First of all I'd like to say that I've been dreaming to listen to the legendary "Orpheus" since I'm begin to fall for headphones few years back, seem to me everyone I knew always mentioned these cans as the best electrostatics cans ever made, so once I have my chance from the HE90's owner khun kiertijai (appreciated for your kindness) I took my opportunities to try HE90 along with my faithfully O2 MkI and the lastest version of STAX O2 MkII from Thailand STAX's distributor, so here comes my brief impression on these three statics headphone in comparison.
System set up:
Cans: Sennheiser HE90, STAX O2 MkI, MkII.5
Sources: iMac(iTunes with Amarra 2.1.1), Sttello CDT100
DAC: WEISS DAC202
Clock: Antelope Isochrone OCX
Amp: Fully upgraded Woo Audio WES with telefunken EL34 and Mullard 6sl7, McIntosh MC275
SPK: Maggie 1.6QR
Lets begin with limited one, Sennheiser HE90 has transparency, neutral, precisely PRaT and never heard any cans has beautifully highs as HE90 before, no wonder why everybody praised about it.
To me HE90 bring the musics came to live, felt like listen to nice Electrostatics or Ribbon Speakers instead of headphone. The headstage is wider than any statics or dynamics I had listened including the good headstage cans like sennheiser HD800, HE90 also shares the same sonically character with HD800 as well(listening session with Woo Audio WA22 fully upgraded), as far as I can say it's definitely not the cans for relaxing moment alone with yourself after work, it's neutrality and accurate frequency response drew my attentions during listening session so I guessed among other purposes, to use the cans in studio would be the main designated reason.
For now STAX O2 MkI is the only statics I own, an O2 serves me well daily for hours with it's recess round shape headstage, warmer sounding and nice depth presenting, I wouldn't mind it's narrow headstage because an electrostatics transparency doesn't give me any pressure around my head as some dynamic closed-cans does. MkI has slightly fuller mids and upper-lows than HE90 but couldn't compete on the upper-ends and layering.
I used to own STAX O2 MkII before sold it out right after I've got my MkI and that doesn't means I didn't like it, I loved it, O2 MkII is a good electrostatics cans, promisingly musical with punchy bass unlike others statics, the only flaw I had with it is the bloating mid-lows which could be fix by Spritzer's mod, but stills I preferred MkI sounding. When the STAX's distributor here in Thailand Jet Live Audio asked me "would u like give the new O2 MkII( some called it O2.5) a try?" I accepted, after few hours I quite satisfied with it I'd say an O2.5 came close to MkI on neutrality but still fun to listen, the mid-lows weak point has been fixed by STAX's new diaphragm.
My conclusions: According to the Greek mythology even though "Orpheus" has failed to bring his beloved Eurydice back from the death but the Sennheiser "Orpheus" could bring my music collection back to live. Orpheus is not the cans to die for but as a head-fier you have to listen to it before you die, the HE 90 deserved it's legendary.
Comparing to an O2s with my woo WES, Orpheus is easier to drive, O2s has mellowing mids, punchy slammer lows but HE90's thinner diaphragm excel O2s on the upper, wider stage and transparencies, of course an O2s are transparent but it's like covered your camera's lens with soft filter they will lost some resolutions but give you warmer feeling instead.
SR Omega is the most neutral STAX I had listen long time ago, O2 MkI is the most neutral Omega2 and for now O2.5 is the one that I like, hope an upcoming SR009 would give me more.
So which one to choose? you'd asked, I'd say it's depends on your taste there is no right or wrong about it, to me if "Money is not a problem" HE90 Orpheus will be my choice, SR009 could be better but yeh.. what do I know.
Have fun listening guys, thank you for reading this far.
Edited by OmoNemo - 3/29/11 at 2:07am
