Electrostatic headphone energisers
It is often said that electrostatic ear-speaker systems are too expensive and people quite often rule out the idea of having a pair because of cost. It simply isn't true that they have to be too expensive. As with all things, you can spend an awful lot of money on an electrostatic headphone setup, but you can get a superb system at a cost much lower than you think!
Affordable electrostatic headphone setups
DIY energisers
MUAMP transformer energiser can be made for less than £50.
eXStatA by Cavalli Audio can be build as a tube hybrid or pure solid state.
Low cost showroom energisers
Stax SRM-252s typically £425 inc VAT and P&P.
This IS an incredibly good energiser, sounds superb, small box and can be powered from a small 12v battery.
Stax SRM-353x typically £995 inc VAT and P&P.
Another good energiser, great sound, XLR and phono inputs, balance on volume control.
You really do need to listen to the above setup(s) to appreciate how good they sound - 'The proof of the pudding is in the eating'. You will be amazed, REALLY AMAZED! Try it, you will like it.
Noise and distortion in a hifi system
Distortion can be defined as any alteration in the waveform of an audio signal. Speakers produce harmonic distortion and other types of distortion which tends to be much higher than amplifier distortion, or any other part of a hifi system. Most of the noise, distortion and colouration in a hifi will be due to the speakers. Listening to quality electrostatic earspeakers is the closest you can get to noise free speakers. Even with Flac coming from a phone and amplified by a £425 Stax SRM-252s and then going to a quality earspeaker, as shown in the diagram will produce incredibly accurate and natural audio. A 'listening test' to the setup shown above is really needed to appreciate the sound reproduction realism. You will hear the music / recording as if you were present in the recording room.