[Chefguru]

Hi, I’ve had the x9000 for a few months now and was thinking of upgrading my energiser, a Stax 700s. I know the stax amps don’t get a lot of love but can anyone tell me what improvements say a Blue Hawaii SE would bring over the Stax 700s. I’m based in the UK and there doesn’t seem to be any way to hear anything other than the Stax range so, given the substantial cost, it makes it a difficult decision to buy a BHSE, for example. I’m very interested to hear anyones experiences of comparing the two amps or even the differences between switching from solid state to tubes through the x9000. Also very interested to hear from UK buyers of the BHSE on how they found the experience and whether they felt exposed not having a uk distributor in case of problems. Thanks in advance for any insights you can provide.

The Kevin Gilmore designs are going to provide a lot more power to the headphones. This is night/day different for the 007, and less important for the x9000 but still very apparent. You'll hear the biggest difference in clarity and lower-frequencies. On a headphone like the 007 this presents a soundstage difference. On the x9000 it will help create more "blackness" between things.

The x9000 sounds better on tube amplifiers in my experience since it has a naturally thin sonic signature. The BHSE is only a hybrid design and while excellent, not the best pairing. Not a fan of the x9k on the carbon or any of the kgss derivates.

My suggestion would be reach out to Soren or Dukei for a megatron, which is another kevin gilmore design, but made with both input and output tubes. Both builders are highly vetted and based in EU so it'll cost you less.

Megatron is typically built with the same power supply as the BHSE but comes closer to the T2 performance.

 

[phil3607]

Thank you all for the responses. Very helpful guidance indeed which I will follow up on.

 

[gammi]

Just picked up an SRD-7 MK2 that I'm planning to mod and use as my entry into the STAX world.
I currently have a lot of amps, the ~15W Holo Bliss, the 48W Wilsenton R800i 300B tube amp and the 100W Anthem MRX540 AVR.

I'm considering an x9000 after hearing one at CanJam and loving it. Am I going to be missing out with my amps + the transformer box? It seems most people get dedicated estat amps but I'm not seeing why this would necessarily be better than a good high power amp plus the transformer box. I have the RAAL CA-1a for example and that sounds excellent with a "normal" amp and the transformer box. That's ribbon, not estat, but the principle is similar.

 

[Beachfloyd]

I just measured the right side of my x9000 (#15XX) and read a difference of 5 db compared to the left side. I played a track of pink noise in both stereo and mono and found the same results through a db meter phone app. I had a feeling last month that the right side might have been louder after listening to other headphones and noticing how much more balanced they sounded.

Is this enough of a difference to call it a channel imbalance? I got these 9 months ago from Headamp, so I should still be good to have them serviced under the 1 year warranty.

Part of me thinks this may have developed recently as it became more hot and humid where I live (I keep it on a stand under a stax cover when not in use), so I was also looking to buy a dry cabinet and thought storing it in there for a while might resolve the issue?? Even if not, I think I would still get it for general estat storage, and figured it would be worth trying to see if it helped before starting the return/exchange process.

 

[jamato8]

I just measured the right side of my x9000 (#15XX) and read a difference of 5 db compared to the left side. I played a track of pink noise in both stereo and mono and found the same results. I had a feeling last month that the right side might have been louder after listening to other headphones and noticing how much more balanced they sounded.

Is this enough of a difference to call it a channel imbalance? I got these 9 months ago from Headamp, so I should still be good to have them serviced under the 1 year warranty.

Part of me thinks this may have developed recently as it became more hot and humid where I live (I keep it on a stand under a stax cover when not in use), so I was also looking to buy a dry cabinet and thought storing it in there for a while might resolve the issue?? Even if not, I think I would still get it for general estat storage, and figured it would be worth trying to see if it helped before starting the return/exchange process.

I would think it should be corrected. They only come with a 1 year warranty?

 

[Beachfloyd]

I would think it should be corrected. They only come with a 1 year warranty?

Thanks, I'm going to give the dry cabinet a try for a few weeks and hope that corrects it...but yeah, just a 1yr warranty from everything I've seen.

Looking through the information from the packaging, they mention needing a Warranty Card, but I don't believe I ever saw one but hopefully getting it through an authorized dealer helps to move it along if I need to.

 

[jamato8]

Thanks, I'm going to give the dry cabinet a try for a few weeks and hope that corrects it...but yeah, just a 1yr warranty from everything I've seen.

Looking through the information from the packaging, they mention needing a Warranty Card, but I don't believe I ever saw one but hopefully getting it through an authorized dealer helps to move it along if I need to.

I would contact the seller and tell them you never got a warranty card and would like one.

 

[Beachfloyd]

I would contact the seller and tell them you never got a warranty card and would like one.

I think the "warranty card" might just be this sticker on the side of the box. Attached pic was shared in this thread by another user.

 

[jamato8]

I think the "warranty card" might just be this sticker on the side of the box. Attached pic was shared in this thread by another user.

Ok. Some companies require you to send in an actual warranty card. I am surprised though, with as expensive and touchy as these are, that they only give a 1 year warranty. I would think a 3 year warranty would be more appropriate but then Stax isn't the same company any longer.

 

[DougD]

I just measured the right side of my x9000 (#15XX) and read a difference of 5 db compared to the left side. I played a track of pink noise in both stereo and mono and found the same results through a db meter phone app. I had a feeling last month that the right side might have been louder after listening to other headphones and noticing how much more balanced they sounded.

Is this enough of a difference to call it a channel imbalance? I got these 9 months ago from Headamp, so I should still be good to have them serviced under the 1 year warranty.

There are certainly people here who know a lot more about Stax than I do, but I think this is more or less inherent with their technology. Doesn't mean it's a fun thing.

AFAIK, all of the Stax-built e-stat amps, from the beginning of time to the present, have had a concentric ring volume control, that allowed the user to change the balance between left and right channels. And as we know and some sporadically lament, a balance control is long-gone from almost all other types and brands of amplifiers.

My theory is that the balance control survives on Stax gear because it is uniquely (likely to be) necessary in Stax world. From 197x to 202x.

 

[greggf]

There are certainly people here who know a lot more about Stax than I do, but I think this is more or less inherent with their technology. Doesn't mean it's a fun thing.

AFAIK, all of the Stax-built e-stat amps, from the beginning of time to the present, have had a concentric ring volume control, that allowed the user to change the balance between left and right channels. And as we know and some sporadically lament, a balance control is long-gone from almost all other types and brands of amplifiers.

My theory is that the balance control survives on Stax gear because it is uniquely (likely to be) necessary in Stax world. From 197x to 202x.

Ahh! Good theory, I think.

 

[KDS315]

I know a few people whose X9000 developed a channel imbalance; they sent it in and STAX repaired them (took 3 months in once case).
And no, I don't think it has to do with humidity,

 

[Velomane]

Channel imbalance on my X9000. Sent them back and three months later I received a new pair. My dealer was surprised by this. Maybe a bad batch went out and this was Stax's way of fixing it.

 

[number1sixerfan]

I just measured the right side of my x9000 (#15XX) and read a difference of 5 db compared to the left side. I played a track of pink noise in both stereo and mono and found the same results through a db meter phone app. I had a feeling last month that the right side might have been louder after listening to other headphones and noticing how much more balanced they sounded.

Is this enough of a difference to call it a channel imbalance? I got these 9 months ago from Headamp, so I should still be good to have them serviced under the 1 year warranty.

Part of me thinks this may have developed recently as it became more hot and humid where I live (I keep it on a stand under a stax cover when not in use), so I was also looking to buy a dry cabinet and thought storing it in there for a while might resolve the issue?? Even if not, I think I would still get it for general estat storage, and figured it would be worth trying to see if it helped before starting the return/exchange process.

That’s more than enough to be concerned as a buyer, so I‘d absolutely send them in while under warranty even if just to protect your investment. Hope it’s a quick turnaround.

I just enjoyed listening to the x9000 again recently, a shame the channel imbalance is still an issue. Hopefully it does eventually get ironed out.

 

[CannedWheat]

What would actually be considered an imbalance I've measured my X9000 sn 14xx and it seems pretty good until it gets to the treble and then it just looks like bad matching however due to my poor hearing I'm unable to hear any issues and have just been chocking it up to the measurements rig just being garbage past 1k but unsure probably should have brought it up with the retailer I bought it from but it's past the year at this point and I'm not terribly worried about it since I'm unable to hear any issue. Attached is the measurement chart of my headphone. Would y'all say this should have been looked into?