Electrostatic Headphone Energisers

David12 & Folkfreak are correct that the McIntosh MHA100, as well as pretty much any other general purpose headphone amplifier, would be unsuitable for use with Stax electrostatic headphones. For several reasons: All Stax electrostatics produced in recent decades require a 580 volt bias voltage. They also require a balanced signal pair for each channel, to support push-pull action on the diaphragm. Each of those signals must be at much higher voltages than the signals supplied to dynamic headphones, and work into much higher impedances (145,000 ohms in the case of David’s phones, resulting in lower currents than in the case of dynamic headphones). Finally, the connector is completely different, requiring 5 pins to supply the two balanced signal pairs + the bias voltage, rather than the two signal pins (one for each channel) + ground of a standard 1/4 inch headphone connector.

Regards,
-- Al

I have the Blue Hawaii too.  It is a very good energizer/amplifier.  The build/delivery time was pretty long (18 months or so).  It has worked flawlessly for me.  I replaced the stock tubes with some telefunkens that a friend gave to me (he brought over 4 different sets of vintage tubes and I got to pick the ones I liked for sound).  I use it to run 007 Omega II phones (I heard the amp with 009s, but, I prefer the sound of the 007s so I've stuck with my now quite old phones).  This amp sounds really good running other phones, like Sennheiser HP 60s, but, either the plugs on the phone or the jack on the Blue Hawaii have to be modified to run the Sennheisers. 

^^^ You should be researching this at head-fi,oh & The Autoformers in the McIntosh will run ANY headphone including electrostatics!!!

@freediver the MHA100 is not an electrostatic energizer

To the question the OP asked I owned the 007t ii with SR-009 but was very disappointed with the performance of the energizer. I plonked down for a Blue Hawaii which is one great but expensive, and super slow delivery, way to go. No idea how the new Stax T8000 would compare as it was not out when I was in the market

Thanks for the suggestion, but I think the Mcintosh only works with conventional dynamic, not electrostatic phones and I really wanted a headphone amp only, not with a DAC and multiple inputs.

McIntosh MHA-100...I've seen them as low as $2000.00...Add a pair of small monitors for the ultimate apartment/condo system...