[ZarakiSan]

I fell in love last Sunday at the excellent meet in Soest, the Netherlands. Not with the L3000 as I expected, though they too were very nice, but with the Stax sound (on an sr404). Hell, I'm even considering not getting a Macbook Pro, but getting a Stax setup instead. The problem is that I wouldn't want to spend too muh on it. I can find an amp in the FS here for 350 euros or so, but I was wondering if there are cheaper amps available for the newer Stax series like the mentioned sr404. I don't want to use a regular speaker amp, though, I don't feel comfortable with it and I tend not to use my speaker amp either at times.

So, what is a good amp I can buy on a budget?

 

[gilency]

the DIY EXstata is cheap and supposed to be as good as a 717. Do a search here in headfi

 

[krmathis]

You might be able to find an SRM-1/MK2 Pro for less than €359 as well.
I found it to be quite a nice match with the SR-404, so may be worth keeping an eye up

 

[scompton]

The exStata is in the beta builds right now and is really out of the price range if you want ear speakers and amp for 350 euros. The parts for the exStata are around $200, not counting the case.

IMO, the best way to go for $350 is a vintage normal bias set up. You can get a Lambda and SRD-7 easily for under 350 euros.

 

[ZarakiSan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by scompton /img/forum/go_quote.gif The exStata is in the beta builds right now and is really out of the price range if you want ear speakers and amp for 350 euros. The parts for the exStata are around $200, not counting the case. IMO, the best way to go for $350 is a vintage normal bias set up. You can get a Lambda and SRD-7 easily for under 350 euros.

I was talking about amp only for the 350 euros. I would also prefer a commercial amp, I don't plan on building anything myself and I prefer a commercial amp when running life-threatening voltages a few inches from my brain, if you know what I mean.

Krmathis, thanks for that tip. I'll do some research into that amp then.

I also wonder if I would need a different amp if I decide to get an sr202/303 instead, since they seem to be of the same series. I doubt it, but would I?

 

[dcpoor]

you might want to go with the sr303 since it's suppose to be the same as the sr404 except for the cable.

 

[spritzer]

I'd personally pick a SR-202 over the 303/404 or some of the vintage Lambdas. The 303/404 are very much inferior to my ears compared to the 202/404LE/SR-SC1+the vintage models.

As for driving Stax on the cheap, if you know how to build amps then you can build an Egmont for very little money but the cheapest option would be to modify a normal bias transformer to output Pro bias.

 

[padam]

I would rather go for a 202 (or a complete SRS-2050II setup) than a 303 or 404. Update: I just wrote the same

 

[bidoux]

Quote:

Originally Posted by spritzer /img/forum/go_quote.gif if you know how to build amps then you can build an Egmont for very little money

Is Egmont a DIY design that was commercialized after by Rudisor ?

 

[spritzer]

The Egmont circuit is very old so it is certainly not something Rudi invented. The TubeCad amp is rather similar and that article was published in 1999....

 

[Bullseye]

Wow, it is the first time I hear about Stax Airbow SCR1 and its driver the SRM-222(p).

I used google translate from their site but didn't get too much of what it is. So anyone care to explain what is that SCR-1 different from the normal STAX lambda headphones.

 

[padam]

Double cyrogenic treatment on the drivers (and on the amp as well although I doubt it is any better than let's say a T1).

 

[ZarakiSan]

That's strange...

I thought the SR-404 and the SR404LE were the same apart from a housing color, the cables, and the pads. Now I see people considering them whole different headphones. Though I realize this isn't quite the place to discuss headphones (If this goes on, I'll make a thread in the right forum), I wonder: Are the SR202 and the SR404LE more or less similar and the SR303 and SR404 as well, but those two groups not similar to each other? I loved the SR404LE at the meet, it sounded very unlike electrostats to me (which is a good thing since I don't like their sound too much, regularly), so should I then get an SR202 or an SR404?

And if the SR202 is the wiser choice, am I right in thinking the SR-3000 combo (SR202 + SRM300) is a good choice for 730 dollars? Because I rather like the design of that amp, honestly, and the price isn't that bad.

 

[kh6idf]

I notice there is a sr303 + srm212 for sale on Audiogon right now for $495 and he will ship worldwide.

I have the srs-2050II system which is a nice combination. I've updated the sr-202 with the 404LE leather earpads.

I listened to a srs3050 system (sr303 + srm323 amp) at the Houston meet recently, and it sounded great, the bass was noticeably better than my 2050II system, although I wouldn't want to discourage anyone from getting the 2050II by making that comment, because it is a very fine sounding system.

 

[John Buchanan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by krmathis /img/forum/go_quote.gif You might be able to find an SRM-1/MK2 Pro for less than €359 as well. I found it to be quite a nice match with the SR-404, so may be worth keeping an eye up

I agree with KRMathis, the SR 202 (new) and an SRM1 Mk 2 (2nd hand) would be an excellent combination IMHO.