DeviousEnigma
Head-Fier
Hey all, this is an impressions thread for the San Jose meet today! I'll be posting mine later. Very tired right now
. Thank you all for coming!

Another surprise was how much I enjoyed the latest sub-$1000 entry-level headphone + amp combo from Stax: the SR-X1 headphones + SRM-270 energizer. I've heard Stax' entire range of offerings, all the way up to the 9000 paired with the Blue Hawaii, and I can say that the value proposition here is incredible. $980! The SR-X1 also does bass surprisingly well. It's not as good as the 007's or 9000, but for only $500?! Come on.
Have you guys tried the SR-X1 on the Woo WA7e amplifier? What an awesome combo!!! Highly recommended (and thinking about the WA7e...I went just to listen to the new Stax SR-X1, and it certainly is an excellent modern entry to electrostats, worthy of the SR-X moniker (I am a die hard SR-X mk3 fanatic), even if it is a somewhat different and fresh direction. Thank you to the Stax representative who came down and had these units for us to listen to.
I didn't try the WA7 and I don't know why I didn't; it was literally right in front of me. At that point, I was still reeling from having just tried the WA23, so I wasn't thinking straight.Have you guys tried the SR-X1 on the Woo WA7e amplifier? What an awesome combo!!! Highly recommended (and thinking about the WA7e...)
WA7e (not to be confused with the original WA7...)I didn't try the WA7 and I don't know why I didn't; it was literally right in front of me. At that point, I was still reeling from having just tried the WA23, so I wasn't thinking straight.
Yup. Forgot the "e"WA7e (not to be confused with the original WA7...)
Yeah, the WA23 is pretty awesome. I can definitely see how that would have distracted you![]()
Yup. Forgot the "e"I'll see if I can try the SR-X1 with the WA7e at CanJam. I suspect it may not be possible, unless Stax and WooAudio share a room.
Speaking of the WA7 (non-e), I owned the gen 3 but it didn't have the juice to really drive my TC and the bass sounded too lean as a consequence. The WA23 did not have the problem. I honestly am still trying to wrap my head around how well the WA23 paired with the TC.
Hi Luke.My findings on the Wa7 with the TC were the same. Couldn’t quite get there.
How do you find the DZ compares to the TC?
Hi Luke.
Good to hear from you.
These kind of events tend to be on the louder side, as you probably know. It makes it challenging to get a real impression, particularly with open backs, as you end up having to blast an amp's volume to unsafe levels, to rise above the din of the room. And even then, you still end up hearing conversations from those around you and even THEIR music coming through their headphones (since they, too, are blasting their headphones).
Still, I did notice differences in the bass, at least in quantity (as it was impossible to assess *quality* in that environment).
Only "lower end" amps (e.g., Woo Audio Tube Mini and WA7), the MR is, by far, the most bass abundant. However, on high end amps (like the WA23) the DZ and TC have more and better bass. They scale better than the MR. Also, the DZ and TC's bass is very similar to each other, with only a slight edge to the DZ. Interestingly, when I swapped the TC's ear pads for the DZ's new hybrid pads, the bass quantity improved on the TC. That makes any bass differences even less significant.
For sound stage, which is reportedly wider on the DZ, I couldn't hear a difference in that loud environment.
The DZ was lighter than the TC, though that's not a major thing for me, as the TC is already a light headphone. Something I did like is the new head strap. I just wish Abyss would allow existing TC owners to upgrade to that strap as well.
I took pictures (see attached pics) of the MR, DZ and TC's inner headband and screws, and they look identical to me, so I don't understand why Abyss isn't able to give an upgrade path to existing TC owners. Albeit, I didn't bust out my calibers, but they looked identical.
The DZ is an upgrade from the TC, but only incrementally so. Since new TCs also include the new head strap, that is a wash. The DZ has *slightly* more bass, is lighter, and has a wider soundstage (which I couldn't hear, but assume to be true).
If I were buying a Diana, new, and I didn't own a Diana, I would absolutely choose the DZ. No doubt. But, I already own the TC, and I just don't see enough compelling reasons to upgrade, when they are more similar than different.
I would argue that the DZ should actually be called the TC 2 (or TC 1.5) as it has relatively minor improvements over the TC. I don't see any reason that Abyss should continue to offer the TC for sale, since the DZ is also $500 cheaper. (And I say this as someone who loves their TC.)
Yup, already did, a month ago. They replied that the existing TCs out there aren't compatible:Thanks for taking the time to post some well thought out impressions! I figured they wouldn’t be much different.
It’s my understanding that Abyss now offers to add the headband to existing Diana models. I know someone over in the Diana thread got a strap on added to their MR. It may be worth shooting them an email.
Yup, already did, a month ago. They replied that the existing TCs out there aren't compatible:
"...That is only for new sales. Any new TC have been made using parts compatible with the MR/DZ headband. But those are the only TC that work with it..."