The Stax thread - Page 95  

ok, lest y'all jump to conclusions, I assure y'all that that wasn't me on that last eBay auction. That'll learn me for having a life and being away from the boards all day. In any case, I'm thrilled with my slapdash (Sugden preamp) solution and don't intend to be escalating this issue any more than it needs to be right now. Not that I don't reserve the right to be snagging an eBay SRD-7 Pro in a couple months once everyone else stops looking for one and the price returns to normality, but I'm just not one to chase the market. I feel for the eejit, I really do, but hey at some point you gotta start wondering when the Wooaudio tube amp at $1,200 brand new starts looking like a damn fine option compared to chasing the market on these damn transformer boxes. Wish someone would just post a review already on the thing.

I'm about as big a supporter of the free market as they come, so I'm not about to complain too much about the escalation of eBay prices...but we're just killing each other with these bidding wars. Last week, I got sniped on the baby Orpheus, but that was okay coz I knew some headfier wound up with a great deal on them. I intentionally limited my max bid so that someone would score a hell of a deal -- it turned out not to be me that time, but such is life...better someone gets a great price than we all needlessly escalate the bidding so that the winner ultimately pays more than necessary.

Good post.

Of course we all drive the prices up on each other - we talk about gear in phases and all pique each others interest on the same piece of gear at the same time.

I'm chasing the transformer box as it has great value to me, because of what I already own that I get to hook it up to... the SRD-7 with the SR-X/MK3s has proven amazing with the Pass Labs gear, I can only dream of what a pair of SR-007s will be like when (not if) I try a pair.

I'm definitely not in this hobby with any delusions of saving money or getting deails, whenever I do that's a total bonus, I'm in it because the money I spend is more than worth the enjoyment I get rediscovering all the music I love, being able to appreciate the performances and recordings in different perspectives which I didn't think were possible.

edit: As soon as I hit save on this post, I hit play on XTC's _Nonsuch_, and immediately began viciously air-drumming. I must look ridiculous, but god am I having fun

So I'm alone in thinking that was way overpriced?

$350, about £175, less than it would have gone for on ebay uk for sure.

I'm sure I've seen quite a few pro bias Lambdas go under $250, some even near $150 without a transformer box. Or is there something special about these specific ones I'm missing?

I'm sure I've seen at least two Signatures go cheaper than that within the last month. Or does the "Signature" tag not imply pro bias like I had thought? Whatever it is though, it appears I've been undervaluing these things.

That one went fast! To bad 'feckn_eejit' missed it!

Most probably!
The current going price for a pair of Lambda Pro's seems to be around $3-400. Where you find some at $500, and occasionally a pair for $250. Not sure about the current going price for a SRD-7 Pro though...

I would certainly have gone for the $350 Buy-it-now price, if I had seen it in time and the seller would allow international sales.

Man, I feel so sad since I saw that auction early and had several minutes of free time to use the BIN (but I ignored the auction and didn't think it was anything too out of the ordinary); had I known exactly what a great deal it was I would have hit it in a heartbeat

So, I slapped XTC's _Skylarking_ on quite a few hours ago, decided I'd search the head-fi music board for XTC, was reminded about _The Big Express_ and have been on an XTC-a-thon ever since. I've made it to _Oranges and Lemons_ (actually skipped and did _Nonsuch_ before this, awesome...) and am absolutely floored at the ol' SR-X/MK3s ability to cope with this album. It's one of those late 80's things where they figured how to plug every musical hole with a sound, no matter how stupid. There is NO space in the mix WHATSOEVER.

Come to think of it, the first time I heard _Oranges and Lemons_ was in '01 or '02 when I was borrowing a SRD-7-->SR-X/MK3 setup from a friend, hooked up to an Audiophile 24/96 sound card, NAD 1155 preamp, and Hafler SE240 power amp. I always found some notes and sounds difficult to follow. I considered the SR325s I bought to replace the Staxs which went back to their owner an improvement at that time.

Now, there is no such problem. Every ridiculous little sound resonates in its own individual space, is perfectly easy to follow on its own and hear every nuance of its sonic signature despite everything going on around it, each sound's dynamics are conveyed more accurately than I've ever imagined possible, yet I can stop concentrating on any one sound and still enjoy the entire sonic picture as the gaping wide tapestry it is. No one sound hurts for any other sound to be noticed, no matter how subtle. Guitar parts where I was sure I knew what was being played, turn out to be more complex and intricate than I presumed. Oh, and Colin's Wal Pro bass growls like GOD (as an aside, Flea plays a later active Wal on "Suck My Kiss", which growls even more... then Geddy used a few of them from PoW to RtB - very unique sound) There is no confusion, at any volume. These cans are serious goosebump-inducers.

As an aside, I've been going back and forth between my three CD transports as well - with the Sonic Frontiers SFT-1, there is no bass, uber detail, but it's harsh, nasty, analytical, and completely lacking in the soundstage department. The Parasound C/BD-2000 (with belt-driven transport by CEC) is by far my favourite with the Stax cans - incredible imagery and smooth highs while not hurting in any way for detail - it just doesn't wallop you over the head like the SFT-1. The Micromega Drive 2 is pleasant to listen to, and has great bass extension and wallop (not that this comes through well on the SR-X/MK3s, but makes it my favourite with my Totem Forest speakers) but gives up too many of the positive attributes of the Parasound in exchange for some of the positive attributes of the SFT-1... though I still like it better than the SFT-1 with the Stax cans. I haven't listened to them in a few weeks, but with the Magneplanars however, the SFT-1 is king.

I find it insane that a digital transport can make so much difference to the sound... even more insane that each transport sounds best with different (ear)speakers.

On the other hand, with my RA1/RS1 (or SR325) setup, I am hard-pressed to tell the difference between the three transports.

I still feel transports are a weakness in my system and that I need to step up to the next level, but until I find a Mark Levinson no.37 locally (no way I'm swinging that kind of money on a transport if I can't see it first...), these three will have to do.

I am definitely going to have to try SR-007s with the (hopefully forthcoming) SRD-7 Pro to see if they can top this, although other than better low and high end extension I can't possibly imagine how...

I also have to admit, a small part of me is considering wading into the SR-Omega auction... my left kneecap to be specific.

SFT-1 is just a transport - you're thinking of the SFCD-1. I'm using my Pass dac (very solid state...) for everything.