[mrAdrian]

   
 
I enjoy both HD600's and HE-500's. If I just stuck to the HD600's and didn't get the HE-500's my listening pleasure would not have suffered. But since I have both, I ain't suffer'in either. And no, I'm not rushing off a cliff to get a pair of sr-009's.

. Stax's cheaper stuff which is not cheap is butt oogly. Would you want to put that (below) on your head, especially since it has up to 100V RMS running through it?
 

Not until you actually tried one... I was one of those who despite their looks until I tried one, surprised by their comfort, and then when music started playing...
 
Wow.

 

[StanD]

  Not until you actually tried one... I was one of those who despite their looks until I tried one, surprised by their comfort, and then when music started playing...
 
Wow.

I'm still not putting 100 V RMS on my head. 

Do Stax owners get nutz about silver cables and such or are they happy with what comes stock?

 

[Keithpgdrb]

  I'm still not putting 100 V RMS on my head. 

Do Stax owners get nutz about silver cables and such or are they happy with what comes stock?

the stax cables are extremely high quality, no need to mess around with them.  so no, we don't get nutz about cables.  focus is on source and amps.  I've never heard of anyone changing the cable on a stax headphone unless it was damaged.

 

[roguegeek]

  I have the HD600's and HE-500's. IMO I wouldn't miss the HE-400's either. You ever get a chance to listen to HE-500's, properly amped?

After owning the HE-400 for the last year, I can honestly say I have no interest in headphones from Hifiman's currently lineup. I'm sure the HE-500 sounds good. The HE-400 didn't sound all the bad either, but the compromises you have to make in things like construction, the quality of materials, weight, and comfort are just not worth it in my book, especially at those prices. Read any of those forums and they're littered with cups splitting, wires failing, bands detaching, and what not. That type of quality is, unfortunately, where larger companies like Sennheiser or Sony just take things to completely different levels. Have you guys seen the HE-400i/HE-560 thread? It's less than 3 weeks old and it's already 76 pages long! I think people are getting hype mixed up with a universal recognition that the current products have no where else to go but up. Don't get me wrong. I'm all for helping out boutique or specialized companies. No matter who you are, though, you shouldn't be left off the hook for delivering an all around quality product.
 
Don't get too upset with me. I know people weight factors differently and I'm sure many people don't share my perspective. I'm not entirely hard headed, though, and I'd like to think anyone can change my mind. This is why I'm cautiously optimistic for the HE-560.

 

[StanD]

  After owning the HE-400 for the last year, I can honestly say I have no interest in headphones from Hifiman's currently lineup. I'm sure the HE-500 sounds good. The HE-400 didn't sound all the bad either, but the compromises you have to make in things like construction, the quality of materials, weight, and comfort are just not worth it in my book, especially at those prices. Read any of those forums and they're littered with cups splitting, wires failing, bands detaching, and what not. That type of quality is, unfortunately, where larger companies like Sennheiser or Sony just take things to completely different levels. Have you guys seen the HE-400i/HE-560 thread? It's less than 3 weeks old and it's already 76 pages long! I think people are getting hype mixed up with a universal recognition that the current products have no where else to go but up. Don't get me wrong. I'm all for helping out boutique or specialized companies. No matter who you are, though, you shouldn't be left off the hook for delivering an all around quality product.
 
Don't get too upset with me. I know people weight factors differently and I'm sure many people don't share my perspective. I'm not entirely hard headed, though, and I'd like to think anyone can change my mind. This is why I'm cautiously optimistic for the HE-560.

Don't know about headbands falling apart on the HE-500's as there's plenty of metal and it's made well. Maybe they dropped the ball with the 400's. The cable connectors at the ear cups are weird. They are heavy but the weight distributes well, plus I must have the neck of a wrestler.
I try to avoid threads about products that are not out yet as I don't take pleasure from reading the frenzy of speculation and blind adoration that litters such threads. Why would I be upset with you? You're very polite despite being from LA 

 

[roguegeek]

Haha. Thank you?

 

[cswann1]

Stax's cheaper stuff which is not cheap is butt oogly. Would you want to put that (below) on your head, especially since it has up to 100V RMS running through it?
 

  Actually I do...at least a couple of times a week.   I enjoy my headphones in the privacy of my home and so I don't worry about how my gear looks.  
 
That is not to say that I don't care how my headphones look. That's one reason why I have an HD580 (two actually) with HD600 grilles instead of the HD600 ( I don't care for the faux marble graphics).  The other reason is that it's pretty much the same animal with the grilles replaced but cost less.

 

[diaBoliQu3]

    Actually I do...at least a couple of times a week.   I enjoy my headphones in the privacy of my home and so I don't worry about how my gear looks.  
 
That is not to say that I don't care how my headphones look. That's one reason why I have an HD580 (two actually) with HD600 grilles instead of the HD600 ( I don't care for the faux marble graphics).  The other reason is that it's pretty much the same animal with the grilles replaced but cost less.

How about the sound? Same or not? I read mixed hate and love opinion.

 

[cswann1]

I've spent time with HD600s and they are too close for my non audiophile ears to tell the difference. 

 

[barid]

Stax gear is beautiful...and it sounds alright too

 

[StanD]

  I've spent time with HD600s and they are too close for my non audiophile ears to tell the difference. 

Don't be hard on yourself, I think that too many so called audiophiles hear things with their imaginations. I might trust your ears more that the Projectionist from CNET. You do like the HD600's so your hearing ain't all that bad. I think that some of the so called experts that write columns have certain interests that occlude their hearing.

 

[tomb]

HD580 + HD600 grilles = HD600, period.  The only case you can make for a difference is the HD600 still continues in production, so the drivers are tweaked for lower cost of production over time.
 
As for Stax, I agree with the sentiment about their lower-level stuff.  IMHO, there are many dynamic headphones that are just as good - a good pair of Grados may be just as detailed, for instance.  When you get up to the SR-07's and 09's, however, you're listening to the best in the world.

 

[StanD]

  HD580 + HD600 grilles = HD600, period.  The only case you can make for a difference is the HD600 still continues in production, so the drivers are tweaked for lower cost of production over time.
 
As for Stax, I agree with the sentiment about their lower-level stuff.  IMHO, there are many dynamic headphones that are just as good - a good pair of Grados may be just as detailed, for instance.  When you get up to the SR-07's and 09's, however, you're listening to the best in the world.

And the 07's an 09's don't look oogly. I'm still not so keen to put 100 VRMS around my head. The cable reminds me of the power cord going to a toaster.

 

[cswann1]

  And the 07's an 09's don't look oogly. I'm still not so keen to put 100 VRMS around my head. The cable reminds me of the power cord going to a toaster.

 
 
Have you ever heard or read about any instances of someone being injured as a result of using a Stax headphone?  I haven't.  I'm not trying to pick an argument but the safety thing seems like a pretty unreasonable fear.
 
I'm not going to make comparisons with shark attacks or bring up auto fatality statistics, but I think that if there were even a question of safety using Stax headphones we'd have heard about it.

 

[mrAdrian]

  HD580 + HD600 grilles = HD600, period.  The only case you can make for a difference is the HD600 still continues in production, so the drivers are tweaked for lower cost of production over time.
 
As for Stax, I agree with the sentiment about their lower-level stuff.  IMHO, there are many dynamic headphones that are just as good - a good pair of Grados may be just as detailed, for instance.  When you get up to the SR-07's and 09's, however, you're listening to the best in the world.

 
I remember listening to a 407 or 507 (or 307?) during a meet and they were very impressive too... 'Lucky' they need a whole different amplifier or otherwise I would be way too tempted to buy one and then put my life in a very poor and bad situation