Are the Stax amps really that bad?

[earwicker7]

I just got my Omega 2s with the SRM-007TII amp. I'm seeing people rag on this amp left and right. I does seem very quiet, ie, you have to turn it up a lot to get good volume.

Am I missing out that much by using this? I swore up and down that this was it, this was the last thing I would be spending money on, this system is finished. Now I'm reading that I'm not getting anywhere near the potential of my Omegas and that makes me sad.

Is the difference in aftermarket amps that big?

 

[Duggeh]

The KGSS and KGBH amps are significantly more powerful than the Stax amps, of which the most powerful is the SRM-727.

Its only really the Omega 2 which merits such extra power as it is by orders of magnitude, more difficult to drive than the Lambda series.

 

[spritzer]

The difference is huge with the SR-007. The soundstage is much larger, bass is deeper with more texture and not boomy at all, the midrange is so real it is scary, the treble is extended but doesn't draw any attention to it self. The Stax amps aren't really bad but they lack the power and the control that comes with it to really let the phones do their thing. This is really where dynamics and electrostatics differ as dynamic amps are more refined and such, the more expensive you get while the electrostatic kind also brings more power with it as the price goes up. The electrostatic force is so small that you need large amounts of power to get it going.

Edit. It is the SR-Sigma and Sigma Pro, both Omegas and the 4070 that need the extra power. The other phones don't really need it but all benefit from it. Even the small SR-003 really likes the Blue Hawaii.

 

[earwicker7]

Exactly what I didn't want to hear

.

How much are we talking in dollars? Do the Stax amps have much resale value?

 

[spritzer]

I would listen to an aftermarket amp before doing anything drastic. Some music is tougher then others on the amps and you could even prefer the Stax amp, stranger things have happened. The KGSS is a good step up and it starts at 1500$ last I heard and the sky is the limit.

The Stax market is very healthy right now but if you bought the amp in the US you are going to sell at a loss because of the much cheaper amps coming in from Japan.

 

[earwicker7]

Quote:

Originally Posted by spritzer /img/forum/go_quote.gif The Stax market is very healthy right now but if you bought the amp in the US you are going to sell at a loss because of the much cheaper amps coming in from Japan.

That's bizarre... the Japanese amps have no warranty and incorrect voltage if I'm not mistaken. Save a few dollars, shoot yourself in the foot

. Just seems weird for people who are spending big bucks to go that route.

 

[braillediver]

I’m down on Stax amps myself.

That said- do you feel comfortable tube rolling and biasing the amp? If so search the Forum for tube rolling the Stax amps. Hirsch mentions some (?) RCA Clear Tops maybe. They are supposed to sound good and are not real expensive (I think less than $10 each?).

Since you already have the amp you might as well get a feel for what it can do and if you decide to sell it having the extra tubes is a good incentive for the buyer.


Mitch

 

[earwicker7]

Quote:

Originally Posted by braillediver /img/forum/go_quote.gif That said- do you feel comfortable tube rolling and biasing the amp?

I would if it didn't void the warranty, but it does so I'm not touching them.

 

[krmathis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by earwicker7 /img/forum/go_quote.gif That's bizarre... the Japanese amps have no warranty and incorrect voltage if I'm not mistaken. Save a few dollars, shoot yourself in the foot . Just seems weird for people who are spending big bucks to go that route.

You sure get warranty with amplifiers bought from Japan. But its valid in Japan only, so it need to be shipped back for repair. The voltage point is valid though. As Japan use 100v, while the rest of us use 230v or 120v.

But its not just a few dollars saving.
As an example the SRM-727A can be had for $1399 from Japan, while it retails at $3600 where I live. Thats more than a "few dollars" for me...

So I don't find it strange that people go that way at all!

 

[earwicker7]

Quote:

Originally Posted by krmathis /img/forum/go_quote.gif You sure get warranty with amplifiers bought from Japan. But its valid in Japan only, so it need to be shipped back for repair. The voltage point is valid though. As Japan use 100v, while the rest of us use 230v or 120v. But its not just a few dollars saving. As an example the SRM-727A can be had for $1399 from Japan, while it retails at $3600 where I live. Thats more than a "few dollars" for me... So I don't find it strange that people go that way at all!

I bought American and paid slightly over $3,500 for the Omega 2 and 007TII combo. I don't see how 20 volts over the design can possibly be good for the amp's lifespan; I'd think that you're saving a few hundred dollars but also getting something that will eventually have problems because of incorrect voltage.

 

[earwicker7]

I just had a brainstorm...

Lots of people complain about Stax amps. Lots of people buy Stax direct from Japan. They are 100V units even though US power is 120V.

I'm wondering how many of the people who were unsatisfied with the amp happened to be running the Japanese version? Is there a chance that it isn't Stax amps that are bad, but that Japanese models run on US power are bad?

 

[cclragnarok]

Quote:

Originally Posted by earwicker7 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I bought American and paid slightly over $3,500 for the Omega 2 and 007TII combo. I don't see how 20 volts over the design can possibly be good for the amp's lifespan; I'd think that you're saving a few hundred dollars but also getting something that will eventually have problems because of incorrect voltage.

Actually, most people either use voltage adapters (transformers) or rewire the amp internally to use 120V. The older amps are really easy to rewire, and some even have a switch for the different voltages on the back of the amp. The newer amps are reportedly getting harder to work with though.

In short, while the warranty might be a concern, most of these people are NOT frying their amps because of incorrect voltage.

 

[earwicker7]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cclragnarok /img/forum/go_quote.gif Actually, most people either use voltage adapters (transformers) or rewire the amp internally to use 120V. The older amps are really easy to rewire, and some even have a switch for the different voltages on the back of the amp. The newer amps are reportedly getting harder to work with though. In short, while the warranty might be a concern, most of these people are NOT frying their amps because of incorrect voltage.

But are these people professionals? Anyone can rewire their systems, but can they do it correctly? It seems like there is a LOT of room for error when doing this.

 

[krmathis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by earwicker7 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I bought American and paid slightly over $3,500 for the Omega 2 and 007TII combo. I don't see how 20 volts over the design can possibly be good for the amp's lifespan; I'd think that you're saving a few hundred dollars but also getting something that will eventually have problems because of incorrect voltage.

Sure, its not worth it for a few hundred dollars.
But beware that Stax are pretty low priced in the US, compared to ex. Europe. So for many of us its rather a couple thousand dollars saving, instead of a few hundred dollars. For that amount of money saved I could certainly live happily with a voltage converter.

So I really appreciate the possibility to import my own Stax gear directly from japan.

 

[cclragnarok]

Quote:

Originally Posted by earwicker7 /img/forum/go_quote.gif But are these people professionals? Anyone can rewire their systems, but can they do it correctly? It seems like there is a LOT of room for error when doing this.

There was an old Stax thread where Kevin Gilmore gave the instructions for the mod. I'm sure some people don't do a very good job, but the rewiring on my SRM-313 looks to be very well done (I bought it second hand from someone that bought it from Japan and modded it).

Like I said, the new units (like SRM-727A) are supposed to be harder to rewire. I have no idea how hard it really is though.