[wualta]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wharfrat /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
"Bass-light" is somewhat synonymous with "ATH" for that matter...haven't heard much of a change in bass-presence between closed and open backed ATH cans regardless of amp changes, though I do love their midrange, which changes from being more recessed or upfront depending on the amp.  
 
If you do have a pair of ATH-7s with the amplifier, could you post a pic of them, for the good of the fellowship? 

The AT-705 is the same headphone, but with a cost-reduced cute little transformer box, as the AT-706, which comes with a big honkin' transformer box that is styled to enhance the decor of your typical big honkin' mid-'70s receiver. In '77 or '78, Audio-Technica replaced these with the ultralight and ultraslim ATH-6 and ATH-7, respectively, with a similar difference in box sizes. BmWr75 has shown you the 705. The 706 and its box constitute a bit of a mystery, since one pair will have amazing bass but won't play loud before it distorts, and the next one will be really loud but have very little bass. The difference isn't in the box, either, so audition before you buy, etc etc.
 
Here's the 706. Note the resemblance to the Stax SR-X of the same period:
 

 
Now here's the successor ATH-7:
 

 
Much slimmer headset, the sensitivity switch is gone (the ATH-8 got it), you've got an overload indicator, they've moved from the little DIN plug to a larger proprietary one, and we're into the Black Era, but it's otherwise similar. The problem with the ATH-7 and its big brother the ATH-8 is the same problem Stax had with the SR-X and PMB had with... just about all the headphones they made. The PVC pad coating has all gone poof, like most foams and flexible plastics of the era. So the pads don't seal, though they're very comfy. So they're even bass-lighter than they should be. Search for a pad with a thin, supple covering and a good dense filling (the ATH-7 used stacked cotton discs), and you'll get some of your bass back.
 

 

[cifani090]

Quote:

The AT-705 is the same headphone, but with a cost-reduced cute little transformer box, as the AT-706, which comes with a big honkin' transformer box that is styled to enhance the decor of your typical big honkin' mid-'70s receiver. In '77 or '78, Audio-Technica replaced these with the ultralight and ultraslim ATH-6 and ATH-7, respectively, with a similar difference in box sizes. BmWr75 has shown you the 705. The 706 and its box constitute a bit of a mystery, since one pair will have amazing bass but won't play loud before it distorts, and the next one will be really loud but have very little bass. The difference isn't in the box, either, so audition before you buy, etc etc.
 
Here's the 706. Note the resemblance to the Stax SR-X of the same period:
 
Now here's the successor ATH-7:
 
Much slimmer headset, the sensitivity switch is gone (the ATH-8 got it), you've got an overload indicator, they've moved from the little DIN plug to a larger proprietary one, and we're into the Black Era, but it's otherwise similar. The problem with the ATH-7 and its big brother the ATH-8 is the same problem Stax had with the SR-X and PMB had with... just about all the headphones they made. The PVC pad coating has all gone poof, like most foams and flexible plastics of the era. So the pads don't seal, though they're very comfy. So they're even bass-lighter than they should be. Search for a pad with a thin, supple covering and you'll get some of your bass back.

Are those your AT?
 

 

[ardgedee]

I'll try to provide pics of my ATH-7 this weekend, as long as I can clear more work space in the office and the hurricane doesn't hold things up.

 

[wualta]

I do have a 706, but I skipped over the ATH-7 to the ATH-8, known in the US as the Signet TK33, and I always listen to it on this table as I sip my jasmine tea and contemplate my Audio-Technica phono cartridge (AT15SS with beryllium cantilever) in the company of one or two geishas.
 

 
Above is a random-looking photo of an ATH-7 (one that's missing its head strap), but it does give a clear picture of how thin the earpieces are.

 

[log0]

I've spent the last couple days with the LCD-2 and SX-1250 combo and can report it handily beats the Luxman R-1120 I had purchased before in every category. I'm not sure how the LCD-2's can sound any better.
Skylab - do you prefer the LCD-2's with the Leben CS300XS more so than your vintage Pioneers?

 

[Skylab]

I've spent the last couple days with the LCD-2 and SX-1250 combo and can report it handily beats the Luxman R-1120 I had purchased before in every category. I'm not sure how the LCD-2's can sound any better.
Skylab - do you prefer the LCD-2's with the Leben CS300XS more so than your vintage Pioneers?

The LCD-2 I do marginally prefer with the Leben, yes. But only very marginally. If i had owned the Pioneers first, I doubt I would have ever bought the Leben, to be honest...but that is really a testament to how good the big pioneers are with headphones. And the HE-6 is almost unbeatable from the SX-1250 or SX-1980.

 

[Olias of Sunhillow]

Some more thoughts on my "new" SX-1050...
 
I haven't opened it up for a look yet, but judging from the sound quality, it is thankfully not in need of an immediate rebuild (as we all fear might be the case with 35-year-old gear). The seller had indicated that it was "recently serviced" -- I didn't ask for details about that servicing, since I'd decided that I wanted the receiver regardless of whether it needed service or not, but now I'll go back and ask exactly what he had done.
 
As Skylab had suggested might be the case, the phono section of this receiver sounds outstanding. I haven't extensively A/B'ed it vs. my F-117 Nighthawk, but I'm familiar enough with how the RSA unit sounds to say that the Pioneer is at least in the same league. Amazingly, it has enough gain in the phono section to sound great with my Denon DL-103R LOMC cartridge -- I had expected to need to switch to something with higher output, but even when used with my HE-6, the phono section sounds dynamic and plenty loud. Impressive.
 
And speaking of the HE-6... they sound fantastic from the headphone jack. I may still get the HiFiMan speaker tap box to satisfy my curiosity, but the HE-6 show no weaknesses with the SX-1050. The just-right crispness of the treble remains in tact, while the bass is fuller and just as tight.
 
I'm quite impressed so far.

 

[WarriorAnt]

Quote:

The LCD-2 I do marginally prefer with the Leben, yes. But only very marginally. If i had owned the Pioneers first, I doubt I would have ever bought the Leben, to be honest...but that is really a testament to how good the big pioneers are with headphones. And the HE-6 is almost unbeatable from the SX-1250 or SX-1980.

Does that go for both the SX 1250 and the 1980 or just the 1980?
 

 

[moodyrn]

If I had to guess, it would be both. My sx 1010 sounds exceptional with headphones that's a little on the warmer side of neutral, which the lcd have been reported as being. It also sounds excellent with pretty much anything else. Just a tad too analytical with my he-6, but just sublime with my jh13pro. I know, a 50+ lb receiver and a pair of iems wouldn't seem like a good match, but the pairing just sounds like they were made for each other.

 

[Skylab]

Oh yes, definitely both. I actually use the SX-1250 more often for headphones - I'm using the SX-1980 mostly with speakers. Both can easily drive the HE-6 extremely well right from the headphone jack. No problem whatsoever.

Olias, glad you are enjoying your Pioneer too!

 

[log0]

The big Pioneers are an elegant amplifier for a more civilized age.

 

[shipsupt]

Instead of plunking down $35 on a faceplate from eBay to replace the damaged glass on my 950 I decided today to do little DIY vintage repair. The faceplate is easy to remove from the SX's so I had it off in no time. The glass plate is glued in place with something that resembles contact glue. I pried it free and then reassembled the broken pieces on a piece of paper to create a template. I traced the dimensions and traveled over to Taplastics. While I waited they cut a replacement from clear acrylic and we test mounted it in the face plate, perfect fit. I purchased some thin double sided tape they had as well. Back home, I cleaned the old adhesive from the surfaces, added strips of the tape, mounted the plastic, and reassembled. The tape was the most expensive part of the repair and brought my total to just over $10. She is back in her full glory! I spent the afternoon surfing the FM dial.

If you run into a unit with damaged glass, don't let it scare you off, the repair is pretty easy and cheap too.

 

[WarriorAnt]

Quote:

The big Pioneers are an elegant amplifier for a more civilized age.

Yes, It seems so. 

 

[WarriorAnt]

Quote:

Oh yes, definitely both. I actually use the SX-1250 more often for headphones - I'm using the SX-1980 mostly with speakers. Both can easily drive the HE-6 extremely well right from the headphone jack. No problem whatsoever.

Olias, glad you are enjoying your Pioneer too!

Alright. I'm on a crazy mission now for an SX-1250. 

 

[cifani090]

Quote:

Alright. I'm on a crazy mission now for an SX-1250. 

At least $400 big ones!