The Headcase Stax thread

[spritzer]

The WES is certainly not anywhere near the BHSE/T2 level in performance. They should have used far more voltage on those EL34's

[monsieurguzel]

Yeah I actually wasn't impressed with the WES at all (especially after everybody cravig for it last year). To me the sound felt kinda slow and heavy without enough speed for detail retreival or for faster paced music. Maybe that's why all the demo music they had was super boring slow Vocal / piano music that nobody knew. But I must say that the WES sounded better than the prototype transformer running from the Woo 5 amp which lacked severely in dynamics / bass control.

[luvdunhill]

Yeah, I do in fact like the sound. More bass than I was expecting and nice resolving power at the other extreme. I am getting my KGSS a new power supply, so impressions once that happens. I have it sitting on top of that giant toroid in the Krell and no noise at all.

[mypasswordis]

Not gonna lie, the O2 Mk2 + WES blew a bit of donkey balls for me, and apparently the GES is even worse. I don't know how much of it was the Mk2 and how much of it was the WES though.

[kevin gilmore]

el34's really don't perform well at 600 volts.

800 volts is better at about 60% power.

1000 volts is even better at about 80% power.

After you hear what it is supposed to sound like, you

can't listen to a lot of the other amps.

[monsieurguzel]

Are the EL34s running on higher voltage in the T2 compared to the BHSE? The BHSE def seemed cooler to touch, but that might have been due to the power supply located next to instead of underneath the T2 Amp chassis.

[spritzer]

Lower voltage but the power output should be equal. There is just so much stuff in the T2 that gives off heat...

[kevin gilmore]

Heat rises. Would probably be a very good idea to make longer umbilical cords and put them next to each other,

or on different shelves. That is on my list of things to do. But those things take so long to make...

Higher voltage at the same current is higher power. P=V*A its not just a good idea, its the law.

BHSE=+/-400 volts

T2=+/-500 volts

[Don Quichotte]

Right now I'm listening to a bit of a puzzle, a SR-404 which doesn't suck. \ I bought this set on Y!JP as a future donor for a Sigma transplant but after cleaning them I gave them a listen and while they are bright and edgy as any Lambda the midrange isn't shouty and grating. Now this could be a SR-SC1 which somebody has removed all the markings but I doubt it. They are clearly from early on in the production and 100% stock (I did pull out the earpad foam as it had holes in it). Very strange indeed...

Sorry for resurrecting a 3 weeks old issue, but I've just read this and I have a hypothesis. I have used my 303's without earpad foam for many hours last year and it made an obvious difference. While in my system and to my ears it was overall not as nice sounding as with the foam, technically speaking it was superior: more precise, more transparent, more detailed at least in the mids and highs. The bass was seriously diminished, though, surprisingly much so. Perhaps with a much better amp and source one could prefer them without foam.

Have you listened to a 303/404 with the new style pads with the woven cloth removed?

[condor]

So, since moving from Head-Fi (did rarely post there). I'm here. I've read the whole fscking thread

The 404LE thing is making me a bit jealous... I'm having a SR-404 and basically I'm enjoying it (sometimes I need to lower the volume, because opera voices can get so loud..), but reading

230482390342 pages it sucks isn't tooo nice..

007 would perhaps (never heard one) be cool, but is just way over my budget for a long time...

Question: I often read 007 SQ depends on the seal and the orientation of the pads;

I wear glasses, is this a problem?

[forbigger]

o2 sucks with glasses. clamps bit tight thus shifting the glasses with its weight every time you moves

[spritzer]

Never heard any difference with or without the foam. It is as open cell as you can get so it should have no effect on the sound what so ever.

I've tired the new pads and they are obviously different. Has nothing to do with the inlay as they are built the like the old prototype pads.

Edt: Seal is everything with the SR-007 so I wouldn't recommend using them with glasses.

[Cynric]

I disagree about the foam. With my Lambda Pros using or leaving the foam makes a pretty notable difference. The foam does somehow dampen the upper mids, taking the brilliance and the 'sparkle' out of voices (esp. female). That's why my foam stays in the box with the old pads..

Didn't notice anything on the bass though...

[HDen]

Edt: Seal is everything with the SR-007 so I wouldn't recommend using them with glasses.

well that's a bummer, is there a mod or something to circumvent this? or do I have to get lasik?

[Dusty Chalk]

You could get another pair of glasses whose frame is easily bent, and bend it so that it loops over the pads, rather than under them and over your ears.

[Voltron]

I have no idea why ppl would think there is any conflict outside of a few nutters. I like stats and orthos just fine.

Fucking stats lovers. Orthos rule!

[condor]

o2 sucks with glasses. clamps bit tight thus shifting the glasses with its weight every time you moves

Edt: Seal is everything with the SR-007 so I wouldn't recommend using them with glasses.

Thanks, this really decreases the WANT feeling, since I'd listen most of the times, sitting in front of the pc, where I'd need glasses..

[Elephas]

It's possible to use the O2 with glasses if the arms of your glasses are very thin all around, or lie very flat.

Not ideal, but possible because the earpads are thick and there's some room available.

Get new glasses, you want them anyway. Super-lightweight glasses with super thin almost-not-there frames that just seem to float on your face and you practically forget you're wearing them. Then get the O2.

Then worry about the amp.

[padam]

And the transport + source + cables

[aardvark baguette]

use goggle straps instead?

[manaox2]

Dual monocles. Studies also show that these work well as aphrodisiacs.

Seriously though, I kind of like the idea of a nose bridge piercing and using glasses with a magnetic bridge.

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/6557994.html

http://hackedgadgets.com/2006/06/01/new-glasses-require-piercing-bridge-of-nose/

http://www.livescience.com/technology/060522_pierce_glasses.html

[cetoole]

Or contacts. Switched 10 years ago, haven't looked back (heh), and never would have guessed at the time that doing so would increase my audio pleasure.

[kevin gilmore]

If you are near-sighted, when you hit about 45 you won't be able to

wear contacts anymore. You will see what i mean when you get there.

All current solutions stink.

[Les_Garten]

If you are near-sighted, when you hit about 45 you won't be able to

wear contacts anymore. You will see what i mean when you get there.

All current solutions stink.

That's a BIG "INDEED" on that!

I remember when I would work on things with my Dad, like cars and such. He would get so pissed off and frustrated because he had trouble seeing things. He had 20/10 vision most of his life and then middle age hit.

I have a high appreciation now that I'm there! I spend a lot of time looking at different ways to magnify and light things!

Your pupil diameter capabilities start decreasing after 40 as well as your lens loses it's ability to change it's shape and thus you lose "accommodation" for different focal distances. The pupil changes make it where you have difficulty seeing in darkness or even shade for that matter. I do a lot of car work, and this is driving me nutz!

[guzziguy]

It's possible to use the O2 with glasses if the arms of your glasses are very thin all around, or lie very flat.

Not ideal, but possible because the earpads are thick and there's some room available.

Get new glasses, you want them anyway. Super-lightweight glasses with super thin almost-not-there frames that just seem to float on your face and you practically forget you're wearing them. Then get the O2.

This problem was solved centuries ago. Just get yourself a fancy pair of pince-nez.

If you are near-sighted, when you hit about 45 you won't be able to

wear contacts anymore. You will see what i mean when you get there.

All current solutions stink.

Definitely. I gave up contacts when I found myself wearing reading glasses all day long in order to read my computer screen. Maybe the latest "bifocal" contacts really work? Of course, lasik might be a really good solution too.