[Hajime]

Hello there. Recently I've put together a Stax headphone system consisting of the SR-404 signature earspeakers and the SMR-313 driver unit. I've been listening to them for hours upon hours this past weekend and I want to post some impressions. Before I do that, I'd like to thank ServinginEcuador for his indespensible help. He guided me through contacting Koji at EIFL and gave me reccomendations on Stax systems. Without his help I'd probably have given up on Stax.

Now, a little background information. I've been using the Sennheiser HD600's with a cardas cable and Singlepower audio MPX3 for a while now. I love this combination. Of course, just because you I something doesn't mean I don't get curious about what else is out there. The Stax systems started interesting me so I decided to buy a Stax system, compare it with the setup I have now and decide which I liked better.. then sell the other. Now you know where I'm coming from.

Now, my impressions. Throughout every song I listen to the Stax setup is perfectly clear. What I mean by that is that every note is just, well, perfect. I haven't been able to detect any colouration in the Stax system. I have not been able to detect a lack of bass in the music as other people have. There's an amazing sense of the notes hitting perfectly and then fading away. The drums on the Stax sound very natural - something I think is lacking on the HD600. The one area where I think the Stax lack is the weight of the music. By that I mean that the Stax doesn't give me a sense of feeling, it's almost too perfect in the way that it plays so that it sounds unnatural and unmoving to me.

In direct comparison to the HD600 with cardas cables and MPX3, the Stax system reveals just a little more detail. The Stax also seems to have more space to it. Despite this, The HD600 sounds a lot more natural. There's more weight in the HD600's sound. I feel a lot more emotionally affected when listening to the HD600's.

These are just my impressions so far. This isn't meant to be a review. As for which setup I'm going to keep, I don't know yet. I'll post more impressions in the near future. Thanks for reading.

 

[tom hankins]

Hajime, Congrats on putting together another great system! Hope it's not to hard to pick the keeper of the two.

 

[ServinginEcuador]

Congrats on the new Stax system there Chris! As is always said with a new Stax user, give them a good two weeks of exclusive use to make your ears accustomed to the electrostatic sound, then go back and give the old system a go again. After those two weeks or so or retraining your ears you will be better able to hear the differences more than a quick listen and switching back and forth. It'll also give the amp a chance to break-in fully and make sure it stabilizes nicely.


Again, congrats on the new cans and amp. Glad to have been of help answering the well thought out questions you had and the openess with which you looked at new stuff while having stuff you already liked.

 

[JaZZ]

Congrats, Hajime!

You have two great systems now, with such different qualities, and I can imagine how hard it must be to decide. Don't give up too early on the Stax (of course you don't)! It may take some getting used to the lighter presentation, and for sure some (not all!) of the HD 600's emotional touch (in comparison to the more distant SR-404) arises from warm colorations. So be careful!

I may look like having changed the camps... Indeed I'm in a phase of rediscovering the older one of my two electrostats and its qualities, such as purity of sound and resolution. Without missing body at the moment. BTW.

But let's wait what happens when the HD 650 is out!

 

[Hajime]

Tom,
Thanks. Right now it seems like it'll be a hard choice. The Stax's clarity or the HD600/MPX3's emotional touch.

Doug,
Thanks. I plan on listening for a week or two before I begin making any final decisions. As for break-in, I'm playing them 10 hours a day. Thanks again for being such a great help.

JaZZ,
I don't mind the warm colourations of the HD600/MPX3, it sounds so great.

That being said, comparing the Stax to the HD600 is making me realize more of the HD600's faults. Ah well, I have time to listen and decide.

 

[Hajime]

Well, it's been a little more than a week and I've been listening to the Stax setup as much as possible. I'd like to post a few more impressions now that burn in has taken place and the Stax has settled down (or my ears have gotten use to the sound).

As I've listened to the Stax setup the sound has really grown on me. The Stax seem to have more weight to the music then they did at first. This is probably due to my ears getting used to the Stax sound and the equiptment burning in. When I first listened to the Stax it seemed slightly "off" tonally, compared to the HD600. This has changed as I've listened to both and done direct comparisons. Now that I'm used to the Stax sound, the HD600 sound almost 'heavy' in comparison. I think this may be due to the HD600 having more viceral bass. I do not think the Stax are 'bright', as some people have said. I think they're just very airy. If I listen to a song with strong bass the Stax handle it perfectly.

I still haven't decided whether I want to keep my HD600/MPX3 setup or SMR-313/SR-404 setup. At the moment I'm leaning towards the Stax, but I want to try out some new cables before I make a final decision. Both setups sound amazing in my opinion. If I do decide on the Stax setup I'm really going to miss the MPX3. The Stax amp, while sturdily build, is no match aesthetically.

 

[Czilla9000]

OMG! You must have read my mind (or the other way around)! That was the exact system I was preposing in my last thread

!

Quote:

am thinking of creating my own combo of the Signatures + SRM-313 for $800 on AudioCubes 2. Sound good?

http://www4.head-fi.org/forums/showt...threadid=47756


Perhaps we can sell the "Hajime and Czilla Combo"

Great minds think alike

.

PS - How does it sound on Beethoven and the like?
Is EIFL's deal better than audiocubes?

 

[fewtch]

Quote:

Originally posted by Hajime Now that I'm used to the Stax sound, the HD600 sound almost 'heavy' in comparison. I think this may be due to the HD600 having more viceral bass. I do not think the Stax are 'bright', as some people have said. I think they're just very airy. If I listen to a song with strong bass the Stax handle it perfectly.

Congrats on the new setup. I've felt from the beginning that the HD600 has a "weighty" sound to it (in comparison to nothing else, just in themselves), which I rather like with most music -- as you suggest, it adds emotional impact. There's something to be said for a lighter, airier sound as well with that electrostatic smoothness and accuracy (I get a taste of it with my old SR-34 setup). So many sonic treats, so little time...

Enjoy...

 

[Hajime]

[size=xx-small] Quote:

Originally posted by Czilla9000 OMG! You must have read my mind (or the other way around)! That was the exact system I was preposing in my last thread !

[/size]
People have said they preffered the SRM-313 to the SRM-006t. Considering it costs less, I think it's a good way to go.

Quote:

[size=xx-small] Perhaps we can sell the "Hajime and Czilla Combo" Great minds think alike . [/size]

One other person has this setup but I can't remember their name. It'll come to me in the morning just as I walk out the door and I'll kick myself for not remembering it.
Quote:

[size=xx-small] PS - How does it sound on Beethoven and the like? Is EIFL's deal better than audiocubes? [/size]

To be honest, I haven't been listening to many classical CDs. I'll try some Beethoven tomorrow.

As for EIFL, I'll PM you.

Fewtch,
The way the HD600's add to the music really creates a nice sound of it's own. Have you considered trying a cardas cable with your HD600's?

 

[fewtch]

Quote:

Originally posted by Hajime Fewtch, The way the HD600's add to the music really creates a nice sound of it's own. Have you considered trying a cardas cable with your HD600's?

Yep, I've considered it (impossible not to around here)... for the moment though, my wallet refuses to comply.

I'm tapped out for awhile after buying doobooloo's "Woodie" maxed out Meta42, but the idea may resurface in a couple months... no lack of used stuff showing up in the Gear FS forum.