[negura]

Be aware they will all be grey market and you will not have a warranty. The sellers act as only as middlemen. So you will be on your own if there are any unbalance problems in the earspeakers you recieve.

That said, I have had very good experiences buying several Stax from PriceJapan.

 
They will be grey market as far as Stax may be concerned, but unless anything changed PriceJapan is including a one year warranty policy. You are as much on your own or not as with any other retailers (based on the reputation and business continuity of that retailer). Nowhere overseas a buyer deals directly with Stax afaik. In some countries in Europe an extended warranty is offered by some dealers, for the (much higher) purchase price. It's up to anyone to decide what's better value for them.

 

[HemiSam]

I purchased brand new 007A's from a retailer via FromJapan.  A channel imbalance developed after less than a week.  I had to return them on my dime and they had the retailer provide a new replacement pair.  I was also charged shipping back to me.  The new pair I have been using for weeks without drama.
 
I'm still ahead of the game, but it was a PITA.  IMO, Stax has a quality control issue.  Statistically, too many of their high end cans are having channel imbalance issues and some dealers are talking about it.
 
HS

 

[Jones Bob]

   
They will be grey market as far as Stax may be concerned, but unless anything changed PriceJapan is including a one year warranty policy. You are as much on your own or not as with any other retailers (based on the reputation and business continuity of that retailer). Nowhere overseas a buyer deals directly with Stax afaik. In some countries in Europe an extended warranty is offered by some dealers, for the (much higher) purchase price. It's up to anyone to decide what's better value for them.

 
Thanks for clearing that up. That's good to know. 
 
Fortuneately, I have had no issues with the Stax headphones I have bought from them.

 

[uchihaitachi]

What explains the massive price differential. Even if you take into consideration of import duties and shipping fees, why do sellers in the (say UK and the US), charge a significantly higher premium than what it costs to buy in Japan?

 

[DougD]

  What explains the massive price differential. Even if you take into consideration of import duties and shipping fees, why do sellers in the (say UK and the US), charge a significantly higher premium than what it costs to buy in Japan?

 
I'd guess that Price Japan mostly buys things when they have an order (and cash) in hand, and ships quickly. So no investment in inventory to speak of. The retail price of Stax is probably lower in its homeland than in other places ... Stax may even try to enforce pricing rules in overseas markets, as many high-end equipment manufacturers seem to do ... and Price Japan can make a living by working those price differentials. They don't need as much markup per unit if they're selling at volume. I doubt many US-based headphone retailers average selling one Stax unit per week.

 

[Jones Bob]

What explains the massive price differential. Even if you take into consideration of import duties and shipping fees, why do sellers in the (say UK and the US), charge a significantly higher premium than what it costs to buy in Japan?

The Yen rate is falling making the dollar cost buying from Japan much more attractive. Plus if any distributor maintains stock on hand, they bought at a higher price months ago.

 

[nassq8]

 
If a warm signature is appealing, or should I say a non hi-fi or more organic sound with the 009s and the BHSE, the front end or DAC is very important indeed. At this level you are going to hear everything which is both good and bad. I have heard David's K-01 and it suits the system well and sounds amazing, I loved it. It convinced me to buy the 009s and sell my 007 (Mk2.5s). The gap was big in my book.
 
I have a KGSShv and the 009s and use an Audio Note DAC which is non oversampling and tubed. The TotalDAC is also join oversampling and uses R-2R chip sets. I would recommend those looking to get away from a 'digital' sound and towards a more 'realistic' sound to look at NOS DACs IMO. They have an incredible ability to just play music so naturally, no spinning tracks and favourite bits here and there, I find I just listen to whole albums now. More real and less 'hifi' IMO.
 
They can / do compete with the very best Delta-Sigma multi dollar products but come in a different flavour especially the ones with tubes and NO filter. It might just be your cup of tea!

+1
 
KGSShv +  009 +  NOS Dac (Neko Audio D100 MK2) = sound flows as a liquid gold (warm, real, stunning)
KGSShv +  009 + OS DACs (I owned) = sound's brittle, thin almost destroy 009 capability

 

[AnakChan]

There's a multitude of reasons :-
 

1. [as per Jones Bob] timing of the order by the local distributor of that region
2. local distributor has to cover for upkeep of running the business (water/electricity/accounting fees/infrastructure for stock take, (self?) employee salaries)
3. local distributor of that region still have to house it somewhere and therefore at the mercy of the local rental rates there
4. local distributor would cover the international shipping costs of repairs (the kind HemiSam had to pay for)
5. [already noted by OP] local distributor is also liable for any local import taxes
6. authorised resellers would buy only from the local distributors (in Stax case in the US/UK I think only one per country therefore only one source?)
7. Price Japan is more a broker than an online retailer.
8. Price Japan can obtain from multiple sources (presumably whichever that has the best price at that moment of intended purchase)
9. [as per Jones Bob] local prices generally are cheaper. In Japan if you're a business sending off something more than 200,000 yen you'll need to fill in proper forms and may require export licenses
10. etc.etc.etc.

 
The discussion of buying via PJ vs local sources has been debated here quite a few times. There's a dedicated Stax Channel Imbalance thread where there's a unanimous split on some feeling it's still worthy to take the risk of buying online and fingers crossed all are fine whilst others who prefer not to take the risk, spend more and buy locally and let the local retailer/distributor handle the risk mitigation.

 

[uchihaitachi]

  There's a multitude of reasons :-
 

1. [as per Jones Bob] timing of the order by the local distributor of that region
2. local distributor has to cover for upkeep of running the business (water/electricity/accounting fees/infrastructure for stock take, (self?) employee salaries)
3. local distributor of that region still have to house it somewhere and therefore at the mercy of the local rental rates there
4. local distributor would cover the international shipping costs of repairs (the kind HemiSam had to pay for)
5. [already noted by OP] local distributor is also liable for any local import taxes
6. authorised resellers would buy only from the local distributors (in Stax case in the US/UK I think only one per country therefore only one source?)
7. Price Japan is more a broker than an online retailer.
8. Price Japan can obtain from multiple sources (presumably whichever that has the best price at that moment of intended purchase)
9. [as per Jones Bob] local prices generally are cheaper. In Japan if you're a business sending off something more than 200,000 yen you'll need to fill in proper forms and may require export licenses
10. etc.etc.etc.

 
The discussion of buying via PJ vs local sources has been debated here quite a few times. There's a dedicated Stax Channel Imbalance thread where there's a unanimous split on some feeling it's still worthy to take the risk of buying online and fingers crossed all are fine whilst others who prefer not to take the risk, spend more and buy locally and let the local retailer/distributor handle the risk mitigation.

Doesn't price japan still offer a one year warranty?
 
Also, would the STAX SRM-007tA be have to be modified to work in the UK?

 

[realmassy]

  +1
 
KGSShv +  009 +  NOS Dac (Neko Audio D100 MK2) = sound flows as a liquid gold (warm, real, stunning)
KGSShv +  009 + OS DACs (I owned) = sound's brittle, thin almost destroy 009 capability

 
I had the D100 for an year, it's a great DAC but not NOS. You're comparing the wrong things, a good DAC, costing $1500 and a not-so-good DAC.

 

[nassq8]

I had the D100 for an year, it's a great DAC but not NOS. You're comparing the wrong things, a good DAC, costing $1500 and a not-so-good DAC.

I stand corrected; digging more info, it does do oversampling, but not upsampling.

Sure, it seems incorrect comparison. But overall, the warm flow given by this DAC makes me wondering if there is a couple of tubes hidden under its hood. Works beautifully with 009 and KGSShv.

 

[realmassy]

Totally agree with that, the Neko is a very nice sounding dac and a good match with STAX. My note was just to highlight the fact that OS DACs can sound good and warm, it doesn't have to be NOS or tubed to sound good with the 009

 

[preproman]

I stand corrected; digging more info, it does do oversampling, but not upsampling.

Sure, it seems incorrect comparison. But overall, the warm flow given by this DAC makes me wondering if there is a couple of tubes hidden under its hood. Works beautifully with 009 and KGSShv.

 
What was the OS DAC you owned and didn't like?

 

[AnakChan]

Doesn't price japan still offer a one year warranty?

Also, would the [COLOR=333333]STAX SRM-007tA be have to be modified to work in the UK?[/COLOR]

i believe they offer a warranty but I don't know if that one year starts when you pay PJ or when PJ pays the shop.

If you buy any SRM amp from PJ, take a look at their page, they offer an external Churi transformer option (I.e. It's still still a 100V amp).

 

[nassq8]

   
What was the OS DAC you owned and didn't like?

 Burson Audio DA-160 and iFi micro. For my listening taste, the latter is nice for anything but 009, it is so brutal and steely with 009. Burson is decent and bearable, but not optimal.  Other I have, are asus U7 and SB FX pro, both should be avoided with 009 IMO.