[tksc14724]

Hi. Profuse apologies if this is in any way against the rules, duplication, etc. I'm brand new and hopefully mods can put me right.
 
I've been a Stax user since 1988. Lamba Pros back then and after a while the cable deteriorated and for the next few years I resoldered it a few times but it was never the same.
A few years later I bought 202s, then 303s and they were robust and reliable. Five or six years ago I bought 404s and they've been a nightmare. The cable has had to be replaced 4 times and the headband has broken 5 times now. The UK Stax people are no longer interested even though the new headband they fitted in April broke yet again the other night.
 
Has anybody else experienced anything like this? I'm now totally negative about Stax where I used to be their most staunch supporter.

 

[n3rdling]

You probably aren't treating them very well.  I have a dozen Stax headphones, all vintage, and haven't really put a scratch on any of them.  Some of them are over 30 years old and they are in perfect working condition.  There are tons of old Stax headphones that are still around working properly because they are robust.  Just depends on the owner.

 

[Maxvla]

All of the models of Stax I've listened to felt very substantial. I'd expect them to last forever. I can't imagine what you must be doing to cause such issues.

 

[charliex]

Really?  How do you break a headband 5 times? Do you use them for batting practice or mistake them for a hammer during home renovations?  Lets get serious here.

 

[Omega17TheTrue]

Originally Posted by tksc14724 /img/forum/go_quote.gif

The cable has had to be replaced 4 times and the headband has broken 5 times now. The UK Stax people are no longer interested even though the new headband they fitted in April broke yet again the other night.

>>>

I can't imagine what you must be doing to cause such issues.

 
  

 

 

[krmathis]

Sound like major pain.
I have owned about 10 pair of Stax 'phones and beside one half dead SR-X/MK3 I have had no issues. All the Lambda models felt sturdy built and felt like they could last "forever". Same for the O2 and 4070.

 

[tksc14724]

No they've been handled with kid gloves and stored very carefully. Never abused or misused in any way whatsoever. Why on earth would I do this after forking out a lot of money for a high quality piece of kit like this? The rest of my system is Naim CDX2/XPS2, 282/Hicap, 250II and Linn Isobariks. I'm not exactly unfamiliar with high end equipment.  I make sure they're only opened wide enough and no more to clear my ears and they've broken in the exactly the same spot each time i.e. left side just where the reinforcement ends. The only possible explanation I can think of is that they're just not robust enough for the amount of use they get, averaging three hours a night, five or six nights a week.
 
I've been a Stax user for 22 years, previously having Lambda Pros, 202s, 303s without any problems whatsoever. It's only the 404s that have been so unreliable. The headbands are different, the 404s being noticeably thicker and less flexible than the others.

 

[ProjectDenz]

Honestly when I had my Stax sr-202s I felt that the build quality was pretty crap for their price point. The plastic headband didn't look like it would take a beating like a headphone in this price range should.

 

[spritzer]

Having owned 100+ Lambda phones I'd say you are doing something very wrong with so many broken arc's and replacement cables. 

 

[Uncle Erik]

Do you have a cat?

 

[tksc14724]

Quote:

Having owned 100+ Lambda phones I'd say you are doing something very wrong with so many broken arc's and replacement cables. 

There's obviously some major incompatibility and I'm keen to find out what it is. The more I think about it the more I suspect they're just not robust enough for the amount of listening I do. I've just checked my 22 year old Lambda Pros and the headband looks much flimsier but it feels like there's some sort of internal, metal reinforcement whereas the 404s are entirely plastic and flimsy.

 

[spritzer]

There is no metal inside the old Lambda arcs.  The forks have an internal metal brace with molded plastic covering it. 
 
Quick question, how do you store the phones when not in use? 

 

[tksc14724]

I store them on their side, inside the cabinet with the cable gently rolled up (not wrapped round the phones) so they're clean and dust free, and there's nothing under any stress whatsoever. I didn't buy the Stax storage thing because I didn't really have anywhere to put it.
 
Incidentally I've just been digging through my elephants graveyard of broken Stax headsets and it's always the left side that goes. Even one time I'd forgotten about when one of the legs broke was on the left. And maybe somebody could explain how I did that? It broke off in an L shape. How could that happen if it wasn't faulty? I believe Stax withdrew from the UK a few years ago because they were having problems and it was just about that time I started looking for replacements for my Lambda Pros. That doesn't explain the more recent problems though.
 
It's weird but with any luck I may have enough bits to piece together a complete headband. As long as the speakers keep working I'll continue to use them because I love the sound they make and have done so for 22 years but after the problems of the past 5 years I won't be giving Stax any more of my money.

 

[jjinh]

Some of my Stax are older than me and still going strong. 
 
Their plastic head arcs doesnt look brittle to me plus it sounds like you take care of your headphones so I'm puzzled at your misfortune.

 

[jellojoe]

I guess you can always switch camps to the Koss ESP/950 since Koss has a lifetime warranty. You can use an adapter to use the Koss phones with your stax amps/energizers.