[David1961]

In 2000 I purchased together the SR-007mk1 + SRM-007t after being told they were an amazing combo, but when I first heard that combo I was disappointed because what I heard sounded veiled, which didn't improve over time. In 2010 I placed an order for the BHSE after reading good reviews about it on head-fi but had to cancel due to lack of funds. I then placed another order for it in March 2011 knowing this time I could make the remaining payments, at that time I still had the 007mk1's. At the latter part of 2011 I saw and heard the K-01 and knew I just had to have it, but could only do that by using my SR-007 and SRM-007t as part exchange. Because I wasn't impressed with the Stax combo it didn't bother me about using them as part exchange but after hearing IanG's 007mk1 with my BHSE which I got in June 2012, I'm now sorry I let the 007's go. Before I received the BHSE in June, I bought the 009 in January that year but first heard it with IanG's SRM-007t and SRM717, at the same time I heard Ian's 007mk1 and it was still the same with the SRM-007t, Veiled. I found his 717 to be the better of the two Stax amps and the 009 sounded better than the 007 with those amps.  While I'd buy another Stax headphone, I'll never buy another Stax amp even if I hadn't the BHSE.
 
If you're after a new electro amp rgs9200m and SQ is all you're after, then either the BHSE or LL will make you very happy even with the 009.
But if you want everything to be perfect out of that amp, IMO there's only one you can choose. I don't think I need to say which one that is.
 
                                          Dave.

 

[Asr]

There needs to be a dedicated SR-009 thread. None of the other SR-009-related threads really cover the SR-009 specifically, so I just picked this one.
 
In any case, I currently have an SR-009 here, to listen to on my own system, thanks to RMAF.

I only started listening tonight so my thoughts are limited so far.
 
That said, the SR-009 isn't nearly as impressive as I thought it would be on my system. I mean sure, it's different, maybe an improvement on the OII MKI in some ways, but it's also mostly the same. I seriously thought it'd be more Qualia-like on my system, but it actually isn't. The OII MKI and SR-009 are definitely cut from the same cloth. The only overt difference I've heard between them so far is that the OII MKI actually has a heavier mid-bass.
 
I've read before of others complaining of too-high volume levels with the SR-009/BHSE combo. Fortunately I don't have that problem on my BHSE, since it has a lower gain than normal thanks to its Stax Normal jack. It appears that my BHSE was destined for an SR-009.

 
I'm planning on writing a mini-review of the SR-009 comparing it to the OII MKI. I predict that it's probably going to be more of a negative/critical review than positive based on my listening so far....
 
Note: I still have the KT77s installed on my BHSE from RMAF. I plan on rolling back to the EL34s soon.

 

[Currawong]

The 009s make more sense with the Stax amps all things considered.

 

[spritzer]

Hence my take on them being essentially broken.  Use the SR-Omega for 5 minutes to know what they could have been... 

 

[rgs9200m]

Quote:

The 009s make more sense with the Stax amps all things considered.

Agree. As far as the SR007 phones of any generation, I owned the original SR007/007t combo from 1999 for several years and I feel the 009s are so much more refined and alive there is no comparison.
The 009s are so much more natural and alive with none of the "buzziness" that could be heard on the SR007s mids and vocals, and the well integrated nicely resonant bass is a joy that was MIA on the SR007s.
I heard the 007s (the lastest version) and 009s in an A/B comparison with the Woo WES and I heard the same differences and could not switch from the 007s to 009s fast enough for the better resolution and musicality. There was some brightness in the 009s with the Wu, but I do not hear this with my Stax 007t amp.

 

[johnwmclean]

Agree. As far as the SR007 phones of any generation, I owned the original SR007/007t combo from 1999 for several years and I feel the 009s are so much more refined and alive there is no comparison.
The 009s are so much more natural and alive with none of the "buzziness" that could be heard on the SR007s mids and vocals, and the well integrated nicely resonant bass is a joy that was MIA on the SR007s.
I heard the 007s (the lastest version) and 009s in an A/B comparison with the Woo WES and I heard the same differences and could not switch from the 007s to 009s fast enough for the better resolution and musicality. There was some brightness in the 009s with the Wu, but I do not hear this with my Stax 007t amp.

Yeah the SR007's are quite subdued without the right amp.

 

[ericohgb]

Yeah the SR007's are quite subdued without the right amp.

^^ * 2
By the way, how does the 007 sound with you KGSSHV?

 

[grokit]

My feeling here is that my 009s have to be tamed a bit in the highs, and my 007t/ii amp (and some carefully chosen cables) does that well.
I am curious about the BHSE though.

Couldn't tube selection also be used toward taming the highs of the SR009 out of the BHSE?

 

[Asr]

Quote:

Couldn't tube selection also be used toward taming the highs of the SR009 out of the BHSE?

 
I'm not sure what brightness people are speaking of with the SR-009, as I'm not finding it bright. I rolled back to the EL34s today btw, and there's no perceived brightness. There's not that much treble difference between the EL34s and KT77s either.
 
To continue my SR-009 impressions: I'm starting to hear more of the subtle differences between it and the OII MKI, but the differences are just that, subtle. There's nothing particularly exceptional about it either - I mean, it's as awesome as the OII MKI, but I wouldn't call it the next level of awesome after the OII, or anything like that.

 

[johnwmclean]

^^ * 2
By the way, how does the 007 sound with you KGSSHV?

Recently I got to hear a DIY T2 with the 007 MK1s at a local meet (unfortunately my KGSSHV was not there) the source was the same as mine a Buffalo 32 DAC. The impression I got was that I needed to do a side my side comparison, as I could not tell if the T2 had anything more to offer, besides heat. I simply love the KGSSHV it matches extremely well with the 007s, I think I've struck a great balance. At that same meet I tried the 009s for a couple of hours - they are an impressive sounding phone but not a long term keeper for me, I prefer the way the 007 goes about its business without all the fuss. I'm also a louder listener, I probably only average 2-3 hrs listening a week, I like to give it a bit of stick - the 009s didn't play as nice as the 007 at louder levels.

 

[David1961]

The first time l heard my 009's was at headfier lanG's place using his SRM-007t and SRM-717. Ian has the 007mk1 so we compared the two headphones with those amps and the 009 was a lot better than the 007. When l received the BHSE we then tried the two headphones at my place and found some songs sounded better with the 009, while others were better with the 007. We also tried lan's LL and the result was very similar. While IMO the 009's sound better with Stax amps over the 007's, the BHSE and LL do bring the two headphones closer together.

 

[ericohgb]

Quote:

Hence my take on them being essentially broken.  Use the SR-Omega for 5 minutes to know what they could have been... 

I though you didn't like the Omega, particularly when compared to the Omega 2 Mk1. Am I missing something?

 

[rgs9200m]

Quote:

Couldn't tube selection also be used toward taming the highs of the SR009 out of the BHSE?

Sure, that's important, with some nice NOS Mullards maybe (I do lots of tube rolling on my dynamic amps and it makes a big difference -- I'm a fan of Psvanes 6ns7s for the record).
 
But all I know is that I spent last night with my MFSL Woodstock CD on my 009s/007t-ii and I was just floored by the realism of the sound and the way it brought out the highs with complete
natural extension while avoiding any fatigue or ear-bleeding-ness at all, and searing/piercing highs are the curse of death for me and I will write off any headphone system immediately that
has this fault no matter what it does right.
 
The detail of each fresh vocal with with each natural breath and physical strain (RIchie Havens, Country Joe McDonald, + Crosby, Stills & Nash especially) and raw guitar guitar lick, like you could almost touch and feel the guitar strings, 
is enough to make me feel like I am right there.
 
The highs walk the line and go right to the edge but not over it to get abusive, so there is no fear in listening that this will be a painful experience, as can happen with so many other phones (like Grados I have known, and many others).
I appreciate this.
My chain is an EMM xds1-->007t/ii-->009s, all plugged into a Shunyata Hydra Triton and some first generation Shunyata Anaconda power cords and some nice Stealth interconnects.

 

[spritzer]

The KGSSHV at full bias should come very close to the BHSE/T2 as the 2SC4686A is essentially the perfect transistor for this job. 
 
Quote:

I though you didn't like the Omega, particularly when compared to the Omega 2 Mk1. Am I missing something?

 
The SR-Omega is the second best headphone there is, no doubt about that.  It's not as precise and controlled as the 007Mk1 but the few things it does do wrong are easy to overlook.  My biggest gripe has been some lingering brightness but I seem to have sorted that now by fully refurbishing the earpads (the new replacements are garbage and should avoided) so they didn't sound like that back in 1993 (or the end of May 1994 when this set was assembled).  The bass is also a bit loose even on the T2/BHSE but that ties into my gripes with the built quality.  There is a reason why I call it "the tin can" as the aluminum you see is less than 1mm thick and just there to cover the resin frame and thus all the issues with energy storage. 

 

[MorbidToaster]

Slightly off topic but have you heard the CSN 2012 live album? 2.5 hours of fantastic music. 
 
Quote:

Sure, that's important, with some nice NOS Mullards maybe (I do lots of tube rolling on my dynamic amps and it makes a big difference -- I'm a fan of Psvanes 6ns7s for the record).
 
But all I know is that I spent last night with my MFSL Woodstock CD on my 009s/007t-ii and I was just floored by the realism of the sound and the way it brought out the highs with complete
natural extension while avoiding any fatigue or ear-bleeding-ness at all, and searing/piercing highs are the curse of death for me and I will write off any headphone system immediately that
has this fault no matter what it does right.
 
The detail of each fresh vocal with with each natural breath and physical strain (RIchie Havens, Country Joe McDonald, + Crosby, Stills & Nash especially) and raw guitar guitar lick, like you could almost touch and feel the guitar strings, 
is enough to make me feel like I am right there.
 
The highs walk the line and go right to the edge but not over it to get abusive, so there is no fear in listening that this will be a painful experience, as can happen with so many other phones (like Grados I have known, and many others).
I appreciate this.
My chain is an EMM xds1-->007t/ii-->009s, all plugged into a Shunyata Hydra Triton and some first generation Shunyata Anaconda power cords and some nice Stealth interconnects.