[Wayne999]

Anybody can tell what is the difference between the black 009 and the silver 009 in sound?

 

[T3RIAD]

Anybody can tell what is the difference between the black 009 and the silver 009 in sound?

It's my understanding they're supposed to be identical except for the color.

 

[Wayne999]

It's my understanding they're supposed to be identical except for the color.

Thx. I think so.

 

[Wayne999]

Anyone is using woo wes for 009s? Do they match?

 

[rthomas]

Hello,

This is a long shot but are there any Headfiers in Spain with the SR009 or SR009s?

Once the pandemic is over I would love to do a shootout of my Utopia vs a Stax system. If anybody is interested in Spain we should make contact!

I'm not a total newbie to Stax. 2 years ago I owned the SR007 (2018 version) + Mjolnir Carbon amp and it sounded fantastic. However I find the Utopia to be as good at a much lower total system cost.

My music tastes have changed a bit since then and I'm enjoying classical music a lot more. Due to this I'm wondering if the 009/009s would be an ''upgrade'' to the Utopia.

The Utopia has simply amazing clarity,detail and dynamics. The one criticism I have of them is that the soundstage is small, i feel like I'm on stage with the orchestra

 

[Hubert481]

What amp are you using for utopia?

 

[rthomas]

What amp are you using for utopia?

RME-ADI2 DAC > THX789.

I'm not a big believer in amps changing things like soundstage but I could be wrong.

Everything I've plugged the Utopia into still results in a compact soundstage...

 

[elton7033]

RME-ADI2 DAC > THX789.

I'm not a big believer in amps changing things like soundstage but I could be wrong.

Everything I've plugged the Utopia into still results in a compact soundstage...

because Utopia have a small soundstage anyway, if you are familiar with electrostats you will know that the energizer will change the stax alot especially 007
009 is easier to drive

 

[PointyFox]

I liked my Clear more than my Utopia, my L700MK2 more than my Clear, my 007 more than my L700MK2, and my 009 more than my 007.

 

[rthomas]

I liked my Clear more than my Utopia, my L700MK2 more than my Clear, my 007 more than my L700MK2, and my 009 more than my 007.

interesting... I assume you mean all headphones used without EQ.

If you like the 009 without EQ we hear things very differently. To me it is very bass light and thin in stock form and even TOTL amps did not change that.

 

[Hubert481]

RME-ADI2 DAC > THX789.

I'm not a big believer in amps changing things like soundstage but I could be wrong.

Everything I've plugged the Utopia into still results in a compact soundstage...

You could also use RME without THX789.
why are you using an additional amp?

 

[QueueCumber]

Hello,

This is a long shot but are there any Headfiers in Spain with the SR009 or SR009s?

Once the pandemic is over I would love to do a shootout of my Utopia vs a Stax system. If anybody is interested in Spain we should make contact!

I'm not a total newbie to Stax. 2 years ago I owned the SR007 (2018 version) + Mjolnir Carbon amp and it sounded fantastic. However I find the Utopia to be as good at a much lower total system cost.

My music tastes have changed a bit since then and I'm enjoying classical music a lot more. Due to this I'm wondering if the 009/009s would be an ''upgrade'' to the Utopia.

The Utopia has simply amazing clarity,detail and dynamics. The one criticism I have of them is that the soundstage is small, i feel like I'm on stage with the orchestra

The 009s with something like the BHSE blows the Utopia away in terms of both details and Soundstage.

I personally like the Susvara better than both. It has the most expansive and cohesive soundstage of the two. 009s has slightly more clarity/presence but overall the susvara presentation strikes me as more holistic. It is like splitting hours though.

009s occasionally runs into issues with larger soundstage material. Sometimes the material at far extremes of right or left sort of wrap around towards the ear rather that staying fully extended (e.g.Take Five). Never had that issue on the Susvara. Also, with 009s, you have to spend as much or more on the correct amp to drive it. Susvara you can get away with a lot of budget amp options.

Utopia has clarity, but it has almost no Soundstage. The instruments tend to sit on top of each other.

I still own all three (plus the 820 and stella) if you have any questions. I hated the Stella at first. It is the worst sounding of all of them, IMO. BUT, it is the only one can run directly off my cell phone (no amp needed), which has turned out to be a great experience for me for travel. The convenience makes up for quite a bit of the overall performance quality.

 

[Hubert481]

Could you also compare utopia and clear? Whats your feedback therefore? Thank you!

 

[elton7033]

interesting... I assume you mean all headphones used without EQ.

If you like the 009 without EQ we hear things very differently. To me it is very bass light and thin in stock form and even TOTL amps did not change that.

I don't use EQ as well, but I am sure my 009 with Mjölnir Audio KGSShv Carbon combo is a bass monster, it might not have the quantity of the lcd4 or other planar like the final D8000 but its fast decay, layering and precise bass which is definitely at the same level, although different presentation.

Again we all have different preference with sound, for example my brother in law prefer apple airpod to the HD800 which is hard to understand.

And not to forget powerful and colored tuning is nearly opposite to stax’s clean and neutral.

 

[elton7033]

The 009s with something like the BHSE blows the Utopia away in terms of both details and Soundstage.

I personally like the Susvara better than both. It has the most expansive and cohesive soundstage of the two. 009s has slightly more clarity/presence but overall the susvara presentation strikes me as more holistic. It is like splitting hours though.

009s occasionally runs into issues with larger soundstage material. Sometimes the material at far extremes of right or left sort of wrap around towards the ear rather that staying fully extended (e.g.Take Five). Never had that issue on the Susvara. Also, with 009s, you have to spend as much or more on the correct amp to drive it. Susvara you can get away with a lot of budget amp options.

Utopia has clarity, but it has almost no Soundstage. The instruments tend to sit on top of each other.

I still own all three (plus the 820 and stella) if you have any questions. I hated the Stella at first. It is the worst sounding of all of them, IMO. BUT, it is the only one can run directly off my cell phone (no amp needed), which has turned out to be a great experience for me for travel. The convenience makes up for quite a bit of the overall performance quality.

I have both the Utopia and the 009, i will say 009 is a generally better headphone compare to the utopia, but the utopia is very close with fast responses and better in bass quantity. no question both the utopia and the 009 are both very good headphone. but given utopia is dynamic and cheaper, is really hard to compare it with totl electrostats