[Gu Sensei]

I now have a different pair as I had to return my original ones because of trouble with the right driver (I suppose). The signal didn’t completely go out but after a couple of days the channels became very unbalanced with very little sound coming from the right. I thought it might be the used SRM-717 I just picked up, but I went back to the store and tested the phones with another amp. Sure enough, it wasn’t the amp and my replacement pair (#1014) works great with it. Not sure what happened, as I certainly did not play the old pair at excessive volumes.
 
I only needed to work with the store where I bought them because the problem quickly surfaced but I am appreciating that these babies come with a warranty. 
 
Hopefully, this post will be slowly buried over time with my previous pair of SR-009s (#1062) being an isolated case. However, I made this a separate thread just in case.

 

[visualguy]

 
Wow - quite disturbing, particularly for people outside Japan who might have a hard time exchanging them.
 
It's good there was a replacement pair in stock for you.
 

 

[n3rdling]

Sure hope this is a rare case

 

[kiertijai]

I bought my pair , 2nd on the waiting list from Pricejapan.
I have been in contact with the first buyer of PJ to exchange info.
My pair is OK but the first customer's pair also have channel imbalance.
With the info from Gu Sensei, I think  that it is a real problem.
I have cautioned my friends not too hurry to purchase the SR009 now because
of the channel imbalance.  Wait until more info.
I hope that it will not be the same as the Ultrasone ed 10

 

[arnaud]

Sorry to hear about your troubles Gu Sensei. FWIW, I've used mine for a week, maybe 12-16 hours total and no issue so far. I found out today that the warranty is only 1 year so hopefully this is something that declares itself in the first hours rather than after a while.
 
It would be good to hear the official reason for the issue from stax, for instance is it related to the low yield from their manufacturing of the electrode (under heat / pressure). If so, maybe it would mean they're not always sure the manufactured electrode is totally defect free? Humm, hope not.
 

 

[hentai]

I am victim of this problem as well. It is so disheartening as this  headphone cost alot and sounded so good.   I have shipped back to Price Japan for a warranty repair or replacement.

 

[spritzer]

Is there any distortion that crops up with this issue? 

 

[hentai]

 
Quote:

Is there any distortion that crops up with this issue? 

Yes , not only the left side has less volume, it also has distortion when there's bass. Definately not my amp

 

[AudioCats]

Spritzer, did the original Omega have similar problem when they were first released?

 

[visualguy]

 
Never be an early adopter - it's always good to wait until they fix the almost inevitable kinks in the product and/or manufacturing process.
 

 

[spritzer]

Quote:

 


Yes , not only the left side has less volume, it also has distortion when there's bass. Definately not my amp

Ok, that's not good at all.  Most likely scenario is an intermittent bias supply as that most often presents like that.  "Normal" channel imbalance is cause by a parasitic charge sitting on the diaphragm and not being dissipated due to the extreme resistance of the coating.  That won't cause distortion as it just diminishes the potential of the drivers so distortion would only creep in if you push the amp hard to make up for the difference. 
 
Quote:

Spritzer, did the original Omega have similar problem when they were first released?

 
Nope.  Channel imbalance has been an issue with them (and every other Stax for that matter) but there is another reason for that. 
 
 

 

[AudioCats]

 
Quote:

 
Nope.  Channel imbalance has been an issue with them (and every other Stax for that matter) but there is another reason for that. 
 
 

are you talking about charge build-up?
 

 

[ericohgb]

Quote:

I am victim of this problem as well. It is so disheartening as this  headphone cost alot and sounded so good.   I have shipped back to Price Japan for a warranty repair or replacement.

Luckly, my SR-009 is working perfectly. At least until the time being... Myne is number 10015
 
Had this problem with my old SR-007 Mk1. Took a couple of months to STAX to fix it.
 
 
 

 

[ericohgb]

Dear Gu,
 
Mine is #1015 and is working perfectly as until now... let's hope it continues that wa.

 
Quote:

I now have a different pair as I had to return my original ones because of trouble with the right driver (I suppose). The signal didn’t completely go out but after a couple of days the channels became very unbalanced with very little sound coming from the right. I thought it might be the used SRM-717 I just picked up, but I went back to the store and tested the phones with another amp. Sure enough, it wasn’t the amp and my replacement pair (#1014) works great with it. Not sure what happened, as I certainly did not play the old pair at excessive volumes.
 
I only needed to work with the store where I bought them because the problem quickly surfaced but I am appreciating that these babies come with a warranty. 
 
Hopefully, this post will be slowly buried over time with my previous pair of SR-009s (#1062) being an isolated case. However, I made this a separate thread just in case.

 

 

[spritzer]

Quote:

are you talking about charge build-up?
 

Nope, the SR-Omega chassis slowly breaks apart which causes the drivers to go out of alignment.