The Headcase Stax thread

[DefQon]

Where are they getting the genuine Sato Stax connectors from?

6C5P...hmm interesting output tubes, one of those Chinese/Russian only type of triodes with no direct European or US drop in replacement. 

[spritzer]

Those are the Chinese Stax sockets that were on Aliexpress but I've never seen this version before.  It looks ok but the mounting is a bit odd with two pegs on each side. 

The tube is actually 6C5GT so pretty much half a 6SN7...well in a way.  I have some US ones here as well but I'm just running the included tubes first. 

[joehpj]

This:

https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z09.2.0.0.TlWodm&id=534403663171&_u=a1t9atf5ae38

I ordered two. I will take pictures and report back when I get them.

[spritzer]

Yup that's the one.  So so quality but the fit is ok. 

[DefQon]

Anywhere to get some 5 or 6 pin Stax male connectors?

Is the old Amphenol ones still recommended and the go to option posted back on head-wize almost 20 years ago?

[kevin gilmore]

i would not use the amphenol/wpi connectors

i am also out of male connectors although hopefully in the next couple of weeks i will make a batch out of ebony

(i predict lots of cracking)

ask chinsettawong

 

[spritzer]

They work but if you want something that is nice, then you need a custom plug.  Stupid simple to make though

[chinsettawong]

10 hours ago, DefQon said:

Anywhere to get some 5 or 6 pin Stax male connectors?

Is the old Amphenol ones still recommended and the go to option posted back on head-wize almost 20 years ago?

Can you get access to a 3d printer?  You can print out the plastic part with a 3d printer and use the pins from XLR male connector.  I've done many for my DIY headphones.

[DefQon]

No access. Guess I have to make one out with my bare hands. I have various plastic leveling blocks in various thickness. Cut them out in circles, file it down then sand, measures distance for the pins then use my drill press to do the holes and sacriface few xlrs for pins.

Sent from my LG-D855 using Tapatalk

[chinsettawong]

Give me your address and I'll make and mail a few to you.

[gepardcv]

I actually do have access to a 3D printer, and have been thinking about needing these plugs. Are there CAD/CAM files floating around for this?

[MLA]

 

7 hours ago, DefQon said:

 

No access.

 

I can recommend 3Dhubs.com. Seems like quite a few people around the world have 3D printers that are idle most of the time, and thus are happy to print orders for others . If you have the drawing and upload it, chances are someone nearby can print it fairly cheaply. I have printed a bunch of STAX jacks, speaker waveguides, etc, this way.

For STAX jacks, I found the below specification of dimensions from a previous KG post, and made the CAD file using tinkerCAD, which is a free online tool. It can't do complicated stuff, but for a cylinder with holes in, it works well enough...   

STAX jack

Imagine the socket as a 6 pin with the 6th pin missing, but at position 0,0 (x,y)

The rest of the pins are at

0,.2175

-.2175,0

+.2175,0

-.1087,-.1883

+.1087,-.1883

   

Edited July 11, 2016 by MLA

[astrostar59]

On 8 June 2016 at 10:34 PM, n3rdling said:

astrotard got a BHSE?  I remember for months he'd post about how his KGSSHV is possibly as good as the BHSE (typical 'great in different ways' cop out) and that the BHSE may not be worth the increase in cost.  Now that he's getting a BHSE, suddenly he wants to tell people their HV won't come close to the BHSE?  How predictable and insecure. 

That thread is a steaming pile of crap and has been since the mods decided to protect the likes of astrotard, eric65, and Musical Alchemist from being shut up.  I don't even know why purk and mulveling bother trying to help people there still.  When the cargo is worthless, you may as well let the ship sink.

So it is illegal to own more than one amp now? Like how many on here have more than one amp? And it is technically correct in some cases to find a strength in one amp in a certain area (bass, vocals etc) and soundstage and slam in another. It has been documented on here. I still see the KGSShv has certain aspects I prefer over the BHSE (warmth, bass). I like soundstage, vocals and midrange on the BHSE. Both are great amps IMO, the BHSE overall the better amp.

[nopants]

didn't you say you were done posting here for the Nth time

[kevin gilmore]

it is not illegal to own more than one amp.

however it may damage the universe if one person owns more than 50 amplifiers (electrostatic,dynamic,speaker amps...) I think I am one amplifier away from that. And the ssdynalomini should put me over the top.

[Arthrimus]

48 minutes ago, kevin gilmore said:

it is not illegal to own more than one amp.

however it may damage the universe if one person owns more than 50 amplifiers (electrostatic,dynamic,speaker amps...) I think I am one amplifier away from that. And the ssdynalomini should put me over the top.

In that case maybe I could take one of the other amps off your hands for a while. You know, for the sake of the universe. 

Edited July 13, 2016 by Arthrimus

[JimL]

2 hours ago, kevin gilmore said:

it is not illegal to own more than one amp.

however it may damage the universe if one person owns more than 50 amplifiers (electrostatic,dynamic,speaker amps...) I think I am one amplifier away from that. And the ssdynalomini should put me over the top.

Oh,oh.  If I hear that a black hole has formed in Illinois, I'll know what happened.

[Arthrimus]

Has anyone over here ordered anything from Pricejapan lately? From some comments over on HF it sounds like something fishy is going on with them. No communication for weeks, no shipping confirmation, no products received etc.

It'd suck to lose them, I've had such good luck with them in the past 

Edited July 13, 2016 by Arthrimus

[spritzer]

Communication was never their strong suit but I have little doubt that everything is ok.  Some customers just need a lot of hand holding and places like PJ aren't for them. 

[wink]

Quote

So it is illegal to own more than one amp now?

Astroturf does the typical cop-out here.

n3rdling said nothing about illegality of owning 2 or more amps.

He was just commenting on Astroturf's gushing "expose" of how the KGSSHV trumps the BHSE overall as an amp - in his opinion.

Now that Astroboy has a BHSE, he is naturally open to criticism for his past posts.

Quote

it is not illegal to own more than one amp.

however it may damage the universe if one person owns more than 50 amplifiers (electrostatic,dynamic,speaker amps...)

In fact, it is compulsory for selected individuals on this mortal coil to balance the effect of those lesser and benighted mortals who do not own even one, or (horror/shudder) own something akin to a Cavalli miscreation.

Consider this as sort of a cosmic damper/regulator/compensator.

Keep up the great work, kg.

Edited July 13, 2016 by wink

[johnwmclean]

9 hours ago, astrostar59 said:

So it is illegal to own more than one amp now? Like how many on here have more than one amp? And it is technically correct in some cases to find a strength in one amp in a certain area (bass, vocals etc) and soundstage and slam in another. It has been documented on here. I still see the KGSShv has certain aspects I prefer over the BHSE (warmth, bass). I like soundstage, vocals and midrange on the BHSE. Both are great amps IMO, the BHSE overall the better amp.

Oh my... you are indeed a wordsmith.

[Dave R]

Got both my 009 and 003mk2 from PJ and had no problem getting them, and as-well as eventually first getting a KGSSHV Carbon, I also plan on getting another full size Stax Earspeaker that I'd again get from PJ, 

Now by the time that happens Stax might've come out with a new flagship, but if not then I'd find out if Stax could/would put 007 drivers in a 009, and if so I'd just put another headband on that 009 like I did on mine.

Edited July 13, 2016 by Dave R

[DefQon]

Somebody else on another board waited two months for there 507 to arrive from PJ. I agree with spritzer communication was never there strong suit. My old 009`s took a little under a month to arrive to me from PJ via EMS.

[Arthrimus]

Cool. Sounds like this is probably just an over reaction.

This kinda reminds me of last year when PJ got duped by a fraudulent supplier for some crazy low priced SR-407s which myself and several people on HF bought. PJ upped the price back to normal the next day and we all were suspicious about what was happening. It took PJ a few days to let everyone know that they had been scammed by the supplier (owned by a shady looking Chinese company, go figure) and couldn't offer the headphones at that ridiculously low price, but instead of charging us full price PJ offered us all the headphones at $100 off the listed price. I am positive that they lost money on that deal, and I'm sure that's more than any other company in their line of business would have done. Their communication wasn't great but they definitely came through for us.

Edited July 13, 2016 by Arthrimus

[Dave R]

To what I recall it took about a month getting my 009's from PJ in 2011, but UK customs had them for around 3 weeks, however I think it was early last year when ordering the 003mk2's I received them in less than 2 weeks.

So I'd have no worries ordering from PJ again, even if I had to wait longer. ?