How to join the Stax Mafia (photo)
Sep 3, 2007 at 11:56 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 16

Elephas

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I've come across the term "Stax Mafia" in some older threads. What exactly is the Stax Mafia? It seems that this organization appears less and less frequently during the past two years, and hasn't made its presence felt recently.

Has the Stax Mafia been overthrown by other groups? Is Head-Fi doomed to be perpetually dominated by the AKG Kaputs, the AT AT's, the Sennheiser V-R Veiled, the Grahdo Graydos and the Ultrasone Not-So-Logicals?

How exactly does one join the Stax Mafia? Are there any qualifications or entry requirements? What are the benefits?

Stax4070SR-007.jpg


LambdaProSR-SC1.jpg
 
Sep 3, 2007 at 3:05 PM Post #5 of 16
I thought that 1st Rule not talking about stuff was Fight Club.
tongue.gif


The SR-Lambda Pro matched with the SRM-T1W sounds very good. Surprisingly good. Details and clarity in abundance. The SR-Lambda Pro and T1W are how old? I haven't tried the O2 and 4070 yet.

The Airbow SR-SC1 driven by the T1W or KGSS is also very good.

I don't know which 6CG7 tubes are installed in the T1W and plan on ordering a pair of matched RCA cleartops to try.

I think these older, out-of-production Stax headphones and amps are superb values compared to the usual K701 or HD650 matched with reasonably good amps such as the Lehmann Black Cube Linear.

I was a member here for over two years before I bought a Stax, and now I'm kicking myself for not doing so sooner instead of mucking around with dynamic setups. For anyone who values clarity, imaging precision, and above all DETAILS, I recommend Stax.

Well, actually, I'm planning to continue mucking around with dynamic balanced setups. That's the only way the K701, HD650 etc. have a chance against Team Stax.
 
Sep 3, 2007 at 4:02 PM Post #6 of 16
Beautiful pics Elephas! Unfortunately my Stax plans were put on hold since I bought tkam's Quad 22Ls. The allure of speakers that don't sit on my head became to great.

Does this mean I'll wake up one morning with half an RS-1 driver lying on the pillow next to me?
frown.gif
blink.gif
 
Sep 3, 2007 at 4:03 PM Post #7 of 16
Do not refer to the AKG Ninja Squad in such a manner, should you wish to be able to continue using your precious earspeakers. We have units in all major countries, ready to strike at a moments notice.
 
Sep 3, 2007 at 4:06 PM Post #8 of 16
Dang it... you know you've lost it when you look at the first picture and say 'hmm... that's about $3,000 worth of headphones, but everyone should understand it's a small sum to pay for a couple of headphones.'
 
Sep 3, 2007 at 4:49 PM Post #9 of 16
Quote:

Originally Posted by Elephas /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I thought that 1st Rule not talking about stuff was Fight Club.
tongue.gif


The SR-Lambda Pro matched with the SRM-T1W sounds very good. Surprisingly good. Details and clarity in abundance. The SR-Lambda Pro and T1W are how old? I haven't tried the O2 and 4070 yet.

The Airbow SR-SC1 driven by the T1W or KGSS is also very good.

I don't know which 6CG7 tubes are installed in the T1W and plan on ordering a pair of matched RCA cleartops to try.

I think these older, out-of-production Stax headphones and amps are superb values compared to the usual K701 or HD650 matched with reasonably good amps such as the Lehmann Black Cube Linear.

I was a member here for over two years before I bought a Stax, and now I'm kicking myself for not doing so sooner instead of mucking around with dynamic setups. For anyone who values clarity, imaging precision, and above all DETAILS, I recommend Stax.

Well, actually, I'm planning to continue mucking around with dynamic balanced setups. That's the only way the K701, HD650 etc. have a chance against Team Stax.



The first rule of the Stax "Mafia" is that we... I mean they...
rolleyes.gif
don't talk about Stax, ever! It's our... their
rolleyes.gif
secret.

I'm getting a T1W and an SC-1 as soon as Rinkya get offf their ass and ship it out to me. The T1W was introduced in 1993 and was produced until 2000 or there abouts but with a few mods with new Stax. The T1W is basically the same as the T1S but with extra inputs, variable bias on one socket and a basic preamp function. The SR-Lambda Pro was introduced in 1982 but was in production until 1994.

The cleartops are a bad idea and so are most of the NOS tubes. I've tried them all and was never satisfied until Hirsch pointed us to the NOS Japanese models the were used to voice the SRM-T1 which all later amps are based upon (even though it wasn't a new design for Stax). I really like the Toshiba tubes but Matsuhita (SP?) are also nice. These have many different brand names on them. You do need to bias the amp when you change the tubes and I can send you the instructions if you want to.

Details are where they truly shine, not just treble details but all over the spectrum and also macro details. The new Lambdas are flawed as the drivers are the best ever but the housing is the same 30 year old crap and that makes them sound etched and uneven. Just listen to those 404 drivers in the 4070. Still I don't think that Stax will update the housing soon as the manufacturing costs would rise quite a bit and the would push the 404 far above 30000Yen.

I'm actually trying a dynamic phone, an ortho actually, but I'll always be a high voltage nut and drive them with really big tubes...
biggrin.gif
 
Sep 3, 2007 at 5:12 PM Post #10 of 16
Quote:

Originally Posted by jjhatfield /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Beautiful pics Elephas! Unfortunately my Stax plans were put on hold since I bought tkam's Quad 22Ls. The allure of speakers that don't sit on my head became to great.

Does this mean I'll wake up one morning with half an RS-1 driver lying on the pillow next to me?
frown.gif
blink.gif



Superb set of speakers, you did the right thing.

And no it'll be half a GS1000... so I've heard, somewhere.

<_<

>_>
 
Sep 3, 2007 at 6:00 PM Post #11 of 16
lol, this thread is full of amuse and laugh
 
Sep 3, 2007 at 6:07 PM Post #12 of 16
Quote:

Originally Posted by spritzer /img/forum/go_quote.gif
You do need to bias the amp when you change the tubes and I can send you the instructions if you want to.


Yes, please send/post everything.
biggrin.gif


I'll look for some Toshiba or Matsu****a tubes and let you know if I find extras.

It's too bad the Stax Mafia does not exist. "Spritzer" is certainly well-suited to be a member of such an organization.
not_worthy.gif


Quote:

Originally Posted by Fitz /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Do not refer to the AKG Ninja Squad in such a manner, should you wish to be able to continue using your precious earspeakers. We have units in all major countries, ready to strike at a moments notice.


I was thinking specifically of you when I made the post.
tongue.gif
 
Sep 3, 2007 at 8:17 PM Post #14 of 16
the stax mafia isn't very visible because they mostly only post in threads that include the word "stax" in the title. The stax mafia don't really care about comparing stax to dynamic headphones anymore, which is why they tend to shear off from the rest of head-fi fandom. They do maintain some field agents, though, a couple of whom have already posted in this thread.
 

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