[Cortazar]

Then we switched to another system consisting of PS Audio Stream DAC, music server PC based. Krell xd 175/LST vs riviera aic 10/abyss.
And that was a duell at eye level. The bass on LST/X9000 was still somehow deeper and the abyss had a thin blanket over the highs but you had to hear very carefully to perceive the differences.
I was still very!! impressed to what the x9000 capable is, above all in bass but both systems were very listenable and engaging. But the magic thet the accupase produced was gone!
Andy es we still had dan clark stealth that we heard from abyss and accuphase e480 but what sould i say. If anyone want to buy stealth feel free to pm me.
It was an audiophile celebration and now i know riviera is not the very best amplifier for abyss on earth. But you should not forget the accupase pre/power combo is also very pricy and needs some space and current!
The pics are to come!

 

[Cortazar]

Will i be buying X9000? I do not think so. At least not at this moment as i have just placed an order for VM-1a amplifier for my SR1A and i am still busy completing my source (cables for antipodes, m scaller and dave), and it would mean to buy 1 more amplifier.

 

[Axel]

@Cortazar thanks for sharing your impressions!
Did you compare the Accuphase A50 to the Riviera with the Stax X9000 using the LST?

 

[Cortazar]

I did compared riviera/abyss vs accuphase/LST/Stax - here wascombo stax/LST/Accuphase clearly superior to abyss/riviera as more naturall better bass, treble, more liquidity, more detail. Abyss vs stax x9000 both on acccuphase was head in head race.
For me it means stax x9000 has the potential to be the best currently made HP as it does not lack bass or body, and secondly: the amplifier does make a big difference.

 

[Cortazar]

... we did not compared riviera to accuphase this time. I have tried this in my system and found riviera to polite and to sweet sounding amp with my stax 009 and LST. I have wrote in riviera thread about it.

 

[number1sixerfan]

It's really good to see more x9000s getting into people's hands. Really enjoying the impressions.

 

[Cortazar]

 

[musicman59]

What a beautiful amplifier (Accuphase)!!

 

[hifixman]

I was pulling my hair when I AB compare X9000 vs L300 Limited ( with 700 pads), while I am mesmerized by the bigger stage, slightly more mid bass and slightly more weighty notes, I miss the clarity, cleaness sparkling yet non fatiguing electrostatic highs, which makes electrostatic electrostatic and why nowadays iem all use Electrostatic Sonion driver for highs. Tonally I found the former more balance and the later one rolled off a bit too much, losing the signature technical advantage of this type of driver.

 

[Cortazar]

 

[jamato8]

I had a chance to listen und compare one of he best HP Systems. Fort he comparison i took my riviera aic 10 bal. and abyss 1266. Thy host system was accupase cd 720, accuphase pre 290, and A50V LST (lundahl Transformers) and stax X9000 and Orpheus HE90 (also via LST). Thank accupase pre we were able to listen to all 3 HP at the same time (we only have to adjust the volume).
We have only listened to 4 music pieces (Kari Bremnes – voice, Debussy/Zimmermann – Klavier, Hotel California, Stravinsky – Orchestral work) and changed the HP after every piece of music.
I would say. It was a hard work! But also very revealing. At the begining i had also chance to compare Stax 009s to x9000 but we layed 009s by the side after a few minutes as it was simply another leage. In comparison to x9000 it was bright, technical, shallow stage, too light and above all listening to stravinsky was a torment.
Firstly i must say i am very pleased with my riviera/abyss combo and i regret listening to stax x9000. In this system (accupase pre + power amp/LST) the stax was better hands down from the very first second. In this system(!) i found the x9000 to solve every weakness the electrostatic HP had. The music had a body, it was never to bright, it was detailed as detailed the music can be. It was spacious and… the bass was deeper and had more weight then my abyss/riviera combo! I was simply blown away.
Whats important ist hat we were compareing abyss/riviera to x9000/accupase pre/A50. As we were ready to compare the both systems we have also connect Abyss directly to accupase pre/A50 combo and voila. It was all there almost as with LST/X9000. It is hard to describe but the music was vibrant, mids were richer as with riviera bass was deeper, the music shined. Ok. Mayby it was a tiny little bit coulored but never unnatural, fat or too slow. It was a spectacular, it moved you into the music. It was realy something. And still x9000 was better, more natural, better mids, better highs, better bass better everything. Mayby a space, the air between the instruments was a bit more with Abyss, but with X9000 there was more connection between the instruments.
What about the sennheiser HE90. In comparison to X9000 it was bit more polite, not quite the energy of attack, and the stage a few meter furter away. If X9000 was 1 row in a concert, tha HE90 the 5. The bass was deeper and bloomier on sennheiser. All in one the same leage but different presentation. For long listening session i would pick up orpheus.
more to come…

Do you have an adapter for the HE90? I have a pair here but will have to make an adapter but they can be used of course with the RSA A10 electrostatic amp.

 

[prtuc2]

Just wanted to share some of my impression on the Stax X-9000 I heard recently. Is a continuation of what I have started on this thread.

Setup:
Roon --> Soekris DAC --> DIY T2 running Amperex front end tubes (6922) and Mullard EL34 power tubes (not fully burn-in) --> Stax X-9000/009S/007 MK1 early production
Roon --> Denaftrips Ares --> Aeras (fully burn-in) --> Stax X-9000/009S/007 MK 1early production
Music: Hotel California by Eagles 2018 remastered
Hello - Adele
When we were young - Adele
The Indiana Jones: Raiders Of the Lost Ark "Raiders March" (Mainly to test on the X-9000 since I don't listen to classical or orchestral music much)

Let me just say this, I didn't think one is superior to the other headphones. Rather they are different in term of presentation. Choose what suits your preference is more important than going after the latest and the greatest.

X-9000 clearly the largest soundstage of the three and by good margin, the amp pairing is quite unique for this headphone. On the T2 does play its greatest strength soundstage is magnificently large perfect for orchestral and classical recordings. Which I don't listen to much, most of my music are 70s-2000s pop music. So, for me music in general does sound more laid-back compare to the Aeras setup. I would prefer to run the X-9000 with my Aeras, which is warmer sound than the T2 vocal seems to be more intimate sounding does correct its neutral voicing. This is solely on my own preference, T2 got better lower bass control which makes any percussion instruments sound fabulous at stock form. X-9000 also best in term of details, separation, speed, timbre actually is better than the 009S sounds more realistic.

009S is only slightly behind the X-9000 in technicalities, but I do like its sparkling high frequency sounds exceptionally clean and clarity for some is treble fatigue/bright sound for me I can tolerate it which happen to be one that I owned. I would prefer the the 009S just slightly more on the Aeras than the T2, solely because I like more sparkling high notes and warmer vocal sounds. T2 correct a lot of 009S weakness in my opinion, boosted soundstage from scale 1 to 10 average (4) to closer (7) and one of the greatness weakness is its bass which the T2 is well known for, another thing is T2 kind of tame the bright sound of the 009S for some people from unlistenable to acceptable range which is a dealbreaker for some can give this setup an audition.

007 MK I unquestionable pairing with the T2 is the way to go, perhaps the best sub-bass out of all the headphones I heard for basshead I would definitely choose this setup over the other two headphones. Like a ripple pond affect when the bass is struck not many headphones can produce that type of sound. T2 also gave the 007 MKI more clarity, speed, separation, resolution, and etc.. which the 007 MK I is quite a bit behind than the other two headphones with the T2 the gap is lessen which for some they can trade. T2 is a match in heaven with the 007 MK I in my opinion, but might be overly bass might have to adjust something in the chain to alleviate depends on your tolerance. Since, the 007 MK I is already got warm signature Aeras pairing might be little too much.

After all listening for yourself will be the best option, by the way Kerry will be attending CanJam Chicago for anyone curious to hear any of his amps.

 

[Audio Addict]

Do you have an adapter for the HE90? I have a pair here but will have to make an adapter but they can be used of course with the RSA A10 electrostatic amp.

I heard your updated A-10 shipped out today. Look forward to hearing your thoughts on it.

 

[jamato8]

I heard your updated A-10 shipped out today. Look forward to hearing your thoughts on it.

Me to. Will use the HE90, Voce and Hifiman.

 

[hifixman]

I did compared riviera/abyss vs accuphase/LST/Stax - here wascombo stax/LST/Accuphase clearly superior to abyss/riviera as more naturall better bass, treble, more liquidity, more detail. Abyss vs stax x9000 both on acccuphase was head in head race.
For me it means stax x9000 has the potential to be the best currently made HP as it does not lack bass or body, and secondly: the amplifier does make a big difference.

Better bass sounds surreal to my ears as a owner of both. Even susvara & Riviera could defeat X9000 in bass, not to mention TC whose bass is its Fourte. For the Macro detail, Abyss TC sounds like speakers ( like Raal which are the two cans that are truly speaker sounding), X9000 still sounds like headphone but best stage in stax lineup; for Micro details, listening to electrostatic earspeakers after long time of listening to plannar made me feel lack of dynamics, weight, bass, slam, emotion and weight; while listening to plannar cans after long time of listening of electrostatic cans made me feel lack of micro details, clarity, and resolution.

Therefore I decide to keep one electrostatic system and one plannar system, which could be used for dynamic cans if I want even more human element moving and warming my heart.