I've got it making sound! It distorts fairly quickly when I turn up the volume and I've got a buzzing on one side that I will have to figure out. It seems like my tubes are fairly noisy(I pulled them out of my box of old tubes). All in all I am encouraged though! I found several errors in my wiring that are too embarrassing to even mention
Hi Matt,
You are on the right path. Keep going!
It will take a while before the headphones are fully charged up. Depending on the humidity, it could take from minutes to hours. But when they are ready, you don't need to turn on your volume all the way up. I've also found that the distortion started to come in when you turned the volume to around 1 o'clock and above. However, I never listen to the music that loud.
By the way, were you able to find the same connection jacks as Koss's?
Wachara C.
You are on the right path. Keep going!
It will take a while before the headphones are fully charged up. Depending on the humidity, it could take from minutes to hours. But when they are ready, you don't need to turn on your volume all the way up. I've also found that the distortion started to come in when you turned the volume to around 1 o'clock and above. However, I never listen to the music that loud.
By the way, were you able to find the same connection jacks as Koss's?
Wachara C.
Hi Matt,
I just looked at your pictures again, and I saw the diaphragms' color was so white. Did you coat a lot of glue on them? I'm thinking that it could be too thick coating. After coating, the diaphragm should still be transparent with only slightly change in color. Maybe you need to add more water in the glue to thin it down more. When you apply, try to wipe it dry with a sponge. Thick coating is no good.
Wachara C.
I just looked at your pictures again, and I saw the diaphragms' color was so white. Did you coat a lot of glue on them? I'm thinking that it could be too thick coating. After coating, the diaphragm should still be transparent with only slightly change in color. Maybe you need to add more water in the glue to thin it down more. When you apply, try to wipe it dry with a sponge. Thick coating is no good.
Wachara C.
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Thanks Wachara,
I am going to install new diaphragms today and try a thinner coating. I mixed the coating as you suggested but I had a little difficulty getting it to adhere to the diaphragm originally, it kept wanting to bead or pool up. I had to go back and clean the diaphragm with denatured alcohol, which seemed to help.
I found the connectors used for Stax headphones here,
the jack...
http://www.alliedelec.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?SKU=7190012&MPN=78-S6S&R=7190012&SEARCH=7190012&DESC=78-S6S
and the plug...
http://www.alliedelec.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?SKU=7190022&MPN=86-71-6S&R=7190022&SEARCH=7190022&DESC=86-71-6S
and here is a link to the pinout for a Stax jack/plug...
http://wiki.faust3d.com/wiki//index.php?title=Image:Stax_Headphone_Cable_Connectors.jpg
I am going to install new diaphragms today and try a thinner coating. I mixed the coating as you suggested but I had a little difficulty getting it to adhere to the diaphragm originally, it kept wanting to bead or pool up. I had to go back and clean the diaphragm with denatured alcohol, which seemed to help.
I found the connectors used for Stax headphones here,
the jack...
http://www.alliedelec.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?SKU=7190012&MPN=78-S6S&R=7190012&SEARCH=7190012&DESC=78-S6S
and the plug...
http://www.alliedelec.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?SKU=7190022&MPN=86-71-6S&R=7190022&SEARCH=7190022&DESC=86-71-6S
and here is a link to the pinout for a Stax jack/plug...
http://wiki.faust3d.com/wiki//index.php?title=Image:Stax_Headphone_Cable_Connectors.jpg
Hi Wachara,
Well I put new diaphragms on and the sound was immediately better, even before they had energized properly. I think you were right, my coating was too thick on the first set. This has certainly giving me the courage to experiment further with electrostatic headphones! Oh btw, I used the super ultra film or whatever it is is called from indoor specialties. Difficult to work with(at least for my big fingers) but very detailed sound
Well I put new diaphragms on and the sound was immediately better, even before they had energized properly. I think you were right, my coating was too thick on the first set. This has certainly giving me the courage to experiment further with electrostatic headphones! Oh btw, I used the super ultra film or whatever it is is called from indoor specialties. Difficult to work with(at least for my big fingers) but very detailed sound
Hi Arend-Jan,
I hope you don't mind my kicking in your ***.
No, I do not know the resonance frequency. Perhaps if you can tell me how to measure it, I'll try.
Wachara C.
I used my headphones initially for about 2 hours before I decided to install new diaphragms on them...
I installed new diaphragms and listened off and on for about 3 hours and then they stopped working completely. I went back and checked all of my voltages on my amp and everything checked out fine. No sound from the headphones though...
That is where I left it awhile ago. I'm not sure if I need to install another set of diaphragms or what the problem is. I plan on going back in and reworking and tidying up some of my wiring on the amp, I just haven't gotten to it.
Hopefully some of the others will have better luck and post pictures here to inspire me!
I installed new diaphragms and listened off and on for about 3 hours and then they stopped working completely. I went back and checked all of my voltages on my amp and everything checked out fine. No sound from the headphones though...
That is where I left it awhile ago. I'm not sure if I need to install another set of diaphragms or what the problem is. I plan on going back in and reworking and tidying up some of my wiring on the amp, I just haven't gotten to it.
Hopefully some of the others will have better luck and post pictures here to inspire me!
Hi Matt,
I'm not sure what the problem is with your headphones. Did you insulate the copper side of the stators? I don't think that you need do redo the diaphragms. You might need to make sure that the diaphragms are where they are supposed to be at. That is they should not be sucked and stuck to either side of the stators. If that is the case, you will not hear anything.
What diaphragm coating formula did you use? When you listened to them before they went bad, how did you like the sound?
Do you still need an inspiration? I can tell you this. I'm invited to take my headphones and amp to show at Bangkok Audio Visual show next week. I'll take some pictures to show you later.
Last weekend I had a group of friends coming to my house just to listen to my headphones and speakers. They liked them.
I'm not sure what the problem is with your headphones. Did you insulate the copper side of the stators? I don't think that you need do redo the diaphragms. You might need to make sure that the diaphragms are where they are supposed to be at. That is they should not be sucked and stuck to either side of the stators. If that is the case, you will not hear anything.
What diaphragm coating formula did you use? When you listened to them before they went bad, how did you like the sound?
Do you still need an inspiration? I can tell you this. I'm invited to take my headphones and amp to show at Bangkok Audio Visual show next week. I'll take some pictures to show you later.
Last weekend I had a group of friends coming to my house just to listen to my headphones and speakers. They liked them.
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Hi Matt,
I'm not sure what the problem is with your headphones. Did you insulate the copper side of the stators? I don't think that you need do redo the diaphragms. You might need to make sure that the diaphragms are where they are supposed to be at. That is they should not be sucked and stuck to either side of the stators. If that is the case, you will not hear anything.
What diaphragm coating formula did you use? When you listened to them before they went bad, how did you like the sound?
Do you still need an inspiration? I can tell you this. I'm invited to take my headphones and amp to show at Bangkok Audio Visual show next week. I'll take some pictures to show you later.
Last weekend I had a group of friends coming to my house just to listen to my headphones and speakers. They liked them.
Hi Wachara,
I used the formula you provided with PVA glue and graphite and water. It is possible that the diaphragms are sticking as when I opened them up after my first try at a diaphragm one side was sticking and distorting. I have to say when I installed the second set of diaphragms and was listening they were sounding very good
It was odd that both sides stopped working at the same time though. That makes me think something is going on with the energizer, but as I said before my voltages tested fine. I built the energizer with ceramic sockets that appear to be complete crap as the slightest movement of a tube causes intermittent contact. I think I am going to order some better quality sockets and rebuild the amp and see where that takes me.
Hi Matt,
If the diaphragm sticks to one side of the two stators, the tension might not have been enough. You can use a hair blower and try to heat shrink the diaphragms a little bit. Also, it might help if you can paint the copper side of the stator. I painted mine with 3 layers of plastic paint, and it worked fine.
You are almost there. Please try.
Wachara C.
If the diaphragm sticks to one side of the two stators, the tension might not have been enough. You can use a hair blower and try to heat shrink the diaphragms a little bit. Also, it might help if you can paint the copper side of the stator. I painted mine with 3 layers of plastic paint, and it worked fine.
You are almost there. Please try.
Wachara C.
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