K3cT

ES Labs are cooking something good. 😃 https://www.instagram.com/p/DbBxCZOTJCE/?igsh=MXBuZDUyejU0c3pzeQ==

Yeah, around that range, if I'm not wrong it's about 2.5W into 32 Ohm load. I noticed that you have a Sansui variant of the SRD-7, will that work nicely as well?

Yeah a couple of months ago I posted about the BHSE but unfortunately the seller went MIA so that didn’t work out lol. I am a bit concerned my main amp, a SET 2A3 amp is a bit on the lower power side. In my experience it can drive the 32 Ohm transformer for RAAL Immanis fine but I don’t have much experience with e-stat interfaces.

Thanks, I would like to get into stats (particularly the CRBN) but it seems nicer if I can use my existing setup.

Is this Soltanus drive unit any good? https://www.soltanusacoustics.com/electrostatic-headphone-driver-unit-mk-2/

Hey guys, I haven’t posted here in a good while. I’m glad that the forum is still alive. 😀 Does anyone have experience comparing the BHSE with KGST? I am kind of in the market for e-stat (specifically for the Audeze CRBN, I’m really surprised with how much I like them). I planned to order KGST from Birgir but a second hand BHSE popped up in our local market at around the same price. Not many e-stat gears are circulating around nowadays so I have no choice but to blind buy.

Thanks to the great work from @Mirko and advice from @kevin gilmore we just finished retrofitting the GS-X MK2's power supply with a custom made GRLV. I haven't had the time to really sit down and listen to it but first impressions that the amp is quite a bit smoother and more detailed now. 😃

I feel that they are like modern interpretations of those Audio Technica woodies with their quirky sound signatures, which can be a good or bad thing depending on your taste. I would definitely try to audition them if you can because they are not for everyone.

I am currently running them through the GS-X MK2 and the treble is straddling that fine line between hotness and resolve. I have a DIY Beta22 and it's a bit better in this regard, the treble is not as resolving but the attack/edge/bite is softened a bit. Justin told me that the GS-X Mini is supposed to sound warmer and may be a better fit with the Utopia. There is also @dsavitsk's DSHA-3F that's supposed to be a great pairing with the Utopia but I haven't heard this personally.

I think Dekoni makes pads for Focal cans right? They could be a viable alternative. The Utopia pads last quite a bit longer than the HD800's that need replacing every 2 years or so.

I still rock a Parasound 1100HD with the now probably unobtanium Cetoole's discrete output stage as my primary DAC. Recently had a Schiit Gungnir for comparison and I thought the Parasound didn't embarrass itself. Sure, the Schiit sounds more detailed and airier but it lacks the dynamics and lusher tone that the Parasound has. The Gungnir also had an extremely hot output so it was a lot of pain to work with my sensitive speakers and headphone, even through its single ended output. I'll probably stick with multibit for now.

I had mine replaced earlier this year and it was a pretty straightforward process with the local dealer handling everything. The headphone had to be shipped back to France for repair so it took a couple of weeks but I didn't have to pay for anything.

The Utopias are a bit like the HD800, they can sound really edgy from the wrong upstream components. They really do shine with warmer sounding amp and source.

I think my journey went something like from various Lambdas to the HD800 to the SR-007 MK2.9 and finally to the Utopia. The Focal definitely have the least trade-offs and annoying stuff amongst the headphones that I've tried and owned.

Speaking of old DACs, I have an opportunity to jump on a pristine Sonic Frontiers SFD-2 complete with the original packaging. Is it still worth their rather high asking price in 2020? I still have a Parasound 1100HD that has that @cetoole discrete analog stage and it remains quite good these days.