The Stax thread (New) - Page 436

difference between 202 and 303

If I remembered right, the 303 and 404 are about the same except the cable, correct? what is the main difference between 202 and 303? diaphragm thickness?

thanks

...so I have put it on hold for a while.

Well, that might very well had been the last thing you ever did.
Especially when under a gun point.

It's distorts and there is no bass. I suspect the tube but I have no spares to try out but they are on the way.

Same diaphragm but different stators. What the differences are is impossible to tell without sacrificing a couple of drivers.

How different are their sound?

It's more a difference of refinement then anything else. It's been too long since I listened to them side by side for a good comparison but I quite like both drivers though the 404 units is mostly wasted on the Lambda frame.

SR-202 are a tiny bit more mids oriented and more forgiving, think more like SR-Lambda. SR-303 have more detail and are a bit more forward sounding. The differences are very minor and really come out on fast and complex recordings.

P.S. I really spend just about half an hour with SR-202 and a lot of time with SR-303.

Thanks Birgir. Does the 202 also have the mid-range spike (like the 404 is supposedly having)?

I am asking because there is a used 212/202 system in the FS section for $275. Somebody please grab it! I already spend too much $$ on Stax in the last 45 days

thanks. kind of like the difference between my 110v and 220v SRM-1's.... except the 110v is the one that is more forward.

Looks like the SR-202 is available separately from Audiocubes II now. Did I miss this news recently? Or is it somehow not genuine?

Looks genuine. However, I notice a lot of prices are now a good deal higher than last time I looked. Over 25% in many cases

While I'm not able to read at the moment over 600 pages in this thread alone I have a few questions for the Stax experts here.
Firstly is the Stax SR-007A (OmegaII) the top Stax phone in production and what amp is ideally suited to it? I know the Headamp BHSE is the top performer here, although how does the Woo GES stack up?
Lastly is Audiocubes or Pricejapan the best place to but Stax.
Thanks.

Yes.

I'd pick a maxxed Blue Hawaii. Some find the maxxed ES-1 to also do well.

Never seen a direct comparison but I'd suggest it'd be like chalk and cheese - the BH has a great deal more power to deliver to the power-hungry O2s. I'm sure if you just check spritzer's posts you'll find comments that are a lot clearer than that but with that general emphasis.

The best place to buy Stax is HERE, at HeadFi .

Alright, seriously, new imported into Australia you'll find yourself paying import duties for anything valued over $AU1000. So factor that in if you are buying from grey market like Audiocubes or Pricejapan. In terms of which is best, do the searching of each vendor as sometimes one or the other is better (price wise) for a particular item. I've never compared them for level of service, etc but I'd say they were reasonably similar.

If you're looking for a used set you might still find a bargain by buying from Yahoo Japan through a broker (but, again, factor in the brokerage fees and extra shipping - they'll be shipped to the broker and then, after the broker verifies all is fine, they'll be shipped on to you).

I've been listening to the HE90+Aristaeus the past few days and I think I must have been running a fever when I said the SR-007 Mk2 is better. Did I really say that? Maybe I just dreamed about posting that on Head-Fi. Aaargh, that's pathetic.

Anyway, switching to Siemens ECC83 tubes instead of Sylvania 5751 works better with the HE90. Both of the O2's do better with the Sylvanias, which have an extremely crisp, clear and clean sound.

The HE90's greater brightness, air and soundstage benefits less from the Sylvania 5751's than the O2's. It works extremely well with an all-Siemens tube complement. I don't understand how anyone can say another headphone is better than the HE90+Aristaeus.

Try it with an amp that isn't capacitor coupled and report back. Just don't blame the amp when the phones suck...

Btw. Koss ESP950 at 620v bias is just sick bass wise... It's not nearly as good as the SR-007 but damn impressive for this old... er... relic. It might be a bit too forward but I'll know in due time.

Ah-hah! So the key element is not the headphones or amps! (I've been focussed on the wrong items ). It's the tubes! (and I thought tube prices were going through the roof as it is - but when this info gets out I can see 'ultimate tube' adverts for these tubes with O2 and HE90 owners $16K tubes in the future, anyone?).

Seriously, though, thanks for the info Elephas. Reinforces the importance of tailoring the system to get the best synergy of all components within it. Keep enjoying the music you're now getting.

Thanks for the update, spritzer. I am SO keen to get a 620v bias supply hooked into my system somehow.