Before I begin, I want to thank The Gramophone for giving me the opportunity to audition these headphones. Brian and David were extremely helpful not only in setting up the Stax gear but also helping me in getting a few beyer headbands in my hands *crosses fingers* I feel like a million bucks right about now.
The event transpired no more than 2 hours ago. I grabbed the car after class to cash a cheque, and thought, "What the hey, let's visit The Gramophone." I had already inquired about the beyer headbands some weeks ago, but my phone dropped a few calls consecutively and nothing was finalized. I also asked to listen to the SR-001 MK2 system which wasn't in when I originally asked about the headbands. Thus, there we were, commiserating about the crappy North American beyer distributors' customer service when David mentioned that they had received a new shipment of Stax not too long ago. I spied around for the shelf that held the familiar SR404 box, but it wasn't there. In fact, in its place was a briefcase, a briefcase that had the coding "SR-007 MK2." I squealed quietly (that's right) and put my hands to my face à la McCauley Culkin in Home Alone, and they offered to set it up for me. I was speechless for a while, and I gladly accepted. You see, I've never heard any electrostat before, and the very prospect of getting near to one would be like walking into a Porsche dealership and sitting in the driver's seat. (Using Porsche would be an accurate analogue, right?) David went in to set up the Stax SRM 006tII energizer while I went to grab some CDs.
Returning to the listening room (some of the readers' eyes would explode out of your ears if you saw the crazy gear they had and consistently set up in there), I waited as David was plugging in the who knows how expensive RCA cables into the Ayre Evolution CD player that sourced this wondrous moment. First plugging in the SR404, I leaned back in their comfy armchair and let the sweet sounds come. Wow. This sound was the cleanest and most natural I have yet heard. On some tracks through my SR60s where the cymbals were shrill and a slightly harsh, it was all very comfortable-sounding through the SR404s. It had some forward mids reminiscent of the SR60s as well. I had seen these SR404s at least a year ago, so I'm assuming they were well burnt-in by impression time. Bass punch was very pleasing, not at all overwhelming or overbearing. And the fit was incredible too. Here I was, trying to get some beyer headbands when this Stax one made everything disappear. The fit around my ears was very comfortable as well, and I'm guessing would continue to be so for some time had I the opportunity to listen further. Very neutral sound. The highs were very precise without getting sibilant. Fast-souding indeed. The complete range sounded very balanced to me, and I thought for a moment that I could live with kind of sound until I die. But that was just a thought. The SRM006tII+SR404 system would cost me 1700 clams (the exchange rate between clams and CAD is 1:1); not so bad once I get my Engineering Co-op job, but I have two years of school to continue paying my parents back for.
Now onto the SR007MK2. This headphone was truly a beauty of a beast. Slick black all over, real sheep's leather, full and comfy earpads; this was the real deal. The sound? Darkness to the max. Wow, the only other 'phone I've ever heard this veiled was the Audio Technica W5000, but that had a different signature to it. Treble pushed back, mids seemed kinda hollowed out, bass not quite up to the SR404. The lack of mids reminded me of an unburned-in GS1000. Granted, it had only been a week since The Gramophone had received the unit, but Brian informed me he tried to burn it in as soon as he got it over a couple nights. We can count on a couple dozen hours there. Anyway, I had heard that the O2s were very dark and almost muddy sounding, but I hadn't ever understood what that really meant. Did I enjoy it? Ehhh, not as much as the 404. I like the balance, the forwardness, the bass punch. I had heard that electrostats suffered from weak bass, but David told me that didn't really hold to headphones, which I had noticed. Even if I were expecting anemic bass, the bass was well greater than my now bass-heavy Millett Hybrid MAX+SR60. Greater in the sense that the thump wasn't as offensive and better controlled. Very easy to get used to. And I just started getting used to my MHM+SR60 combo too. Anyway, the description of the O2MK2s' sound I used with David was something you'd listen to on a dark Saturday night, Cuban in one hand and Scotch in the other, leaning back in your armchair and taking stock of your life. I don't smoke nor do I drink, but you get the idea. Very mature sound, very well-behaved, très leaned back.
I understand that some of the terms and descriptions I've employed may offend some electrostat fans, but I never knew what electrostats really sounded like a couple hours ago. My conclusion on today's experience? O2MK2s very dark, very relaxed. It was overall a comfortable sound, but a little too comfortable for me. I've still got a little vitality to me, so I prefer a sound that's a bit more energetic and vibrant. I think the 404s were dynamic (not in THAT way), fast and precise, punchy but balanced, sharp but still comfortable. My conclusion is that the Stax have reached a precision that's so...precise...that it feigns a generally laid back sound. Paradoxical? Think of a relaxed digital source; precise and relaxed. Voila. Goodness. I don't even know if I want that SR-001 MK2 system anymore. Must listen more.
Thanks for reading. Knowledge and comments are always welcome with me.
The event transpired no more than 2 hours ago. I grabbed the car after class to cash a cheque, and thought, "What the hey, let's visit The Gramophone." I had already inquired about the beyer headbands some weeks ago, but my phone dropped a few calls consecutively and nothing was finalized. I also asked to listen to the SR-001 MK2 system which wasn't in when I originally asked about the headbands. Thus, there we were, commiserating about the crappy North American beyer distributors' customer service when David mentioned that they had received a new shipment of Stax not too long ago. I spied around for the shelf that held the familiar SR404 box, but it wasn't there. In fact, in its place was a briefcase, a briefcase that had the coding "SR-007 MK2." I squealed quietly (that's right) and put my hands to my face à la McCauley Culkin in Home Alone, and they offered to set it up for me. I was speechless for a while, and I gladly accepted. You see, I've never heard any electrostat before, and the very prospect of getting near to one would be like walking into a Porsche dealership and sitting in the driver's seat. (Using Porsche would be an accurate analogue, right?) David went in to set up the Stax SRM 006tII energizer while I went to grab some CDs.
Returning to the listening room (some of the readers' eyes would explode out of your ears if you saw the crazy gear they had and consistently set up in there), I waited as David was plugging in the who knows how expensive RCA cables into the Ayre Evolution CD player that sourced this wondrous moment. First plugging in the SR404, I leaned back in their comfy armchair and let the sweet sounds come. Wow. This sound was the cleanest and most natural I have yet heard. On some tracks through my SR60s where the cymbals were shrill and a slightly harsh, it was all very comfortable-sounding through the SR404s. It had some forward mids reminiscent of the SR60s as well. I had seen these SR404s at least a year ago, so I'm assuming they were well burnt-in by impression time. Bass punch was very pleasing, not at all overwhelming or overbearing. And the fit was incredible too. Here I was, trying to get some beyer headbands when this Stax one made everything disappear. The fit around my ears was very comfortable as well, and I'm guessing would continue to be so for some time had I the opportunity to listen further. Very neutral sound. The highs were very precise without getting sibilant. Fast-souding indeed. The complete range sounded very balanced to me, and I thought for a moment that I could live with kind of sound until I die. But that was just a thought. The SRM006tII+SR404 system would cost me 1700 clams (the exchange rate between clams and CAD is 1:1); not so bad once I get my Engineering Co-op job, but I have two years of school to continue paying my parents back for.
Now onto the SR007MK2. This headphone was truly a beauty of a beast. Slick black all over, real sheep's leather, full and comfy earpads; this was the real deal. The sound? Darkness to the max. Wow, the only other 'phone I've ever heard this veiled was the Audio Technica W5000, but that had a different signature to it. Treble pushed back, mids seemed kinda hollowed out, bass not quite up to the SR404. The lack of mids reminded me of an unburned-in GS1000. Granted, it had only been a week since The Gramophone had received the unit, but Brian informed me he tried to burn it in as soon as he got it over a couple nights. We can count on a couple dozen hours there. Anyway, I had heard that the O2s were very dark and almost muddy sounding, but I hadn't ever understood what that really meant. Did I enjoy it? Ehhh, not as much as the 404. I like the balance, the forwardness, the bass punch. I had heard that electrostats suffered from weak bass, but David told me that didn't really hold to headphones, which I had noticed. Even if I were expecting anemic bass, the bass was well greater than my now bass-heavy Millett Hybrid MAX+SR60. Greater in the sense that the thump wasn't as offensive and better controlled. Very easy to get used to. And I just started getting used to my MHM+SR60 combo too. Anyway, the description of the O2MK2s' sound I used with David was something you'd listen to on a dark Saturday night, Cuban in one hand and Scotch in the other, leaning back in your armchair and taking stock of your life. I don't smoke nor do I drink, but you get the idea. Very mature sound, very well-behaved, très leaned back.
I understand that some of the terms and descriptions I've employed may offend some electrostat fans, but I never knew what electrostats really sounded like a couple hours ago. My conclusion on today's experience? O2MK2s very dark, very relaxed. It was overall a comfortable sound, but a little too comfortable for me. I've still got a little vitality to me, so I prefer a sound that's a bit more energetic and vibrant. I think the 404s were dynamic (not in THAT way), fast and precise, punchy but balanced, sharp but still comfortable. My conclusion is that the Stax have reached a precision that's so...precise...that it feigns a generally laid back sound. Paradoxical? Think of a relaxed digital source; precise and relaxed. Voila. Goodness. I don't even know if I want that SR-001 MK2 system anymore. Must listen more.
Thanks for reading. Knowledge and comments are always welcome with me.
I do suspect that a lot of it was due to the lousiness of the Stax amps I had; the SR-404 sounded very good out of the McAlister amp, though it was very clear that the amp was voiced with the O2 in mind as it was way too bright for the SR-404. Still, it was punchy and dynamic, much more so than it was with the SRM-313 or the SRM-007t.
