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The O2 is indeed nice and represents a nice departure from most TOTL headphones that simply sound too ****-ing bright. I've always thought that both LCD2 and LCD3 and the O2 share the same genes and are definitely after the same sonic signature.
As for the 007 vs LCD3, I think nothing is perfect in this world. The 007 may provide extremely high fidelity and delicate sound coupled with the best transient response in headphones but I've honestly never heard a Stax system that provides a proper sense of density and immediacy/impact. They can sound a bit too ethereal sometimes. The LCD3 on the other hand may not sound as detailed and its soundstage is definitely lacking compared to the 007 (though I feel the R10 and HD800 offer better soundstage than the 007) but it does have a grounded realism that is missing in the 007. Sigh... it's such a pickle.
Well, I do really need to hear the 009 one of these days. If it can fix some of those issues with the 007, I think it will be THE ultimate headphone. Similarly, I bet the LCD3 without its veiled midrange will be one heck of a headphone.
I think we feel the same way about these things. The SR-007mk1 is still one of my absolute favorite headphones. Its tonal balance, to me, is perfect. Moreso than even the mighty SR-009 (caveat: in my system, using both the KGSS and SRM-717. No BHSE or Realizer at this time, sadly). With regard to the SR-009 especially, I have never come across another headphone that presents music as unobtrusively, that gets out of the way more thoroughly than the SR-009. Coupled with its extreme comfort, I think the biggest strength of the SR-009 is that you can forget its existence for a brief moment or two. That's quite a feat for a headphone! It's the closest thing to an "open window" onto music I've yet heard. The SR-007mk1 seems a tiny bit dark in comparison, but I like that. This is relative though: on the KGSS the SR-007mk1 is NOT a dark headphone. It's quite lively. I think most people who complain about it being overly dark are underamping it, tbo.
The LCD-2 rev. 1 and LCD-3 definitely make their presence known, definitely impart a certain quality to music. It's something I have to be in the mood for. When I am in the mood though, nothing else will do. The do "thick, lush, laid-back" more adeptly than any of their rivals. It's their forte.
Also: When it comes to imparting that sense of "thereness," I'm finding that our definitions all differ as to just what contributes to it. The Realizer, from my readings, seems to be the ultimate soundstaging device. It simulates listening to your speakers, and that's damned impressive. For me though, it's not always about that room-like presentation. Sometimes listening to a set of speakers or a simulation of them isn't going to be my idea of the music being "present." For me it has to do with the quality or character of the sound itself, a certain texture or weight it carries. Electrostatic technology, for all of its benefits, just can't impart this sense of presence in my brain. Alternatively, dynamics just can't do that vaporous and effortless sound that 'stats can. I love both thoroughly, and my mood often shifts as to what sort of presentation I want to hear.
The piezoelectric Heil-type driver in the H2+ is very intriguing to me, because it seems to be capable of that effortless, thoroughly detailed sound but also able to convey a sense of weight. I hope more is done with that technology in the future, because the H2+ is FAR from perfect. Far, far from it.
