Question about amps for the Stax SR-009

[David1961]

It's now about a month since I received the Megahertz Guerra amp, and I think it's still getting better day after day. I'm using the stock tubes (some chinese 6sl7 and JJ el34) but the sound signature has changed quite a bit: the mids are a little more forward and liquid and I tend to listen to a higher volume than I used to with the 600ltd. Actually I've never listened this loud, with any headphones! No brightness or harshness, no listening fatigue. Dynamics are astonishing and so the timbre of violin and female vocals.

I've been listening to my BHSE again today with the EL34PH's and also the SED's, and to what I heard, ( again ) the PH's take the BHSE to another level.
I did write on the BHSE thread that I was going to compare both the PH's and SED's a few times, but I won't be using the SED's anymore, unless something happens to the PH's.
With your very nice looking amp part using EL34's Massi, I don't think I need to say what IMO you should get.

 

[realmassy]

Eheheh! I know David. I was actually waiting to hear your feedback about them, as I trust your opinion, for a few reasons: your system is highly revealing, and in one word, superb, and you're always honest, you don't get 'too excited' about a nee toy So if you clearly heard the difference using the EL34PH against the SED (which were actually on my short list) it means they are really a good choice. Anyway will probably let you know my opinion in a couple of weeks, as I'm going to place an order just after the new Chinese year celebrations.

 

[Golfnutz]

Eheheh! I know David. I was actually waiting to hear your feedback about them, as I trust your opinion, for a few reasons: your system is highly revealing, and in one word, superb, and you're always honest, you don't get 'too excited' about a nee toy So if you clearly heard the difference using the EL34PH against the SED (which were actually on my short list) it means they are really a good choice. Anyway will probably let you know my opinion in a couple of weeks, as I'm going to place an order just after the new Chinese year celebrations.

If you do end up ordering the EL34PH, make sure you purchase from a reliable source. There have been many failures reported, so think twice about using Ebay. I live in Canada so I'm using Grant Fidelity, which is also located in Canada (they're tubes are suppose to be pre-tested prior to shipping from the China).

 

[realmassy]

Thanks for the advice, but I was already thinking of using Grant Fidelity. But there's an announcement on their website saying there will be delays in the shippings untill the first week of February. And I think these tubes get shipped from HK.
There's also a couple of ebay sellers in UK, with next day delivery...gotta resist!

 

[David1961]

I ordered the PH's using Grant Fidelity's website, but they came from Audio for Less ( Hong Kong )

 

[jackskelly]

One thing I have noticed with SR-009s paired with the Liquid Lightning MKI is the amount of bass I perceive (I've only owned it for a couple of weeks so it might change). I feel that it's actually overwhelming at times, never lacking in any sense. I owned the LCD-2.2's a while ago, and from what I recall the SR-009/LL combo has more bass (even in terms of slam) than when I had the LCD-2s paired with the Schiit Lyr. It's just been quite unexpected, maybe because most every review I've read of the SR-009s when comparing to the LCD-2's or LCD-3's seem to point out it's lack bass impact/slam (and it's bright nature). I noticed this both testing many CD's and SACD's on my Onkyo C-S5VL disc player and many lossy and lossless files with my NuForce DAC-100 (through my MacBook pro via USB). I hear no such lack of bass at all, but maybe this is just me? Perhaps it just has to do with the realism and detail of the bass and I'm still getting used to it. Have any other owners on the LL or other amps had any similar impressions?

 

[CybDev]

One thing I have noticed with SR-009s paired with the Liquid Lightning MKI is the amount of bass I perceive (I've only owned it for a couple of weeks so it might change). I feel that it's actually overwhelming at times, never lacking in any sense. I owned the LCD-2.2's a while ago, and from what I recall the SR-009/LL combo has more bass (even in terms of slam) than when I had the LCD-2s paired with the Schiit Lyr. It's just been quite unexpected, maybe because most every review I've read of the SR-009s when comparing to the LCD-2's or LCD-3's seem to point out it's lack bass impact/slam (and it's bright nature). I noticed this both testing many CD's and SACD's on my Onkyo C-S5VL disc player and many lossy and lossless files with my NuForce DAC-100 (through my MacBook pro via USB). I hear no such lack of bass at all, but maybe this is just me? Perhaps it just has to do with the realism and detail of the bass and I'm still getting used to it. Have any other owners on the LL or other amps had any similar impressions?

I don't have a LCD-2 or LLmk1, but I do have HD800 and LLmk2/SR-009 both hooked up to a Benchmark DAC2.

I agree, the LLmk2/SR-009 seems to have a little boost to bass, but I wouldn't call it overwhelming in any way, and at least to my ears it pulls it off without muddying anything in the process.

Also I suspect the LLmk2 might be damping some of the highs slightly since they are much less fatiguing on the LLmk2 than when used with my SRM-323S, again without loss of detail (kind of hard to compare, the LLmk2 is a good step up from the SRM-323S imo).

I'm quite happy with the LLmk2, the only "issue" there for me is that I still feel the HD800 is better when it comes to sub-bass resolution and detail, but I don't know if that's SR-009 spesific or amp spesific.
None of the Stax amps I've tried were better than the LLmk2, and I haven't been able to get my hands on an Electra, KGSSHV or BHSE for comparison.

 

[jackskelly]

I don't have a LCD-2 or LLmk1, but I do have HD800 and LLmk2/SR-009 both hooked up to a Benchmark DAC2.

I agree, the LLmk2/SR-009 seems to have a little boost to bass, but I wouldn't call it overwhelming in any way, and at least to my ears it pulls it off without muddying anything in the process.

Also I suspect the LLmk2 might be damping some of the highs slightly since they are much less fatiguing on the LLmk2 than when used with my SRM-323S, again without loss of detail (kind of hard to compare, the LLmk2 is a good step up from the SRM-323S imo).

I'm quite happy with the LLmk2, the only "issue" there for me is that I still feel the HD800 is better when it comes to sub-bass resolution and detail, but I don't know if that's SR-009 spesific or amp spesific.
None of the Stax amps I've tried were better than the LLmk2, and I haven't been able to get my hands on an Electra, KGSSHV or BHSE for comparison.

Thanks CybDev for your comments. I think it also might appear overwhelming to me for recordings with too much bass mixed in (for my tastes), and the SR-009 probably exposes this due to it's very high level of transparency and detail. Maybe I used the wrong word in "overwhelming," it does really even bother me, even in heavy-bass recordings and files it still sounds great, it's just a little unexpected. Most people say that the SR-007 is even darker than the SR-009, and if that's the case I think that the SR-007 is probably too dark for me.

 

[CybDev]

Thanks CybDev for your comments. I think it also might appear overwhelming to me for recordings with too much bass mixed in (for my tastes), and the SR-009 probably exposes this due to it's very high level of transparency and detail. Maybe I used the wrong word in "overwhelming," it does really even bother me, even in heavy-bass recordings and files it still sounds great, it's just a little unexpected. Most people say that the SR-007 is even darker than the SR-009, and if that's the case I think that the SR-007 is probably too dark for me.

I only had a chance to listen to the SR-007mk2 for a few minutes and compare it to the SR-009, and it's a completely different animal.
It sounded boomy,muddy,wooly compared to the SR-009. Maybe the one I listened to was broken or something, I don't know...

 

[arnaud]

For the lack of sub-bass with the 009/LLmk2 pairing, unless the unit I had was broken, it is amp specific and does not show up with an electra or even srm727 for that matter.

The interesting thing is that the LLmk2 does sound punchier that way with more focus on the impact than the decay, and that was felt all over the frequency range, not just bass kick.

For the Omega 2 sounding boomy / wooly, it's a combination of the phone (mk2 with its vent, mk1 is fine), amplification used (very power humgry can, 009 being much easier on the amp), and pads adjustment (really need to make a good seal).

 

[CybDev]

For the lack of sub-bass with the 009/LLmk2 pairing, unless the unit I had was broken, it is amp specific and does not show up with an electra or even srm727 for that matter.

The interesting thing is that the LLmk2 does sound punchier that way with more focus on the impact than the decay, and that was felt all over the frequency range, not just bass kick.

For the Omega 2 sounding boomy / wooly, it's a combination of the phone (mk2 with its vent, mk1 is fine), amplification used (very power humgry can, 009 being much easier on the amp), and pads adjustment (really need to make a good seal).

SRM-727 was one of the Stax amps I've tried, and I still felt the HD800 bested it on sub-bass resolution/detail...

A good seal/fit is pretty universal for all cans I'd presume... I notice the SR-009 changes wildly when it doesn't have a good seal, particularly evident with the bass response...

 

[CybDev]

Actually I even preferred the SRM-323S over the 727...

Edit: was supposed to be an edit, not a double post...

 

[David1961]

Around 20 months ago, I got to hear the LL along with my BHSE, and at that time I recall SQ wise, they were on par with each other. However, recently I got a quad of Psvane EL34PH's to use with my BHSE, and to my hearing the SQ improvement is obvious. So, it would be interesting to compare the LL with the BHSE using the PH's, however I won't be doing that because the time I plugged my 009's into the LL ( which was only once and will never happen again ) I found it difficult to do so, and it was even worse getting them out.

 

[complin]

Have you thought about the british Mullard EL34's?
If you are looking for more detail then the Telefunkens or similar but cheaper the WF/RFT's made in berlin.
 
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If you do end up ordering the EL34PH, make sure you purchase from a reliable source. There have been many failures reported, so think twice about using Ebay. I live in Canada so I'm using Grant Fidelity, which is also located in Canada (they're tubes are suppose to be pre-tested prior to shipping from the China).

 

[complin]

I would not say the 007 Mk1 is dark at all, just well balanced and not in your face like many headphones these days. They do need lots of juice to bring them to life though. I would characterise the Audeze LCD2's as dark in comparison though.  
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Most people say that the SR-007 is even darker than the SR-009, and if that's the case I think that the SR-007 is probably too dark for me.