Topping estats amp EHA5 (details updated)

[rickler]

posted elsewhere direct from the manufacturer.

a90d circuit driving transformers.

Thank you for the reply @kevin gilmore! Senor Stax himself! Forgive my ignorance; what does that mean in general versus designs like the KGSS which, as far as I can surmise are designed without output transformers, and simply generate the appropriate voltages natively through their designs?

One thing that has been on my mind is the "Class D-ization" of electrostatic design, where a small, light amplifier can cleanly drive with very low distortion. It seems that the EHA5 is not this at all, but is there a reason why this concept does not happening in the TOTL electrostatic world?

 

[Soria Moria]

Halo Acoustics EH-1&EHA-1 Electrostatic HP&Amp Kit - L7Audiolab

台式设备 这个虹曙静电套装（ Halo Acoustics EH-1 ）是国内两个小鬼做的，记得差不多两年前他们就开始搞这个项目了，当时说的就是要做一个平民化的静电耳机。我其实听着是觉得搞笑的，静电还能平民呐？一个放都得多少钱了？想屁吃？结果果然他们以2999发售了这个套装：

www.l7audiolab.com

https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z10.3-c.w4002-24167365957.9.36951d3for1vOC&id=680685989700

That’s a beautiful headphone! If it performs well I’d love to own one.

 

[kevin gilmore]

class D making 2000 vppss. not any time soon. or ever.
full frequency range electrostatic output transformers are VERY hard. and quite large and stupidly expensive.
the lundhall's are $5k each. you need 2.
when square wave pictures of the topping are published we will know whether they know something that i do not know.
birgir will have his unit in a week or so.

 

[Svperstar]

I wonder if its possible to run the Koss estats with this. I thought about getting a Stax amp for my Koss 95X but someone talked me out of it. I use a little tube pre-amp I got off Amazon for $40 as the volume knob for my Koss cuz the knob on the 95X is so annoying.

 

[okok]

via tw

 

[okok]

some cracked down to do some teardown already, no need to do extra work
@kevin gilmore

 

[Hatto]

via tw

View attachment 279578
View attachment 279579

I'm relieved to see there are no tubes in there. The main thing keeping me away from trying some expensive electrostats was poor technical specs of available energizers (wrt to price).

I wonder if those transparent "sails" are there just for show...

 

[kevin gilmore]

very nicely done for $400.

led's under the sails to make it look like there are tubes inside.

 

[AML]

Really want to get this, but want to make sure all Estat headphones will work, like Jade II's for example.

 

[ObjectiveSubjectivist]

I love how they added "tube" like glow

 

[kevin gilmore]

100 volts peak to peak 10khz square wave

 

[capetownwatches]

100 volts peak to peak 10khz square wave

 

[PolarisPrime]

100 volts peak to peak 10khz square wave

And as a noob, what does this mean? Good or bad?

 

[antcollinet]

And as a noob, what does this mean? Good or bad?

Doesn't look that bad to me. It is basically the result of putting a 10kHz square wave through an amp with a 50kHz bandwidth.


EDIT : *looks at specs* - yes, 40kHz bandwidth to 2.5dB down. So exactly what I would expect.


EDIT some more : PS. - welcome to the forum.

 

[sm5]

Really want to get this, but want to make sure all Estat headphones will work, like Jade II's for example.

Jade II's and Stax SR-L300 and Stax SR-L500mkii's worked fine with the Topping EHA5. I liked the smaller size of the EHA5 than many of the larger amps. I suggest a EHA5 over a smaller SRM-252S though. I didn't notice much of a difference between a Jade II amp or SRM-400S compared to the EHA5, and doubt I'd be able to pick which is which in a blind test at reasonable levels. I ended up selling all my regular headphones and just have IEM's now though - I personally prefer them more than the electrostatics.