Stax SR-009 Channel Imbalance Trouble / Driver Problem?

[David1961]

Hi Massi.
 Ian has also got on order the Liquid Lightning to which he's invited me to his place when he receives it, I've also invited him to mine when I receive the BHSE which I'll let him and yourself know when it arrives.

 

[realmassy]

I know David...crazy isn't it?? A BHSE and Liquid Lightning within...10 miles??? That's great for me, and I'm lucky I'll the opportunity to listen to both...I feel suddenly poor with my 507/600ltd!! LOL

 

[realmassy]

Quote:

...
 
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 listen to Ian's 007 as well, and probably because of my poor-man Stax amp (600ltd) they were not sounding as good as expected.
I was honestly prepared to buy Ian's Omegas as he upgraded to the 009s, but I didn't consider the step an actual upgrade.
The 007 mk2 in my setup sounded too dark for my taste as I don't find the 507 bright...or maybe I simply got used to the brightness
 
There were more differences between the 507 and the 007 than between 507 and 009, although the 009 sounded clearly superior.
On one recording, Takacs Beethoven Op.16, violins and viola sounded muffled, and cello was all over the place. The 009 are superior to the 507 in terms of dynamics and stage reconstruction, but tonal balance and timbre accuracy are 'similar'. The 007s sound completely different...not saying better or worse, just different.

 

[rgs9200m]

Has anyone heard the Stax SR-009 with the Stax 007t -2 amp (latest version)? Thanks.
 
As far as the Liquid Lightning goes, you know it is solid state. IME with phones and speakers some goodness is always missing
when there are no tubes
in the loop somewhere. Anyone else feel this way? (Not to be prejudiced here, just saying...).

 

[rgs9200m]

This is kind of a follow up to my immediate post right above here.
 
Can I roll the tubes in my Stax 007t/2 tube amp myself? 
What would be a nice musical, maybe warmish tube for the SR-009?
Do I really need a 727 amp? (I'm a devoted tube guy, so I hesitate on this.)
Thank you.

 

[n3rdling]

If you want a tube Stax amp get the T1 since it's way cheaper and pretty much the same thing as the 007t.

 

[Currawong]

The 007t is a good match for the 009s IMO (not having tried the DIY high-end amps yet, as my daughter hijacked my working space). It is a bit better than the T1 or T1S. 

 

[rgs9200m]

Thanks Currawong. I hope your domestic interference clears up too.
Long ago, I had the T1W Stax amp (1999) and the original 007t amp was much better, more tube-natural to me.

 

[cacatalysis]

What is the difference between 007t and 007 tII?  Any comments and impressions from Japanese side  with respect to 007 tII vs 727 for 009? 

 

[Il Mostro]

Quote:

The 007t is a good match for the 009s IMO (not having tried the DIY high-end amps yet, as my daughter hijacked my working space). It is a bit better than the T1 or T1S. 

Not only is the 007t a good match, the lower output 006t with very good NOS tubes (read $$$) does a remarkably good job with the 009.

 

[rgs9200m]

Yeah, for what it's worth, Staxusa (Yamasinc) personally recommends the 007t/2 amp for the SR009. Of course, they sell it, but they say it is just as good as the 727a, just a matter of tube taste vs. solid state,
the same choice as years ago for the original 007t amp vs. the 717 amp for the Omega 1 phones. I liked the 007t/Omega1 system a great deal when I owned it back then, so I have a soft spot in my heart for this amp.
The Omega1/007t had a Quad ESL type of charm, a special intimacy and purity and realness on vocals that was just kind of sweet and never tried to be something it was not, meaning bombastic or full of slam
or have staging that was wide or deep or even realistic, but it did separate things nicely and was never offensive.

 

[spritzer]

The 007tII(or A for the Japanese version) is mostly just a facelift with no real changes to the circuitry.  The only thing of note are DC heater supplies for the tubes but the hum was inaudible anyway.  The 007t is pretty much a SRM-T1 (or any of its later variants 006t/SRM-600 etc.) with the output stage doubled up with parallel triodes but with a simpler power supply so it would fit in the chassis.  It delivers more current and voltage swing but the 6CG7's are still rubbish for this role as they don't like the high voltage one bit and it shows when the volume is pushed.  It is also far from a "conventional" tube amp since the tubes are just used for the output and it is a highly linear, fully DC-coupled design. 
 
I for one would go with the SRM-727 as despite its issues is a better design over all. 
 
Quote:

Has anyone heard the Stax SR-009 with the Stax 007t -2 amp (latest version)? Thanks.
 
As far as the Liquid Lightning goes, you know it is solid state. IME with phones and speakers some goodness is always missing
when there are no tubes
in the loop somewhere. Anyone else feel this way? (Not to be prejudiced here, just saying...).

I think you, along with most audiophiles, are wholly misunderstanding the impact the tubes have on the sound.  Triodes are very linear devices but it's the circuits they are used in which make them sound that way.  Put a transistor into that same circuitry and it will sound very similar.  To look at this from another end, why does a WES sound so different from a ESX (rebuilt Single Power ES amp) while using exactly the same tubes and power supply (though modified for different requirements).  Same reason some SS amps sound great while others sound horrid.  It's all down to the circuit design and how the parts are used. 
 
 
 

 

[rgs9200m]

Very enlightening info spritzer! Thank you for taking the time to write that. I appreciate it. Not often I hear from an expert.
I do admit, some of the best sound I have heard is from Dartzeel and Nelson Pass amps/preamps, so I sit corrected here and need to experiment. 
And yes, I once had 6CG7-based preamp that just never sounded lifelike or palpable to me, so that also rings true.
 
I wish Dartzeel, Pass, or perhaps ASR would try building a headphone amp, as these amps have produced some really natural compelling speaker-sound to me.
 
So I guess it's the circuitry that makes my Apex Pinnacle sound like magic. I wondered how this was accomplished with a single 6NS7 gain tube (and the 2 Sophia PX4s).
Why does, say, a Cary preamp need 8, count'em, 8 6NS7 tubes, and the Pinnacle needs only 1 of these to sound like heaven as a preamp? I guess like you say, it's all in the circuitry.

 

[karlgerman]

finally i recived a brandnew sr-009 today.
after the last attempt for a send in repair, they send me the new one.
this procedre took 4 weeks which is pretty fast as some of you remember dealing with stax-repairservices.

 

[J-Pak]

Quote:

finally i recived a brandnew sr-009 today.
after the last attempt for a send in repair, they send me the new one.
this procedre took 4 weeks which is pretty fast as some of you remember dealing with stax-repairservices.

 
I'm a bit confused are you on your 3rd SR-009 now? You said back on 3/29/12 that you received the headphones back and they didn't do any repairs.
 
Did those ones develop an imbalance as well?