[Policar]

 
I recently overpaid for a pair of stax lambda (original, six-pin, circa 1980) headphones.  I'm not sure if I should keep them, sell them, or upgrade to something better.  Just wondering what the opinion is of those who've heard many mid-end headphones…
 
After hearing them once, I figured I'd sell them;  they sounded at first similar to my grado sr80s (which I don't really think are that great, good for the money, maybe), except with much better defined bass.  Then again, I was listening to FM radio...  After listening to better material through them, I'm amazed by the clarity.  Classical music and vocals benefit the most, but anything with a lot of drums also sounds much clearer than anything else I've heard, especially when turned loud.  Even dubstep is way more abrasively screechy, if that's your thing for some reason.  "Intentionally" distorted music, like Sleigh Bells or some of the vocals on OK Computer, sounds a lot worse.  With my grados, I had "sound enhancer" on in iTunes and the EQ set to boost the bass, but with the stax that degrades the quality a lot, which seems like a good sign.
 
That said, the overall sound isn't the greatest thing I've ever heard.  They're very bright, and while the bass sounds clear I never feel it.  It's not visceral or "rounded."  They've never "wowed" me and they don't quite sound live, like they always sound a little tight and analytical.  Around 1-4khz it's a bit too bright.  My current set up is a mac book pro (sometimes an iPod), hooked up with a cheap 1/8 to RCA adapter to an old Sony receiver, hooked up to an old SRD-7, hooked up to the headphones.  Probably not a great set up!  I also have a decent LP player and CD player attached to the receiver, but I listen to MP3s and spotify 99% of the time…
 
My options are:
 
•Keep these.
•Sell now, upgrade to an SR-303 and dedicated amp, eventually or the Koss 950.  I'd only spend the extra money if I could get something almost "perfect."
•Sell and side grade to HD-598 sennheisers.  I really like the sound of the 500-series sennheisers, and they aren't as harsh as the stax.  I've heard this model is ridiculously good for the money, so I might forgive the "slow" drivers for everything else being near-perfect.  That said, I imagine I might lose some detail.  The other dynamic ($100 or thereabouts) headphones I've used have nowhere near as much detail.
 
What do those who've tried the above, as well as the lambda, recommend for someone in my situation?  I'm really new to mid-end audio so I don't know the language.  I just want the detail of the stax headphones without harshness and with the presence and smoothness of good dynamic headphones--if that makes sense.  Do modern-day electrostats sound as amazing as I imagine?
 

 

[cjfrbw]

Get a good amp like a modest single ended el84 to use with it the SRD7. The original Lambda was one of the  headphones that they got right the first time.  Sticking around here will just make you unhappy with everything.
 
I like that there are extremists who push the envelope and try everything to madness, making micro distinctions, but if you just like listening to music the original Lambdas are one of the better experiences.
 
The SR 3/3n/5n are also excellent. I had a novice headphone listener recently who preferred a SR 3n with 5n drivers/normal bias over a new SR 507 when played both with the same amps/materials.

 

[NamelessPFG]

I'd keep it, but that's just me. I've come to love the Stax sound too much.
 
One thing I've found is that while my SR-Lambda (not quite a stock normal bias set; drivers have been rebuilt with slightly thicker diaphragms and the mineral wool stuffing in the earcups is missing, and it's said to sound more "taunt" than a stock SR-Lambda, whatever that means) lacks bass impact at first, they respond very well to EQ. You have apparently tried that, but note that I don't use iTunes (let alone its own EQ), but the one on my sound card (which I intentionally keep the volume very low on so as to avoid clipping, since my receiver can feed the SRD-7 well enough). This adds a bit of punch, close enough to the Panasonic HTF600 to keep me satisfied, but still retaining the inherent clarity of an electrostatic design.
 
Word is that the Koss ESP/950 has much more bass impact, but much less airiness and spaciousness compared to the various Lambda models. I wish I could try one for myself, but that will have to wait until I have more money. As for later Lambda models, it's said that they've increased extension and clarity at the cost of "musicality", whatever that may mean. (The glossary here defines it as how much they resemble the sound of live music.)
 
As for abrasively harsh sounds, I guess that's a side effect of being so revealing. Garbage in, garbage out, as they say. It's either a clear, revealing presentation or a thick, muddy, blurred presentation in my limited experience (which doesn't include any particularly high-end headphones other than this Lambda), though I'd think that someone could code a DSP effect to smooth out the sound a bit for highly detailed headphones when desired. It's easier to lose detail than to increase it, after all.

 

[ri_toast]

i watched a set on ebay the other day leap to 374 from 172 in the last minute. i like mine; all original in like new condition. the other stats i have are closed and have serious clamp issues even with new pads. they are polar opposites in many ways, i enjoy them both. i vote keep em but you decide whats best for you.
 

 

[jaycalgary]

I bought these for about the same price.
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120778903439
There was not much competition for them. Ebay has its ups and downs. I had them shipped to a family address so I haven't seen them but I like the look of the condition from the photos.

 

[Policar]

Thanks for all the advice.
 
I probably should have waited for a good price, but I really wanted to try these!  Thankfully they are in great condition, at least, and sound impressive.  Everything else sounds so veiled by comparison.  Before I buy anything else I hope to try more options first and be more informed.
 
I think I'll look into a better amp (any specific recommendations?) and possibly a hardware EQ, as suggested.  This really makes me wonder what the new 009 headphones sound like.  I can't believe how good the sound is with these and vinyl; it makes me wonder what was really gained with digital other than convenience.

 

[ri_toast]

fast, resolving, sense of space, your not alone in an opinion of these.
i gave up vinyl years ago, still have a thorens table and the lps.
my setup is network storage - em-u 202 (usb soundcard) yamaha a-700 integrated amp (class a circuit/tone bypass)
 
i did have it on a great american amp (son of ampzilla) with a pre-amp also gas. went with the yamaha to run both stats from one "switch" having an a /b speaker sets . seems the earspeakers make more difference than any specific hardware earlier in the chain.
 
hope that helps

 

[proteo58]

Hello,

I have a Stax Sigma Pro, and I also have a GRADO  SR200. I think the problem is more in front-end and not in the Stax.
The Stax headphone is definitely a "clear and analytical," but never "abrasively screechy"!

However, if you like the sound of static, but you want a sweeter sound and smooth, look for the old STAX SR3/5, or try the tube driver SRM T1 , looking valves that suit your sound.

In any case, I would try first to connect to another PC or STAX another amp, with a different software and a sound card to see if a new source can change the sound.

Hi

 

[edstrelow]

If I recall correctly, the original Lambda has quite  a lot of mineral wool stuffing behind the drivers.  Stax later stopped doing this for later Lambdas, and uses only a fairly skimpy transparent foam backing.  I read at least one person who recommended removing the mineral wool from the phones and liked the result.  Exactly what he heard I don't recall.  I persoanlly have removed even the skimpy foam from the back of my 404 and LNS and am unlikely to ever reinsert it.  The sound is much more open and the soundfield is wider.
 
You might want to consider trying this out before you would let of these phones. Just be careful removing the wool in case you want to put it back.

 

[Policar]

Thanks, everyone.  I ended up buying a 3030 system recently (this is what happens when you get a new job, even if it pays next to nothing), and while the new amp makes an enormous difference (so much more bass and a much fuller sound), the difference between the lambdas and sr303s is small.  The sr303s have better bass extension; the lambdas have more treble detail.  I think, technically, the 303s are more balanced and rarely become strident, but the lambda makes my best recordings (mostly classical and acoustic) sound even better and more like live music.
 
I suppose I have to sell one set to pay for a DAC, which I desperately need.  I think I'm an electrostatic convert now, though.  The increased detail is great.  And thanks again for the advice.

 

[NamelessPFG]

I wonder how much the amp has to do with that. It complicates things that your Lambda's a normal bias set and the amp that came with your SR-303 is undoubtedly Pro bias-only.
 
Now, if only I had enough money to make an offer for that SR-Lambda...just when you think you've got enough Stax, you want more. "Sorry about your wallet" indeed.

 

[edstrelow]

Seems like Stax has dropped its low bias sockets from newer amps.  But the old SRM1Mk2 is still a good amp and most have both sockets.  What I have heard comparing transformers vs amps is more detail/ambience/imaging with amps, but better dynamics and smoother frequency response with transformers.  I havea  low bias Sigma, SRXIII and SR6.  However I don't have the original low bias Lambda.

 

[NamelessPFG]

While we're discussing amps, I've noticed that a typical SRM-1/Mk2 goes for around $400, while the SRM-T1 and its variants (T1S, T1M) go for $500-650. Both are almost guaranteed to have both bias sockets. Are the T1s really worth the price increase at that point? (I know that they're tube-based and the SRM-1 is pure solid-state, but there may be other reasons.)

 

[Policar]

The srm313 actually has a pro bias and normal bias socket so I was able to A/B the two lambdas directly.  The original lambda has a bit more treble emphasis and makes violins and higher-pitched cello music sound especially good, but for hip hop or whatever the sound is harsher.  The original sounds a bit more detailed with a bit less bass.  Overall, very very similar.

I was able to try both through a transformer, too (though volume levels weren't perfectly adjusted), and I found the srm313 to be significantly better than the transformer, a really noticeable difference; everything was just fuller, especially bass.  But I was using a cheap Sony receiver with the transformer, so there's that.  I've never used the tube amp but my guess is maybe it's a bit smoother and helps tame the treble emphasis and somewhat clinical quality.

 

[Double F]

As a FYI there are 2 version of the srm-313  The original with 1 pro and 1 normal bias jack  and a later version with 2 pro bias jacks.