FullBright1
Headphoneus Supremus
August 22, 2024
Box : Now, STAX has created a very decent unboxing experience. Much preferred vs the Hifiman Mini Shangri-La that i reviewed, yesterday.
1.) Headband : Seems to be Leather, very Comfy. The Frame is created out of what looks to be a nice grade of metal. Cup Adjustment is good, tight, secure.
2.) Pads : LambSkin very Comfy, and will accommodate all but the largest ears.
3.) Cable : Its a very good cable.
4.) The Weight of the Entire set of Headphones is quite Lite, and the Headphones feel good when you are strapped in.
I'll test the Stax Energizer later, as for now im just using my usual set up for my E-Stats that includes :
A Oppo HA-1 Headphone Amp
A Sennheiser HDVD 800 Headphone Amp
A Topping EHA5 high powered energizer.
If the "new' STAX supplied energizer offers a noticeable difference in sound, when using the exact Same Dacs, i'll let you know, later.
So, I read 2 Reviews regarding this new STAX gear, and one stated that the gear is very Bass dominate and exhibits an ultra "V" shape , sucked out Midrange, and a lot of Xtra Treble, and the other reviewer said that the gear is Bass Lite, and has an "Airy" sound, and is "spectacular". "A no brainer purchase".
Well, i dont hear any bass canon, or sucked out mids.. nor do i hear any etched Treble...., and i was initially concerned i would, and then not like the gear and subsequently not review it., as i only review Headphones that i enjoy hearing and feel that most other Listeners may enjoy them as well.
Now....I can happily report to you, that the STAX X-1000 Engineers, have created a fine " MINI SR" sound inside their lovely little E-STAT product.
How does this gear sound? .. = Its has a refined, warm, somewhat lush sound that is well EQ'd by the STAX design team.
The recent Hifman E-Stats i Reviewed Yesterday, have that Airy STAX sound, whereas the STAX X-1000 does not produce that sound. In fact, the X-1000 is going to be a very popular set of Headphones, not only because it produces a lot of detail, but because its main sound is a sort of sweet, warm, rich, overall Tonality.
Its enjoyable to hear, as it does not frequency offend.
Think of it like this... If you are listening to say a Abyss Diana 2, and then you switch to a ZMF Atrium..... suddenly all the lower mids and the rich tonality appear, and that is what you find with this STAX X-1000.
If you are familiar with the ES-Labs ES-1A, then this X-1000 STAX gear has a quite similar tone, yet, it has much better low end.
This is one of those headphones that "does Bass right", and still sounds great, overall. Its very "musical" sounding".. has a warm/lush/full presentation regarding its sonic signature. Its definitely not trying to be a "Airy Treble Head Hyper The Details" sound,.. but instead its giving you a somewhat sweet, somewhat rich, and very full sound, on both ends of the Sonic Spectrum.... that also produces a lot of resolution and detail retrieval.
Whereas the Hifiman Mini-Shang seems to be all about the details.. the STAX X-1000 is all about the MUSIC.
Treble : Its Extended, and mostly refined. Lots of upper detail presented.
Midrange : Its slightly warm, yet very articulate, and reproduces excellent vocals, strings, acoustic guitars, drums, whatever....
Bass : Quite Full, and punches Deep. Very Layered, clean, and substantial.
Soundstage : Offers very good separation of instruments, and is more "L<>R" in design.
Why is the sound of this STAX -X1000 so impressive?
= Its because the Cups, the entire set of Headphones, is so small and LITE..........and yet, the sound the STAX X-1000 Produces, is not small, at all.
I suspect that a lot of people who are "into" E-STATs, will really enjoy what this Gear has to offer, as its something different.
If you've heard the usual E-STAT, "airy, trebly, over-detailed" classic sound, and you didnt like it, then give the STAX X-1000 a test drive, as its a unique sounding STAX gear.
Its not going to slay the SR-X9000, however this Little Wonder, sounds very good.
-
-
Box : Now, STAX has created a very decent unboxing experience. Much preferred vs the Hifiman Mini Shangri-La that i reviewed, yesterday.
1.) Headband : Seems to be Leather, very Comfy. The Frame is created out of what looks to be a nice grade of metal. Cup Adjustment is good, tight, secure.
2.) Pads : LambSkin very Comfy, and will accommodate all but the largest ears.
3.) Cable : Its a very good cable.
4.) The Weight of the Entire set of Headphones is quite Lite, and the Headphones feel good when you are strapped in.
I'll test the Stax Energizer later, as for now im just using my usual set up for my E-Stats that includes :
A Oppo HA-1 Headphone Amp
A Sennheiser HDVD 800 Headphone Amp
A Topping EHA5 high powered energizer.
If the "new' STAX supplied energizer offers a noticeable difference in sound, when using the exact Same Dacs, i'll let you know, later.
So, I read 2 Reviews regarding this new STAX gear, and one stated that the gear is very Bass dominate and exhibits an ultra "V" shape , sucked out Midrange, and a lot of Xtra Treble, and the other reviewer said that the gear is Bass Lite, and has an "Airy" sound, and is "spectacular". "A no brainer purchase".
Well, i dont hear any bass canon, or sucked out mids.. nor do i hear any etched Treble...., and i was initially concerned i would, and then not like the gear and subsequently not review it., as i only review Headphones that i enjoy hearing and feel that most other Listeners may enjoy them as well.
Now....I can happily report to you, that the STAX X-1000 Engineers, have created a fine " MINI SR" sound inside their lovely little E-STAT product.
How does this gear sound? .. = Its has a refined, warm, somewhat lush sound that is well EQ'd by the STAX design team.
The recent Hifman E-Stats i Reviewed Yesterday, have that Airy STAX sound, whereas the STAX X-1000 does not produce that sound. In fact, the X-1000 is going to be a very popular set of Headphones, not only because it produces a lot of detail, but because its main sound is a sort of sweet, warm, rich, overall Tonality.
Its enjoyable to hear, as it does not frequency offend.
Think of it like this... If you are listening to say a Abyss Diana 2, and then you switch to a ZMF Atrium..... suddenly all the lower mids and the rich tonality appear, and that is what you find with this STAX X-1000.
If you are familiar with the ES-Labs ES-1A, then this X-1000 STAX gear has a quite similar tone, yet, it has much better low end.
This is one of those headphones that "does Bass right", and still sounds great, overall. Its very "musical" sounding".. has a warm/lush/full presentation regarding its sonic signature. Its definitely not trying to be a "Airy Treble Head Hyper The Details" sound,.. but instead its giving you a somewhat sweet, somewhat rich, and very full sound, on both ends of the Sonic Spectrum.... that also produces a lot of resolution and detail retrieval.
Whereas the Hifiman Mini-Shang seems to be all about the details.. the STAX X-1000 is all about the MUSIC.
Treble : Its Extended, and mostly refined. Lots of upper detail presented.
Midrange : Its slightly warm, yet very articulate, and reproduces excellent vocals, strings, acoustic guitars, drums, whatever....
Bass : Quite Full, and punches Deep. Very Layered, clean, and substantial.
Soundstage : Offers very good separation of instruments, and is more "L<>R" in design.
Why is the sound of this STAX -X1000 so impressive?
= Its because the Cups, the entire set of Headphones, is so small and LITE..........and yet, the sound the STAX X-1000 Produces, is not small, at all.
I suspect that a lot of people who are "into" E-STATs, will really enjoy what this Gear has to offer, as its something different.
If you've heard the usual E-STAT, "airy, trebly, over-detailed" classic sound, and you didnt like it, then give the STAX X-1000 a test drive, as its a unique sounding STAX gear.
Its not going to slay the SR-X9000, however this Little Wonder, sounds very good.
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