Stax SR-X9000

[baatnak]

I am going to have my own frequency response measured before doing any eq.

 

[SolarCetacean]

I suppose it is indeed interesting that some seem to rely much more on timbral cues or loudness for genuine perception of distance while for others like me, I seem to heavily rely on interaural time differences such that said timbral distance or proximity cues mainly manifest as seeing a "bigger" or "smaller" image on the same fixed-distance 2D canvas before me.

The size aspect of sound also exists for me; closer sounds are larger while further sounds are smaller. One of the ways where the X9000's midrange hump makes itself present in a subjectively negative sense is that the lead element is too large in the soundstage relative to the sizes of everything else. When listening on the 006t, which is a mid-forward amp, it sounded like the mouths of the lead singers were stretched out between my eyeballs, making them huge and also very close to me. My brain makes a connection between size and distance, while yours seems to maintain the two as separate aspects. For me, the obvious parallel is with visual perspective; relative size of objects is a big part of visual perspective and how we can perceive visual depth in a flat 2D painting.

 

[hutzelmeier]

To answer to the question by Svperstar: my brain interprets the FR variations of the X9000 particularly well as striking spaciousness in the second movement of the Dudamel / Berlin Phil recording of Mahler 5. For convenience, I added a youtube link to that recording; a fantastic and famous classics experience is further to listen to the fourth movement (Adagietto) of that symphony.

 

[MDR30]

Can anyone recommend classical music that really brings out the strengths of the X9000? I have been listening to a bunch of random string instruments but I don't know much about classical music proper.

Not only for the X9000, but this work will test your headphones to the limit:

(cd/high res better)
I'd also recommend Stravinsky's Firebird with Chailly/Concertgebouw (Decca), and for dare-devils only: Varèse's Ameriques with Boulez/NYPO (Sony Classical).
Lighter fare: Mozart Symphony No. 25 with Koopman/Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra.

 

[MrHaelscheir]

The size aspect of sound also exists for me; closer sounds are larger while further sounds are smaller. One of the ways where the X9000's midrange hump makes itself present in a subjectively negative sense is that the lead element is too large in the soundstage relative to the sizes of everything else. When listening on the 006t, which is a mid-forward amp, it sounded like the mouths of the lead singers were stretched out between my eyeballs, making them huge and also very close to me. My brain makes a connection between size and distance, while yours seems to maintain the two as separate aspects. For me, the obvious parallel is with visual perspective; relative size of objects is a big part of visual perspective and how we can perceive visual depth in a flat 2D painting.

Perhaps "bigger" and "smaller" weren't the most accurate analogy for my case. I remember reading a while back someone "explaining" (their personal experience of soundstage) with the analogy of a painting and the various cues for distance such as a distant mountain looking hazier. For me, it can be a case of seeing that clearly visually distant mountain while still being heavily aware that it's on a picture a meter in front of me; this is my analogy for recordings that have very nice ambient effects or where a single instrument sounds distant without actually imaging distantly for me. Though my DSP or regular speakers can help image instruments in an orchestra more correctly laterally (many recordings still fail to capture the horizontal spread of an entire string section, condensing them into single diffuse points), it is sonically like watching only a 2D video of said orchestra, things like the stage depth of rear brass instruments or percussion rarely being portrayed as so, mind that exact information could probably only truly be captured in a binaural or ambisonic recording.

 

[LarsHP]

Hmmm. After leaving the SR-X9000 plugged in the KGSSHV Carbon for a couple of days without any use, I think the sub-bass has been boosted, not subtle but markedly. Is this bad memory or could there be something to it?

It's hardly been used for more than 50 hours totally.

 

[TheAbyss2022]

Hmmm. After leaving the SR-X9000 plugged in the KGSSHV Carbon for a couple of days without any use, I think the sub-bass has been boosted, not subtle but markedly. Is this bad memory or could there be something to it?

It's hardly been used for more than 50 hours totally.

It's probably because it's fully charged now

No idea, perhaps it's been a while since you last heard it or maybe you somehow got snake oil on it.

 

[LarsHP]

It's probably because it's fully charged now

No idea, perhaps it's been a while since you last heard it or maybe you somehow got snake oil on it.

The charge build-up is supposed to be a minute or so, if I remember reading that correctly. However, this is a quite new headphone, so I don't know what to think. Last time I listened with it, I dialed in some more sub-bass, but today that was way too much.

Another variable is that I bended the headband for a tighter fit before listening, which in theory could make seal better and for this reason add sub-bass. On the other hand, I have early on tested pressing on the cups while playing music with healthy amounts of sub-bass, but to my surprise didn't hear any difference, suggesting an inner leak between pads and cups. So, that made me conclude that there would be no gain in sub-bass when getting a better seal.

EDIT: Fixed typos.

 

[orcawithabat]

Probably fit or better seal or honestly mental burn in / your ears that day. Out hearing can sometimes be more sensitive or less depending on the day no doubt

 

[Svperstar]

Finally swapped pads on the X9000 again using the same double sided glue Audeze uses.

These are pads for the Sundara I think. More of the driver is exposed

 

[SolarCetacean]

Finally swapped pads on the X9000 again using the same double sided glue Audeze uses.

These are pads for the Sundara I think. More of the driver is exposed

The stock earpads for the Sundara have a mesh face (meaning the part that makes contact with the head). Both pads that you show seem to have leather/pleather faces.

 

[Svperstar]

The stock earpads for the Sundara have a mesh face (meaning the part that makes contact with the head). Both pads that you show seem to have leather/pleather faces.

They aren't stock. I got them on Ebay

 

[LarsHP]

Finally swapped pads on the X9000 again using the same double sided glue Audeze uses.

These are pads for the Sundara I think. More of the driver is exposed

Did you describe how to remove and reinstall pads on SR-X9000 somewhere? I think I read you had plans on doing so.

 

[Svperstar]

Did you describe how to remove and reinstall pads on SR-X9000 somewhere? I think I read you had plans on doing so.

No, I was going to make a YouTube video describing how to remove the X9000 pads because I couldn't find a single guide online but all you really have to do is remove the top peg from the 5 fastener pegs/rivets and it all comes apart pretty easy. Like in this picture Figure 2:

 

[MrHaelscheir]

@SolarCetacean I just had a rather nice occasion of this speaker simulation DSP presenting a rather beautifully clear and immersive presentation of https://app.idagio.com/recordings/34250262, particularly the sense of positional depth and scale to the piano (in https://play.qobuz.com/album/fdn5vkxsnf0tb, probably a later recording by the same group, I get this effect less; I prefer the overall fullness, richness, clarity, and density of the 2012 recording).