That’s not pointing to perfs.
Sorry, I meant perforated on the inside!
@nectarsoundnet Have you ever tried making one of those pro-bias Stax transformer boxes like the SRD-7? I’ve been interested in trying to review an estat but the cost of a good estat setup have been rather prohibitive, especially the amps. These adapter boxes really intrigue me as an affordable way to get into trying it since I could hook it up to a speaker amp. The SRD-7’s are a bit hard to find nowadays!
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I’m not fond of the transformer boxes - you need a clean amp of about 12-50 RMS per channel to make them sound at all good without risking anything. (Like too much power). PM me about your location and I can send you an SRD-6 to try. I don’t use mine anymore.
Switching to a proper amp - I have a Mjolnir modified SRM-T1S was new life for my old STAX, and makes the Hive sing.
I’d look at Mjolnir Audio’s used amps (sometimes there is a SRD-7 there also) if you have any budget at all. Used and special one-off amplifiers – Mjölnir-Audio
Birgir also does a modern SRD-7 that I would suspect is better than the original. Not cheap, but not ungodly $$$$ either. Look at the bottom of this page. Amplifiers for electrostatic headphones – Mjölnir-Audio
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@Fc-Construct no I have not. Mostly because I’m a big proponent for the SRM1/MK2 or SRM3 etc… which are great that if you can find them online you can get them for $500-ish… and more convenient than the energizers without having to deal with an output transformer in your audio path. That being said I have a hive/SRM3 combo for sale for $1100 if interested.
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I see, thanks for the explanation! That makes sense. I’ve been thinking about it a bit more and yea, going the transformer route will still require a decent speaker amp anyway which would bring the price to about parity.
I’ll have to thinking hard about that Hive/SRM3 offer 
. Truth be told, I’m moreso interested in reviewing it (and estats in general) after seeing the release of the Audeze CRBN and a recent reddit post on the ES-1 Alpha. My only previous experience with estats is the L700 + 353x combo which blew me away but the commitment to owning a system is a bit out of my reach for now.
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Sorry guys, my last EQ was not perfect. I did some changes to EQ and modifications. My equalizing was a bit off on the highest frequencies. I accidentally made the treble worse. I should always double check with a sweep tone after measuring. It was just 200Hz off but if you want the smoothest experience possible I should have learned this in the past already. Every headphone sounds a bit different and with different altered ear pads you should always check it with sweep tone after EQ and mods.
With this latest modification I decided to cover the dust cover fully with kinesio tape and added a wedge to make it more clean and lively sounding. It adds energy to low bass and high treble. I can hear nicely rhumble in low bass, midrange is snappy, low treble smooth and high treble energetic.
Latest mod with new EQ
I added the wedge and fully covered the dust cover with kinesio tape. I would love to see how it measures with better rig, THD and CSD.
Equalize APO settings: https://www.udrop.com/5Pif/Nectar_Hive_V5.7.peace
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FYI I just started an Instagram @nectarsoundnet ! Current working on building a kgsshv and will share my progress on there
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Hey Hive-o-philes and Nectarinos,
I see this thread hasn’t been too active lately, but I saw some folks asking about running the Hive from an estat energizer box (SRD-7, etc.) and thought I’d chime in here. I just ordered a Hive from @nectarsoundnet and intend to drive it with a Mjolnir SRD-7 and Schiit Ragnarok 2 combo. I currently use this setup for my 2 STAX headphones, 007A and L300LTD. I’m very happy with the performance. Going to visit family tomorrow, but will be receiving the new Hive soon after the new year.
I’ll be sure to check back in with y’all when I get a chance to form some impressions. Thanks for all the info and reviews thus far. It’s been a fun read while I’ve been eagerly anticipating the new cans 
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I’d think that would work well. I’m sure that Birger’s SRD-7 is better than the STAX one. I did find that the Hive took some time to burn in. After it’s fully cooked, I’d like to hear a comparison between the HIVE and your two STAX. My only STAX phone is an older one, standard bias, so the comparison isn’t valid for today’s models.
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When I started using this headphone, there was sporadic buzzing, crackling, clicking, ringing and other noise happening. After some time, only faint clicking sounds would occur. Is this faint clicking what’s called driver flex? I’ve read that driver flex is normal in estats… But then I stopped using the headphone for months, and now that I’m using it again, the noise is back. I bought the headphone used from a different country, so transit took weeks, and what I’m wondering is this: is the noise normal behavior when the headphone hasn’t been used in a long time?
The noise occurs when I connect the headphone to the amp, and it becomes quieter, but doesn’t stop, when I turn off the amp. The noise goes away completely only when I touch the pins.
Before I connect the headphone to the amp, I put it on my head and touch the pins. I don’t adjust it once it’s on my head to prevent the seal from breaking. The stators have stuck together before when I removed the headphone from my head, but that’s not the noise I’m referring to. The sound of the stators sticking is an entirely different, horrible sound.
The headphone is connected to SRM-252S into ADI-2 DAC.
If the noise goes away when you touch the pins, that’s the driver flex - or actually slow discharging. I do think it’s normal when it’s not been used in a while.
I did not get any unexpected noises when actually using the headphones. And they sound better after a reasonable amount of use. Since my headphone amp has tubes, I don’t listen right away, but wait for 10 minutes or so for warm-up. I would generally touch the pins when I stop listening, not before I start, so that might also account for a difference.
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Got my Hives today! and have spent basically the entire day listening and just generally being in awe of these absolutely stunning works of art. I intend to write more as I get to know them better, but I’ll include an excerpt from my email to @nectarsoundnet just a moment ago for y’all.
These things are simply incredible. Spent the day listening and enjoying every little subtlety and microscopic nuance these are capable of reproducing. I’m particularly impressed with the images and incredible depth of stage I’m getting from the Hive. And tonally – they are just spectacular! I have been tinkering with EQ a tiny bit, but to be perfectly honest they really don’t require any to sound friggin’ stunning.
I’m also loving how well these play both loud and soft. They’re so detailed I’m comfortable listening on the quieter side, and really don’t feel like I’m missing any intricacy in the recording. Everything is rendered immaculately. And they also throw down at louder levels and aren’t afraid to get a bit nasty. These do dynamics all… day… long…
Aside from the fact that they’re estats (that come with the obvious minor inconveniences) I’d say these are far and away the best all-arounder headphones I own now. I’m not sure that my 007 does detail, imaging, timbre, staging any better. They’re a different flavor for sure, and one that I really love deeply. But these are 100% in the same league without a shadow of a doubt.
Oh, and they’re wicked comfortable too. Clamp force is basically perfect for me. Seal is great. Not a single hot spot. They’re light and a pleasure to wear all day long.
You’ve really created something special here. I think more people need to own these things.
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Now that you’ve had them a while, it’s time to rev up your writing implement of choice and give longer impressions.
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Hey there! thanks for the nudge. I needed it. I’ll be back soon with more impressions. Spoiler: The Hive is absolutely incredible in every regard. I use it daily, and I only think the STAX 007 is better by a very small margin. The Hive is 100% endgame worthy, and supporting Sajeev in his small operation is also totally commendable. These are probably the best value in head-fi as far as I’m concerned.
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Yes, I really like my Hive’s also. Without a doubt the best headphones I have. My STAX are 1980s mid line ones - still very transparent, but don’t have anything like the bass extension of the Hive. The closest thing I have to them is the Hifiman HE-560 
, but the Hive are I think faster, and better balanced. Of course I can’t do a direct comparison because the HE-560 go though the Lyr3 amp and the Hive through my Mjolnir modified STAX SRM-T1S amp. Both driven by a Bifrost 2. I do think there is some rough similarity of the amps, as they are both tube hybrid, but they are aren’t the same so I don’t know how much of a factor amplification might be.
I don’t own any “TOTL” headphones
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A few weeks ago I bought a KGSSHV Carbon because I was interested in electrostatics, sort of eyeing a CRBN or an X9000. I also bought the Nectar Hive because of the good things that I read and to have a baseline comparison point for estats.
My chain and and the other headphones that I own are:
Schiit Bifrost 2 => RAAL HSA-1b => HE6se V2, RAAL SR1a, ZMF Verite Closed
Schiit Bifrost 2 => KGSSHV Carbon built by Dukei => Nectar Hive
They have superior technicality in almost every way compared to the HE6se and ZMF VC. The SR1a is a small step ahead in terms of resolution and sound stage size but a big step behind in bass and macrodynamics. Originally my favorite overall headphone was the SR1a, but I think the Hive may be taking that title.
The Hive’s standouts for me are the imaging, instrument separation, resolution, bass, and the fact that it does all this without any weakness. The bass extends below 20Hz and has good texture.
Comfort: I quite like the headband design, and the clamping force is good, although close to being too clampy. The earholes of the stock Brainwavz earpads are too small. I replaced them with these pads recommended by Sajeev and comfort improved significantly.
Regarding the sticking diaphragm phenomenon, it’s a minor inconvenience for me.
On a different forum, I read that a powerful amp makes a significant difference for these. I am curious if that is the reason I am so impressed with these. The Hive+Carbon is the only estat I have ever heard.
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I would love to get the opportunity to try my Hives on a different amp to see if you’re right. In the distant past, I used an SRD-6 with a regular stereo amp. The older STAX amp I have was upgraded by Birger (Spitzer aka Mjolnir Audio) so I have absolutely no baseline that relates to other amps. I’m certain your KGSSHV is better, but the modified SRM-T1S is no slouch. The difference between that and an SRD-6 on my older STAX phones is night and day.
Since buying the amp from Mjolnir, I’ve had a board level restoration done on my older Sansui AU-919 integrated amp, so if I were curious, I could see if that makes a difference as a high-quality input for the SRD-6. But I’m not that curious as the energizer is all original and old.
I guess the solution is to make the trek to a meet or CanJam or something with my Hives. Or possibly to a high-end audio store, but they will probably have only current commercial STAX amps.
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How do the Hives compare to your L300LTD?
I have the blu-tak modded L700 connected to an SRM-323S.
Originally I was thinking of getting the Perun electrostats, but those are like $1200 from a relatively obscure company in Russia and now with the war and the sanctions…
So the Hive came up in my searches and they are super intriguing!
Thanks
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For me the Hive is superior to the L300LE. I can’t do a direct comparison anymore as I just sold my L300LE and my Hive was shipped to ASR last month so I could get it measured and reviewed.
From memory: The Hive is more natural and neutral sounding (less upper-mids wonk), has a better sense of space and definitely better bass depth. They both image and separate voices/instruments extremely well (as estats do).
I think the Hive is endgame-worthy to be perfectly honest. I know a lot of folks really want to spend tons of money on flagship STAXes and mafia-made amps and whatnot, but shit, even taking the super-affordable cost of the Hive out of the equation, it simply makes music enjoyable to listen to. Can you do better? Sure. Do you need it? Absolutely not. It presents tons of “detail” and clarity, is well-tuned right out of the box (I do EQ the brightness down just a smidge, but not totally necessary), has great imaging (something I prioritize). It leaves little to be desired. Maybe the DIY build quality vibe is not for everybody, but the comfort is high, and the sound they produce is nothing short of spectacular.
I still like my 007 a little more, but I tend to reserve the 007 for special occasions, while the Hive is on my head almost every day. I really think the Hive could be a one-and-done kind of headphone for some budget-conscious electrostat enthusiasts. I think more people need to hear them.
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