spritzer

Add Stax transformers, a three way switch (headphones, speakers and Stax) plus some other minor stuff. Nothing major but since I will be short an amp soon it will come in handy.

I would keep the drivers where they are as that glorified voltage multiplier Koss calls an amp is destroying the soundstage. They aren't Sigmas by any means but can throw some. The SR-007 Mk1 will be the king for quite a while is Stax doesn't fix the Mk2... Quad ELS57 or 63 would be my first choice. You can find them cheap but a properly restored pair is the way to go. They work well in any room (designed for the small UK living rooms) and when fed well really shine. There is the same crap out there about the Quads as is said about ESP's so go listen to the new models and decide for yourself. Get the Mk1 as it is better to my ears. The Mk2 is impressive sounding but more forward and has a bass hump which drove me mad. Even modified they aren't as good as my Mk1. I use my B22 to drive ortho and iso dynamics but after a few mods it will drive Stax as well. It was built by n_maher

I really need to go headphone shopping to find some fosterphones and cheap headphone cables. The 120ohm drivers are perfect to cram into a Lambda housing but those things just don't want to die!!! I've managed to fix everything thrown at me...

You are not the only one putting down a deposit for a RK50 model no less... I'm also building my own souped up BH so I think that makes me extra crazy. The 3D21A's should work in the BH no problem and I offered to send him a quad. Anything is better then paying for the NOS EL34's...

Nope... Btw. The picture above shows how easy it is to rewire the ESP950.

I'm with Marc that they are basically a better version of the HE60. I do like the Senn but there is something not quite right with it's tonal balance and the ESP950 is a much more balanced unit. I would like to build a woodie ESP950 some day and fit it with HE90 earpads for some sort of an Orpheus clone. Add a SR-007 headband with specially made forks and we're in business.

Why not?

There is a black frame around the 120ohm drivers, much like a speaker mounting with 4 holes in the corners. The drivers are either pressure fitted into it or glued in place. They were obviously intended to be uses as tweeters How can you break off the tabs? I've been messing with them quite a bit but all the drivers are intact though I always bend the tabs so that they face backwards on the drivers.

You can also tell them to get off their ass and build us a new Sigma with SR-404 drivers.

Lundahl

ditto.

The do open up at around 620v but I found them a bit strident and edgy for the short while I tested them with my variable bias supply. I really should experiment some more now that I have a DC meter that can go above 1000v but I doubt that they would like some 800v of bias... What about just fitting a new Stax cable to them? Shouldn't be that much more expensive...

Depends on the transformer but it's probably SE so there is not much that can be done unless it's replaced.

Congrats but I see a Koss -> Stax adapter in your future.

Exactly why I left it out. Rinkya just told me that this shipment needs to go in two boxes so I've either broken the 30kg barrier or that was something included that I didn't know I was buying... All I know is that the shipping will sting quite a bit.

I think I'll just let you guys battle it out. The technology is already there and we could do some amazing things with 1um Kapton and some very strong magnets. It could be the planar phones for the masses but the biggest hurdle is to make them as comfortable as a Lambda so more excursion is needed. The T-50 isn't bad but they are heavy enough to be a bit of an ear-crusher. I've some 120ohm drivers sitting here but haven't had time to do anything with them. Are you going to use the mounting plate on the 120ohm drivers or simply cut it off?

You just have to test it and report back but it isn't close to the BH levels of power. Should be a pretty interesting amp though if you can get it working.

Sure does. I'm debating having one included in the latest Rinkya shipment. 600gr via EMS isn't exactly cheap...

Is this something we might have to import in bulk from Japan? A Rinkya Blog: Pepsi Blue Hawaii New Summer Japan Soda

I'll stop. Don't worry though if I manage to find one it will be on the first plane to Texas. Now if a YH1000 crosses my path it's a different matter...

It was on eBay some months back. They even posted the link in the ortho thread but there was very little interest. I think they went for 150$ or something minuscule like that and are worth a lot more then that based on sound quality alone. They even came with the original Fostex storage case (cheap vinyl thing) and look brand new. The Beta22 is really the only option for driving these very inefficient phones and the end result is nothing short of spectacular.

The whole range is more forward making them sound "impressive" but the extra bite in the upper midrange and treble eats at me after a while. Compared to the supreme smoothness of the mk1 it's a let down They seem to be better if I push them closer to the ears but I need to do some more tests to be sure.

The one I'm working on is a BH on steroids but I'm tempted to have Justin build a BHSE for me as well. One great amp is just not enough...

I've never found much burn in is needed with electrostatics but my set has more then 700hours on them though mostly just playing on a stand. The bottom line is that you are never going to get any deep bass out of the mk2/A with the port open. Seal off the port and the Mk1 bass returns but the phones aren't identical as the Mk2/A is quite a bit more forward, enough to annoy me.