--Edited for long-term review at the bottom--
Stax has always been on the back of my mind but is often discarded as the strange cousin of planar or dynamic headphones. Described as "love it or hate it". Bright and exceedingly energetic.
Well, turns out: I love them!
I started out as a closed back headphone guy, made the switch to IEMs and listen mostly on the go. Music has a relaxing effect on my soul and I use it to calm myself throughout the day or night. I was drawn to smooth, relaxed signatures with more emphasis on lows, as I consider myself treble-sensitive.
Recently, I committed to the VE8, which I reviewed
here. These in ears were the first endeavour of mine into a sound signature that does not sacrifice a part of the frequency spectrum but incorporates everything. I learned the importance of smooth and non-annoying treble.
So why go with Stax, then?
First of all, I was curious. I was not afraid to use a
dedicated Stax Energizer just for my headphones, because I had the Astell Kern SP1000Cu as a source and thus no need for an amplifier that I could also use with IEMS.
That's the first lesson :
Stax headphones require a dedicated Stax Energizer (or a compatible one) and can not be used with other amplifiers. For this review, I chose the Stax SRM-353X. An RCA to 3.5mm cable is required to connect the SP1000 as source/DAC through line-out to the energiser, as this one features no digital USB input.
The chain goes: Source-> DAC-> Energiser-> Headphone
About the L300 limited edition:
Stax released the L300 ltd as part of a 800 piece limited anniversary series. In the lambda series, there are 3 notable signature items.
The L 300; the entry level Stax described as somewhat thin and bright with low comfort.
The L 500; which is exactly the same as the L 300, but with better ear pads and more comfort as well as slightly improved built quality.
The L 700; the penultimate of the series, with different drivers and a more relaxed and complete sound plus even better ear pads.
The L700 is quite a bit more expensive, though, retailing at 1,800€ as opposed to 550€ for the L 300.
The
L 300 limited, is a healthy mix between them all. The construction of the L300, the pads of the L500 and parts of the driver of the L700 earned it the poor mans L700. Apparently, they sounded identical and that was all I needed to hear when I saw them retailing for 900€.
Build quality:
Let's start with the bad, shall we? The design of the L-Series looks like it has been the same for decades; and apparently it had. I honestly do like the design. The grills of the open back design, headband, hinges... everything is made out of plastic. This takes some getting used to, especially in that price range. Don't drop em, don't sit on em. They'll break.
Apart from that, once they're on your head they feel great. I have a very small head but on the lowest setting they sit just fine. The plastic built makes them extremely light and comfortable to wear.
The Sound:
Oh my! What a surprise. I have had a couple of open back headphones in the past and none of them were my cup of tea. They seemed dull and not as exciting as my IEMs. Once I put on those babies, I knew I wanted them.
Take note that the energiser seems to have a big impact on the sound, especially the impact of the lows, and the SRM 353x is a superb (although not TOTL) 1,300€ energiser from Stax.
The overall signature is detailed. Very, detailed! You WILL notice details that otherwise go unnoticed. I listened to a podcast on these, and man!, I could hear the tongue lolling around in the mouth of the speaker.
It also feels absolutely natural, with a linear response throughout and a life-like soundstage.
Questionable recordings are the enemy of the Stax. For the first time, I actually questioned some details in the mix "why is this here, this feels out of place".
Extension in the lows is great, by my hearing it goes down to 15-20Hz easily. The sub-bass will not shake your head or make your heart flutter but it is present and well integrated in the music. It provides low key instruments with life and authenticity and the mids with weight. However, it has ultra-low decay and is incredibly detailed and fast with NO bleeding into other regions whatsoever.
Midbass slam is present but again, not world-rocking levels. Just right, is what I'd say, and for the reviews surprisingly accurate and hefty.
Treble extension is incredible. Highs go up way higher than my hearing and are lightning fast. The amount of detail is just incredible. Songs like Pink Floyd - Time actually make your ears tingle with excitement.Yes, the highs are high and energetic. But they are not harsh or etched. Just smooth and effortless.
The mids are weighty and lifelike. Vocals are realistic and intimate.
The soundstage is not tremendously wide, but very realistic and IEM-level intimate. Positioning is accurate and an excellent sense of space is provided. I have yet to throw a genre at it, which did not suit the L300 LTD.
Long-Term review:
I have now had the pleasure of having this set-up at my disposal for over one year. How did it hold up?
The answer: Remarkably.
All the things I have described during the review have held up and the headspeakers have not lost their magic since. The 353x drives them with precision. I have tried the blue-tack mod (without noticing a tremendous improvement) and I have switched the earpads to l700 ones. The latter has not significantly changed the sound but improved the quality and comfort.
Nevertheless, I have recently switched to a DYI hybrid tube amp: The Alpha Centauri V9.5 from high-amp. This has shifted the character into warmer territory, without sacrificing any detail. The bass response is now a lot more present -compared to the more analytical nature of the solid state 353x-.
I still love these headphones and have found myself in a position where any upgrade seemed futile.
I have tested the L700 mk2 briefly and found the differences to be inconsequential, with even a slight benefit to the L300 ltd.
Since the only potential way up is the 009 (the 007, for me, where too warm); I went that route. Just to see how good it "really" can get
