immtbiker

On my dynamic amps using a source with good gain, I usually listen between 9-11 o'clock. If I plug in my Iriver or iMod the volume needs to be increased. On electrostat amps that I have or have had, like the KGSS, 007t, and GES, HEV-90, I find that I need to go to 1 o'clock to achieve the same volume.

Happy belated, man.

This is true, but I figured I'd pass it on. I ordered a pair at the NY Meet, so I'm glad that they will be shipping soon. If anything, I would like anyone who knows anything about headphone cabling to look into what's OEM, and if the sound can be improved with a different cable. The prototype has a unique green cloth covering, but I'm not sure what's inside. As long as people will want a cable that comes with a Stax termination built-in, instead of an adapter, maybe a Stefan Art or Equinox replacement could kick it up a notch.

I know.

OK Then my sincerest apologies. I thought you were being sarcastic and berating anyone who had anything to do with the site going down. I guess it comes from so much negativity here being aimed at Head-Fi. Sorry for the mis-understanding. If you step back and read it as an outsider, then you could see it could have been taken the wrong way, mostly because of the "looks like I won't even exist" comment. As they said in Monty Python's Holy Grail, "Sah-ree!"

At 24 lbs. it only weighs 48 times more than the Grado PH-1.

What does this mean, "to all that's involved in the Head-Fi mess"? Some hardware crashed and it caused people hardships. If someone won't exist because of that, it appears that others need a better backup plan besides the servers. I can understand a vendor or sponsor being hit in the pocketbook because of this, but a member can hardly claim devastation and Armageddon. Like this site, Head-Fi is a resource, and it should be treated like expendable cash, it can go away at anytime. It has proved to be a valuable asset for many seeking answers and entertainment, but tsunamis, San Diego fires, and tornados should be taken more seriously.

I received an e-mail from the manufacturer who I sent the link to of this thread, so he can better understand the needs potential buyers (quality control, Stax adapters and so on). He wants everyone to know that this is not a reverse engineered clone. He says that this is a project that has been in the works for many years, and that is why he created a SS amp and a tube amp together with the phones that has 5 pin XLR. He made the first prototype pair of these in 2003, being that the only company still making electrostats at that time was Stax. In an effort to not be considered a shill for the manufacturer, I'm going to step back for a while (until my review) and let the first buyers post their impressions, especially neilvg, who I feel has a good set of ears. There will be people who love them and people who don't (as with any cans). To my ears, for the money, the sound is excellent and compares with headphones that cost a lot, lot more. YMMV.

Yes. They are being listed on the Head-Direct site right now for $999.00 sans amp. It seems that page is still being built.

For the sake of not double posting, check out my pics and impressions here: http://www.head-case.org/index.php/topic,2512.45/topicseen.html I have the prototype in my possession right now, and am enjoying them immensely. Edit- Sorry Tom. It seems that I repeated what you already said. 10 lashes with a wet noodle for me.

All is fair with war and love...and internet forums. Like they say at my motorcycle rallies: "There are two types of riders. Those who have gone down, and those who will go down. Just try and keep your shiny side up". And as Morgan Freeman (who played the President in "Deep Impact") said, "yes, there will be many casualties, many will die, but life will go on".

As long as we are shilling, I can let go of my Benz Ace for 1/2 price. It has maybe 25 hours on it. I find the PH-1 like the RA-1. Looks beautiful but has no pizazz. I would swap out the pre before changing the cart.

They have a huge soundstage and they are crystal clear. The bass is slightly lacking in the same the way the bass is on a HE-90 comparing to a HE-60. I tried to compare them to my Baby-O's using a Stax 007t with 2 pro bias ports, but each time I have to volume match, so I lose the memory of each comparison. The soundstage is vertical as well as "back of head to tip of nose". Some people might feel that this is not a good thing when comparing to live music (except what you hear in Carnegie Hall). I personally find the soundstage quite satiating. To sum it up, anyone who already owns a stat amp, should have one of these in their stable due to their low cost and close proximity of being an Orpheus clone. They are extremely comfortable and have no fatigue factor, actually quite the opposite. They are light and hold nicely without clamping on my head even while lying down. The detail is there and I can't really find anything downsides about them except for 2 flaws. Where the cables enter each cup, there is no shrink tubing or epoxy, so there is a chance that a mistaken "cord stepping" could cause the wires to be stressed. Also the 3 connecting wires to the stator/membranes are exposed inside the cups and I feel they should be covered to separate 600V biasing from a wet head or dust build up. I have discussed this with the manufacturer, so we will see if my issues are addressed when the production model surfaces. The current model comes bundled with a SS amp for ~ $1350, which I found was bright during some extremely high crescendos, but later found out that it was a 240V version with a Rat Shack stepup transformer that was underpowered for the task. It had 2 40 watt transformers, when it is believed that it needs 2 60 watt. That, plus the amp only had a couple of hours of play before the meet. Being that it needs a 600V biasing, I'm happy using my GES or a 007t as a substitute. Taking into consideration that it is a reverse engineered (I assume) clone, for the money they are equal to or better than the more expensive 60's and O2's and are a keeper. Of course the build quality isn't up to Sennheiser standards, but then again, I feel that the 90's swivel cups are flaky and could have been better built for $7500 and screws fall out easily on the Orpheus.. I have some stats: Type : Electrostatic open-air type headphone Frequency Range : 10-50000Hz Capacitance, including cable : 140pF Sensitivity : 100dB/100V r.m.s. Earpad : Leather Bias voltage : 600 V / DC I'm still inquiring about warranty and the concern of repair issues (not needing to send them back to China).

Pics:

When I first bought a Grado PH-1 back in the day, I was using a Grado Sonata on a Rega RB600 and the directions told me to use my MM on the low setting, but it did not give me enough output either. I called Music Direct and they told me to use the high setting which yielded the same results as PJ. I sold them both and got an Acoustic Signature Tango pre and a Benz Ace H.

That's a crock of Bullshit! You got another thing coming if you fucking think that!

How else can you have a balanced meal without balanced lunchboxes? I will provide a detailed review (my first here) and take some pics since it is a sunny 60 degree day in NY. The review is going to take a while. First I have to contact Mr. He of HEAUDIO in China and find out specs and materials used. Maybe a roadtrip is in order. If they can do "Survivor China", I can do "China Cans and the Men Who Love Them".

Especially since this is what a stylus in a record groove looks like when magnified with some high powered shit:

I have a Salamander Archetype 3.0 and a 5.0 and they are a great rack for the money. All the adjust-ability you could possibly need.

www.mothersteachingdaughters.com

Woo Audio GES

That, which is an iGen3 which makes 120 color copies/minute, and the Docucolor 100 which is a web based paper feed system which allows you to print mulitple jobs simultaneously side by side on a 22" wide cardstock paper, double sided. The brain is a Scitex server/processor which uses fiber optic communication. The Server alone is $30K-50K (depending on configurations). The printer is 10' tall and 13' long. You could open the doors and walk right through the machine (don't try that on the iGen). It even cuts the paper into the various sizes during the same run for you and adds a gloss finish. But it doesn't make coffee or pretzels.

They are worth it, especially when comparing them to the O2's and used HE-60's for $1800. The repair concern might be a valid one, though. I'll ask Fang from Head-Direct what action would have to be taken.

Also, I believe that I was told that they are a different newer amp based upon the EC Lunchbox amps. They were being fed by a Channel Islands 2 box DAC with an option of running them at a 0 or a 180 degree phase.