[eric343]

A point that was brought up at the last Seattle minimeet was that electrostats have a way of turning their owners into snobs... I know I find myself subconciously considering dynamic headphones to be "incurably inferior" or "means to an end (that is, a powered-by-Kevin-Gilmore electrostatic end)".

Anyone else notice this?

 

[fewtch]

Maybe the proximity of all that voltage does it to some people?

(j/k)

Edit -- I tend to think it's more the high quality of whatever electrostatic models are still on the market, rather than the technology itself. After all, they've been around for decades and it would be easy to mass-market if the demand was there. The whole thing is very simple and straightforward as a technology, there's nothing mystical there at all.

 

[gpalmer]

I don't think they turn their owners into snobs. I don't have electrostatics, but I have ribbon tweeters and I could see it being hard to go back once you got used to the smoothness!

 

[taoster]

self-deluded-supriority

 

[zzz]

Quote:

Originally posted by eric343 A point that was brought up at the last Seattle minimeet was that electrostats have a way of turning their owners into snobs... I know I find myself subconciously considering dynamic headphones to be "incurably inferior" or "means to an end (that is, a powered-by-Kevin-Gilmore electrostatic end)". Anyone else notice this?

maybe you're onto something with this, eric.

 

[grinch]

i'm not a snob
I'M JUST BETTER THAN ALL OF YOU!

 

[MD1032]

Quote:

Originally posted by grinch i'm not a snob I'M JUST BETTER THAN ALL OF YOU!

Exhibit A

 

[lan]

Quote:

Originally posted by grinch i'm not a snob I'M JUST BETTER THAN ALL OF YOU!

Why do you have that HP1000 piece of junk. Sell it to me!

 

[JaZZ]

I don't believe in a general superiority of electrostats. They are principally superior in certain sonic criteria (resolution, detail, smoothness) but these don't have equal weight to everyone's ears. I have three pairs of electrostats and appreciate them a lot, but I barely listen to them and prefer my dynamic models for their specific qualities, such as dynamics, substance, focus and «musicality».

To answer the question: Yes, I think owners of electrostatics risk to become snobs

because they see the criteria that count most for them excusively fulfilled in their headphones. It's like someone is good with mathematics, so he thinks he's more intelligent than other people. Or like certain Mac users who think they belong to a knowing minority. This can barely happen to owners of dynamic headphones as representatives of a majority: To whom should they feel superior?

 

[Joe Bloggs]

The electrostatic snobs?

 

[Geek]

No, I have too limited an experience of electrostatics but I do not think this is so. :] I didn't like the sound of the Stax SRM-007. It had a brittle top end, colored, uncontrolled bass, and didn't sound close to as neutral as my dynamic setup.

Thus I have not had experience with the top end electrostatics so I really can't say.

Mabye I'll become a snob if I hear the Omega II or the Orpheus. . .

Cheers,
Geek

 

[JaZZ]

Quote:

Originally posted by Joe Bloggs The electrostatic snobs?

Good one!

 

[bozebuttons]

Maybe some can become snobs. But I don't feel that way.
I have 4 electrostatic Phones The He90, He60,007, Stax SrxmkIII.
As far as sticking their nose up at my counterpart dynamic setups I don't think so.
The Dynamics Hold their own. with the right amp,R10, Hp1, Hp3, Rs1, Akg1000.
That said as I am listening to the He90s as I type this.

 

[eric343]

Jazz- Actually, I know many PC users who feel superior to Mac users. And I know my Powerbook G4 feels superior to my PC. (a close friend and Apple evangelist *definitely* feels superior to PC users.)

Quote:

Originally posted by Geek No, I have too limited an experience of electrostatics but I do not think this is so. :] I didn't like the sound of the Stax SRM-007. It had a brittle top end, colored, uncontrolled bass, and didn't sound close to as neutral as my dynamic setup. Thus I have not had experience with the top end electrostatics so I really can't say. Mabye I'll become a snob if I hear the Omega II or the Orpheus. . . Cheers, Geek

The SR-007 is the Omega 2 headphone. The SRM-007t is the "Omega 2" amplifier. (I put quotes in there because many find the SRM-717 amplifier better.)

 

[Dusty Chalk]

Maybe it's because there is no such thing as low-end electrostatics?