Headphone Amplification

I very much like the "truth" of the K-701s and I also love the smooth sound of WWII era 6SN7GT tubes as outputs in my SP MPX3 Slam SE. So, I have needed to find hi-gain input tubes. The 12AV7 family of tubes work pretty well as inputs, but they lack the gain to drive the 701s really well, I think. So, in my experimentation I have gone up as high 5751s with good success, but recently settled on the 12AT7WA (Brimar, Sylvania, and Raytheon) as an input with Raytheon 6SN7GT flat black plates, NU Grey Glass, and Sylvania Bad Boys as outputs. Try this tube as an input with the 6SN7GTS. The various models all sound very different, but this combo sounds very good with K-701s. …

Hi all, I was advised by some head-fi members to inquire about the technical aspects of this amplifier here. Do let me know if I'm failing to follow any rules; just trying to avoid any catastrophes! Here are the photos of my amp: https://imgur.com/a/sshHA7B The amp is an 8FQ7 SRM-007t rated for 100v 50/60hz outlets. I have a step down transformer (PowerBright) rated for 120v to 100v, and my outlets are, I believe, 120v at 60hz (American). The transformer works fine with my Japanese SRM-252S, but the fuse has blown 3 times now when turning on the 007t (always the 2nd time it turns on; the first time seems to be working). I've tried debugging this for a bit, hence…

So I got a pair of K1000s a couple weeks ago, and now I need an amp. Any ideas?

First A Little Background Trafomatic is a ten employee privately held audio, industrial, medical equipment and transformer manufacturer located in Mladenovac, in the Republic of Serbia. As noted in another thread, the transformers in the Trafomatic line are manufactured in house by Trafomatic but Trafomatic also provides transformers for Korato tube amplifiers, another audio manufacturer whom they declined to disclose, DIYers as well as power conditioners. Head One is their transformer coupled headphone amplifier employing two Russian 6S45P-E triode tubes and one EZ80 as the rectifier tube. A brief internet search found the three tubes costing from $45 to $90 dollars to…

Hi, been lurking for a while but finally signed up! Quick background on my gear: I'm in the Stax ecosystem with an L700(Mk1), SR-3, and an SRM-003. I also have a D10 and T1S, the latter of which was on a shelf unused in the original box for 25 years or so and last year I bought it. I'm still planning to recap it and upgrade it with the constant current mod, but that's to come soon. In the meanwhile, I came across a curiosity online, a homemade normal-bias tube amp. No real info provided, but it was a reasonable price so I took the shot in the dark, and I don't have the electronics knowledge to grok what I'm looking at. Can anyone more educated help me?

Sure, there's the original Xana, but realistically, there are no commercially-available, high-end transformer-coupled tube headphone amps, which is a shame, because all the OTL headphone amps I've heard are not especially good at driving low-impedance loads, at least not as well as similarly-priced SS/hybrid amps that I've also heard. Why is this the case? Is it harder to do a good transformer-coupled tube headphone amp right? Do the parts cost more?

How slow is SinglePower: http://www.head-case.org/index.php/topic,2031.150.html Preamp discussion (split from this topic): http://www.head-case.org/index.php/topic,2665.0.html edit: moved the discussion to speakers because it was about preamps.

So I'm going to be getting some Sennheiser HD650s soon, and I'll be plugging those into a Pioneer VSX-80TXV receiver, which is going to be connected to my computer that has an HT Omega Claro+ sound card. But I don't have any amplification for the headphones. My budget for an amp maxes out at 200, which I realize isn't a lot, but is there still an option at or below that price that will still net me a sizeable improvement in sound quality?

Couldn't find based on a couple searches, but admittedly didn't exhaustively search. So if some kind soul can put away a shovel and answer me this, it'd be much appreciated. I sold off a brielfy-used Stax SRM-007t II when I got JP#'s exStatA. I had no issues with the volume controls, and L/R trackign was fine. Buyer doesn't have phones yet, nor someone near him with phones to borrow. But he noticed that the L/R volume controls behave differently. One rotates nearly 360 degrees ("normal"), but the other goes around and around. No mention of catches or clicks.....I also need to get clarification on which does what.... But wanted to throw this out here. Can s…

When my Mjolnir SRM-006t is connected to my AGD D27, the left channel is much quieter than the right, and there's a beeping/static noise in that ear which responds to volume control. This happens to both my 950X and SR-007. The D27 is connected to my PC via USB, and does not exhibit this behavior when my computer speakers are connected via RCA. I've tried swapping the balanced XLR from left to right on the e-stat amp and and had the same issue, i.e. the issue didn't follow the balanced connection. I've also measured the voltage when the amp is on in the places indicated with identical results on both channels. Even with the D27 volume control bypassed the issue remains. …

May I present to you the New Zana Duex. Get you wallets out. http://mail.google.com/mail/?view=att&disp=emb&attid=0.1&th=10cd67a0fc56d1d9

Hi! I am renewing 25-years 717's and I observe strange things: I noticed a lot of wet places - as if sweaty - I suspect it has something to do with high voltage, have you noticed such symptoms in your old Stax? It's probably old flux - but these are places where it shouldn't be - output sockets, bottom of heat sinks (between PCBs). The second issue - how does the output protection system work - it draws voltages only from two outputs +L and +P? Because that's what I saw on PCB. What are the soldering points marked 81,82, 83 and Test: R,L,V for? I know that Kevi n had a diagram of this system somewhere, but it is no longer available .

Hi, I am not sure if this is right sub section for this and this is my first post a head case My requirement is following: I need to be able to share my music with my gf. So, the main question here is, can I use a y splitter with any amplifier. Lets say with a pico? Or do I need to go only for units with 2 headphone outs. I need a single unit as my UAB DAC/Headphone amp for convenience of moving it around. I am ready to shell out around $1k for the unit apart from headphones. My choices with 2 headphone outs: 1. Meier Audio Opera/ Symphony - Symphony is really costly and for Opera I am getting only the 0,120 ohm versions. Shouldn't I need both h/p outs as 0 ohms 2…

Dear fellows, Maybe you can help me with an advice. A friend of mine gave me a Koss head amp E/9B but without the suited headphone. I want to know whether it is possible to play a Stax headphone (normal or Pro Version) through this head amp. If it does not work - it is possible to convert the Koss working with a Stax headphone, maybe by building an adapter? Many thanks in advance. I wish you a great happy new year 2018. Best, Andreas

Right, another one of my "x vs. y" threads... I've been going back and forth with a guy on head-fi about buying his SLAM SE, and it seems he's not really interested in selling it anymore (after I sold off my whole rig ). I have a WTB ad up there (and here), but it got me thinking about whether it was worth buying used. Anyway, I fired off an e-mail to Mikhail about it, but I think I'll probably end up with a used amp, since I'd need it by January to take advantage of the fact that my dad will be in PA for a couple of weeks (no tax makes a HUGE difference!). While I was considering that, something that's always been in the back of my mind came up. I've always been cu…

Hey all, Just heard from my friend Renato [looser101] and Peter has finally dropped my amp off to him, so I will be getting it back tonight. I'll be sure to take pics and let you know how it is and if there are any improvements. Apparently the faceplate still looks pretty ghetto, but I will be having a nice wood one made by Steve [swt61] anyways. Now on to the tube question: He has removed the 4 6H30's from the amp and installed 4 6BZ7's. I haven't talked to him about this, so I don't know the reason, but I am sure he will explain it to me tonight... though I doubt it will make any sense. Anyways, what do you know about hte 6BZ7? What brands would you recomme…

Any suggestions on an inexpensive low powered (10W) speaker amp? I'm looking to use it with the Audio Nirvana speakers I built a while ago. I was thinking maybe a T-Amp.

silvercore - Head-Fi: Covering Headphones, Earphones and Portable Audio Looks pretty beastly but it's probably too expensive to really be interesting for me.

Hello all! I'm looking for a decent but cheapish DAC/Amp that has significant negative gain, and was wondering if anyone knew of anything? I'm using it to connect to my digital piano software, with which I use a pair of Etymotic 4XRs. At standard levels and 0dB gain I usually need to attenuate by at least 24dB before I can even get close to half volume with most pots. I'll add that I'm also using it at relatively low output levels because of my messed up ears, so it really would be nice to have some meaningful volume range without having to use massive digital attenuation. Also, using that kind of digital attenuation still leaves the amp itself at a much higher outpu…

As the subject states, my GS-X has arrived. I received the amp yesterday and quickly set it up in my system once I got home from work. As some of you are already aware, the amp looks really, really nice, both inside and out. It is bit smaller than I had expected, especially after getting used to the size of a Gilmore Reference that I used to own. I'll post some pics soon when I get around to taking out my camera. No listening impressions yet since I'm having issues with my ears/hearing right now due to horrible allergy and sinus condition that I've been suffering.

Since i finally registered, i thought i might as well enquire, can't hurt; Very recently finished building my SRX Plus, tip top on all mats minus the pot which is a TKD CP2500, gets a bit too steep from there What that sounds like, most of you already know, so will skip this part. Am currently pairing it with a DIY DAC that's based on an old dual PCM-63(P) Elektor magazine diagram that i've beefed up considerably. DAC as is now has great punch, bit of pompous a character if i might put it thus and is rather partial towards its lows/mid-lows; what you want as a source when pairing with an electrostatic amp and aiming for a balanced system. Dances circles ar…

With the PerfectWave on the way, I now have a balanced source. My KGSS is balanced as is my McCormack DNA 1 (will be shipped for repairs Monday). I'm looking for a pre that will allow me to go balanced out to the McCormack and use a balanced loop out to the KGSS. The only one I can find in the under $2000 price range is the BAT VK-5i. Wyred 4 Sound has a preamp with 2 balanced outs. I emailed them to see if they could make one of them a loop or tape out. I know that BAT gear is supposed to be excellent so it is a possibility. I am curious if someone else knows of any other in the under $2000 range. Thanks

I have recently come to an agreement with a very talented builder. He is going to build two reference tube amplifiers (One for himself and one for me). It?s going to be a two chassis, all premium parts, Siltech G6 point to point wiring tube amplifier. He?s a single ended guy and I remain unconvinced that balanced is worth the trouble. So it?s going to be single ended. Since my source is single ended only it should work out well. We?re still working out the exact circuit topology and ergonomics of the units; number of inputs, type of volume control, preamp outputs ect. I?ll be lucky if I get the finished amp by September. I think it?s more likely to be a killer Christma…

Which pairs better with the Denon d2000 in your guys' opinions, The Hifiman EF2? or the Audio-Gd Compass. I have no amp or dac, so these will serve as both amp and dac for me driving out of a macbook pro. Which do you guys recommend? Thanks for any help.

I decided to build a SoHA II while waiting on the Stacker II project to get out of grid lock. The SohaII is a very interesting design with a few limitations. The tube current is very low, I can only get about 1.5 mA thru each section and the plate voltage is only about 40V. That said this is a terrific sounding amp. I didn't like the recommended RCA 5693 tubes, they were too congested with distortion in complex passages. I switched to 8416's which sound very nice. In comparison to my Bijou this little SOHAII actually has clearer better defined mids, I was very surprised to hear more of the ambience of the recording in voicing and guitar. The Bijou beats it in p…