[inburrito]

I am the new owner of a Stax SRM-T1 and Lambda Pro earspeakers.  The sound of this 20 year-old system is quite exemplary.  I have only one issue: the headphones are extremely large, especially from the front.  I normally wouldn't care, but I work on a trading floor and these things produce double-takes regularly.
 
The new models look to have a thinner profile, but it's a bit hard to tell from pics: is that true?
 
How is the sound quality of the 307 & 407 vs. the Lambda Pro?  I'd really like to stay under $500 max for new earspeakers, if I get them.
 

 

[inburrito]

Anybody?

 

[padam]

They don't have a thinner profile only a different colour scheme. If you want a Stax that looks good when worn you need to get one of the small vintage ones (e.g. SR-5 Gold)
 
The sound of the newer ones is generally considered to be better, more even across the frequency range but if you really like the Lambda Pro sound they might be too different for you.

 

[inburrito]

Thanks.  They're really not any thinner, eh?  That is surprising.
 
The Lambdas sound great but I would say the balance is a bit on the light side (esp. in comparison to the restored Quad 57s I use at home).  So, if the newer ones are a bit weightier I'd say that's a plus.
 
 

 

[padam]

No the housing is exactly the same but the newest series of models have a different mounting for the new transducers
 
.
 
Yes the new ones are a bit weightier sounding and don't have a recession in the midrange like the Lambda Pro. The 407 is considered to be better than the 307.