[vcoheda]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michgelsen /img/forum/go_quote.gif What a thread. One moment you think the HE60 is the ultimate for you, the next moment you start wanting an O2...

if you had the HE60 and OII, you would be happy for a while, but then you would start thinking about the HE90.

 

[Carl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Canman /img/forum/go_quote.gif They were a strange headphone for me though. Besides the heavy bass response and dark demeanor, there wasn't much to complain about. But the more I listened to them the more unemotional I felt about the music. I sold the setup with little regret. I actually preferred the less technically proficient but airier Sennheiser HE-60. Now that headphone I do regret selling, even though it had some obvious flaws.

You know, that sounds very similar to my experiences.

 

[pabbi1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michgelsen /img/forum/go_quote.gif What a thread. One moment you think the HE60 is the ultimate for you, the next moment you start wanting an O2...

Then there are the Lambda Pros...

 

[krmathis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pabbi1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Then there are the Lambda Pros...

/me listening to Lambda Pro's atm...

 

[Jon L]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carl /img/forum/go_quote.gif Not really, there's 18 coupling caps in there and no cathode bypasses. If you swapped them out for something reasonably affordable like dynamicaps you'd be looking at around $300 which is quite a bit less than what the Aristaeus cost.

How the heck can there be 18 coupling caps when I only count 6 tubes on the Aristaeus?? Do you know the value/voltage of the Solen caps used?

Contrary to many, I believe Solens are perfectly good caps and a tremendous bang for the buck. Having said that, there are some people who are touting the cheap Vishay caps as the best thing since sliced bread, so maybe that's something to keep in mind...
http://www.audiocircle.com/circles/i...?topic=42756.0

 

[Carl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon L /img/forum/go_quote.gif How the heck can there be 18 coupling caps when I only count 6 tubes on the Aristaeus?? Do you know the value/voltage of the Solen caps used?

You know the ECL86 is a twin pentode/triode and the ECC83 is a twin triode, correct? The HEV90 is completely cap coupled, nothing is DC coupled in there.

Quote:

Contrary to many, I believe Solens are perfectly good caps and a tremendous bang for the buck. Having said that, there are some people who are touting the cheap Vishay caps as the best thing since sliced bread, so maybe that's something to keep in mind... http://www.audiocircle.com/circles/i...?topic=42756.0

The sound artificial and have poor timbre. I'd sooner use a GE/ASC/Siemens run capacitor for a third of the price.

Of course, I'm not trying to push my tastes off on you, if you like the way they sound then by all means use them.

 

[philodox]

How many big egos can you have in one thread... I mean, you've got a major K1000 fanboy and a major O2 fanboy.

...oh, and I suppose the K340 has its fanboy as well.

Seriously though, I've never seen so much "this is the best, you don't even know" talk in one thread. People like different things you know.

 

[Carl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by philodox /img/forum/go_quote.gif How many big egos can you have in one thread...

It's fun to sit on the sidelines and watch. Well, actually I have a pretty big ego too...

Quote:

People like different things you know.

Never! My tastes are right and all your's are wrong!

 

[Guss2]

The O2's are dark across the spectrum,IMO,far from a neutral can(like the 650's of the electrostat world)and if there is one thing the HE90's don't do,is WOW you from the start.It takes plenty of time to appreciate them because they are not over the top in any one area,just good everywhere.They have the most balanced sound signature I've yet to hear.Gary.

 

[Carl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guss2 /img/forum/go_quote.gif The O2's are dark across the spectrum,IMO,far from a neutral can(like the 650's of the electrostat world)and if there is one thing the HE90's don't do,is WOW you from the start.It takes plenty of time to appreciate them because they are not over the top in any one area,just good everywhere.They have the most balanced sound signature I've yet to hear.Gary.

Positioned on your head correctly the O2 isn't especially dark. In fact, you can make them sound pretty bright if you're so inclined, not to suggest they sound their best that way.

 

[mirumu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carl /img/forum/go_quote.gif Positioned on your head correctly the O2 isn't especially dark. In fact, you can make them sound pretty bright if you're so inclined, not to suggest they sound their best that way.

I was just going to make that very comment when I saw yours. The O2s are affected by even the smallest changes and I'm still finding them even after owning them for months. Personally I find them very emotionally involving although I've never heard them through a KGSS. I definitely agree without those talking about the O2s and HE60. If I had to pick two headphones to keep permanently from those I've heard and with cost no object, it would be those two. HE90/SR-Ω curiosity could get the better of me though.

 

[spritzer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vcoheda /img/forum/go_quote.gif if you had the HE60 and OII, you would be happy for a while, but then you would start thinking about the HE90.

...and then the 4070, Sigma Pro, Lambda Pro, Lambda Signature, Lambda Nova Signature, 404, SC-1, ESP-950...

Welcome to my world...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon L /img/forum/go_quote.gif How the heck can there be 18 coupling caps when I only count 6 tubes on the Aristaeus?? Do you know the value/voltage of the Solen caps used? Contrary to many, I believe Solens are perfectly good caps and a tremendous bang for the buck. Having said that, there are some people who are touting the cheap Vishay caps as the best thing since sliced bread, so maybe that's something to keep in mind... http://www.audiocircle.com/circles/i...?topic=42756.0

I have the schematic here and the caps are mostly 0.22uF and should be 630v at least.

The Solens are a huge rip off and the Vishay caps are better. There is a reason why Stax has been using them for 20 years but there are always better caps available. You'll have to decide whether it is cost effective.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guss2 /img/forum/go_quote.gif The O2's are dark across the spectrum,IMO,far from a neutral can(like the 650's of the electrostat world)and if there is one thing the HE90's don't do,is WOW you from the start.It takes plenty of time to appreciate them because they are not over the top in any one area,just good everywhere.They have the most balanced sound signature I've yet to hear.Gary.

The SR-007 is no darker to me then the SR-Ω on the Blue Hawaii. This will depend on the cables used and above all else how the phones couple to your head. If they are to loose they will be bass heavy monsters and if they are too tight they will be bass less and a bit bright. They were designed to be fitted to the users head but unlike the Qualia it is easily reversible.

The He90 is a pretty forward sounding can and they will always wow people, especially those unfamiliar with electrostatic phones/speakers. The HEV90 is muddy and not really transparent so it balances the headphone out so the system sounds ok but not really all that great. This euphonic signature isn't for me but I'm sure others like it. The Aristaeus is the same but it should be a large step up from the HEV90 and I'm going to build my own HEV90 that will go even further in removing the veil.

It's not that I don't like the He90 but given a level playing field the Stax phones always come out on top. Still I'm going to pend a few thousand US$ building an amp for them as they are quite enjoyable and I could never bring myself to sell them. I'd like to end with what Stereophile said when there were still some people there with sense,

Quote:

Are the Stax SR-Omegas as good as the Sennheiser Orpheus headphones I reviewed last year? I did have some reservations about the balance of the Orpheus 'phones, but their astonishing openness nevertheless won me over. However, while I felt they certainly belonged in Class A, they didn't redefine the class. The SR-Omegas do, and at a substantially more reasonable - if still high - price.

...and the SR-007 is even better IMHO.

 

[Elephas]

Well, it's now the Stax SR-007 and 4070 versus the dynamics (except K1000).

 

[Hirsch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by spritzer /img/forum/go_quote.gif The OII's are difficult to say the least while the He90 is easy to get into and they will wow you from the first listen. It takes a few weeks to fully appreciate what the SR-007 does and that is after finding the right amp, cables, ear pad position and the right angle of the metal arcs so the contact pressure is just right. You just pop the He90 (and SR-Ω as well) on you head and press play...

Bad mistake. Just because the HE90 sounds good right away does not mean that you've heard anything close to the headphone's potential. The HEV90 doesn't even come close to what the ES1 can do.

I've had the HE90 for almost two years, and have been steadily tweaking my amp, and rolling tubes. It has always sounded good, but also always sounded as though there was more to be heard if I could find a way to get it out. After almost two years, I'm finally at a sound that I think is close to what the HE90 can do. I'm waiting for some tubes that could finish the job by adding a touch more dynamics, but are not really needed (and won't be used if they affect tone at all). Simply put, I've gotten rid of the vague imaging and seem to have the tonal balance right. I'm also getting more detail out of the HE90 than I have in the past. In direct comparison, the OII simply can't keep up. Ultimately, it's not as fast a headphone, and it can't escape that hump in the mid-bass. In my rig, it's pretty safe to say that nobody would choose the OII over the HE90...now. That might not have been true a month ago. I'm not even going to make the usual statement that this is a matter of preference. The differences are not subtle at this point. A properly driven HE90 is a wonder, but it took me a long time to find out.

Note also that I'm not saying what tubes I finally settled on for the ES1. Not until I find a backup set, anyway.

 

[krmathis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elephas /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well, it's now the Stax SR-007 and 4070 versus the dynamics (except K1000).

Welcome to Team 4070 & SR-007!

[size=xx-small]Cause you just bought the 4070, right?[/size]