Stax Lambda Pro - Fix Or Replace?

[wmirag]

I'm a long time music lover and audiophile. But I'm new to "better" headphones. I hope you folks can give me some advice.

I recently acquired a vintage Stax SRM-1/MK-2 Pro amp. It's a "C" serial number, late production, and said to be a great performer. It's perfect cosmetically, works like new, and sounds great.

I got Lambda Pro cans with it. These were in rough shape. I repaired the headband in several places (dunno if my repairs will hold up) and I had to snip out and resolder 6 inches of highly corroded and brittle cord near both cans (the cord corrosion caused drop-outs). So now my cans work well and sound good.

Trouble is, I don't know if there's "more" in the amp that my degraded cans aren't giving me. The only dealer in my area (NY suburb) does not stock Stax so I can't actually HEAR some 202's or 303's in advance of buying them. Buying "blind" is a leap of faith I have a hard time making.

If I stay with the old Pros, I should put some money into them. The CA importer wants $100 for a new headband and another $35 for pads. I bet I also need a cord because the "good" part of the cord was black with rust which I needed to sand and clean prior to soldering. After spending this money, I still won't know if the elements have degraded over the years.

Or I can buy a pair of new 202's or 303's and have peace of mind that they're at factory spec and will be reliable for years.

What would you guys recommend FROM A SOUND QUALITY POINT OF VIEW? I listen 2-3 hours a night at least. I'm a jazz/classical guy. I also listen to FM (on a serious, modded, analog tuner). I find the Electrostatics superior to my LittleDot MK-IV SE/Grado HP-2 combo in almost all cases. The Stax are especially effective on FM, giving it the "air" is lacks. And a good CD through the Stax is almost intoxicating.

Many, many thanks.

W.

 

[ericj]

If you don't hear squealing and buzzing from the drivers, I'd say fix them.

Given the rough shape of the cable you should probably replace it. You might be able to find a stax pro cable in good condition from another head-fi member. I don't know what the dealer might charge for that as a replacement part.

What kind of repairs were necessary on the headband? and are we talking about the strap or the arc, or the pieces that hold the, eh, slabs?

 

[wmirag]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ericj /img/forum/go_quote.gif What kind of repairs were necessary on the headband? and are we talking about the strap or the arc, or the pieces that hold the, eh, slabs?

Thanks for the advice! Should I interpret you to mean the Pros, if working, are sonically superior to the 202's and 303's? That's the most important question for me.

Regarding what was broken...

1. The right side D-Shaped-Holder has a post that inserts into the arc. That post separated from the D. It's a high-stress point for such a flimsy mechanical design. There's zero purchase for a fastener. My third repair seems to be holding these last few days. I filed a notch into the pin and epoxied the pin (and a flatwasher for added surface area) into the D.

2. The right side setscrew was broken off in the thread, its star-washer was missing, and the hole this assembly fit into was mangled. I re-drilled the post and epoxied in the head of a 6d nail, suitably ground. So far, so good.

3. The strap is a filthy mess, apparently missing its underside.

4. The foam nearest the ear is completely missing in both cans.

W.

 

[krmathis]

If it comes down to $150-200 to fix them (headband $100, pads $35, cable $30-40), then I would skip it and buy a new pair instead.
I bet you can sell the half-broken SR-Lambda Pro's as parts, at least if the drivers are fully working.

The SRM-1/MK-2 Pro is ace though..


Welcome to Head-Fi!

 

[ericj]

The truth is i haven't heard the Lambda Pro or the 202. I have a normal bias lambda.

It sounds like you really could benefit from the whole replacement of the arc & strap, and pads, and yeah, that does look expensive.

I know what you mean about the construction of the frame. It's quite sturdy for what they did but it's not really a fixable design.

It's possible that you could be better served by selling your lambda pro to someone more DIY-minded and picking up a 202 or some other lambda at any rate.

Or it's possible that someone here has a good lambda arc they could sell you. I doubt this a little because a head-fier recently bought a 303 with a broken arc and hasn't acquired a replacement yet.

maybe some brave soul wants to build a sigma pro and might want your lambda just for the drivers? *shrug*.

 

[Keithpgdrb]

Unfortunately we did not answer your question regarding weather the lambda pro is better sounding then a new pair. If you are in NY. There is probably a head fi member who could help you with some comparison listening. Then you could get the answer to your superiority question. That's what I would try first.

 

[lwd]

The Lambda Pros sound better than the modern 202 and 303. 404 is similar, but personally I still prefer the Lambda.

If they work in the condition they're in, I'd hang on to them as is and keep an eye out on ebay for another pair in good condition, or even better, a Lambda Pro Signature.

 

[wmirag]

Thanks to all of you.

The US distributor guy told me the 202's were equivalent to my Lambda Pros, even slightly better in details. But I've been around audio long enough to know that "details" and "musicality" are not always coincident in a product.

Unless I actually HEAR a new set and confirm I like them, I guess I will hang on to the vintage Lambda Pros. Let's hope my repairs hold!

Again, thanks.

W.

PS: If anyone else wants to opine on the sonic signature of the 202's vs 303's vs Pro, I'm all ears.

 

[edstrelow]

At least you will have good set of Lambda pros. You can decide later if you want a more recent model and you can sell the Pro. Old Staxen in good condition get good prices on Ebay. But if you are like most of us you will end up with several pairs of phones.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

If they sound as good to you as you say (vs the HP-2), then you should repair and maintain them and skip the SR-202 through 404. Don't fix what isn't broken, but don't break what works.