I've pulled the trigger on a pair of SR-L500 and the 252s amplifier.
In researching and deciding between a used SR-507, SR-L500 and L300 which I've had previously, I've become frustrated at just how little talk of the SR-L500 there is on the internet. So once I have them, I will post my initial impressions and then a more indepth review after some time, before I disappear once more from the head-fi community and just enjoy the music
Until then, I thought I'd write some of my impressions, so that someone crawling the internet for comparisons would perhaps get some help in making their own decision regarding headphones..
So, as a background to this post I want to say that once we are at Stax L300 and up, I think that most people who are primarily looking for emotional connection to the music through higher end rigs need to worry too much about technical performance. What I mean by this is that all Stax that are in production now are at an incredible technical level, and you need not concern yourself with what headphone would score highest on a "technical" level. Its time to figure out what you want from a headphone.
I personally experienced this when I went from the SR-L300 to the Stax SR-007 mk1.
Some background - before I got the SRS 3100 system, I owned the following headphones:
- JVC HPDX 1000
- Sennheiser HD650
- Fostex TH 900
- Denon AH-D5000
- LCD 2.2c
I was turning into some sort of collector, not really sure what I wanted in a headphone. When I heard the L300, which were my first e-stats, I was completely blown away. Here, we had a headphone that made a complete mockery out of every headphone I already owned, and others that I had demoed in store or at friends. I had a lot of incredible moments with my L300. But, as I am sure many here are familiar with, the FOMO got to me. So I had to upgrade, again.
I found out that the ultimate solution was the 007 mk1. I got them, I upgraded my amp, source, interconnects - everything. And the mk1s sounded amazing. Perfect, even. What I could tell I was clearly missing with the L300 was soundstage depth and body. Well, the SR-007 gave me that in spades. And not only that, but the SR-007 were shockingly detailed without ever sounding fatiguing. And equally fast.
And yet, here I am, having sold off my 007s and the whole rig with it. Because what I learned is that for me, when I sit down with my headphones, I want something that is natural sounding, bright and analytical. I don't need the last bit of microdetail as icing on the cake, nor do I need a massive soundstage with out of this world imaging. Because if the treble is too relaxed for me, its not my signature.
Now don't get me wrong, the 007s are an incredible pair of headphones. I would not have sold them had I not needed the money at the time. But I could have gotten the money by other means - I just concluded that those headphones werent meant for me. It is likely that 009s would be a better fit for me. With the SR-L500 on their way, we'll see. I was very close to just getting the L300, because for me, they are endgame worthy. I am excited to hear the L500 and compare.
Anyways, what I want to say is that the character of a headphone is the most important once we are at this level of performance. So I compare the L300 with the SR-007 mk1s as EQUALS. I will never say that the 007s are BETTER than the L300 because they are both simply excellent, amazing headphones that beat most other headphones out there.
L300:
- Incredibly natural sounding
- Very clear, detailed and airy
- Dry and somewhat bright
- Super fast transient response, very punchy
- Intimate soundstage, lacks sense of size
- Lacks overall impact, sounds light/lacks body
- Their forward and aggressive nature makes them very toe tapping and has a great "wow!" factor
- Good for most if not all genres, however for me classical and acoustic music were clearly the top performers.
- Can at times be somewhat hard, an issue being certain piano notes.
007:
- More laid back nature than L300
- Liquid sounding
- While performing at a similar overall technical level as the L300, clearly beats them in the following areas:
- More expansive soundstage
- More precise imaging
- More body, sense of scale and bass
- More detailed, but in a more laid back manner than L300 - details are more apparant in the sound picture with the L300, but if you listen closely, you will hear more details with the 007 as they are simply more clear
As previously mentioned though, none of this matters if you prefer a dry, analytical and aggressive sound. The 007s are more laid back, relaxed and thus better for more music than the L300. I would say the 007 is the superior generalist, however for my ears they do not sound as natural or engaging as the L300. I believe this is because the L300s tone is closer to what I feel is real sound, especially in terms of instruments, and their intimate soundstage makes it feel even more realistic than the expansive soundfield of the 007s.
Just shortly mentioning some of the other headphones I have owned...
- I believe the HD650 is the dynamic headphone that most reminds me of the 007. They have a similar overall sound, although 007 is leagues and leagues ahead at everything to my ears
- Of the bunch, I believe the LCD 2.2c is the best non e-stat I have ever heard. It has a lot of impact, punch, dynamics and a pleasant and linear FR. It is also surprisingly detailed when critically listening. At current price, the LCD 2 is imo a nobrainer and a clear step up from HD650, while also
- The TH 900 is a fun headphone that is a good buy used IF you can handle a hot treble and a uneven FR.
L300 to my ears clearly beats all of these headphones into a pulp. None of them even come close. L300 is a clear winner in timbre and tone, detail and speed. However, for people who are very sensitive to treble and/or requires more body, the LCD 2 or HD650 are good alternatives. I personally would always pick L300 before anything else, as the SRS 3100 system beats almost every other system out there, especially if your tastes align with their overall sound.
I know this post is excessively ranty and random, but I just want to help anyone crawling the web for any sort of impressions and comparisons no matter the headphone. Maybe some HD650 owner looking to jump into estats is trying to find out more about the L300. Or someone considering going from L300 to the 007 wants input...
These are my 2 cents.