Stax SR-009 Channel Imbalance Trouble / Driver Problem?

[n3rdling]

 
Quote:

The SR009's are remarkably "un-picky" and did indeed sound good with everything in my listening sessions.  The SR-007's Mk2's, on the other hand, are significantly more demanding.  I think I would have no problem living with the 009's and take my time getting an optimum amp to pair them with, vs going with the 007's and ponying up for an amp upgrade right now.  I do know one thing now... Lambdas are no longer an option for me.  I have been ruined.

If you haven't seen yet, there's a meet near LAX in August.  There should be SR009s and other electrostats there for you to try out.

 

[David1961]

As myself and Ian thought that his SRM717 drove both headphones better than his SRM007t, the SRM717 did seem to make both headphones closer in SQ but the SR-009's I felt were still more detailed. I said to Ian from what I've read, that the BHSE is supposed to make the two headphones even closer but I've invited him to my place when I have the BHSE so we'll get to find out.  

 

[realmassy]

Hi David,
I'm glad to hear your 009 are perfect! I guess that's a sigh of relief
Do you have a planned shipping date for your BHSE?

 

[David1961]

Quote:

Hi David,
I'm glad to hear your 009 are perfect! I guess that's a sigh of relief
Do you have a planned shipping date for your BHSE?

Hi Massi.
Yes it was a relief knowing there were no problems with my SR-009's and No about the BHSE, but Justin sent me an email saying he was on the final assembly and also the shipping cost. I did reply to that email but that was to tell him that I'd had to cancel my card that I used on Paypal and order another one which will take about a week to sort out. At the moment while he needs to concentrate on the final assembly, I see no point in sending him emails to find out how much longer the  BHSE is going to be. 
 
 

 

[rudi0504]

 
Quote:

Do you think it would make sense to wait until summer to order them, since it seems that abrupt changes in temperature could be what damages the 009?
 
PS. Now that people talk about imbalance, I am starting to worry about my pair of 007: it seems that the right side is not as loud as the left one! The music always seems to be staged more on the left side! Nothing too obvious, of course, but still a little worrisome..
 
 
Karlgerman, the best of luck with your phones (this is very annoying to say the least).

I want share my friend inbalance Stax Sr 007 mk 2 ,he has the same problem like your Stax 007 , his left driver  is lauder about one strip than his right Driver , he drive with KGSS Electrostatic
 
Amplifier from Justi Headamp.The KGSS has two balanace Volume Controll.
 
Acording to my Friend is High end Audio distributor in Indonesia , he has experiance with his Martin Logan Electrostatic Speaker like  my friend Stax SR 007 mk 2 Headphone.
 
his left Driver was lauder than his right driver.
 
The Problem for all Electrostatic Speaker and Headphone are :
 
- The eneny number ones is : Humidity 
- The enemy nymber two is  : Dust
- The enemy number Thrre is : our sweat during use our Stax Headphones in NO Air Conditioning room.
 
According to him , because Indonesia is a Tropical Country , the humidity and Dust are very high.
 
His chanel inbalance because of Dust and Humidity during he hear music in No Air Cinditioning room , the Dust and the Humid
 
stick on his Martin Logan Driver, on his left driver become like thin film , we call hear like fungie.
 
This thin  Film like a dirt stick on the driver is very BIG Problem for all Electrostatic Driver , like Martin Logan or Stax maybe.
 
The Amplifier can not drive or give the electrical power free through this defected Driver , because of the dust and humid during playback his electrostatic in NO Air Conditioning Room.
 
can stick in  his driver .
 
this is the BIG problem, can make the  Chanel inbalance.
 
His suggestion for Stax Headphones :
 
- Please put in Dry Box for Photography aquitment for your store place 
- Use your Stax in Air Conditioning room , because Sweat and dust , during playback is very easily stick on your Driver.
 
Anyones know about this Problem or maybe somebody from Stax please advise for all Head Fi Stax Fans.
 
I hope my Stax Sr 007 mk 2 last longer .
 
If you live in USA , Canada, Europe and Japan or China with 4 Season and your Humidity not so high like my Country in Tropical Season , where the Humid and Dust very high,
 
you are the lucky person on Earth , can have less Problem, with your Electrostatic Headphones and Speaker.
 
I hope this sharing from my friend as Distibutor High end Audio in Indonesia very help full to take high attention for your Stax
 
Enjoy your Stax for all my Head Fi friends.
 
Any additioinal comment and suggestion please put in this thread.
 
Cheers
 
 
 
 

 

[karlgerman]

i know that dust and humidity is a problem for electrostatics. but i had no problem in germany with my martin logan request loudspeakers for over 13 years, no problem with my stax 4040 signature and no problem with my omega mk2. i think if the headphone made the first 3 month, then it will last for a long time, if you treat him right.

my 009 had his inbalance problem from the start. ​

 

[rudi0504]

Thank you for your additional Info Karlgerman.
 
My friend Stax Sr 007 mk2 , at the begining as he bought from Headamp was allright, after 6 month becomes Chanel inbalance.
 
Was the same like his Martin Logans Speaker.
 
as i mention you are very Lucky life in Germany with Four Season , I live also in Germany Hannover as i was student for 11 Years.
 
In Germany less Humid and Dust 

 

[arnaud]

Japan is what I consider extremely humid in the summer (I was raised in northern part of france) and haven't had troubles so far. Never been to Indonesia, it's that much worse than Tokyo during summer?

 

[Il Mostro]

Quote:

Japan is what I consider extremely humid in the summer (I was raised in northern part of france) and haven't had troubles so far. Never been to Indonesia, it's that much worse than Tokyo during summer?

Ahhh, summer in Tokyo -- rooftop beer garden time.  Nothing like icy cold nama beeru as first aid for the humidity. 

 

[rudi0504]

Japan is what I consider extremely humid in the summer (I was raised in northern part of france) and haven't had troubles so far. Never been to Indonesia, it's that much worse than Tokyo during summer?

During summer maybe the same like in Japan , tropical weather the whole year is the same like you feel in Japan very humid and a lot of dust .
I went in Japan during fall season , I feel like in Europe , it is dry and is not do humid .
Because of the humid I bought electrical dry box for all my headphones.

The conventional headphone is better again humid , I have my Sennheider HD 580 since year 1996 without putting in dry box still working , only the headband foam was gone with the times and the foam to filter the driver gone

If in 4 season Conutry site beginning has the imbalance driver , could be driver problem from the factory.

For all Stax owner , are the problem with the inbalance driver specially for the latest products like
Sr 007 mk i and mark Ii and Sr 009 ?
Because Stax company since last year already took over from Chinese Company Edifier .
Are the Quality Controll not as good as before Edifier took over ?
I am here to try find the answer , do not have something like complain about Edifier Company .

Please Stax company advise about these imbalance problem
I hope in the future Stax always put strength quality control , it doesn't matter who is the owner yet .

Thank you

 

[spritzer]

There have always been imbalance issues with all electrostatic drivers.  Nature of the beast really and that's why almost all of the Stax amps have balance controls.  The imbalance issue is almost always temporary though and as soon as the offending parasitic charge has dissipated they will be back to normal. 

 

[arnaud]

Because Stax company since last year already took over from Chinese Company Edifier .
Are the Quality Controll not as good as before Edifier took over ?

As far as I know, the acquisition by Edifier does not affect either the design or production of Stax gear. e.g., it remains designed, manufactured ( local suppliers ) and assembled in Japan. The extent to which Stax and Edifier engineers would collaborate is limited to new products aimed at mobile user, under the Edifier brand, manufactured in China. At least, that was the intent at the time of purchase and Edifier themselves consider the Made in Japan as definite plus for sales under Stax brand in China, even though it drives the costs upward.

Anyhow, long story story, the reliability issues are probably the same as ever and it has nothing to do with edifier I think...

 

[rudi0504]

Because Stax company since last year already took over from Chinese Company Edifier .
Are the Quality Controll not as good as before Edifier took over ?

As far as I know, the acquisition by Edifier does not affect either the design or production of Stax gear. e.g., it remains designed, manufactured ( local suppliers ) and assembled in Japan. The extent to which Stax and Edifier engineers would collaborate is limited to new products aimed at mobile user, under the Edifier brand, manufactured in China. At least, that was the intent at the time of purchase and Edifier themselves consider the Made in Japan as definite plus for sales under Stax brand in China, even though it drives the costs upward.

Anyhow, long story story, the reliability issues are probably the same as ever and it has nothing to do with edifier I think...

Thank you for your information

 

[realmassy]

Quote:

Yes it was great to hear David's SR-009s and find they were faultless! Moreover, using my normal SRM-007t displayed a comparatively muffled and bass-heavy sound with the SR-007 which was much improved in clarity and frequency balance with the SR-009s. My SRM-717, unused for over a year, had been warming up and was substituted for the SRM-007t. The sound was materially improved with the SR-007s and whilst, in my opinion, the scale of improvement was not as great with the SR-009s (because there was less to improve!), those headphones still gave a sound which was quite a bit better than that of the SR-007s, with great clarity, air and frequency balance.
 
The SR-009s are comfortable too and I am tempted to buy them!
 
 
 

I know we're off topic, but I'd like to thank Ian for the nice afternoon we spent yesterday. It was great to listen to the 009s and talk about high-end in general.
Now I really have to start saving up for those headphones...damn, my beloved 507s sound flat now
 

 

[Il Mostro]

 
Quote:

I know we're off topic, but I'd like to thank Ian for the nice afternoon we spent yesterday. It was great to listen to the 009s and talk about high-end in general.
Now I really have to start saving up for those headphones...damn, my beloved 507s sound flat now
 

 
I can really relate and sympathize with your situation.  Stax are the crack of headphones. When I compared the 507's to my 404's I thought there was a definite improvement on all amps and was ready to make the move.  Easy call. Then, immediately after the 507's, I listened the 007 Mk2's.   Wow, huge difference on all amps, like entering a whole new world.  I thought "now this is what it is all about" and was ready to go with the 007.  
 
Enter the 009.  Forget a new world, the 009's brought me to another dimension in an alternate universe -- and they seemed easier to drive (possessing greater ease and effortlessness), as well as being generally less picky about the amps I had at hand ( I did prefer them with the added  warmth of upgraded NOS tube amps while the 007's were more finicky and did better with more juice and SS).  So the quest begins... my foot is in the stirrup.
 
And this is the problem. On their own, each model sounds great and has attributes that can make you fall in love.  Each step up the Stax ladder is just that to my ears -- a clear step up and something that seems to make for an easy decision.  That is, until you listen to the next model back to back.  
 
Thank God there is no current Stax model that out-does the 009.  I have had the 507's and the 007 Mk 2;s at home for a long term trial and, quite frankly, the 507's just do not cut it anymore.  They sound too bright and decidedly non-magical when switching back and forth with the 007's.  The 404's sound dark and muddled compared to either.  Even underpowered and with a too-warm tube set, the 007's are the best headphone in the house.  But I do not think I can pull the trigger on them because of that damned 009.  
 
I will not be able to have such a long term trial with the 009's -- maybe a week -- but having previously compared them back to back with the 007's I do not think anything will change in the decision process.  At least there is some sort of end game with Stax -- until amps come into the equation.  There are moments when I wish I had never heard any of these.