[spritzer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by krmathis /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well, yes. But I sadly just noticed 'spritzer' sold his SR-SC1, without even posting a FS thread. So since I don't want to pay $6-700 for a new pair I am most probably out of luck.

I was made an offer I couldn't refuse but rest assured that they went to a very good home. If I see another set used in Japan I'll pick them up for you.

 

[krmathis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by spritzer /img/forum/go_quote.gif I was made an offer I couldn't refuse but rest assured that they went to a very good home. If I see another set used in Japan I'll pick them up for you.

Ok, I understand.
Please keep you eyes open for another pair. But let me know before you bid, as I have no idea how much they go for on the used market...

 

[spritzer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by krmathis /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ok, I understand. Please keep you eyes open for another pair. But let me know before you bid, as I have no idea how much they go for on the used market...

Will do. The used price varies a lot but one can get lucky...

 

[dvse]

Quote:

Originally Posted by spritzer /img/forum/go_quote.gif In what shape were the earpads on both phones? The sound completely changes when they get older and become soft to the touch. It could also be down to some small changes Stax made in the production run but I don't think it is the mylar "aging" since that really isn't the case with any Stax headphone. Take any two examples of the same headphone and they sound virtually alike even if they were made years apart.

The earpads were pretty worn out on both, so hard to be sure. Thanks for your comment regarding aging, as you certainly would've heard many more old Stax headphones, although I must say that Lambda Signatures I had before getting a NOS set sounded quite different as well (in this case worse - it was very thin).

 

[milkpowder]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dvse /img/forum/go_quote.gif The earpads were pretty worn out on both, so hard to be sure. Thanks for your comment regarding aging, as you certainly would've heard many more old Stax headphones, although I must say that Lambda Signatures I had before getting a NOS set sounded quite different as well (in this case worse - it was very thin).

Might it have something to do with the condition of the pads?

 

[spritzer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dvse /img/forum/go_quote.gif The earpads were pretty worn out on both, so hard to be sure. Thanks for your comment regarding aging, as you certainly would've heard many more old Stax headphones, although I must say that Lambda Signatures I had before getting a NOS set sounded quite different as well (in this case worse - it was very thin).

The pads make or break any planar head phone. This much more of an issue then the with dynamics.

 

[Elephas]

That was a very nice read. This impressive write-up was the result of one day of listening and one writing take, with jet-lag? I can't even function if I get less than 8 hours of sleep and 2 hours of listening time daily.

I think someone of your writing caliber deserves more electrostats, a Blue Hawaii or ES-1 and a mega-source so you can post more of these threads.

 

[milkpowder]

You're too kind.

Any surplus gear needing a home?

 

[Anders]

Thanks for the review! I have been confused about the Lambda versions and this clarifies much. The Signature seems to be a alternative to HE60 for those who like me thinks the bass a little weak. I just wonder how the Koss ESP/950 compares? This question is intended for spritzer, or anyone else who may have experience of it.

 

[spritzer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anders /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks for the review! I have been confused about the Lambda versions and this clarifies much. The Signature seems to be a alternative to HE60 for those who like me thinks the bass a little weak. I just wonder how the Koss ESP/950 compares? This question is intended for spritzer, or anyone else who may have experience of it.

The ESP/950 is certainly an equal to these phones if they have been recabled and they are running on a 620v bias. They are so good that I'm keeping them but selling the rest of my midrange phones. The bass is reserved yet deep enough not to be really lacking in any way, the treble is slightly tilted upwards along with the upper midrange so they are great for rock though the coloration is mild enough to be barely noticeable. They also have better imaging then either of the other phones and that is a big thing for me. The soundstage is the right size and not some overgrown blob trying to impress.

 

[milkpowder]

A pair of ESP/950 + recable will cost the same as a pair of used SR-007. Is it really that good?

 

[Duggeh]

You dont need a recable. Just an adapter so you can leach bias from the E9 and drive from a Stax amp.

 

[spritzer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by milkpowder /img/forum/go_quote.gif A pair of ESP/950 + recable will cost the same as a pair of used SR-007. Is it really that good?

No, but finding a set for 300$ and installing a 45$ PC-OCC cable is well worth it. I would send them to Koss first though before any recabling job complaining about something... You might just get a new set...

 

[spritzer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duggeh /img/forum/go_quote.gif You dont need a recable. Just an adapter so you can leach bias from the E9 and drive from a Stax amp.

The crap Koss cable has to go. It's beyond awful and of similar quality as they used on the ESP10 back in 1977.

 

[webbie64]

First, I add my thanks to milkpowder for the impressions. Very much appreciated.

Second,
Quote:

Originally Posted by spritzer /img/forum/go_quote.gif The etch is the reason why Stax went back to 1.5um with the Nova Signature but that doesn't solve the real reason for the problem. While the electrostatic principle is often toted as the massless drivers they to indeed all have some mass, how ever small, and that needs to be controlled by the weak electrostatic forces. To take a quick detour, the mass is only part of the equation here but lets focus on that for now. When you use a 1um film it is so light that the weak forces have a hard time controlling it so film is plagued by it's own resonant frequency. There are two ways to solve it, the first being an abundance of power (there is no etch with the Blue Hawaii driving them) and the other is the way Sennheiser choose, use a lot of tension on the diaphragms. This allows a lower power amp to control the diaphragm but limits SPL and (as we all know) bass output. There is one other phone that uses a 1um film that manages to sound pretty damn good with little midrange ailments and that is the ESP950. I haven't spent nearly enough time with them to find out why but the diaphragm seems to have a lot of tension and the sheer size of it could make up for the loss in bass output. Now this might drag up the old marketing tricks from Stax who used the diaphragm thickness to sell headphones though the mantra thinner is better is far to simple for complex things that are happening in a electrostatic transducer so Stax might have found the sweet spot between mass and driving force with the 1.35um film but who knows...

Spritzer, this has to be the single best post I have ever read on HeadFi. The info is pinpoint, the writing clear, precise and accurate. I'm saving this post as one of the best reference pieces of info for explaining to people about just what is required to get the best possible SQ out of an ESP. Well, well said, spritzer.

Quote:

Originally Posted by milkpowder /img/forum/go_quote.gif Re: Sigs vs normal I have never heard the normal bias Lambdas, but I get the same impressions when comparing the Sigs to the Pros. Even though the Pros are richer and more musical sounding, I can't quite trace the outline of each note/sound like I can with the Sigs or HE60, if you get what I mean.

I know EXACTLY what you mean

. Although it is rare for me to sacrifice the detail and use normal bias Lambdas, I find I do make this choice when unwell in bed with cold/flu. The head can already be a bit clogged up and just a terrifically musical engagement is desired. And that the normal bias Lambdas do provide.

Quote:

Originally Posted by spritzer /img/forum/go_quote.gif The ESP/950 is certainly an equal to these phones if they have been recabled and they are running on a 620v bias.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duggeh /img/forum/go_quote.gif You dont need a recable. Just an adapter so you can leach bias from the E9 and drive from a Stax amp.

Quote:

Originally Posted by spritzer /img/forum/go_quote.gif The crap Koss cable has to go. It's beyond awful and of similar quality as they used on the ESP10 back in 1977.

No intention to threadjack but this discussion is right in keeping with my current curiosity. My ESP/950 has always been recabled (by [AK]Zip) so I'll side with spritzer on it being beneficial (I trust [AK]Zip's judgements in these matters). It's the 620v bias that I want to experience. I thought leaching bias from the E9 only gives me 600v so I haven't bothered trying to set that cabling up. I obviously have Stax 580v bias sources (Woo, McAllister, Stax SRD-XPro). My stupid question (which I shamelessly ask because the only truly stupid question is the one that's never asked) is whether there is a way to (relatively easilly) get a 620v bias out of any of these (an adapter?) to let me hear what the Koss with 620v bias is like?