CHANGSTAR: Audiophile Headphone Reviews and Early 90s Style BBS

  • December 31, 2015, 11:09:10 AM
  • Welcome, Guest
Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  
Pages: 1 2 [3] 4

Author Topic: King Sound "Emperor" Electrostatic Headphone System  (Read 7403 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

anetode

  • an objectivist trapped in a subjectivist's body
  • Mate
  • Pirate
  • ****
  • Brownie Points: +178/-7
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1067
Re: King Sound "Emperor" Electrostatic Headphone System
« Reply #20 on: January 31, 2013, 03:45:46 AM »
I'm pretty sure I recall reading Birgir bemoan the lack of stat headphone companies who use the Stax connection standards over on a thread at HC. Now he's bemoaning KingSound's use of a stax plug.
Logged
Love isn't always on time.

n3rdling

  • Statastic
  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +86/-0
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 480
Re: King Sound "Emperor" Electrostatic Headphone System
« Reply #21 on: January 31, 2013, 04:26:39 AM »
He was bashing King Sound speakers.  I think these look really cheap but at least the price isn't crazy.  Still, I think they could've done better than a metal lunch pale handle for a headband.  The tube amp has a cool look though. 

The pin configuration situation for electrostats kinda sucks since there isn't really a standard, nor can there be due to the varying biases used.  Using the Stax configuration means they'll sell more headphones, but I hope they're able to withstand 580v bias or there will some really upset customers in the future.  I've seen people ask if they can wash their Stax drivers in the sink, so something like not being able to plus your headphones into an amp the plug fits perfectly into can surely be a problem. 
Logged

Tari

  • Poet Laureate of Changstaria
  • Mate
  • Pirate
  • ****
  • Brownie Points: +245/-1
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 854
  • Is tari a wizard
Re: King Sound "Emperor" Electrostatic Headphone System
« Reply #22 on: January 31, 2013, 04:33:29 AM »
They're selling it with their own amps, 90% of users will buy the set.  Some simple literature and education and people will be fine.  It's nice to have one plug type as then all it takes is bias adjustment. 


Sometimes adjusting bias changes everything.




Logged

Maxvla

  • Mate
  • Pirate
  • ****
  • Brownie Points: +211/-12
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1251
Re: King Sound "Emperor" Electrostatic Headphone System
« Reply #23 on: January 31, 2013, 04:45:24 AM »
I agree the headband is pretty damn plain, but hopefully that will be changed as Drew mentions. I really love the cups and pads and how they attach to the headband though. I agree about the tube amp, gimme one with the silver faceplate and dark grille please!

I've seen some comments lately (as I've done a little digging) about how one doesn't just take a stat amp and adjust the bias and it's a 'perfect match'. Is it true that you need to have the end-goal bias in mind when designing the amp from the beginning? Or is this a load of crap and amps like Electra, etc can be dialed down to 450V and it work just as well as a normal Electra and a Stax 580V headphone?
Logged

n3rdling

  • Statastic
  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +86/-0
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 480
Re: King Sound "Emperor" Electrostatic Headphone System
« Reply #24 on: January 31, 2013, 05:11:57 AM »
Didn't notice this the first time around, but if you look at the 3rd pic you can see the stators are strengthened via bracing ( eg. 009/Omega  :P )

Max, it's probably best to use manufacturers recommendation, but being a little off isn't a big deal.  It's not difficult to adjust the bias of an amp if you have access to a soldering iron.  Setting the bias too high can cause driver failure (arcing or even catching on fire depending on the film/coating/bias resistor selections).  Setting the bias too low will result in a loss of output and likely higher distortion.  Bias is one of the factors contributing to the sensitivity of the headphones (strength of electrostatic force), along with spacer thickness and stator design.
Logged

Maxvla

  • Mate
  • Pirate
  • ****
  • Brownie Points: +211/-12
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1251
Re: King Sound "Emperor" Electrostatic Headphone System
« Reply #25 on: January 31, 2013, 05:30:13 AM »
I guess I should clarify. Some of the comments I've read made it seem like amps made for certain bias would not sound right if their bias was significantly changed. Is this accurate?
Logged

n3rdling

  • Statastic
  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +86/-0
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 480
Re: King Sound "Emperor" Electrostatic Headphone System
« Reply #26 on: January 31, 2013, 06:49:10 AM »
Hmm not really sure but I doubt it.  I think of it as the audio signal being handled by the amp and the bias supply just being a constant source of energy provided by the PSU.  You can take a normal bias SRM-1, add a pro bias adapter board and it should sound the same as a pro bias version of the SRM-1.  The difference in voltage is quite large there, as well.
Logged

Maxvla

  • Mate
  • Pirate
  • ****
  • Brownie Points: +211/-12
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1251
Re: King Sound "Emperor" Electrostatic Headphone System
« Reply #27 on: January 31, 2013, 07:29:05 AM »
Ok thanks, perhaps I should ask someone like Craig who knows the nuts and bolts to be sure, but I didn't think that changing bias should make any difference. Once again Spritzer spreading bad information.

http://www.head-fi.org/t/622166/sennheiser-orpheus-updated/15#post_8618895
Logged

n3rdling

  • Statastic
  • Able Bodied Sailor
  • Pirate
  • ***
  • Brownie Points: +86/-0
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 480
Re: King Sound "Emperor" Electrostatic Headphone System
« Reply #28 on: January 31, 2013, 08:52:24 AM »
No, you interpreted his post incorrectly.  He wasn't commenting on the effects of the bias supply, he was saying pairing an amp to a specific headphone isn't as simple as using the correct bias.  Kinda like saying just because you have high efficiency speakers doesn't mean a 2W SET amp is necessarily the only way to amp them. 

He didn't specify exactly what he meant, but knowing his tastes/opinions I'd guess he meant that you need a colored amp to offset/match with the HE90 (which he thinks is colored). 
Logged

shipsupt

  • Mate
  • Pirate
  • ****
  • Brownie Points: +160/-4
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1687
Re: King Sound "Emperor" Electrostatic Headphone System
« Reply #29 on: July 23, 2013, 07:02:48 PM »
These things were supposed to be showing up soon... Does anyone know if the units that got stuck in customs that were supposed to be at the LA meet were supposed to be more pre-production, or production models?

Logged
Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
Pages: 1 2 [3] 4
« previous next »