I've always liked to glossy black look of Meridian gear. Don't know why. Those "lower-priced" pieces look great too. This is bad news for my wallet...must...resist.... Good thing it is empty right now !

I don't have any "scientific" testing to backup my belief that cables do make an audible difference. So, I can only say that IME, in my system I've heard not so subtle differences when auditioning various wire. I agree with fewtch that, at least to some extent, pyschological factors play a...

For me, the problem with headphones is the perception of being placed "closer" to the musical source than I would prefer i.e. I sometimes feel like I'm in row A, or even in the middle of the orchestra, rather than, say, row P. Don't get me wrong, I love my Stax. But it is a trade-off for me...

Quote: Originally posted by fyrfytrhoges here's a good one, the usps or ems in japan tries to deliver the package to audiocubes but requests money for import taxes, audiocubes refuses to pay the taxes and now my headphones sit in limbo somewhere until someone (who knows who) decides if...

I've never performed a direct comparison between what I hear from my SACD/Stax setup and what I hear at the Bass Performance Hall here in Fort Worth. It isn't really practical for me to lug my equipment there and I doubt they would let me even if I wanted to ! But, my wife and I have held...

Restricting the purchase to a bricks-and-mortar store leaves out excellent choices like Axiom Audio's M22ti's which are sold factory direct. I'd look at Ultimate Electronics for speakers before Circuit City or Best Buy - they at least have KEF and some other high-end brands. If the system is...

I typically listen to my Stax 006t at about 2, very rarely 2.5 on the volume dial for pretty much all types of music - I listen to classical as well. With a quiet environment I have found that I can listen at 1.5 quite happily. I covered my Stax headphones with a towel. They make a stand and...

I guess that depends on how much you "hate" the sound of the NAD 541i and how quickly you can accumulate more funds. If it is a matter of just a couple of months to add say, $400 or $500 I'd save rather than buy now. At $1200 you could get the SACDMods Sony 555ES or check out the used market as...

I never really had much success with Vibrapods - not so much a negative effect as no effect at all. After some experimentation I found that Mapleshade brass cones and weight had a more dramatic effect in my system but YMMV. Currently, I'm auditioning a Neuance shelf (I will anyway when my...

Doug, I believe that the deposit can be applied to anything including used cables and accessories. When you borrow a cable the deposit is calcuated based on the retail price and the cable itself comes from the cable library i.e. you don't actually purchase the borrowed cable. In my particular...

I did pretty much what SiE did: read lots of reviews and asked fellow head-fiers for their opinion. But instead of buying used cables for auditioning I borrowed cables from the The Cable Company. For the price of a 5%-10% deposit (useable toward a purchase) I was able to compare several cables...

Some of you may remember my thread about Yamas refusing to repair my Stax 404 headphones because I bought them outside the US. In desparation I contacted EIFL, the company I purchased them from. They are going to repair the headphones. And, as a bonus shipping to Japan was less than $20! I...

I found the plans. Here is a link to the DIY Rack. You could replace the MDF with maple. I don't know how that would affect the vibration isolation/draining characteristics though. Are you trying to conserve horizontal space on your desk or do you care more about vibration control? If the...

I've never seen a desktop equipment rack built for that specific purpose i.e. you could be probably adapt something from a place like the Container Store but it wouldn't be a product manufactured with high-end audio components in mind. Have you considered building your own? I've seen some...

I've tried several DIY and retail vibration solutions over the past few years. Vibrapods never really worked for me on any component I tried them on - doesn't mean they won't work for you. Using a bicycle inner tube under a wood platform and sand bags on top of the component seemed to help some...

Quote: Originally posted by Mike Scarpitti Well, you shoulda bought 'em from the official distributor... Wow, you're helpful. Do you have anything useful to add? Like maybe answering my question instead of being a jerk.

I need to locate a Stax technician to repair my 404 headphones. I called Yama's Enterprises today and they refused to repair the headphones because I had them imported from Japan -- not even if I paid all labor/parts costs. I realize that I took a risk importing them from Japan. However...

I owned an MG Head OTL mk. I for about 6 or 7 months before upgrading. I don't think you made a mistake. I still own the Sony 333ES SACD Player I used with the MG Head. You can find them for about $400 on the used market and I think it pairs well with the MG Head. Another modification you...

You might also try Stillpoints ERS paper. It is supposed to absorb RFI. I bought 3 sheets at $19.95 each but a problem has developed in my Stax 404 headphones so I have been unable to perform any serious listening tests. RFI/EMI can be a problem - as you found out the hard way. Moving...

I did as you suggested and unplugged the headphones with the amp still on. The noise continued for about 5 seconds before becoming inaudible. Well, at least I have a starting place. I guess I'll have to find a Stax technician and get the 'phones repaired.

Well, I've had a problem with my Stax 4040 on and off now for a couple of weeks. I'm stumped. So, I thought I'd bring it the head-fi community for discussion. The Problem: A few minutes (sometimes 3 or 4 and sometimes 10 or 15) after pushing play on my SACD Player a high-pitch whine starts...

I haven't heard the ppa but owned an ASL MG Head OTL mk. I paired with the Senn. HD580 w/Cardas replacement cable for about 6 months before upgrading. I thoroughly enjoyed the setup. IMO to sound its best the MG Head needs NOS tubes. Depending on which tubes you go for you can spend an...

I just took the plunge and ordered 3 sheets of the non-adhesive backed ERS paper for $19.95 each. It should be here late next week (or early the following week since it is Thanksgiving week). I'll let you know what I think.

I use an HTS2000 in my headphone rig and always plugged the amp into the high-current outlet. The circuit diagram on the bottom of the powerstrip and the Monster Cable website only indicate that the high-current outlets are unswitched and filtered, but not whether they are more, or less...

Quote: Originally posted by Edwood Hot enough to burn your skin with only 140 watts draw displayed.-Ed Are you being serious or are you exaggerating a little? Back in the day when I owned a P300 it got pretty hot, enough that I didn't want to keep my hand on it for very long but...