[mobbaddict]

The bass was excellent with the Spritzer bass port mod.

I have the mk1 so I suppose it would work fine as well.

 

[PointyFox]

I have the mk1 so I suppose it would work fine as well.

I'd assume so. Though from what I've read the modded mk2 has more bass than the mk1, so there may be a little difference.

 

[mobbaddict]

I'd assume so. Though from what I've read the modded mk2 has more bass than the mk1, so there may be a little difference.

Yes I've always read that the mk2 had more midbass. I'll try to audition the D50, I've never really considered buying a high-end amp for the 007 so this could be an affordable compromise. Thanks for the feedback.

 

[forestitalia]

Have a question, what driver using with for the internal Dac of D50?

 

[Not Deaf]

I just wanted to do a little write up about the D50 after having a proper amount of use on it now.

What an insane little energizer this is. It fits so perfectly on a desk and the fact that it is an all in one unit is very impressive. I'm currently using it with a set of L700 MkIIs and I honestly can't get enough of this system right now. I've had the pleasure of doing a direct A/B comparison to the Stax 353x with both units on a Schiit Yggdrasil DAC and can say the 353x is a hair warmer in tonality, but the D50 has more clarity and is more dynamic. They are overall very similar sounding energizers, but my ear slightly preferred the D50 matched with the L700 MkII as well as the Dan Clark Audio Vocé. With them being so close in price, I will also take the extras the D50 has to offer over the 353x any day of the week. I also compared the D50 and 252x with both a set of L300s and L700 MkIIs and was impressed by how much more detailed, dynamic, warm, and musical the D50 is in comparison.

One thing to note about the D50 is the fact that it runs HOT and I mean HOT. I have a digital thermometer that reads up to 107F and the D50 was well above that. The D50 even ran warmer to the touch than my pure Class A Burson Soloist amp if that helps tell you how hot it runs. It’s almost to the point where you can’t keep your hand on the energizer once you’ve been using it for a bit, so I wouldn’t recommend any stacking with the D50.

I am on my second D50 unit because of left channel static/ white noise when ear speakers were plugged in, at any volume, no matter the intervention to try and fix it. The second D50 unit still has an ever so slight hiss in the left channel as well, but nowhere near what the first unit had. It can only be heard when there is no music playing and the hiss does not increase in volume when the volume knob is increased. Once the music starts even at very low volumes, the hiss is inaudible to my ear. I also tried the L700 MkII on the 353x and it had no hiss, so I know it was the D50, and if I remember correctly the Vocé also had a slight hiss on the first D50 I had. Besides this minor issue, I have had no problems with the D50 and am very impressed with the build quality and sound quality that comes out of it.

On my home setup, I currently have a Schiit Modi Multibit (Mimby) and a new Schiit Bifrost 2 DAC that I have been comparing on the D50 as well as the D50’s internal DAC. One thing to note is that my first D50’s onboard DAC and second D50’s onboard DAC sounded immensely different. The first D50’s onboard DAC was very flat sounding, lacking in depth, and not enjoyable at all. It was downright awful, to be frank. In comparison, the Mimby was more musical, had outstanding detail retrieval, and a very enjoyable soundstage. However, this second D50’s DAC sounds much closer to the Mimby now but it is overall less dynamic and has a smaller soundstage. On the contrary, it does have significantly better clarity than both the Mimby and Bifrost 2 but at the expense of being overly bright even to my bright-tolerable ears. There is a shrill and sibilance of the second D50’s DAC that make some songs intolerable but others downright addicting to listen to in order to experience just how unbelievably clear the L700s can get. Even to the point where it becomes worth the harshness at times to just experience all of those details - it’s almost unreal. I will say I liked the Mimby much better than the original D50’s DAC. However, this second D50’s DAC is something else - not necessarily better than the Mimby or Bifrost - but different. And amazing. I find myself enjoying and being engaged in the music more using the Bifrost as the DAC compared to the D50’s onboard DAC, but still find myself flipping back to the onboard DAC every so often just to hear the clarity it offers. The Bifrost gets me lost in the music, gives me the detail retrieval that I can’t get enough of on the L700, and is just a more musical and enjoyable listening experience with all that multibit goodness than the D50’s onboard DAC can offer.

I will hopefully be able to A/B test the D50 to a BHSE soon and can report back what I find to be the differences - should be interesting comparing SS to tubes on a lambda.

Overall, color me very impressed with the D50. It truly is a great value considering everything you are getting in the package and in my opinion is a step up from the 353x and leagues above the 252x. I agree with Soulsik from The Next Best Thing Studio in that the D50 and L700 are ‘supposed to’ be paired with one another after hearing the L700 on different energizers now. I also talked to Birgir about how much of an upgrade the Octave II would be in comparison to the D50, and he told me in his humble opinion that the Octave II “Wouldn’t really be an upgrade” as “The Octave V2 was designed to be comparable to the D50” and therefore more of a side-grade than an upgrade. He believes a proper upgrade would jump up into a whole different price bracket which for the L700 or any lambdas would not be worth it. I’ve been very happy with my D50 experience so far and believe it really knocks way above its price point, especially with the L700 pairing.

 

[MSA1133]

I just wanted to do a little write up about the D50 after having a proper amount of use on it now.

What an insane little energizer this is. It fits so perfectly on a desk and the fact that it is an all in one unit is very impressive. I'm currently using it with a set of L700 MkIIs and I honestly can't get enough of this system right now. I've had the pleasure of doing a direct A/B comparison to the Stax 353x with both units on a Schiit Yggdrasil DAC and can say the 353x is a hair warmer in tonality, but the D50 has more clarity and is more dynamic. They are overall very similar sounding energizers, but my ear slightly preferred the D50 matched with the L700 MkII as well as the Dan Clark Audio Vocé. With them being so close in price, I will also take the extras the D50 has to offer over the 353x any day of the week. I also compared the D50 and 252x with both a set of L300s and L700 MkIIs and was impressed by how much more detailed, dynamic, warm, and musical the D50 is in comparison.

One thing to note about the D50 is the fact that it runs HOT and I mean HOT. I have a digital thermometer that reads up to 107F and the D50 was well above that. The D50 even ran warmer to the touch than my pure Class A Burson Soloist amp if that helps tell you how hot it runs. It’s almost to the point where you can’t keep your hand on the energizer once you’ve been using it for a bit, so I wouldn’t recommend any stacking with the D50.

I am on my second D50 unit because of left channel static/ white noise when ear speakers were plugged in, at any volume, no matter the intervention to try and fix it. The second D50 unit still has an ever so slight hiss in the left channel as well, but nowhere near what the first unit had. It can only be heard when there is no music playing and the hiss does not increase in volume when the volume knob is increased. Once the music starts even at very low volumes, the hiss is inaudible to my ear. I also tried the L700 MkII on the 353x and it had no hiss, so I know it was the D50, and if I remember correctly the Vocé also had a slight hiss on the first D50 I had. Besides this minor issue, I have had no problems with the D50 and am very impressed with the build quality and sound quality that comes out of it.

On my home setup, I currently have a Schiit Modi Multibit (Mimby) and a new Schiit Bifrost 2 DAC that I have been comparing on the D50 as well as the D50’s internal DAC. One thing to note is that my first D50’s onboard DAC and second D50’s onboard DAC sounded immensely different. The first D50’s onboard DAC was very flat sounding, lacking in depth, and not enjoyable at all. It was downright awful, to be frank. In comparison, the Mimby was more musical, had outstanding detail retrieval, and a very enjoyable soundstage. However, this second D50’s DAC sounds much closer to the Mimby now but it is overall less dynamic and has a smaller soundstage. On the contrary, it does have significantly better clarity than both the Mimby and Bifrost 2 but at the expense of being overly bright even to my bright-tolerable ears. There is a shrill and sibilance of the second D50’s DAC that make some songs intolerable but others downright addicting to listen to in order to experience just how unbelievably clear the L700s can get. Even to the point where it becomes worth the harshness at times to just experience all of those details - it’s almost unreal. I will say I liked the Mimby much better than the original D50’s DAC. However, this second D50’s DAC is something else - not necessarily better than the Mimby or Bifrost - but different. And amazing. I find myself enjoying and being engaged in the music more using the Bifrost as the DAC compared to the D50’s onboard DAC, but still find myself flipping back to the onboard DAC every so often just to hear the clarity it offers. The Bifrost gets me lost in the music, gives me the detail retrieval that I can’t get enough of on the L700, and is just a more musical and enjoyable listening experience with all that multibit goodness than the D50’s onboard DAC can offer.

I will hopefully be able to A/B test the D50 to a BHSE soon and can report back what I find to be the differences - should be interesting comparing SS to tubes on a lambda.

Overall, color me very impressed with the D50. It truly is a great value considering everything you are getting in the package and in my opinion is a step up from the 353x and leagues above the 252x. I agree with Soulsik from The Next Best Thing Studio in that the D50 and L700 are ‘supposed to’ be paired with one another after hearing the L700 on different energizers now. I also talked to Birgir about how much of an upgrade the Octave II would be in comparison to the D50, and he told me in his humble opinion that the Octave II “Wouldn’t really be an upgrade” as “The Octave V2 was designed to be comparable to the D50” and therefore more of a side-grade than an upgrade. He believes a proper upgrade would jump up into a whole different price bracket which for the L700 or any lambdas would not be worth it. I’ve been very happy with my D50 experience so far and believe it really knocks way above its price point, especially with the L700 pairing.

Thanks for the feedback! There aren’t many regarding the D50. I have the portable D10 and it runs the 700 MKII like a champ, but I always wondered how much better the D50 will be. Fortunately, we have a new STAX distributor where I live and they currently have a D50 instock!

 

[Not Deaf]

Thanks for the feedback! There aren’t many regarding the D50. I have the portable D10 and it runs the 700 MKII like a champ, but I always wondered how much better the D50 will be. Fortunately, we have a new STAX distributor where I live and they currently have a D50 instock!

My pleasure! I'm curious to hear your take on the D50 and how it compares to the D10.

 

[chococya96]

I'm curious to know if pairing D50 with L700 is worth it over D10 or other cheaper energizers.
I feel like D50 is more geared towards Omega series...

 

[Not Deaf]

I'm curious to know if pairing D50 with L700 is worth it over D10 or other cheaper energizers.
I feel like D50 is more geared towards Omega series...

I think it would be better to use a D50 or 353x with an L700. I think a D10 wouldn’t quite cut it and the 252 makes the L700 sound flat, dull, and lifeless. The D50 is definitely not enough for any of the omegas, it’s has just enough to drive the L700. If you like the features of the D50 and can find one without issues, go for it, otherwise a 353x might be a better option to suggest after hearing about all the warranty issues the D50 can have.

 

[chococya96]

I think it would be better to use a D50 or 353x with an L700. I think a D10 wouldn’t quite cut it and the 252 makes the L700 sound flat, dull, and lifeless. The D50 is definitely not enough for any of the omegas, it’s has just enough to drive the L700. If you like the features of the D50 and can find one without issues, go for it, otherwise a 353x might be a better option to suggest after hearing about all the warranty issues the D50 can have.

Ah I see, it's just that D50s are priced same if not, similar to L700 MK2s so I wasn't sure if it's worth getting it over 353x or even 252s if you're not too fussy over input options.

Having said that, can you elaborate on the 'warranty issues' that D50 has?

 

[Not Deaf]

Ah I see, it's just that D50s are priced same if not, similar to L700 MK2s so I wasn't sure if it's worth getting it over 353x or even 252s if you're not too fussy over input options.

Having said that, can you elaborate on the 'warranty issues' that D50 has?

All of my D50s I’ve had have had a left channel “buzzing.” Some are worse then others and it’s just luck of the draw. It happens on every ear speaker I’ve plugged into the various D50s, but doesn’t happen with the ear speakers on other energizers, so I know it’s the D50. I’ve also heard of the VU meter being chipped from the factory or getting stuck in one spot or not working at all. I’ve also heard of the input selector switch either sticking or not registering the input selected. The D50 also gets HOT, so it can’t be good for all of the internals crammed into such a small box in the long run, but only time will tell for its reliability. I still think the D50 is a great value if you get one you know works without issues or buy one from somewhere that you can RMA it if there happens to be a warranty issue with the one you open. It’s an outstanding energizer for the lambda series and I enjoyed mine while I owned it.

 

[chococya96]

All of my D50s I’ve had have had a left channel “buzzing.” Some are worse then others and it’s just luck of the draw. It happens on every ear speaker I’ve plugged into the various D50s, but doesn’t happen with the ear speakers on other energizers, so I know it’s the D50. I’ve also heard of the VU meter being chipped from the factory or getting stuck in one spot or not working at all. I’ve also heard of the input selector switch either sticking or not registering the input selected. The D50 also gets HOT, so it can’t be good for all of the internals crammed into such a small box in the long run, but only time will tell for its reliability. I still think the D50 is a great value if you get one you know works without issues or buy one from somewhere that you can RMA it if there happens to be a warranty issue with the one you open. It’s an outstanding energizer for the lambda series and I enjoyed mine while I owned it.

Thanks for the info.

I remember my previously owned SRM-252S (paired with L300) had buzzing issues. I remember trying various troubleshooting from plugging the power brick to different wall outlets to trying different cables though, none of them fixed the buzzing noise so I had to return it for repair. I'm guessing that Stax energizers are known for buzzing issues?

All in all, D50 seems like a wonderful driver unit to pair with L700 MK2. The all-in-one DAC/amp/energizer unit is verstile and convenient in terms of hooking up different sources. I'm really tempted to get these though, with the known buzzing issues and still being indecisive on whether to get L700 MK2 or HD800s, I'm just not sure at this stage.

 

[Lochaves]

After all, is the D50 able to extract the full potential of an SR-007MK2? If not, can an SRM-353X do this?
How can I identify this by product specifications?
I use the L300 / SRM-252S set and I'm thinking of buying an SRM-D50, even thinking about a future update for an SR-007MK2.

 

[Not Deaf]

After all, is the D50 able to extract the full potential of an SR-007MK2? If not, can an SRM-353X do this?
How can I identify this by product specifications?
I use the L300 / SRM-252S set and I'm thinking of buying an SRM-D50, even thinking about a future update for an SR-007MK2.

I would say the D50 and 353x are not enough to drive either the 007 or 009. I had listened to my 009 on the D50 and it was obvious there was a limitation factor going on the with D50. The D50 and my buddy’s 353x sounded nearly identical and are very similar energizers. If you’re planning on getting an omega series earspeaker, just know you’re going to want to upgrade your energizer down the line.
The 252S was perfect for the L300 but nothing more. The L700 sounded dull and lifeless on the 252S but came alive on the 353x and D50, and the L700 was the limit for those energizers. The 009 sounded just okay on the D50 and sounds amazing on a carbon and BHSE. I’m sure the 007, which is harder to drive than the 009, will share similar results. If you’re going to stick with the lambda series, the 353x and D50 are good options, otherwise they will be stepping stones you will want to upgrade past, and you will realize this once you’re there along the way.

 

[Lochaves]

I would say the D50 and 353x are not enough to drive either the 007 or 009. I had listened to my 009 on the D50 and it was obvious there was a limitation factor going on the with D50. The D50 and my buddy’s 353x sounded nearly identical and are very similar energizers. If you’re planning on getting an omega series earspeaker, just know you’re going to want to upgrade your energizer down the line.
The 252S was perfect for the L300 but nothing more. The L700 sounded dull and lifeless on the 252S but came alive on the 353x and D50, and the L700 was the limit for those energizers. The 009 sounded just okay on the D50 and sounds amazing on a carbon and BHSE. I’m sure the 007, which is harder to drive than the 009, will share similar results. If you’re going to stick with the lambda series, the 353x and D50 are good options, otherwise they will be stepping stones you will want to upgrade past, and you will realize this once you’re there along the way.

Thanks for the advice.
I love the sound of the L300 and am willing to invest to get something more in the Stax line, even though the costs are high.
Where I live it is difficult to hear other Stax earspeakers, so my decision is basically based on impressions and descriptions that I read.
Therefore, my idea of buying an SR-007mk2 is based on the descriptions and it seemed to me to be a night and day change, which would justify the high investment.
I don't know if for those who are used to the L300 if switching to an L700 mk2 will really mean a lot more in terms of quality. Anyway, the idea of getting stuck in the lambda series is not very pleasant.
I took a look at the mjolnir-audio website, and my challenge is to find a driver that gets the best out of a 007 mk2 and that costs around US$1300.