The Stax SR-507 Appreciation Thread - Page 8

You've got some 009s mate...you won't need any 507 :-)

 

 

it never hurt to experience :)

+100

They really have very similiar tonal balance to my ears, so don't see any reason to try 507 when you already got 009 (and I got both for some time... then, of course, 507 was sold )... at least if it's sound that interest you, maybe it's might be interesting to have 507 because of they rectangular form or something like this, but if so I would rather search for something even more extravagant, like Stax Sigma  

 

P.S. BTW got a chance to listen a couple of LCD-2 (one new "bamboo" ver. with stock cable, second is "old" rev.2 with Norse Audio cable) with SPL Auditor and SPL Phonitor... and it streghtened my desire to buy SR-007 (as a electrostatic substitute of LCD-2/3) in the future, all because of how some jazz sounds in LCD-2, IMO it really sounds awesome even compared to WES+009 combo (though it also sounds awesome on those tracks, but just different) 

 

 

i think your wallet will really hate you

What I really want is a 4070. The reason I'm thinking about a 507 or 404LE is looks and so my girlfriend can listen to. She's began to show more interest lately but I'm not ready to buy her an 009.

she needs to deserve a 009 first!

Quick update of my listening impressions of the 007s: they are nice, really nice.
I have decided to buy them (thanks Philip @cheshireaudio for the great deal!!).

I'm not entirely sure they are better than the 507, they are very different though, and probably after a long time with the Lambdas I wanted something with a different sound signature.
The differences are there, clearly, but with some recordings, after matching the volume (the 507s sound louder, a lot) they are not so evident.
Example: with some cello sonatas by Mendelssohn the only difference was the timbre of the cello, dryer on the 507. Piano was very similar, and so imaging and transparency.
Different story with small ensamble, with brasses or winds. The 007 in this case are sweeeeeeet, a bit dark, but so pleasant to listen to. Going back to the 507 was a pain with HIP recordings of Bach's Brandenburg Concerts.

Dynamics are better with the 507, you need to use more the pot between tracks and albums, every recording has a different 'right' volume. Micro dynamics are still better with the 507, they can extract every detail from the recording, you can listen to every vibration of the instruments. Violins are spectacular. The 007 are flatter, but still very enjoyable.

The 007s are completely grain free, from bottom to top end, very liquid and the background is 'blacker'. Instruments are distant, but stage is not deeper. It's like sitting in the 5th row in a theatre, rather than with the musicians (like the 507). The general presentation is similar to a live event, but some people may find it boring.

Vocals are forward on the 507s and more detailed: you can hear the singer breathing or any small nuances of the voice. The 007s leave more space to the orchestra, give more balance to the music, but I'm not sure they are more correct.

I don't have massive problems with aplification: actually the 600ltd does a good job in driving them. But I listen to very low volume, and I only have to turn the pot to 10 o'clock rather than 9 with the 507s. And the latter still sound louder. I'm sure a BHSE can provide more juice, but I'm not going to spend those kind of money anytime soon, so I needed to be happy with my amplification. I don't find the bass (altough I don't like talking about music in terms of bass, midrange and highs) out of control or bloated. I don't listen much to symphonic works, I prefer the intimacy of chamber music, and I can't spot any problems. I'm sure with Orchestral, electronic or even rock things will be different.

Another interesting thing: I found the 507 to have a more distinctive sound signature. What I mean by this is recordings tend to sound similar, while with the 007 bad recordings are really a pain. Some of them sound totally 'off'. But good recordings are great, a real pleasure to listen.

As I said, I'm not sure the 007 are 'better', but I wanted to listen in a different way. And that's the reason I've decided to buy them. But this tells a lot of how good the 507 are.
Edited by realmassy - 10/20/12 at 4:17am

realmassy

I have a similliar thoughts about 007 vs 507  

 

BTW there is one guy on russian headphone forum that has custom made amp by russian master with a price far above top electrostatic amps (as I understand, it's cost much more than upgraded WES that he selled me...), so he saying that that is the only amplifier that make him actually Hear what 007 is Capable (he has HEV90 (he also has HE90 of course), STAX SRM-007tII, both with some great expensive tubes and he also had WES "MAXXED" which he selled to me (he compared it to BHSE before buying, he liked WES more, so he bought it)), he saying that 007 actually is on the level of 009, but different sound signature... but with amps like BHSE and WES he thinks that 009 is a way better headphones than 007 (he thinks that 007 with WES is on a level of LCD-3 with a good amp)...... He live in a different city, so I can't say my opinion on this matter, but I think that this guy has a right to judge with all the equipment that he can compare 

 

I really enjoyed your write up as we listen to the same music. I made the same comparison and came to the exact same conclusions as you. I've convinced myself that unless there is an 009 in my future I have no reason to be upgrading. I have dynamic headphones I use when I want a change of pace. I've given a lot of thought to getting the 007 because I could manage it, but I just can't find a reason. I really enjoy that last bit of transparency I get from the 407 (I've modded them with the 507 pads). 

Glad you enjoyed it!
I had the 507 for more than one year as my single headphone (and I had some 202 before). Quite a record for the head-fi standards :-) I'd keep them both if I could afford, but I can't. In any case the 007 is not a quick listening headphone: when I listened to Beethoven Op. 127 the first time with the Omegas (Takacs Quartet) I felt something was completely wrong, but my ears were still used to the sound of the 507, and I was trying to find the same kind of sound with the 007 rather then understand what they were trying to say to me..if you see what I mean.

One could say I could achieve a similar result with a LCD-2 for example, but I'm really not looking forward changing everything in my setup...and I can use the 007 in the future as trade-in for the 009

Interesting. I can see a lot of comments about the 727, not so many about the 007tII. I'll try to get a demo of the amp as well...in the future!

I've done that comparison with the 600ltd, 007t and my 006t, You have the best of the group now. I tried the 007 with the 007tII amp and it was, in my opinion, a terrible match. I would have bought 600ltd but it wasn't available locally so I wound up with the 006t and I'm happy with it even though I know the 600ltd is better. I think you have to go way up the pricing scale to get into a significantly better amp for your 007. I think your 600ltd is a great amp and well worth the price. 

 

The guy that I was talking about in post above writted on forum that 007tII stock tubes is terrible, when he changed them to some good GE tubes it's sounded on a whole new level (not near WES or HEV90 of course, so now he selling 007tII too)... BTW I had similliar experience with my GES, when I changed stock tubes GES sounded on a new level of quality...

But my little experience with SR-007 (SZ2) showes that amp is very important and not only power is what they need, becase I liked 007 with GES much more than with KGSS... so 007 is quite a troublesome headphones in my opinion... 009 plays great out of any amp, but the price is really great minus, although with GES/KGSS I was thinking that 009 plays on $3000 if I compare sound/price with other tops (HD800,HE-6,LCD-2/3,...), but now with WES I'm thinking that they play on $4000 IMO 

Edited by DragonOwen - 10/20/12 at 8:21am

If you're seeing better detail and dynamics out of the 507, I'd say you do have a problem with amplification. The real improvement in amplification manifests in clarity and dynamics, as well as having a more linear FR. The volume has little to do with it.

Of course, my comparisons were with the 404, 007 Mk1, and 007 Mk2, not the Mk2.5 or 507.

^ it could be! And i'd not be surprised, given the cost of amps like the bhse.
I listened to a headfier Liquid Lighting with the MK1 and it was a different kind of presentation: imaging was very impressive (I guess that's why they are so high rated on head-fi) but level of detail was similar, I didn't hear anything that I didn't with the 507. ithen listened to the same headphones with my amp and the sound wasnt as spacious as I remember with the LL, but again details and dynamics were similar. The 600 was brighter though.
Probably the mk2 are more difficult to drive