I've tried the Abyss twice & had conversations with Arnaud & other friends about it before. I was one of those who considered switching over from the Stax to the Abyss. But what Arnaud said to me was right - although the Abyss excels in other ways, it doesn't have the ethereal qualities of the Stax.
Hi all.
Should fear, in the short term, that the Stax SR-009 headphone become corny and be exceeded by the competition (Abyss in mind) to become old-fashioned? (NB: Arnaud seems to fear) ?
So, if we want that Stax continues to produce one of the best headphones in the world (if not the best), what could we wish to the Stax Enterprise for future headphone high end, successor to the best seller 009 (in his high-end uncompromising class), if one day a successor was?
Originally Posted by eric65 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
To go in your way, I know two people preferring to have the Abyss and the SR-009 instead of having only one of these two headphones.
Superfred21 who just bought the Abyss wants preserved its 009
Meloman57 who just bought the Abyss had to project (and projects always?) to also buy SR-009.
Once more, the main problem comes from the cost of this double acquisition.
So much the better for those who can afford it.
Personally, it's more the problem of my big head and the absence of adjustment of the Abyss in height (and limited to 2 cm in width), not to mention his particular aesthetic, that is the main obstacle to such double acquisition.
Otherwise, having to spend € 10,000 to have a sound different, but not necessarily better than that provided by my Stax (009 + RKV amp) system and, in addition, which satisfies me fully, makes me think : you sometimes need to know keep reason; the price to pay for the novelty seems (for me) very unreasonable...
? We had a Stax amp & DAC shootout last year in Tokyo. It was his reassurance on the Electra that made me feel confident about my purchase of that amp (pre-delivered at that time).
It's a pity. If you asked this question a month ago, Naras had one for sale in the classifieds...slightly less than what you quoted above even if I'm not mistaken.
Yes cost is a huge factor and that's where it's hard for one to give one up for the other 'cos as baronkatz had alluded to it boils down to personal preference. As such the reason for my original post was that I disagreed with you that the Abyss is "competition" to the Stax.
So for me, as much as I'd like to have an Abyss, despite hearing it twice, it's not enough to let go of my Stax rig.
I'm surprised Arnaud hasn't jumped onto this yet so (and I could be out of line) speaking on his behalf, I don't think Arnaud isn't fazed at all with the introduction and existence of the Abyss as being "a threat" to the SR-009. At least this is the impression I get in my past conversations with him.
P.S. BTW, do you know i met superfred21 last year
..My opinion in a nutshell:
1. I heard the abyss under pretty nasty conditions (who in his right mind uses an ipod line out to drive a Lau/abyss pair?). As expected, it was thus meh at best.
2. Apparently, I failed to read the noticed when I tried it, was trying to make a seal but there was no way to adjust the system for that to happen (I must be falling outside the average population head size the can was designed for).
3. I find the can ugly looking and too expensive for me to consider it a complement to my rig (considering I'd also need to get an amp...). Maybe the lower models coming will be more attractive to me (but I just don't imagine myself with two full blown amps at home though).
4. My listening impressions are likely skewed because I had (and still have to some extent) strong reservations against various part of the design including the single stator, light damping applied to orthos (i just don't like many of what I feel are "underdamped" orthos that have been released in the past year, alpha dog before the mod, lcd-x for instance ). Some people refuse to hear about objective stuff, I probably read too much into theories and measurements.
5. Let's face it, I seem to be an incurable stat fanboy. I have been swayed by the stat sound for a few years now. The 009 has put a damper on my headphone quest, except for portable gear maybe. I don't perceive the lack of body some find with it and absolutely crave the resolved, low distortion sound and natural voices & treble. I have an omega 2 mk1 when the mood strikes for different / warmer sound. Really, there's limited room for another product.
My comment on the 009 being out of fashion over on the french forum was just humour, maybe that was not very good joke eric.
) good or bad? I do not know ...
