Headphone Amplification

Has anyone built a high quality transformer / convertor to run Stax headphones out of the speaker terminals of a power amplifier? I know there has been some negatives about the Woo Wee. I am thinking is there a much higher quality option that can compete with the KG Stat amplifiers and that is safe i.e. won't damage the headphones or the power amplifier feeding the converter. Many years ago I used an SRD-7 which was ok, nothing great. Any information would be much appreciated.

Hey Guys: I have a chance to get a pretty good deal on a SFT built Dynamight from a person that I've known for a long time and trust. The only issue that he has disclosed to me about the amp is that on the lowest gain setting, there is some crackling when changing the volume on the stepped attenuator. But on all other gain settings, there is no crackling. Is this something of a major concern? Because I don't anticipate on using the lowest gain setting, having heard this amp before. Thanks.

Thoughts on Eddie Current Black Widow?

So, I understand Doug is working on some new stuff. Anyone heard anything?

The Backstory: So, Nate ordered a Lunch Box from Eddie Current, and realized he wouldn't need it because of his plans to build an Akido. I had almost ordered one, and a trade was worked out so that I would get the Lunch Box for my office rig. The office setup was completed by another trade with Nate to get his HD-600's since this amp is for headphones with > 150 ohm impedence. The Arrival: Well, it finally arrived yesterday @ Nate's office. As we only work a few miles apart, it was all I could do to wait 'til after work to get it! So you can imagine my disappointment when I get home after work, insert the tubes, plug it in and find it won't turn on! No! So it left…

Last month Craig Uthus of Eddie Current debuted a new amp at a smallish gather of friends in NorCal. I've heard many amps by Craig and I've been impressed by his output with some of his amps like the BA and HD25 hitting it out of the park for me. I've owned a few of Craig's amps notably one of the original Moth 2a3s that was a visual masterpiece and sonically one of my all time favorites. To this day it is the one piece of gear that I regret selling. He's made better sounding amps like the HD 25 and Balancing act since then but the marriage of industrial almost gothic design, old school innards like brass plugs for switching output impedance and wax cloth wires and pluse…

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/eddiecurrent/ec01.html This is an outstanding review for the EC-01. It is very well written and votes very well for EddieCurrent.

Currently just a pic on the home page, but looks like Craig's getting into the 'stat amp market: http://www.eddiecurrent.com/ Edit: OK, so google points to discussion about it on the other site including (as would be expected) some of the usual suspects here, so to the stool in the corner with a pointy hat for me and a note to self to check the other place before posting startling revelations that everyone already knows about.

Eddie Current Equilibrato - two unbalanced inputs - will drive headphones true floating balanced, or unbalanced - external power supply, same as the ZD and ZDT - solid state rectifier Tubes - (1) Tung Sol 12SN7, (2) Sophia Electric PX4 I'll get more details when I pick it up on Saturday

Man this is a killer amp and as many of you may know I am one fickle motherfucker when it comes to gear. Having gone through a number of amps this year I am really struck by this amp. It sounds absolutely amazing with the balanced HD2s and RS1s. It does a wonderfull job with the k1000s as well, it is super linear without sounding dry at all. To refresh folks on what this amp is and the story, I had been in talks with Craig to design a balanced amp after hearing the Zana. After several months he came up with an amp that used a 12ax7 driver and 6c41cs as output tubes with my choice of Tango or Electra print output trannies. So after I demoed the amp in SoCal Craig shi…

Anyone tried this amp? So far only positive opinions appeared on the other site and that it has great synergy with ATH-ESW10JPN. At the moment it is 299$ (excluding shipping) and comes with 12AU7 RCA Cleartop NOS tube. Should I give it a try? Thanks.

I have read a lot of good things about the Es-1, aristaeus and of course the hev90. All 3 are obtainable and in the case of the hev90 if you know where to ask. But I wonder what are the differences between the three? I currently use a 007t to drive my electrostat headphone and am looking for something which improves on it. I am looking for something which tightens up the bass over the 007t and if possible goes lower. Also I find the 007t and phone has a kind of even tonal balance. I prefer things a little on the warmer side. Also I hear this metallic ringing or sheen to notes. This is distracting to say the least. So any amp which does not have any of these fl…

Made an impulse buy for this intriguing 300B SET, which is turning out to have great resolution and bass definition for a 300B SET, through speakers, headphone amp, AND driving electrostats via Stax transformer! https://www.stereophile.com/content/gramophone-dreams-27-elekit-tu-8600r-amplifier-kit 1126191526a by drjlo2, on Flickr

I am running a WA6SE maxxed (09 bulid) I also use Senn HD -800s. I am using a pair of rca 6ew7 big bottle and a EML 274B mesh plate. I ordered a EML 274B, but I didn't specify mesh or solid. I was sent solid plate. Used the EML 274B solid plate for one night and exchanged it for a EML 274B mesh plate. However I did really like the solid plate, great overall tone and soundstage. When I first got the EML 274B mesh I was disappointed. I now have about 26 hours on it. The 274B has improved but the soundstage is still not on a pair with the solid plate. My question is will my mesh plate improve or should I go back to the solid plate or get the EML 5U4G-Mesh? …

I was reading a lively thread on HF (something about rudi and a new amp) and realized that my knowledge of measurements and most things to do with engineering is sorely lacking. I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions about learning about the engineering aspects of amps,etc (ie good design). I am mainly looking for a basic understanding to become a better consumer (or be less of an idiot). Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

https://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/Enterprise-E-Lite-electrostatic-amp/1924356_32828582951.html?spm=2114.12010612.0.0.646370aboSblkp Anyone know anything about this amp? ?

http://www.erzetich-audio.com/deimos_prestige_headphone_amplifier http://www.monoandstereo.com/2014/09/erzetich-deimos-prestige-headphone.html?spref=tw&m=1 "We wanted to go beyond and make something that really stands out from the point of electronics, sound, design and prestige. This project has been developed under the name POS."

So I was reevaluating my two-channel system and while things were moved about I decided to remove some of the accumulated dust. I was using one of those swiffers on the ES-1 and I guess it is too forceful an instrument as the green glass covering the readout from the digital volume fell into the chassis. So I am going to open it up and remove the glass and re-affix it to the chassis. I realize I need to turn it over and separate the bottom from the top. There appears to be only 4 screws (2 front and 2 back), of the approximately 1 billion screws in the chassis, that actually hold the top and bottom together. This seems way to easy, am I missing something here? The pie…

https://estatron.com/collections/all Somebody who studied Head Case is now building and selling a 'stat energizer. Kind of interesting because it's only $160. Worth it?

I have posted some over on head-fi about this amp so I thought I would start a thread here too. The Extreme is THE AMP under< $1000 from my experiences. This amp is so good for such a modest price I am still trying to comprehend how good. Every positive characteristic you can identify seems to be present in copious amounts .... soundstaging, tone, dynamics, bass slam, "midrange magic" etc... This amp particularly elevates the 580/600, and the power of this amp has my Alessandro M2Si rocking along, in addition to giving the M2Si a soundstage well beyond what I have heard from any Grado headphone previously .... even using senn yellow 19545 pads. For you guys wanting an …

I finally got this guy from fed ex this morning but have only listened to a few CD's on it. So far I like it over my old amp which was an SR-71 [sic] and sick. I'm using this amp with my only piar of reference headphones that I have on me right now which are HD650s. When I get my sr325's back I'll see how this amp pairs with them. I'm using them out of a harman/kardon hd710. This is the most laid back amp I've heard, though it should be noted that I haven't heard a lot. There is a real focus on the midrange and upper midrange. Trebble is present but this amp is by no means forward. This amp produces little bass and what bass there is has little punch. That's the only …

This was introduced at High End 2025 in Munich and here is a blurb about it There are no internal pictures at all but it sure looks like they stole some of our Megatron here. Yeah, if that is the case, that is not okey. At first I didn't know what driver tubes were used and since those look a bit like 6N6pi's... I thought "well that is stupid but it might kinda work if used with some transformers". No... it is far worse. Single tetrodes, likely triode strapped, so are they trying to out compete the Woo WES for the worst all tube electrostatic amp design...or maybe the Triode H1? Time will tell but there simply aren't enough tubes here if the EL34's are used a…

I see during several of the FET-A reviews the Gilmore Lite/GS-1 were understandably brought up as natural competitors, but as reviewers didn't have the HeadAmps on hand at the time, I wondered in the last few months if anyone has had a chance to A/B (especially with Senns)?

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?

I swore that I would never buy a portable amp, but the Zen Vision M's headphone output just doesn't supply enough current for the D5000s. So guess where my first paycheck on the job went? To an used AE-2 in Virginia. But at least I've heard the AE-2 with the D5000s and the combo sounded very nice, a very groovy type of sound. I'll probably sell the AE-2 once the summer is over though.