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robyatt

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  1. The F81's you saw at Kent's may have been mine. I bought a pair from the reviewer jack English 2 or 3 years ago. I played them with a Luxman M6000 and they sounded great, but not better than my PK Quad 57 rebuilds (stock). I then, managed while changing a cable, to blow them up. I sent the transformers and scared electronics to Kent. He said they were done, no more, un-fixable. He did try to copy the trannies with a USA based manufacturer but they all blew up! Then luck struck! My friend Andrew Jones, (TAD), remembered that his friend at Technical Brain in Japan, went to school with Mr Suzuki of Stax. A few emails, and we got the original plans and specs from the very kind and gracious Mr Suzuki. Kent can tell the rest but after some expense and trial Kent was able to have the Transformers not only replicated to spec, but made to be more robust. I just got round, a year later, to sending the panels and frames back to Kent. He did his usual over the top fantastic restore and repair work on my Stax. They arrived last weekend. I sat them down next to the Quads and hooked them up to my ASR Emitter I Exclusive Blue, Gold Board integrated. (the best electronics I have heard or owned). Initial reaction was they were better than the ones I sent away. The ASR shut down a few times, that appears to be the long time for the transformers to saturate. 24's hours later the sound levels are around 84db average, with over 100db peaks. They are about 2ft from the rear wall and close together with no real toe in. I sit real close. I actually turned the volume down last night! They are not as all round perfect as the Quad 57's, BUT within a narrow volume range, and with limited dynamic swings sat up close-NO speaker approaches their transparency, detail, inner light, cohesiveness, and shear ability to disappear! My wife sat down in front of them and she has heard all my speakers, complained about many, but loves my 57's and OMA Mini's. Her words after 5 seconds-"WOW" then "the musicians are in the room". I rushed home, last night to play them again, moved the 57's something I have never done, and was disappointed. Then as I sat and emailed as a distraction, my ears became calm and adjusted to the lower volume level, I was enthralled and captivated again. I sat for hours and listened to LP and server. Digital from the top of the line MSB stack never sound so good and LP colorations were starkly exposed, LP still as ever satisfying of course. So far I can say they will not leave my house again. Kent restored a speaker many will never hear, but I can assure you just as I blew away people at the NY HiFi Show this April, by playing my 57's, as startling as that experience was for many, this is in yet another league. Limitations and caveats aside the Stax F81's are one of the top five speakers probably ever made, with the likes of Quad 57's and LS3/5A's, etc...
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