Headphone Amplification

Hi I am going to build energizer for Orpheus and Stax with LL9202AM. For Stax I will copy PSU Bias from T1. I wonder if I can use the same kind of PSU from T1 for Orpheus (with lower voltage of course)? I think so, but it could be very expensive mistake if I am wrong ... Any advice? http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2891/9135996783_0911380a26_o.jpg

What is the story on the "cryovalve" process? Quote from Tube Depot CryoValve Story:

In 2011 I bought everything needed for a D.I.Y. T2 ( except the chassis and the 4-gang attenuator or pot for level control) and had every intention of building the thing... but then I became disabled and unable to build it.... though I still fantasized that I would build it- somehow. Well, that clearly is never going to happen, and due to the situation I find myself in, I need to get the money back that I spent on these parts. I offered them to Birgir (Spritzer) but he doesn't need them; he suggested I offer them here. I have attached my T2 Bill of Materials with part numbers, prices and etc. Have a look and if you are interested, make an offer. FYI I will on…

Would like to hear some thoughts from the experts here? Most commercial boards are thrash just looking at the head-case forum posts. or you guys are super sceptical or both. No picture of backside PCB (yet) though. Thanks for any insight Cheers

I'm wondering why blind tests are not done over at headfi. I've listened to a lot of portable amps and I dont understand the ratings and rave reviews some receive over other. Between my ppa2, pimeta and mini3, I dont think I can reliably pick out which amp I'm listening to at any given moment. It leads me to believe that the prettier the amp is, the better some folks think it sounds. On the other hand, maybe I have tin ears.

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

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…

Different http://www.stereo.net.au/reviews/review-metaxas-sins-marquis-headphone-amplifier

The Fidelix Staccato There seems to be a Japanese maker of high-end audio equipment that makes his own Stax driver. Looks very cleanly-made, but I don't know how much of this is a unique build versus knowledge already known in the Western Stax community. I'm particularly interested in hearing the DIY group's thoughts on the simplified schematic he's posted. Is this anything unique/interesting? Or just a rehash of existing designs?

Hello to all, I'm fairly new to this forum and untill now I have read a lot of posts to get a bit acquainted. For normal bias phones, I use a SRM-1/Mk2 which I would like to upgrade (actualy a P.P., but I fitted 1 normal bias socket). I have read about swapping out the power transistors for 2SC5466 units, currently used in Stax amps. However, in a SRM-323 thread I read that 2SC3675 transistors are to be preferred over the 2sc5466 units. Why is that and which transistors are best for the SRM-1/Mk2 (p.p.)? For pro bias phones, I use a SRM-727II on which I want to perform the "spitzer mod". What resistors are to be used? metal film, carbon film, others? Are 1/2 Watt…

I am looking for a compact amp with a line out for my desk at work, so I can keep my crappy powered speakers plugged in too. Source is an iPhone 3g dock, headphones are most likely k271's, if not them, either DT770's or DT250's (I need to hear the k271 first). So, assuming I go with the k271, I am guessing I'll want to err on the warm side of neutral, and I'd really prefer something with a small case and wall wart as "desk" and "office" are really words too strong to use for what they give us. My understanding of the mini3 is that it isn't easily modified for a lineout (but I would be happy to be wrong - I love the mini3). Battery functionality isn't important, but …

The title says it all. My SRM-252S seems to be failing, indicated by hum. (It’s the 120V version.) I’ve been discussing it on the Stax thread in Headphones. While I lack the expertise & all of the tools to troubleshoot the amp, I do possess the tools & enough skill to refurb a working SRM-1/Mk-2, a unit I’d get from eBay. I understand the primary work is to replace the caps. Any experience?

To make a long story short, I was banned from SuperBestAudioFriends.org (eddie current fanboy club and circle jerk community) by their lord and savior Marv(Purrin) and ZeroFeedex(total bully, back when changstar existed he changed my avatar to an IRL photo he found online from when I was younger and changed my username to my IRL name. He also constantly kept changing my user status to derogatory statuses that were insulting, all for simply voicing my opinion.) I was banned because I posted a thread explaining a situation about an amp I purchased second hand from Eddie Current asking for help to get the issue resolved. I was called a scammer and a liar and immediat…

Hey everyone, Ok, so I have an SR-71 which I am happy with for the most part, but currently both my DAP's are good only from the headphone out (Rio Karma/iAudio X5); this leads to a problem I'm experiencing with piano passages and clipping. It happens too often for my liking and unfortunately, Ray Samuels hasn't been able to help other than to suggest that I drop the volume out down to 25% of full volume (at that output I have a hard time driving Grados with the amp) or to get a better source So instead, I've decided that maybe I need to get a new amp. Can someone suggest something helpful to me? Is Ray right(only solution is a better DAP)? Is there a better soun…

Hi, Has anyone tried the Antares? How does the circuit design and specs look? http://high-amp.de/html/antares.html Thanks

Hi, I’m going to use 6SN7 in my 006Ts and would like to choose something modern; going through tube specs from Psvane and Linlai it is not clear if their 6SN7 (and CV181… as here they declare only 600mA for filament that is quite strange) can work up to 330V that is the value inside the 006 in their spec (when available) we have Ua (static) … 250V Ua (maximum)…. 450V here is an example … http://www.psvane.com/en/hifiseries/327.html is there anybody that have experience about? are modern tubes suitable for use inside 006 (and similar)? any suggestion about which one should/could be choose? thks 🙂

Greetings since I am new to stax world, my current set up is 007Mk2 --- 007TII---chord hugo2 I wonder if buying a good power cable would be beneficial than the cheap one I am using now What is the best price/ performance power cable to buy that will not cause a big dent in the wallet to offer a noticeable sound improvement, and could you please explain what buying a power could would be a benefit for

I'm working on a person's Minibox E. What do these things take for a battery charger (he didn't send it). I think I got it fixed (self-inflicted from said person "rolling" the opamps), but since the battery seems to be drained, I can't test it without a bit more knowledge. Any schematics for these floating around? Seems to be rather similar to a Mint (and therefore SR71, etc.), but no rail splitter... must be using a pair of Li Ion with the ground taken at the junction (3 wires coming off the battery pack).

Hey guys I was thinking of getting some kind ofa guide for the op amp based amps (mainly portable commercial design) but other amps are welcome too.. Headroom: Micro Module: AD822 Destop Moldule: OPA2134 Home Moldule: OPA2134 Max Module: OPA627 Pocket Amp 2 V2: LM4881 LaRocco: Pocket Reference 2: AD8610* Xin: Super Macro IV: AD8397* Super Mini: AD8397* Super Micro: ??* Meier Audio: Porta Corda 3: LM6171 HAII MKII/SE: LM6171 Prehead II MKII SE: LM6171 Portaphile: V2/X^3: AD8610 Ray Samuels Audio: Hornet: AD8397 SR71: AD8610 XP7: AD825??* HR2: AD797* Note the amps that hagev an * by them denotes that the op amp can be s…

Interesting -- a minimalist headphone amp design from Grace...good, compact choice for work? https://www.massdrop.com/buy/grace-design-x-massdrop-m9xx-dac-amp?utm_placement=0&referer=JKRU5U

Hi, First post here. I am curious about building an electrostat HPA as I only have an SRD7 Mk2. I am interested in some of Kevin Gilmore's designs like the KGSSHV variants and the T2, but the legend about the KGSSHV seems to ring true that it is hard to build and hard to learn about. Is there somewhere I can read about these different designs in white paper format like Nelson Pass does with the First Watt amps? I can't even find schematics or a BOM. It's truly a nightmare, and I don't want to endlessly bother spritzer with questions. Frankly, I am not totally sure of the "authorship" of each of these amps which makes it harder to research. I was considering firs…

Hello It occurs to me that the Cary 300sei is selling mostly under 2K on A'gon. which gives me the impression that maybe i can start thinking about trading in my ZD.... anyone have any idea about how these compare?

Anyone here heard both? Thoughts?

Courtesy of tkam, I managed to get my hands on the special PPX3 that the Toddler himself dreamed up. The amp is now mine. I loved this amp the last time we were down in Cinci. I thought about getting one for weeks back then but I already had a high voltage MPX3 and eventually sort of forgot about the amp. I dont know what prompted me to ask Mikhail about the amp. When I did, I found out that this amp is more like a mini-Maestro than a PPX3 SLAM. The power supply is fully regulated unlike the PPX3, the power supply used a number of Maestro techniques and the Maestro plitron .... and added the high voltage operation with 6BL7GTA's. In short, this amp kick…

I just got a Dynahi and the amp makes a pretty loud sound when it turns off. Can this damage the headphones? The other option is to unplug the headphones and short the amp to ground, which can only be a terrible idea on an amp this powerful.