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I would say out of the vintage Stax that I've owned, the SR-5NB (gold edition) are way ahead of the SR-3, and can beat an HD600 or HD650 for $200 including energizer. They have good bass, warm mids, and sparkly treble, without funny resonances or peaks, and seem very accurate. I had Gamma Pros and thought they were great, but they seemed a little rolled off at the low and high end of the frequency spectrum, and the SR-5NB (gold edition) have more extension (maybe because of the ear-cups design or something).
Thats strange, the GPs if anything, have better extension than the SR-5NB to my ears. The SR-5NB has a midbass hump that sort of makes up for it though.
Today I got a SR-5 and a SRD-6/SB from German ebay which was the safest and easiest way for me.
So, a big thank you to all who replied to this thread. As soon as I get the headphones I'll write down my impressions here if you want me to. We'll see if I'll become a victim of upgraditis... (hopefully not since I'm a poor student but I said the same after buying the HD595).
Good luck with them, those were my first stats too after 3 years or so I now have a lambda nova signature, a GP, a mint SR-X and the SR-5NB has been upgraded with pro drivers and a new stax cable :P my amp inventory includes two SRD-7mk2s, a SRM-T1 and a custom all tube amp that will be ready in a month....well you get the idea XD
Good luck with them, those were my first stats too...
mine too, and a fine start they are, and like Jo-Vo I got mine on ebay.de. I've had two pairs, and would trade my SR-X for a pair of 5NB, though at the time I got it, everyone said the SR-X was better. (in the old version of this thread!) I think for someone who wants bang for the buck and not to get too deeply into the head-fi world, one could stop perfectly happily with an SR-5, the cheapest headphone I can think of that will satisfy this. Enjoy, Jo-Vo!
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mine too, and a fine start they are, and like Jo-Vo I got mine on ebay.de. I've had two pairs, and would trade my SR-X for a pair of 5NB, though at the time I got it, everyone said the SR-X was better. (in the old version of this thread!) I think for someone who wants bang for the buck and not to get too deeply into the head-fi world, one could stop perfectly happily with an SR-5, the cheapest headphone I can think of that will satisfy this. Enjoy, Jo-Vo!
My Journey started with $230 SR-Lambda with SRD-X and has taken me to my most recent acquisition, the HE60/HEV70 (Stax terminated by Rudistor and using with SRM-1 Mk2 Pro). In between I got a Lambda Signature, a bunch of SR-5NB and another Lambda, and a few Stax IEM. I am hoping it will end with a Woo GES, and I can stop there. Nahhh...
__________________
Originally Posted by Sovkiller
There is no doubt that getting older is mandatory, but to mature remains still optional...
LarryHead-Fi Feedback MAIN RIG: Marantz CD5001 > Synergistic Research Coax > Apogee mini-DAC with Sigma 11 PSU > Anti-cables XLR out > Single Power Square Wave XL balanced amp > HD600 with APS V3 balanced cable >>> Anti-cables RCA out of SP amp > Woo GES > Sennheiser HE60 >>> or to Woo Audio Maxxed WA6 w/ GZ34 Bugle Boy > Grado RS-1 with APS V3 cable. BEDSIDE RIG: Sony D-303 or iRiver H140 > Sysconcept.ca optical > HeadRoom Micro DAC > barqy silver plated copper mini-RCA > Dark Voice 336i "bad boy/5998" > Edition 9 with APS V3 cable. BASEMENT RIG: iBook > USB PICO > Denon D2000 APS V2 cable. PORTABLE RIG: iMod 80gb 5.5G > barqy silver in silk LOD > ALO portable V-Cap dock > ALO Cryo Silver X mini-mini > RSA Predator > Livewires T1. LAPTOP RIG: MacBook > USB iBasso D2 > RS-1 or Edition 9 with APS V3 cable.
The SR-5 (at least the gold version) has a very sweet midrange to die for. Voices, strings and undistorted guitars sound supernatural with it. I never could give that one up. It's like the K-501 but warmer and even better in every category. I only need a better Stax amp for it. The SDX Professional is basicaly just a small SS Amp with integrated transformer box. The transformer coils mess up the signal phase and because of this the imaging and soundstage isn't perfect (it's more dynamic headphone like while keeping the other qualities of the stat).
__________________ Current personal headphone ranking: STAX SR Lambda Pro Classic, STAX SR-5 Gold, STAX SR-001, beyerdynamic)))) DJX-1, beyerdynamic)))) DT 990 Pro (250 Ohm), AKG K-501, AKG K-340, beyerdynamic)))) DTX 50, Cowon A3 Buds, beyerdynamic)))) DTX 20, AKG K-14P, Sennheiser Unipolar 2000
One hour ago the delivery women rang the doorbell and brought my Stax SR-5 and SRD-6/SB that I got from ebay. After setting up some connections which are
Sony D-33
Technics SU-600 (Class A power amp)
Stax SRD-6/SB
Stax SR-5
I was really blown away by the details I could hear. Great! For the moment I just tested it with Porcupine Tree. I missed a bit of bass so I turned the amp's bass knob to +2 and now it's really "wow". I'm not sure if the "bass shyness" derives from the Stax phones or the amp or the source. But I guess I should upgrade the source anyway.
The Sony discman looks really funny on top of the big amp (maybe I should take a picture?) but on the other side of the hand I would consider this to be a great home budget setup. All together it was maybe 170 € from ebay!
There is one thing left that scares me: The inner side of the earspeakers is a white area with holes and I can see a shiny metal surface under them. Sorry, it's hard to describe for me in English... I'm just wondering whether there is voltage on that surface or it's some kind of a protection surface because I have quite long hair and...
So thank you for taking my fear of "extremely expensive Stax gear". Seems like the HD595 will be dropped of ebay (or the FS forum here). I'm out for listening to some Massive Attack or Phil Collins Big Band stuff...
Oh and I'm sorry for ruining the prices of vintage Stax...
I've never gotten any type of shock from my SR-5. Wait until the first time you hear the Stax fart. That'll really make you think of all those volts right next to your ears My SR-5 farts quite a bit too.
I've never gotten any type of shock from my SR-5. Wait until the first time you hear the Stax fart. That'll really make you think of all those volts right next to your ears My SR-5 farts quite a bit too.
Hey! Do your SR-5 look the same? I just thought since I bought them used that there might be some kind of foam missing.
Stax fart? Now I'm scared... I'll search for it but perhaps you could explain that?
Thanks!
One hour ago the delivery women rang the doorbell and brought my Stax SR-5 and SRD-6/SB that I got from ebay. After setting up some connections which are
Sony D-33
Technics SU-600 (Class A power amp)
Stax SRD-6/SB
Stax SR-5
I was really blown away by the details I could hear. Great! For the moment I just tested it with Porcupine Tree. I missed a bit of bass so I turned the amp's bass knob to +2 and now it's really "wow". I'm not sure if the "bass shyness" derives from the Stax phones or the amp or the source. But I guess I should upgrade the source anyway.
The Sony discman looks really funny on top of the big amp (maybe I should take a picture?) but on the other side of the hand I would consider this to be a great home budget setup. All together it was maybe 170 from ebay!
There is one thing left that scares me: The inner side of the earspeakers is a white area with holes and I can see a shiny metal surface under them. Sorry, it's hard to describe for me in English... I'm just wondering whether there is voltage on that surface or it's some kind of a protection surface because I have quite long hair and...
So thank you for taking my fear of "extremely expensive Stax gear". Seems like the HD595 will be dropped of ebay (or the FS forum here). I'm out for listening to some Massive Attack or Phil Collins Big Band stuff...
Oh and I'm sorry for ruining the prices of vintage Stax...
Cheers,
Jonas
Glad you like them. Stats are addictive, if you are not careful you can end up like some people here with 50 electrostatic headphones
Hey! Do your SR-5 look the same? I just thought since I bought them used that there might be some kind of foam missing.
Stax fart? Now I'm scared... I'll search for it but perhaps you could explain that?
Thanks!
Jonas
My look the same. A fart is a loud static discharge. I'm not sure exactly what causes it and if I hadn't read about them before hearing one, I would have been afraid of them. It sounds like it can't be good for you or your headphone, but evidently does no damage. It usually happens right after I put the SR-5 on or when I adjust it on my head. I've only heard it on my SR-5 and none of my other stats.
OK. Until now I haven't heard any farts so it seems that it doesn't happen too often.
There are two questions left:
What does "Team Stax" in some of your signatures mean?
Why would somebody who comes from a mid-end dynamic headphone to vintage Stax don't like them? I understand that somebody could miss bass but I could easily compensate that with my amp's EQ. Hm, Audiophiles don't use EQ, right?
after 3 years or so I now have a lambda nova signature, a GP, a mint SR-X and the SR-5NB has been upgraded with pro drivers and a new stax cable :P my amp inventory includes two SRD-7mk2s, a SRM-T1 and a custom all tube amp that will be ready in a month....well you get the idea XD
My SR-5 farts quite a bit too.
Linear Mode
