Stax SR-009: suggestions to tone down the brightness? - Page 9

You may try my modded foobar2000 XA400 for the 009

its sound quality is far better than any other music player (include these commercial music player)

http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_72b3301c01013wh3.html

drop the .wav files over the foobar2000.exe icon then it will play

009 sound bright,one of the reason is the source high frequency jitter noise

I use Apple Hardware -> Audirvana 1.4.1 (Direct Mode + Integer Mode) -> AMR DP-777 NOS DAC (Telefunken CCa ) -> SRM-007a -> SR-009.

Not much complains about brightness except female voices are a tad too shouty at high voume levels. It is easily curable by usage of an EQ though.

I personally think that the SR-009 are fundamentally flawed(flamejacket on!), in my opinion they are bright with neutral gear. They are notoriously picky with components are influenced greatly by whatever is in your signal path, think of them as some kind of a high maintenance trophy wife.

Here is my combo

PC Foobar 2000 --> Aurorasound M2tech Hiface 2 with the Bus Power Pro(DAC output improved immensely with transport) --> SAEC DIG-3000 Coaxial cables --> Luxman DA-200(tad on the warm side of neutral) -->SAEC SL-4000 RCA(warm cables)-->SRM-727A --> SR-009

The SAEC SL-4000 RCA cables are pricey but made a SUBSTANTIAL difference, I highly recommend giving them a try. Prior to getting the SAEC SL-4000 cables I was seriously contemplating selling the SR-009. Bass response improved and the treble has been brought down a touch, detail retrieval is just as high or maybe even higher since it doesn't sound as harsh. As others have said you may also want to checkout your transport and be sure the jitters under control.

Here is a site that does a good job describing "jitters"

http://www.jitter.de/english/what.html

Quote:

Originally Posted by Donnyhifi 

I personally think that the SR-009 are fundamentally flawed(flamejacket on!), in my opinion they are bright with neutral gear. They are notoriously picky with components are influenced greatly by whatever is in your signal path, think of them as some kind of a high maintenance trophy wife.

 

Here is my combo

 

PC Foobar 2000 --> Aurorasound M2tech Hiface 2 with the Bus Power Pro(DAC output improved immensely with transport) --> SAEC DIG-3000 Coaxial cables --> Luxman DA-200(tad on the warm side of neutral) -->SAEC SL-4000 RCA(warm cables)-->SRM-727A --> SR-009

 

The SAEC SL-4000 RCA cables are pricey but made a SUBSTANTIAL difference, I highly recommend giving them a try. Prior to getting the SAEC SL-4000 cables I was seriously contemplating selling the SR-009. Bass response improved and the treble has been brought down a touch, detail retrieval is just as high or maybe even higher since it doesn't sound as harsh. As others have said you may also want to checkout your transport and be sure the jitters under control.

 

Here is a site that does a good job describing "jitters"

http://www.jitter.de/english/what.html

I have never found the SR-009s bright in my setup (DAC-2 --> SRM-727II). I would classify the HD-800s and HE-6s are "brighter" headphones.

009 has some hot treble and miss some warmth-ness. Still, i don't find them THAT bright. the sound is a bit unbalanced. 

I'll get my 009 re-wired with pure copper cable. Even if the new diaphragm is bright, i believe the original silverplated copper cable ain't good for 009. And don't only take my word for it.

"I will say that I've never liked silver plated copper as a conductor. It always sounds bright or "hi fi" to me, with a sharp enhancement to the leading edge of notes, like making guitar strings sound way too pronounced."

The last post in this thread http://www.head-fi.org/t/250436/silver-plated-copper-wire-how-good

Silver has shot up in price in the last few years though.

Agreed on the HE-6 and HD800. I thought the 009 seemed a bit high tilted until I started to realize how recording/master dependent this 'brightness' was. 

Flawed or not they still out do anything else I've heard (including the O2, although I'd like to evaluate further on that one) by quite a wide margin. Never thought I'd say that coming from the HD800.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MacedonianHero 

I have never found the SR-009s bright in my setup (DAC-2 --> SRM-727II). I would classify the HD-800s and HE-6s are "brighter" headphones.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MorbidToaster 

Agreed on the HE-6 and HD800. I thought the 009 seemed a bit high tilted until I started to realize how recording/master dependent this 'brightness' was. 

 

Flawed or not they still out do anything else I've heard (including the O2, although I'd like to evaluate further on that one) by quite a wide margin. Never thought I'd say that coming from the HD800.

 

I've heard the O2 many times through the years (both MKI and II) and have absolutely zero interest in returning to it. Between the SR-009s and LCD-3s, I'd easily take both quite happily.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MacedonianHero 

I've heard the O2 many times through the years (both MKI and II) and have absolutely zero interest in returning to it. Between the SR-009s and LCD-3s, I'd easily take both quite happily.

What amps have you heard the 007 with? I wasn’t that taken by them before I heard them with a KGSS.

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnwmclean 

 

What amps have you heard the 007 with? I wasn’t that taken by them before I heard them with a KGSS.

Here's the list (from what I can remember):

KGSS

SRM007

SRM727A

Woo GES

SRM323S

While amps can really help a pair of headphones, I've never experienced going from not being impressed to totally loving them by changing the amp. The best was the KGSS, but still I'd take the LCD-3s over them. Solude sold his SR007MKI/ KGSS rig for the Audeze rig and hasn't looked back either. YMMV of course. 

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year MH

Hope everyone gets some private time to enjoy their music this holiday

Good Cheer

Quote:

Originally Posted by jtinto 

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year MH

Hope everyone gets some private time to enjoy their music this holiday

Good Cheer

Merry Christmas and here's to a happy and healthy 2013! 

Thankfully the world didn't end last week. More time to spend with my SR-009s (and my family too). 

Quote:

Originally Posted by MacedonianHero 

Here's the list (from what I can remember):

KGSS

SRM007

SRM727A

Woo GES

SRM323S

 

While amps can really help a pair of headphones, I've never experienced going from not being impressed to totally loving them by changing the amp. The best was the KGSS, but still I'd take the LCD-3s over them. Solude sold his SR007MKI/ KGSS rig for the Audeze rig and hasn't looked back either. YMMV of course. 

 

Merry Christmas!

I humbly disagree MH, in the case of the 007 it’s scalability is infamous with better amps and is something I have experienced throughout many years, the KGSS is a fine amp but certainly not the last word either. Contrary to Solude I sold my Beta 22, HD800 and LCD-2 R2 for the 007 (MK1) and have also never looked back. Different ears and tastes... all making for a fun journey.

Merry Christmas back at you! Enjoy.

Agree with John here, have heard the KGSS and the HV and currently own the BHSE.  It was too dark and closed-in sounding until I heard it with the HV and later the BHSE.  While with dynamics (and most stats come to think of it) I agree with the statement of amps not changing the fundamental nature of a headphone's sound, the 007 has been an exception in my experience.