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Comparative review: Stax SR- Lambda vs. SR-Lambda Nova Signature vs. SR-303, with special guest Koss ESP/950

Oct 1, 2008 at 1:13 PM Post #16 of 37
Quote:

Originally Posted by Sherwood /img/forum/go_quote.gif
And here I am, having purchased your Lambdas, looking into the LNS.

Have you had a chance to compare it to the plain 'ol Lambda Signature? I enjoyed them every time I heard them, but I've read that the Novas are in many ways a step down from the plain 'sigs. Any thoughts/ sage words?

Thanks again for the headphones. They played Shelby Lynne, Junior Boys, Arvo Part and Girl Talk tonight, and did each one justice.


I heard Lambda Signature and Lambda Pro and liked them both less than SR-Lambda and LNS. I only heard them briefly out of SRM-007t and both had problems with FR. Lambda Pro has this strange mids problem that made it sound a bit hollow. Lambda Signature was very fast with great bass and details galore, but had this strange glare in mids and high frequencies. There was a clear imbalance in FR for both. It was nothing drastic and they still sound amazingly good, my problem was that I wanted a more relaxed sound with flatter FR response. LNS has the sound signature that is much closer to what I am looking for for I like it a lot more than other Lambdas. My O2 is even closer to this sound signature, although a bit darker in my setup with T1S.
 
Oct 1, 2008 at 4:14 PM Post #17 of 37
Dmitriy. Really nice review you have put down there.
o2smile.gif

Of the phones listed I have only heard the SR-303. So its nice to see how it compares against the other ones. ...and that you seem to enjoy the ESP/950.
 
Oct 1, 2008 at 4:47 PM Post #18 of 37
Quote:

Originally Posted by Faust2D /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I heard Lambda Signature and Lambda Pro and liked them both less than SR-Lambda and LNS. I only heard them briefly out of SRM-007t and both had problems with FR. Lambda Pro has this strange mids problem that made it sound a bit hollow. Lambda Signature was very fast with great bass and details galore, but had this strange glare in mids and high frequencies. There was a clear imbalance in FR for both. It was nothing drastic and they still sound amazingly good, my problem was that I wanted a more relaxed sound with flatter FR response. LNS has the sound signature that is much closer to what I am looking for for I like it a lot more than other Lambdas. My O2 is even closer to this sound signature, although a bit darker in my setup with T1S.


You've tweaked my interest for the LNS. I also found the SR-Lambda Signatures very etched in the upper midrange, so much so that it would sometimes impinge on my enjoyment. I wonder how the LNS and SR-404 compare... I can imagine the O2 sounding dark with the Stax tube amps.
 
Oct 1, 2008 at 9:57 PM Post #19 of 37
Damnit, stop making me want the ESP950. I don't need any more headphones.

Does the 950 have any of the forwardness in the upper mids that the 303 has? How is its midrange tone?

Also, isn't the LNS basically the precursor to the SR-404, and is very similar if not essentially the same?

The E90 amp does make sense to me if only because it can run off a battery pack. There need to be some (trans)portable alternatives to the SR-001.

Oh, and nice review!
 
Oct 1, 2008 at 10:35 PM Post #20 of 37
This thread is begging for an O2 - 950 shootout thread to be created. It would seem the 950 is above the Lambdas for the most part from everything I've read.

I just mention this because I love the Lambdas and am considering 950 or O2. I've only heard the O2s.

Either way, stats have definitely worked their way under my skin.
 
Oct 2, 2008 at 4:31 AM Post #21 of 37
Quote:

Originally Posted by catscratch /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Damnit, stop making me want the ESP950. I don't need any more headphones.

Does the 950 have any of the forwardness in the upper mids that the 303 has? How is its midrange tone?

Also, isn't the LNS basically the precursor to the SR-404, and is very similar if not essentially the same?

The E90 amp does make sense to me if only because it can run off a battery pack. There need to be some (trans)portable alternatives to the SR-001.

Oh, and nice review!


ESP/950 is forward but not in a way SR-303 is, it's a much more balaced headphone. The tone is very natural and seems correct in all aspects. The only thing is that ESP/950 is somewhat aggressive in it's presentation, and has a bite to it's sound, it is not laid back and is forward across the sound spectrum.

LNS sound different from SR-303. It's very polite and does not have the bump in the mids and HF that Lambda Signature or SR-303 have.

LambdaNovaSig-graph.jpg

LNS FR
 
Oct 2, 2008 at 5:24 AM Post #22 of 37
Quote:

Originally Posted by Faust2D /img/forum/go_quote.gif
ESP/950 is forward but not in a way SR-303 is, it's a much more balaced headphone. The tone is very natural and seems correct in all aspects. The only thing is that ESP/950 is somewhat aggressive in it's presentation, and has a bite to it's sound, it is not laid back and is forward across the sound spectrum.


Weird, I wrote something similar about the ESP950 in another thread: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/kos...3/#post4809441
 
Oct 2, 2008 at 7:38 AM Post #25 of 37
Quote:

Originally Posted by robm321 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
This thread is begging for an O2 - 950 shootout thread to be created.


So true!
o2smile.gif
 
Oct 2, 2008 at 3:13 PM Post #27 of 37
Quote:

Originally Posted by PeterDLai /img/forum/go_quote.gif
APureSound does, but I'm not sure who else.


I do.

But i can't promise to make one in a hurry. Just ast any of my customers.
 
Oct 2, 2008 at 3:28 PM Post #28 of 37
Quote:

Originally Posted by ericj /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I do.

But i can't promise to make one in a hurry. Just ast any of my customers.


Eric indeed made one for me used in this review. Good looking and very solidly made. Took him some time to make it as mine was the beta one, but it came out great:

ESP950_K2S.jpg


It's the copper plug next to Stax plug
 
Oct 2, 2008 at 3:35 PM Post #29 of 37
Yeah. I'm getting better at it, but my free time has been completely gutted, and I'm way behind on all projects, as well as household maintenance.

I think i can guarantee shipment before christmas.
 
Oct 2, 2008 at 3:41 PM Post #30 of 37
Quote:

Originally Posted by QQQ /img/forum/go_quote.gif
krmathis, have you tried esp 950? Interesting to hear an opinion of long-time Stax-lover.


Nope! As mentioned above, of the phones reviewed here I have only heard the SR-303...
 
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