MaloS
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Dec 8, 2004
- Posts
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Mods: please don't put this in the other forum. These are just pointless in terms of discussion of portable / in-ear equipment because they are most practical as desktop systems.
In the spirit of informative threads, this is second installation to get people to know an alternative for their home listening, electrostatic headphones.
By the way, I swear, I am not trolling Stax, I am getting to giving dynamics some love. I just have to organize my thoughts about their place in an audiophile system.
This time I want to concentrate on the Stax SR-003, which comes as the headphone of two current-production Stax systems, SR-001mkII and SRS-005mkII (a.k.a SRS-005a, depending on where it is purchased). I am interested in further developing discussion about these because it seems to me they are often disqualified in favor of full-size electrostatic headphones, whilst not really being inferior.
These introductory systems can be had anywhere between $200-400 (depending on the system and the retailer).
Here are pictures of:
[size=x-large]Headphone:[/size]
[size=x-large]SR-001mkII System:[/size]
[size=x-large]SRS-005mkII System:[/size]
- gh...this image is partitioned on the Stax website. I win anyways =).
The SR-001mkII can be used battery powered or with a power supply, and makes for a good portable/transportable system. Audiocats also developed mods for it that bring the amplifier in the system up quite a bit, potentially making the system as a candidate for the best portable on the market.
SRS-005mkII is a home system, using the smallest desktop amp currently in production from Stax. The combination is use a mere 12v 500mA PSU, meaning it won't make your wallet cry from energy bills (unlike larger amps which can become very serious power hogs). The system can be also easily transported between, say, work and home.
Unlike the full-size in production Stax that are one step up from this system, SR-202/303/404, this system has a darker, warmer sound. The response is fairly even across the range, and starts to roll off somewhere around 18 khz. It has very solid, impactful bass, and shares all the other qualities with other electrostatic headphones that result from its speed - resolution, detail retrieval, instrument separation, and sound stage precision. Bass extension won't disappoint you either - it easily reproduces down to 30 hz, and even 20 hz tones are plenty audible.
While its sound stage is not as large, and its extension is not as obvious, this system is not nearly as punishing to users of poor sources and records, making it an even easier choices for starters.
Other merits of this system include lack of sound leaking, small size. It may appear uncomfortable - but actually if you fiddle with it for a bit to get to know how it sits in yours ears, it should not trouble you at all (I used to think otherwise, but figured out how to make it fit such that it sounds great and yet my ears barely know it is there). The cost of the headphone itself is low - $130-150, the cable is removable (only the SR-003 is available, but if you have the portable system, you can get SR-003 and use the 001 cable with it).
Morale? Don't overlook this system when wanting to taste some Stax - if 202/303/404 scare you for some reason - you must take a look at this (unless you can afford an Omega 2).
In the spirit of informative threads, this is second installation to get people to know an alternative for their home listening, electrostatic headphones.
By the way, I swear, I am not trolling Stax, I am getting to giving dynamics some love. I just have to organize my thoughts about their place in an audiophile system.
This time I want to concentrate on the Stax SR-003, which comes as the headphone of two current-production Stax systems, SR-001mkII and SRS-005mkII (a.k.a SRS-005a, depending on where it is purchased). I am interested in further developing discussion about these because it seems to me they are often disqualified in favor of full-size electrostatic headphones, whilst not really being inferior.
These introductory systems can be had anywhere between $200-400 (depending on the system and the retailer).
Here are pictures of:
[size=x-large]Headphone:[/size]
[size=x-large]SR-001mkII System:[/size]
[size=x-large]SRS-005mkII System:[/size]
- gh...this image is partitioned on the Stax website. I win anyways =).
The SR-001mkII can be used battery powered or with a power supply, and makes for a good portable/transportable system. Audiocats also developed mods for it that bring the amplifier in the system up quite a bit, potentially making the system as a candidate for the best portable on the market.
SRS-005mkII is a home system, using the smallest desktop amp currently in production from Stax. The combination is use a mere 12v 500mA PSU, meaning it won't make your wallet cry from energy bills (unlike larger amps which can become very serious power hogs). The system can be also easily transported between, say, work and home.
Unlike the full-size in production Stax that are one step up from this system, SR-202/303/404, this system has a darker, warmer sound. The response is fairly even across the range, and starts to roll off somewhere around 18 khz. It has very solid, impactful bass, and shares all the other qualities with other electrostatic headphones that result from its speed - resolution, detail retrieval, instrument separation, and sound stage precision. Bass extension won't disappoint you either - it easily reproduces down to 30 hz, and even 20 hz tones are plenty audible.
While its sound stage is not as large, and its extension is not as obvious, this system is not nearly as punishing to users of poor sources and records, making it an even easier choices for starters.
Other merits of this system include lack of sound leaking, small size. It may appear uncomfortable - but actually if you fiddle with it for a bit to get to know how it sits in yours ears, it should not trouble you at all (I used to think otherwise, but figured out how to make it fit such that it sounds great and yet my ears barely know it is there). The cost of the headphone itself is low - $130-150, the cable is removable (only the SR-003 is available, but if you have the portable system, you can get SR-003 and use the 001 cable with it).
Morale? Don't overlook this system when wanting to taste some Stax - if 202/303/404 scare you for some reason - you must take a look at this (unless you can afford an Omega 2).