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STAX SRS-2050II Basic System vs. Koss ESP/950 vs. HD600 w/Dynalo - Page 2

post #16 of 45
9/15/11 at 2:39am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Audio-Omega View Post

Sennheiser HD650 can scale up pretty well with better source and amplifier, I suspect HD600 is in the same league.  I'm tempted to sell my Hifiman HE-5LE and get HD600.  


The other earspeakers also improve with system improvements particularly the Koss ESP which benefit from amp/transformer upgrades.  The stock system is lacking.

 

My Lambda Pros are a little bit light in bass impact but I still love them.  The SR-007 is unimpressive with the SRM-007t but becomes a bass monster with the right amp and does wonders to vocals.  I think the HE60 has enough impact for me but it doesn't have the syrupy thick bass that many people like.

 

The RS-1 is my favorite "normal" headphone, it doesn't need super fancy hardware just to sound good, so you can upgrade as much/little as you want.

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post #17 of 45
9/15/11 at 5:31am

Do the pads of RS-1 cover your entire ears ?

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post #18 of 45
9/15/11 at 10:50am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Covenant View Post




Disclaimer: I haven't heard the SRS-2050II.

 

The HD600 has phenomenal tone. If tone is a priority for you, it makes a great headphone that you will keep for a long time. If you value other things more (visceral bass, treble extension, microdetail, speed), then the HD600 isn't for you. Particularly, if you're after detail and speed, Stax is the way to go.

 



Do the Stax have a bad "tone" compared to the HD 600?

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post #19 of 45
9/15/11 at 10:53am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by plaidplatypus View Post




The other earspeakers also improve with system improvements particularly the Koss ESP which benefit from amp/transformer upgrades.  The stock system is lacking.

 

My Lambda Pros are a little bit light in bass impact but I still love them.  The SR-007 is unimpressive with the SRM-007t but becomes a bass monster with the right amp and does wonders to vocals.  I think the HE60 has enough impact for me but it doesn't have the syrupy thick bass that many people like.

 

The RS-1 is my favorite "normal" headphone, it doesn't need super fancy hardware just to sound good, so you can upgrade as much/little as you want.



I listen to all types of music, but I really just want a neutral headphone. I like treble energy, but I want sufficient bass too.

 

Stax don't have good bass impact, do they?

 

I would have to get the SR-202, and I don't know how these compete with the HD 600.

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post #20 of 45
9/15/11 at 1:08pm

I don't know if it's because of the thicker 2.5 micron diaphragms (rebuilt drivers) on my Lambdas or what, but I don't have a problem with bass impact at all. I can hear the notes, and they have significant volume.

 

Then again, I'm not looking for head-slamming, subwoofers-on-head bass here, and chances are you'll only find that with dynamics (unless you're going to try and get a 2.1 setup going with electrostatics + a subwoofer). Not everyone can agree on what "good bass" even means...

 

Unfortunately, I haven't heard either the SR-202 or HD 600 (or any other Sennheiser headphone), so I can't comment directly...but having the SR-Lambda gives me some idea of what to expect from the successor models.

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post #21 of 45
9/15/11 at 2:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Audio-Omega View Post

Do the pads of RS-1 cover your entire ears ?


Yes, but they sit on your ears, not around them like my HE60.

 


 

Quote:
Originally Posted by sennheiserhd485 View Post





I listen to all types of music, but I really just want a neutral headphone. I like treble energy, but I want sufficient bass too.

 

Stax don't have good bass impact, do they?

 

I would have to get the SR-202, and I don't know how these compete with the HD 600.


If you want something neutral try the DT-880.  The SR-X MkIII Pro is suppose to be neutral but I have only heard the normal bias version.

 

If you want bass impact just get some Darth Beyers.

 

There have probably been more HD-600 sold than SR-202.  I don't think the HD-600 are still in production but correct me if I am wrong.

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post #22 of 45
9/15/11 at 5:51pm
Thread Starter 



 

Quote:
Originally Posted by plaidplatypus View Post




Yes, but they sit on your ears, not around them like my HE60.

 


 


If you want something neutral try the DT-880.  The SR-X MkIII Pro is suppose to be neutral but I have only heard the normal bias version.

 

If you want bass impact just get some Darth Beyers.

 

There have probably been more HD-600 sold than SR-202.  I don't think the HD-600 are still in production but correct me if I am wrong.



The HD 600 can be bought new from Amazon.

 

I read on Headfonia.com that the DT880 is a great monitoring headphone, but not so great for music, because of the low bass.


Edited by sennheiserhd485 - 9/15/11 at 5:55pm
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post #23 of 45
9/15/11 at 5:54pm
Thread Starter 



 

Quote:
Originally Posted by NamelessPFG View Post

I don't know if it's because of the thicker 2.5 micron diaphragms (rebuilt drivers) on my Lambdas or what, but I don't have a problem with bass impact at all. I can hear the notes, and they have significant volume.

 

Then again, I'm not looking for head-slamming, subwoofers-on-head bass here, and chances are you'll only find that with dynamics (unless you're going to try and get a 2.1 setup going with electrostatics + a subwoofer). Not everyone can agree on what "good bass" even means...

 

Unfortunately, I haven't heard either the SR-202 or HD 600 (or any other Sennheiser headphone), so I can't comment directly...but having the SR-Lambda gives me some idea of what to expect from the successor models.



Which Stax headphones do you have? The bass is probably better on the more expensive models.

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post #24 of 45
9/15/11 at 6:18pm

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by sennheiserhd485 View Post

Which Stax headphones do you have? The bass is probably better on the more expensive models.


They're supposedly the original SR-Lambda, normal-bias. But as I mentioned earlier, these aren't stock; someone rebuilt the drivers with 2.5-micron-thick diaphragms instead of the original 2-micron-thick material and replaced the cable for whatever reason (original cable could've developed a fault), and the foam inside the earcups is gone too (probably rotted out by now). spacemanspliff thinks they sound a bit like the Lambda Nova Basic, but I can't really compare to other electrostatics if these are the only ones I've ever heard. (How much better could it get?)

 

Regardless, they work well, especially for only costing $250 with an SRD-7/SB driver unit. Unfortunately, deals like that aren't particularly common, but you could just be in the right place at the right time.

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post #25 of 45
9/15/11 at 6:21pm
Thread Starter 

I am probably going to have to pay like $750 for mine.

 

confused_face(1).gif

 

 


Edited by sennheiserhd485 - 9/15/11 at 6:22pm
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post #26 of 45
9/15/11 at 8:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by sennheiserhd485 View Post

 

Which Stax headphones do you have? The bass is probably better on the more expensive models.

 

Bass is tolerable on the O2s through the Woo GES, though I wouldn't recommend the O2 for a listener whose highest priority is bass.  My guess would be that a high-end amp will help with instrument separation and focus better, but I'm not expecting miracles going from the GES to the BHSE.

 

If the BHSE is a miracle worker, though, I won't complain smile_phones.gif

 

I'll probably end up getting a dynamic system in a few years to get back to a nice, bassy sound, and go between the two setups.


Edited by Elysian - 9/15/11 at 8:21pm
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post #27 of 45
9/15/11 at 8:43pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Elysian View Post

 

Bass is tolerable on the O2s through the Woo GES, though I wouldn't recommend the O2 for a listener whose highest priority is bass.  My guess would be that a high-end amp will help with instrument separation and focus better, but I'm not expecting miracles going from the GES to the BHSE.

 

If the BHSE is a miracle worker, though, I won't complain smile_phones.gif

 

I'll probably end up getting a dynamic system in a few years to get back to a nice, bassy sound, and go between the two setups.



Sorry, what is "BHSE"?

 

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post #28 of 45
9/15/11 at 9:05pm

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by sennheiserhd485 View Post
Sorry, what is "BHSE"?


Blue Hawaii Special Edition. It's a top-of-the-line electrostatic amp that's actually backordered for a year or so because of the tubes it uses (if my understanding is correct), and it costs somewhere around $4,995, maybe a bit more for shipping.

 

Those who have the Stax Omega-series headphones (SR-Omega, SR-007/Omega 2, SR-009) may also have one of those to drive it for the ultimate in electrostatic setups (unless the rare Sennheiser Orpheus HE90 headphone and HEV90 amp system is more to their taste, which will cost at least $12,000 when it's up for sale).


Edited by NamelessPFG - 9/15/11 at 9:07pm
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post #29 of 45
9/16/11 at 2:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by sennheiserhd485 View Post



 



The HD 600 can be bought new from Amazon.

 

I read on Headfonia.com that the DT880 is a great monitoring headphone, but not so great for music, because of the low bass.



I only suggested the DT880 because you asked for a neutral headphone.  I'm guessing that you want a headphone that has a slight bass rise, but is not super-heavy bloated.
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Elysian View Post

 

Bass is tolerable on the O2s through the Woo GES, though I wouldn't recommend the O2 for a listener whose highest priority is bass.  My guess would be that a high-end amp will help with instrument separation and focus better, but I'm not expecting miracles going from the GES to the BHSE.

 

If the BHSE is a miracle worker, though, I won't complain smile_phones.gif

 

I'll probably end up getting a dynamic system in a few years to get back to a nice, bassy sound, and go between the two setups.


The GES is only marginally good enough for the SR-007 but it works great with Lambdas.

 

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by NamelessPFG View Post

 


Blue Hawaii Special Edition. It's a top-of-the-line electrostatic amp that's actually backordered for a year or so because of the tubes it uses (if my understanding is correct), and it costs somewhere around $4,995, maybe a bit more for shipping.

 

Those who have the Stax Omega-series headphones (SR-Omega, SR-007/Omega 2, SR-009) may also have one of those to drive it for the ultimate in electrostatic setups (unless the rare Sennheiser Orpheus HE90 headphone and HEV90 amp system is more to their taste, which will cost at least $12,000 when it's up for sale).



The BH uses four EL34: http://www.headamp.com/electrostat_amps/index.htm


Edited by plaidplatypus - 9/16/11 at 2:49pm
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post #30 of 45
9/16/11 at 5:41pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by plaidplatypus View Post





I only suggested the DT880 because you asked for a neutral headphone.  I'm guessing that you want a headphone that has a slight bass rise, but is not super-heavy bloated.
 


The GES is only marginally good enough for the SR-007 but it works great with Lambdas.

 

 



The BH uses four EL34: http://www.headamp.com/electrostat_amps/index.htm



I don't really want a bass rise but I don't want anemic bass (AD700, which is supposed to be similiar to Stax headphones in the bass region).

 

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