Stax SR-007 for accurate audio engineering work?

Yes the SR-007 is a very transparent headphone when it is properly set up (source, amp, fit).

Haven't heard the SR-009 but if it is significantly brighter I am not sure I would like it.

 

The HD800 can also be a contender, but it has quite a different type sound in many ways. Personally, I vote for the Stax with a top level solid state amp.

What about the Ultimate Ears Reference Monitor? AFAIK t was created for this very purpose, so even though it's much simpler than the options you're considering, I'd think about it.

honestly id go with cans made for that. the ultrasone mentioned above,k701/2,beyer etc. all kinds of people will say all kinds of things about headphones but those are the headphones we use to master media professionally. there are higher fidelity headphones for sure but these just work better in the studio for a lot of reasons. which is why they are specifically designed for that. you will not find engineers using stax unless it is some cutting edge project. for day to day use and the best repeatable results we use the likes of the ones i just mentioned. repeatable is a big key here. that is why every studio had ns-10's. they sucked for fidelity but were good to work with. for pleasure i will listen to sr007/9,r1,he90 etc. not in the studio. it depends if you want to enjoy music or record it. the two are not synonymous regardless of what others may say. in fact at times recording music can be like pulling teeth but we get the job done. if you are not recording for a living i'd suggest to just get the headphones you enjoy the most.

I have to correct myself as I just had the chance to compare the O2 Mk1 on a test CD with natural stereo recordings. It is a really nice listen but the way it was configured at that particular test it did not sound like a genuinely accurate headphone.

The HD600 seems to strike a good balance, for instance I would say the O2 Mk1 is too warm while the HD800 is too cold. I would still take the O2 Mk1 for music listening though for its warm and seductive, non fatiguing sound.

 

Also some people use extensive EQ to match their own HRTF with the headphone they use to achieve a more accurate sound. As I read the O2 Mk1 transducer is fairly flat (as most electrostatic headphone transducers) but the way the headphone is designed it will be heavily affected by the person's own HRTF (one reason why Stax calls their headphones as 'earspeakers') which will result in a more coloured sound, that also explains why it is so sensitive to the fit.

With an accurate IEM that correction might not be needed.

 

I am inclined to try the SR-4070 though as it might be more suited to this task while still carrying all the technical abilities electrostatics are famous for but the huge size and weight are quite worrying.

Edited by padam - 12/2/11 at 11:01am

someone serious about headphones as a studio tool needs to understand their built in EQ - "flat" vs "diffuse field", bass bump to compensate for lack of other body clues, binaural vs room/speaker, virtualization, room simulation

 

and then they shouldn't be shy of applying EQ to whichever headphone they buy - making the choice more about frequency extension, general smoothness of frequency response and low distortion - and not pay too much attention to head-fi's typically useless "headphone's sound" commentary backed by unknown experience, expertise - often posters will not have ever been in the same room with "compared" headphones at the same time

 

a interesting perspective, technology is Smyth SVS Realizer - comes with cheaper Stax system http://smyth-research.com/technology.html

 

you can "collect rooms" - calibrate in different hi end setups for stereo and surround - even some pro studios

Don't rule out IEMs.  I'm very confident in mixes I monitor with the JH13s.  

 

I've also had good success with the LCD2s, but that might be due to fortunate amp pairing.

 

The SR-007 sounds lovely, but it's not the equivalent of a high-end studio monitor like an Adam or Event Opal. The response of the 007 to me is a slight "frown" which is likely to lead to mixes that are overly boosted in the low and high end (smile). If you're set on full sized headphones as opposed to IEMs, I would suggest looking at something like the Hifiman HE-6 or the LCD-3.
 

 

As much as I love the 007 then I'd rather use a 4070 or a SR-X Mk3 PRO for any monitoring duty.  While they 007 Mk1 may be more neutral these are tuned for monitoring so they give you a better insight into bass lines and stuff like that. 

I assume that cost no object, the SR-009s would be as good as it gets for headphone monitoring.  Perhaps Spritzer & others who've heard them can verify.

I wouldn't mix with phones.  Use it as a check but not to rely on the phones for getting there.  Using high quality monitors in a proper room is the way to go in my opinion.

Yes, that would be true because very few people actually LISTEN to music. Music is nothing more that pleasing noise to most. That said a nice set of wind chimes might serve the purpose better. It's really quite sad, considering that music is a form of communication which is more expressive than language.

Edited by listenCarefully - 1/8/12 at 2:41pm