouldn't even consider putting octal sockets for the two first stages on the ES-1/2.

I only watched the first season and had to struggle to finish it. Last thing I watched was Krod Mandoon and it wasn't bad. Not great by any means but better then many "comedies".

Most of the time, yes. Our proffered way of cooling bear at parties is to simply store it outside. Good point but it's nothing which hasn't happened before. I wouldn't call 2

You should try and spend a summer up here someday. Bottom of the freezer definitely applies...

pffft, they are too cold and drink too much, even by our standards.

It's no wonder the vikings were moar awesome then anybody else due to the constant cryo treatment up here.

That's what I thought. It will also be interesting to see if the bias voltages and ballast resistors are correct for the Stax and He90 outputs... I've gotten more PM's then you then.

Was that before or after he was desperately searching for the Stax wiring and even sending out his shills to try and get the info from us (which a 10 second Google search would locate)?

I don't think so, no. You can try asking KuboTen or Yama's though. The new pads come in a swanky box now with instructions and everything (though very Engrish at times). I must say I preferred the plastic bag with a label on it...

The lower price to get the hype flowing is nothing new but it has never been a secret AFAIK.

I guess those guys are looking forward to being carpet bombed then...

500$ USB cable on a 500$ amp makes perfect sense to me. Is this supposed to be ironic?

I thought that was just me...?

It turns out I was onto something by damping the front of the drivers and not just the back. I went out and bought a bunch of different cleaning cloths today and placed the thinnest one (made of paper-like material and almost see through) underneath the pads which has flattened the peak a bit and made it less noticeable and made it more recording dependent. The bass is also a bit overblown but very tuneful and responsive so I can live with that compromise. I will have to try a lot of materials though to see how far I can push this and if the damping in the back is even necessary. What makes all damping on the front of the drivers quite a bit easier are the new Lambda pads with the cloth dust cover. The old pads had the foam sown in on the sides but the new ones have "pocket" underneath the pads where the cloth cover is put. That is mounted on a disk so you can easily remove it from the pads. Good move Stax.

He expects perfection and we all know that the BH is far from good enough and will not hold it's value compared to the sheer awesomeness of the A-10. Who needs those huge heatsinks to provide ample current at any voltage when you have a SRPP output stage which isn't even linear into a capacitive load.

These aren't going to beat a SR-007 anytime soon. The Lambdas will always be more forward but if the midrange peak can be contained then that makes the phones a good choice for their given price range. ...wouldn't be the first time. These will be sold though as the only use I would have for a Lambda is for testing amps and I already have two other sets for that.

I just saw the link but didn't DL it. BSG was dead to me a long time ago so I'm not going to bother with this just yet.

Which is already on the net... At least the pilot is.