Stax SR-009 Channel Imbalance Trouble / Driver Problem?

[protoss]

It's too bad I'll probably never get to hear the R10. I am extremely skeptical about all past legends though, electrostats included (and yes I'm aware of the SR-009 not being the only faulty Stax). I bet I'd find the ZMF Eikon to surpass the R10s, and I'm guessing I wouldn't be impressed by the HE-90. Speaker/headphone driver tech has evolved a lot.

ZMF better than R10 and might not be impress by HE90. That's bold buddy.

No need for me to continue. I'll let that be your views.

On your spare time. Relaxing. Read this. These are the exact views I have for this mighty king. And the best way I can also express my views on it.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/son...e-review-world’s-best-dynamic-headphone.4818/

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/rev...vs-light-side-of-the-bass-56k-warning.511141/


Btw. 009 is a fantastic ear-speaker! I like reality of the nature so to speak.

 

[astrostar59]

Fair enough Whitigir, but I disagree Stax the at the top, not in all areas IMO. Maybe the HE-1 is?
Yes, the 009 has the detail, but realism, accuracy to live music, body and solid imaging, not in my opinion. 009 is a very detailed headphone, bit like a top Studio monitor. But that might not suit everyone, and why not everyone buys studio monitors.

Having said this, I have never heard the HD800 sound convincing to me to enter the top league, apart from soundstage.

 

[astrostar59]

Why is ES so effected by the energizer ? Because headphones has only electrodes and membranes. The mechanism to drive the Headphones is the amplifier/energizer itself, from bias to signals driven to amplifications of the signals

Planers and dynamic driving mechanism is Neo-magnetism. Has it been improved upon ? No clues, but magnet is magnet, and so amplifiers for dynamic and planers will affect the headphones less as it has only 1 job, amplifying the signals

It is not so cut and dried IMO. Amps for Planars for example, especially inefficient ones really do sound very different. It needs lots of juice to do, many don't do it right. And so many Stat amps are, well rubbish TBH, pretty much every Stax amp (with the Stax logo on the front) I have heard is very poor, defiantly the weak link, the limiting factor. No doubt the Stax T2 is a different animal of course. KGs amps save the day of course.

 

[cat6man]

My 009 have an imbalance that can be as high as 10-20dB, so it is repair time.
It just occurred to me now that I'm going to be in Japan in May, so perhaps I should take them with me?
I'm going to be there about 2 weeks and it would be great if they could fix them while I'm there.

Anyone familiar with Stax repair in Japan? I lived there for 5 years when I was in high school, so I know my
way around the country..........though I couldn't have afforded Stax then anyway

 

[statfi]

My 009s have an imbalance that can be as high as 10-20dB, so it is repair time.
It just occurred to me now that I'm going to be in Japan in May, so perhaps I should take them with me?
I'm going to be there about 2 weeks and it would be great if they could fix them while I'm there.

Anyone familiar with Stax repair in Japan? I lived there for 5 years when I was in high school, so I know my
way around the country..........though I couldn't have afforded Stax then anyway

When I had destroyed a driver on my SR=009 I was instructed by Arale Leung <arale@edifier-international.com> to send it to
Stax Limited
3798-1 Shimonanbata,
Fujimi-Shi,
Saitama Pref., 364-0004 Japan
Tel : 049 293 1891
Attn. Mrs. M. Hirohara

 

[cat6man]

Well, mine are now on their way to Japan to Mrs. Hirohara.

 

[Hubert481]

009 or 009s ?

 

[cat6man]

this one keeps sneaking up on me (i've done this at least once before)

i was referring to my SR009 headphones, and used 009s as the plural, which is clearly confusing,
these are old 009 headphones

 

[JustinBieber]

Weird phenomenon with my 009. Was just listening to music and my right channel started crackling. I reset the amp a couple times and it has gone away. But now every time I turn the amp off my right channel buzzes for ~20 seconds. If I unplug the headphone, the sound goes away when I touch the pins on the connector. Before, the music would just go faint when I turn off the amp or stop all together when I unplug it.

It's so odd because if I turn the amp on, the headphones are completely silent. But when I turn it off the right channel buzzes.

 

[Julez]

Weird phenomenon with my 009. Was just listening to music and my right channel started crackling. I reset the amp a couple times and it has gone away. But now every time I turn the amp off my right channel buzzes for ~20 seconds. If I unplug the headphone, the sound goes away when I touch the pins on the connector. Before, the music would just go faint when I turn off the amp or stop all together when I unplug it.

It's so odd because if I turn the amp on, the headphones are completely silent. But when I turn it off the right channel buzzes.

Sounds to me like the membrane on the right side collapses to one of the stators when turning the amp off. I had this issue with very few Stax headphones (altough not while turning the amp off but as a result of pressure change inside the cup). There a serveral issues wich can cause this problem. What happens if you press the cups to the ear in a short burst (first try on the left side and start with low pressure increasing the pressure if nothing happes)? Normally you should hear a very short buzz indicating the membrane has hit the outer stator. If you have a longer buzzing of about 20 seconds on the right side I would say your membrane sticks to the outer stator and slowly releases wich causes the buzzing. I would also try the 009 on a different amp and see if you get the same problem. Please report back.

 

[JustinBieber]

Sounds to me like the membrane on the right side collapses to one of the stators when turning the amp off. I had this issue with very few Stax headphones (altough not while turning the amp off but as a result of pressure change inside the cup). There a serveral issues wich can cause this problem. What happens if you press the cups to the ear in a short burst (first try on the left side and start with low pressure increasing the pressure if nothing happes)? Normally you should hear a very short buzz indicating the membrane has hit the outer stator. If you have a longer buzzing of about 20 seconds on the right side I would say your membrane sticks to the outer stator and slowly releases wich causes the buzzing. I would also try the 009 on a different amp and see if you get the same problem. Please report back.

I just get the Stax fart, not a buzz when I do that. Unfortunately, I don't have another amp to try. Is this anything to be concerned about? Or just a rare Stax quirk?

 

[Julez]

Sorry, I meant that Stax fart. I read your post again and have some more questions. If I understood correctly the crackling appeared the first time during music playback. Then you turned your amp off and on serveral times and it stopped. And now it appears only during shut off?
Can you describe the crackling a bit more precise. Does it sound like arcing? Or is it more like a buzzing? As a precaution I would stop using the 009. If arcing is involved in my experience it can damage the membrane and burn holes into it. Normally this occurs because dust has found a way into the driver.

 

[JustinBieber]

The crackling was a high pitch, like if you have a piece of rubber or leather and scrape something on it. It didnt sound pretty. I reset the amp and it hasn't done it again.

Now, it buzzes (not crackles) for 20seconds when turned off or unplugged (sounds like if you have a guitar amp unplugged, or a microphone buzzing).

Thank you for your knowledge.

 

[georgep]

What amp are you using? And what do you mean by "reset the amp"? I am assuming you don't have another set of Stax to see whether the phenomenon is amp related.

 

[JustinBieber]

By reset, I meant unplug everything and turn the amp on/off. Stax 727 w/ resistor mod by Spritzer.

Nope, I just have the amp and the 009. It could be amp related.