By the way, I find the DT-48 work just fine with the Meridian Explorer.    

Absolutely!

Same for me, I bought mine blind after reading a review in the now defect "Listener". There is nothing wrong with my Stax setup. The bass has never been an issue for me. I have yet to go to a live concert that has the bass found in many audiophile setups.

I bought a Meridian Explorer yesterday from my local audio dealer in Calgary. At 325.00 $CAN, it is reasonably priced. The packaging is nice without been outrageous and the device feels well made.   Mine was factory sealed and had an older firmware. It might explain the “ordinary sound”...

Quote: Ditto, my DT48E and K501 sound right compare to my other cans. I mostly listen to acoustic music.    Vivaldi: Concerto in D Minor for 2 Violins & Cello, Op. 3, RV 565, "L’Estro Armonico #11" 

Quote: The MMG still should sound good even in smallish room. They scale very well and if they are well kept, they will be good for years. My 1.6QR are 12 years old and still are going strong. Best of all is that Magnepan services even their older models from the 70's. 

There are 2 manufacturers that immediately come to mind: Musical Fidelity and Grado. For Grado, the 2 model headphones I tried were uncomfortable and did break within few months. Although the phono cartridges from them that I had were fun. Musical Fidelity is another animal. I owned 3 of their...

I do have a pair of Rogers Export Monitors, circa 1976. I haven't use them for a long time but they still have a sentimental value. I used to drive them with a Quad 33/303 combo.   

  My DT48e 25 ohms were bought last at BH. The first few weeks I was wondering if I have been had. Patience was the key; they took time to burn and were not that uncomfortable once I got used to them. As of today, most other cans do not “sound right” to me.   With the Stax, they are my...

Other than a silver plug vs a golden one and the labelling on the cups, the 7506 and the V6 are identical. They both share the same parts list.    They will benefit from an amplifier, most cans will, but an iPod or iPhone will drive them just fine.    

Quote:   Good thing to point, I had to replaced my K501 pads with the ones for the K601. Unfortunately, it does take away some of the K501 magic…

The K501 are great for classical. Just be aware that spare parts like pads are no longer available. The K701 were never my cup of tea either. I can not comment on the K601.    You may like Beyerdynamic DT880. There are plenty available used. Same with the DT48 but they are definitely a love...

If I would have only $100 for a pair of cans, they would be the Sony V6. They are robust, sound reasonably good with anything I have, iPod, iPhone, Apple laptop and my home gear. The only exception is my Sony VAIO, but nothing else does either. Today, I use them almost exclusively for travel...

I would say go for the 7506 (or V6). I kept mine in spite of all my stash. But Grado did not do it for me. If you have a good source the highs are OK and the bass is bottomless. IMO, the Grado's are aggressive. But some like them. By the way, get the V6 if you can, there is no difference other...

Both can sound good but I would go for the Sony's because of comfort and durability. In my experience Grado's were uncomfortable and did fall apart quickly.

  This is a good thread; it puts the Stax Lambda series in perspective. Since 2005, I have been enjoying a SRM-313 and SR-404 combo and haven't feel the urge to upgrade. Several electrodynamics like AT-W2002, K-701, HD-600, HD-650 have come and go, all were interesting but did not do it for...

Quote: Black and white...    

  In Canada, I could not find the original pads for my beloved K501, so I ended with the ones from the K601. The sound changes a bit but the new pads are definitely more comfortable.    I do love the K501 even after all those years. 

WOW, that was a lot of posts on a product that was not heard. Because my experience with the Headmaster and other Sugden products has been so good, I will try to locate, see and listen to one. Living in Alberta means that it could take a while before a dealer brings one in. For those that...

I often reach for: Canary CD-100 --> Sugden Headmaster --> AKG K-501 But the Stax SRM-313 --> Sr-404 does it too.

Lets add some humor: A comment from a cyclist / triathlon friend of mine. "Those riding bikes with cans do not need helmets. There is nothing to protect."

Quote: Originally Posted by Markhead Even though initially it's easy to say shame on a biker for riding with headphones....In reality it's comparable to a driver driving with the window closed (to dampen outside noise) and playing music. ... and I suppose it makes it right.

In all the triathlon races I participated, audio devices are banned for safety reasons. It means if you choose to ignore, you will get DQ. Don't even think about leaving the transition area and not strapping your helmet.

May be it is just me but: 1- If my head is ever going to hit the pavement, I want a helmet. 2- Driving or cycling or running or walking, I need to be 100% aware of my surrounding. Beside it could be pleasant to hear the ambient noises. Is this a personal choice? Not really, we live in a...

Sunday morning should the most quiet morning for ambient noises as well as EFI/RF but it should work other mornings too. Assuming you did not get your ears blasted by loud music the night before, your hearing should be recovered from the previous day noises. I do not want by any mean to...