[complin]

Well Barry (dear sole) had the opposite effect on mine, as he writes the songs that make whole world sing !!

 
 
Quote:

Missed one, don't listen to Barry Manilow, that will bust them for sure...... Bermuda Triangle, makes things disappear.....

 

[J-Pak]

  Hey Deepak -- turnaround was extremely quick! Ordered on Monday night (week of the July 4 holiday) and got them the very next Monday (Fedex option). PJ had the "In Stock" banner on their front page next to the SR-009, which also factored into my decision to buy from there.

 
Thanks Mike and I love the custom title :~) (how true!)

 

[mulveling]

 
Thanks Mike and I love the custom title :~) (how true!)

No prob Deepak. Yeah, I dig the title too!
 
So I'm into day #7 of SR-009 usage here, and all remains well on the left/right (east/west?) front. That said -- the response from PJ, indicating an increase in recent issues/returns, certainly raises the concern level. This particular risk/reward equation is looking more...risky. I feel bad for folks like macroarment, who continue to suffer from this issue on their new and very expensive headphones. I must confess two things about my pair:
 
1. They arrived without a sealed plastic bag around the printed Stax box -- it was merely taped close, though the plastic bad didn't have indications of any prior seal broken. 
2. The R side earpiece came with a minor indentation on the black mesh grill. It's minor enough that I think many folks would miss it, but it's visible when you angle them in a particular orientation relative to your line of sight.
 
All other indications were those of a brand-new pair (neat plastic and perfectly coiled/zipped cable, pristine and fingerprint-free box surfaces, etc). And I'm not sending them back to Japan just for the above issues. So as long as this pair remains channel-balanced, then I'm happy. 

 

[georgep]

  No prob Deepak. Yeah, I dig the title too!
 
So I'm into day #7 of SR-009 usage here, and all remains well on the left/right (east/west?) front. That said -- the response from PJ, indicating an increase in recent issues/returns, certainly raises the concern level. This particular risk/reward equation is looking more...risky. I feel bad for folks like macroarment, who continue to suffer from this issue on their new and very expensive headphones. I must confess two things about my pair:
 
1. They arrived without a sealed plastic bag around the printed Stax box -- it was merely taped close, though the plastic bad didn't have indications of any prior seal broken.
2. The R side earpiece came with a minor indentation on the black mesh grill. It's minor enough that I think many folks would miss it, but it's visible when you angle them in a particular orientation relative to your line of sight.
 
All other indications were those of a brand-new pair (neat plastic and perfectly coiled/zipped cable, pristine and fingerprint-free box surfaces, etc). And I'm not sending them back to Japan just for the above issues. So as long as this pair remains channel-balanced, then I'm happy.

 
Regarding the minor indentation, these are assembled by hand so fumbling can occur. And there is never any shrink wrap on the outer printed box, though there shouldn't have been any tape on the box (unless they just started doing this recently), just the inner bag that wraps the wooden box would be taped. Sounds like you received a brand new pair, as you would expect, but with a minor imperfection.

 

[mulveling]

   
Regarding the minor indentation, these are assembled by hand so fumbling can occur. And there is never any shrink wrap on the outer printed box, though there shouldn't have been any tape on the box (unless they just started doing this recently), just the inner bag that wraps the wooden box would be taped. Sounds like you received a brand new pair, as you would expect, but with a minor imperfection.

Yes, you're correct -- I'm going off memory, which I slightly botched here. On 2nd recollection, your account sounds right -- the heavy-weight plastic bag with tape on 1 end was directly wrapping the wooden box, and inside the printed box. There was definitely no "factory seal" to be broken here; only the tape on the outermost cardboard shipping box had to be cut. 

 

[Lonely_Rider]

I bought my SR-009's over two years ago from Custom Cable, so actually from Synergy. No imbalance problem, or any other problems.
 
If I considering buying them now, I would buy them, even with risk of imbalance problem. They are so good.

 

 

[astrostar59]

Hi Lonely_Rider
me too, I bought from Cheshire Audio (UK) so via Synergy. No problems so far after 8 weeks solid use. Hey, Synergy have head rep who comes on the phone, jeeze, I asked asked about the issue and he went 'All Pete Tong' on me. I felt like a naughty school boy in the heads office! Anyway, they do 2 years warranty, and they said even at 3 years would se me right if anything happened.

Hey, what amp are you using. I got a DIY KGSShv last week, really good, blew my Stax 717 into the weeds!
I was lusting after a BHSE a few months back, now I am happy with this amp.

The 009s are indeed amazing. I would buy them again if they bust at 2 years. After the 009's nothing else works for me.

Enjoy your system.

 

[bearded man]

I had one 009 from Europe dealer and the other which I still have, I bought second hand and she is from PJ.
No any problem with both.

 

[J-Pak]

ANYONE HAD PROBLEM WITH US OR EUROPE SOURCED 009S?

I may be wrong, but I don't remember seeing any. I was told by Synergy (UK imported) that the issues were first batch only
and then after 12 months not importing them because of that, no further problems in the last 3-4 years.

If there are so few 009 users who sourced via US or Europe dealers, is that because those dealers checked they were ok first.
Mind, my pair were sealed in a plastic bag, then in the new box.

Anyway, the thing I am clinging on to in this subject, is the issue seems to pop up inside 4 weeks of solid use. So hopefully
all those existing users should be ok?

If my pair goes wrong in 3 years, OI would probably pay to get them repaired. I love them that much. What price music happyness?

I heard the LCD can go wrong as well, and the Abyss is so new, that might as well. Treat this stuff with care, don't wear
cheapo polyester shirts (static charge) store the phones in a bell jar or under a cover. Don't get them wet. Don;t out them
near a radiator, or on top of hot amps. Don't let your kids use them, watch the dog doesn't jump on the lead while on your head (my Collie bust my 007s lead)

Anything I missed?

 
Yes, I know one person that had a problem with a US pair. He bought them from Elusive Disc in a group buy on another forum. About a year and half later his pair got the channel imbalance.

 

[bearded man]

Are the channel imbalance problem mostly at first weeks of use or after longer time like above?

 

[astrostar59]

From reading hundreds of posts here I am under the impression it is mainly ones sourced via PJ. The story above is a bit alarming. Though I have been told by Synergy the UK main importer, that there was an issue on early versions, which Stax seems to have sorted on production. I personally have not read a post or know of anyone who has issues with imbalance and who bought from main dealers in the last 2 years or so.

I don't want to throw in theory before fact, but it does seem a lot of 009s had to go back when bought from PJ. Maybe they sell so many, and the distance and service panic may increase the posts. units bought from main dealers that need a repair may stay off the web are are sorted quite quickly.

These forums can slant the figures, as folk complain if it's bust, but tend not to even post if it all works!

 

[Lonely_Rider]

Hi astrostar59.
 
I'm using unmodded SRM-727II. Source is Lynx Hilo.
 
The amp is not best possible, I know, but I like it. Sound is very addictive with Hilo. I'm considering better amp, but buying it without listening first is too risky for me. Maybe, maybe some day...

 
Couple of days with SR-009's, and I was able to hear immediately, what flaws other phones (or speakers) have in their frequency response. It was really amazing, and still is.

 

[astrostar59]

Hi Lonely_Rider

My upgrade jumps were in magnetude of SQ jumps

1. Lambda to 007s - then 009s
2. Upgrading amp from 323 to 717
3. upgrading amp to KGSShv

The problem is, the 009s are so revealing, they will show up a weak source or
any digital treble. But I recommend a none oversampling DAC like the Metrum Octave so
avoid most of the digital treble issues. The Metrum is dead clean, resolving and great bass.
It can be picked up second hand cheaply for the Mk1.

You can mod the 727 yourself quite easily to make it as good as the 717.
Follow Spritzers post for that.

IMO if budget has a ceiling, i.e. at no point would you go to the 009s, I would go
with the 007s as they are more forgiving with a midrange front end.

009s with an average front end will annoy the hell out of you, and ruin the experience.

I recently went for a DIY built KGSShv, cheaper than a BHSE, and it sounds amazing. Much more
dynamic and 3D than my 717 and more realistic. Though the 717 is the best Stax amp in my opinion.
The tubed Stax amps are ok, but to limited once the pace picks up, and have flabby bass.

I am lost to the Stax sound. I have spend way more than I thought at the start. But it gets you closer
to the music and soul. Only criticism of Stax phones may be they can sound a bit cold and technical.
A warmer amp like the 717, none oversampling DAC or the KGSShv helps a lot with that.

 

[bearded man]

I don't think Stax is making two batchs of 009, one better for dealers and second worst for PJ.
There is one production line and I think all 009 are built with same quality.May be PJ is selling more 009 than other dealers and that is why issue is more popular on PJs headphones.

 

[georgep]

From reading hundreds of posts here....



...I don't want to throw in theory before fact, but it does seem a lot of 009s had to go back when bought from PJ. Maybe they sell so many, and the distance and service panic may increase the posts. units bought from main dealers that need a repair may stay off the web are are sorted quite quickly.



These forums can slant the figures, as folk complain if it's bust, but tend not to even post if it all works!

 


Did you try counting them? You probably only need one hand if you are being conservative and doing some weighing, and no more than two hands if you are being generous. Just going to your point about forums slanting the figures and then you also say "it does seem a lot of 009s had to go back" - so what is "a lot" and how many did you count?