Duggeh Posted January 19, 2009 Report Posted January 19, 2009 1) SRM-717 → SR-007 2) SRM-717 → TakeT H2 3) TR-2 → TakeT H2 4) Mini Aleph → K1000 - 5) NAD → EQ → Ergo AMT 6) Mini Aleph → Orthodome #4 - 15) No EQ → Ergo AMT 23) HD201 24) iBuds Tomorrow I may just finally put that Stax cable in the drawer on the TakeT.
lauri_hoefs Posted February 7, 2009 Report Posted February 7, 2009 I've never hear a sibilant K340 and I'm ultra-sensitive to sibilant treble. What are you using to drive your K340? They are extremely difficult to drive and take an amp that can provide a large amount of both current and voltage to their best. I'm using a Little Dot Mk III, which, as far as I've understood, should be enough to drive the cans. The sibilance, channel inbalance and echoy sound are present with pretty much any amp and headphone jack I've tried the phones with... I suspect that the pair I got is faulty, either one of the electrets is failing, the wiring is bad or one of the cross-over circuits is damaged. I just haven't had the time to actually search for the cause of the problems yet.
Torpedo Posted February 7, 2009 Report Posted February 7, 2009 I'm using a Little Dot Mk III, which, as far as I've understood, should be enough to drive the cans. The sibilance, channel inbalance and echoy sound are present with pretty much any amp and headphone jack I've tried the phones with... I suspect that the pair I got is faulty, either one of the electrets is failing, the wiring is bad or one of the cross-over circuits is damaged. I just haven't had the time to actually search for the cause of the problems yet. I'm afraid your problem is the LDIII I tried one in my place with my source and several of my headphones I can't understand how that thing can get so much rave consideration at Head-fi. It's not worth even it's low price, and that considering the thing had some NOS tubes installed.
Theo Posted February 22, 2009 Report Posted February 22, 2009 1. BeyerDynamic DT150 2. AKG K 270 Playback 3. GermanMAESTRO GMP 250
Tony Posted February 22, 2009 Report Posted February 22, 2009 I concentrated mostly on IEMs due to being a Portable Freak, but have also enjoyed some Stax and other cans. For me, here it goes (in bold, what I currently own):: Tier 1: Stax SR-X MkIII Pro Tier 2: Sony CD3000 (Apuresound V2 and Headphile deep cups) = Apuresound Etymotic ER4P Tier 3: Stax SR-003/SR-001 MkII > Yamaha HP-3 (ludoo's damping scheme) > NAD RP18 Tier 4: Westone 3 > Head-Direct RE0 = Klipsch Image X10 > Triple.fi 10 Pro > Yuin PK1 > Yuin OK1 > Audio Technica ATH-ESW9 Tier 5: Apuresound recabled ER4S > Etymotic ER-4P > Etymotic ER4S > Yuin G1 Tier 6: "Westone ES-recabled" Super.fi 5 Pro > Shure SE530 > Head-Direct RE1 > Altec Lansing iM716 (depodded to 41 Ohm) ---Noise level--- Tier 7: Yuin OK2 > Kenwood HD20GA7 OEM earbuds > Grado SR-60 Tier 8: Futuresonics Atrio M5 > Koss KSC75 (stock > kramer mod) > Yuin OK3 = Yuin PK2 > Sennheiser CX300 Trash: JAYS d-JAYS, OVC T25 Not rated: Sennheiser HD650 (insufficient amplification when I had them: I shouldn't have listened to who says a Minibox E+ is enough to make them sound decent), Koss A250 (would need an extremely warm tube amp to make the highs listenable), AKG K340 (needed more power than I could provide, resulting in similar sound to Altec Lansing iM716), Denon D5000 (impossible to rate: nice potential, treble too flawed and hard to fix)
Fungi Posted February 22, 2009 Report Posted February 22, 2009 1. BeyerDynamic DT150 2. AKG K 270 Playback 3. GermanMAESTRO GMP 250 Acix is all over those GMPs, what are they really like?
mypasswordis Posted February 23, 2009 Report Posted February 23, 2009 Current Ranking: 1. Jecklin Float Electrostatic 2. Stax Lambda/Lambda Pro 3. My 10 or so other headphones Expected Ranking after I get around to some modding and finding an SR-3/5: 1. Jecklin Float Electrostatic 2. SR-3/5 Pro 3. Stax Lambda/Lambda Pro 4. Koss ESP10 5. My 8 or so other headphones I wonder how the Philips electrets I'm going to be getting will sound. Not promising, given that there are probably transformers in the cups but at least they look cool.
Theo Posted February 23, 2009 Report Posted February 23, 2009 I wonder how the Philips electrets I'm going to be getting will sound. Not promising, given that there are probably transformers in the cups but at least they look cool. You will find out within two weeks
Theo Posted February 23, 2009 Report Posted February 23, 2009 Acix is all over those GMPs, what are they really like? Rebranded MB Quart QP's. My GMP250 for instance is the rebranded MB Quart QP 250. Sort of a mix between AKG and Beyer. They have the AKG mids and highs (sweet, smooth), and the Beyer bass (meaty, sometimes too much). That is, too my ears and with my system. There's a review of the GMP400, GMP450 and another model (can't remember which one) on "the other" headphone forum.
cetoole Posted February 23, 2009 Report Posted February 23, 2009 Current Ranking: 1. Jecklin Float Electrostatic 2. Stax Lambda/Lambda Pro 3. My 10 or so other headphones Expected Ranking after I get around to some modding and finding an SR-3/5: 1. Jecklin Float Electrostatic 2. SR-3/5 Pro 3. Stax Lambda/Lambda Pro 4. Koss ESP10 5. My 8 or so other headphones I wonder how the Philips electrets I'm going to be getting will sound. Not promising, given that there are probably transformers in the cups but at least they look cool. Hmm, floats that good? May need to try and make it over at some point. Ideally after I get tires, but before the NADs are gone, though that seems extremely unlikely. You realize you can just rip the transformers out of the cups and wire it for use with your Stax energizers, right?
luvdunhill Posted February 23, 2009 Report Posted February 23, 2009 You realize you can just rip the transformers out of the cups and wire it for use with your Stax energizers, right? ... and re-wire the Stax units for 2kV bias voltage
cetoole Posted February 23, 2009 Report Posted February 23, 2009 ... and re-wire the Stax units for 2kV bias voltage The ESP/10 has 2kV bias? Thought just the Jecklin was that high, and it doesnt have tiny transformers in the earcups.
luvdunhill Posted February 23, 2009 Report Posted February 23, 2009 The ESP/10 has 2kV bias? Thought just the Jecklin was that high, and it doesnt have tiny transformers in the earcups. oops, I was reading too much into your post your right
mypasswordis Posted February 23, 2009 Report Posted February 23, 2009 Wut? The ESP10 runs at ~450V bias, the Jecklins run at 1.2kV, and electrets run at no bias, since they hold a quasi-permanent charge.
cetoole Posted February 23, 2009 Report Posted February 23, 2009 Yeah, I messed up there too. I was thinking (but didnt make this explicit) about rewiring the electrets to eliminate the SUTs, which would be quite easy since there are no bias concerns. Somehow, this became ESP/10, though I wonder how those would sound off your SRM-1/mk2 too. I had no idea what bias those ran.
mypasswordis Posted February 23, 2009 Report Posted February 23, 2009 I had to rewire my ESP10 to even use them since I don't have the stock transformer box so I rewired them for pro bias Stax so I can plug into either normal or pro bias on my SRM-1 or normal bias from my SRD-7. Too bad they're supposed to be run at something in between. Only problem is I can't figure out a good way to solder up the connections for the Stax plug (I bought a WPI plug) and to have them protected from each other and from the outside. Ideas? Edit: Forgot to say, the ESP10 is a bitch to drive. Easily the toughest of all my electrostats. Edit 2: Anyone know a good place to get some silver mica caps for my ESP10?
spritzer Posted February 24, 2009 Report Posted February 24, 2009 The ESP10 bias is somewhere around 500v but I'm not sure exactly what. The latest Jecklins were 1500v or something like that with an even more voltage on the stators then Stax. Shame about the crap housing though...
mypasswordis Posted February 24, 2009 Report Posted February 24, 2009 I'm going to have to measure the PS2 transformer box one of these days. I don't have the Koss one or I'd measure that as well. Plus I already rewired the ESP10 for Stax.
spritzer Posted February 24, 2009 Report Posted February 24, 2009 I'm going to have to measure the PS2 transformer box one of these days. I don't have the Koss one or I'd measure that as well. Plus I already rewired the ESP10 for Stax. I have the Koss ESP10 PCB somewhere but I'm too lazy to try and find it...
MoonShine Posted February 24, 2009 Report Posted February 24, 2009 My pathetic cans: Furturesonics Atrios M5 Senn HD485 iGrado Grado SR60 Yuin PK2 Senn PMX60
mypasswordis Posted February 24, 2009 Report Posted February 24, 2009 I have the Koss ESP10 PCB somewhere but I'm too lazy to try and find it... You should re-get an ESP10 and mod it for supreme awesomeness. And then tell me what you did so I can do it on mine. I really think I'm done, between the Jecklin, Lambda/Pro, SR-3/5 Pro that I haven't even made yet, ESP10, and maybe Fostex T40v1. I'm completely satisfied switching between these "few" and the only place I can go from here is the SR-007, and I'm not even quite sure it's for me.
spritzer Posted February 24, 2009 Report Posted February 24, 2009 You should re-get an ESP10 and mod it for supreme awesomeness. And then tell me what you did so I can do it on mine. No more cans for me though as it's the amps that are calling my name. I really think I'm done, between the Jecklin, Lambda/Pro, SR-3/5 Pro that I haven't even made yet, ESP10, and maybe Fostex T40v1. I'm completely satisfied switching between these "few" and the only place I can go from here is the SR-007, and I'm not even quite sure it's for me. There is always the SR-Omega too and a HE60 for a change of pace...
Duggeh Posted March 8, 2009 Report Posted March 8, 2009 (edited) 1) AMT #1 2) Omega 2 3.2) TakeT H2 3.5) K1000 Sorry Birgir, I've outdone Stax with my greasy soldering iron, 2 rusty Heil drivers, 2 crusty pairs of old stax pads, a mutilated HD201, some sellotape and some blu-tac. (and a Moon Audio Black Dragon cable) Edited March 8, 2009 by Duggeh
Recommended Posts