Stax vs. Ultrasone which would you choose?

[Snicewicz]

Well eventually I want to try both a pair of Staxs and Ultrasones. I know they are different but what would you choose with about 400 USD?

And why?

 

[Uncle Erik]

I haven't listened to Stax or Ultrasone. Well, except for the Aperio Alpha, but that's a dynamic can.

Anyhow, I am working on an electrostatic amp and getting closer to pulling the trigger on the 404.

A lot of people love Ultrasone and I am curious about them (the 2500 in particular) but I have a mess of dynamic headphones already. I want to try something new. I suspect there's good reason for the enthusiasm of Team Electrostatic. Besides, I like what I hear in the K-340 and my AT orthodynamics.

 

[facelvega]

For me it would be Stax without a doubt, though $400 is a tricky price point for them now that the US dollar has tanked so badly that what was a $225 SR-001 is now $295, and a $425 SRS-2050 is now $510. In vintage Stax, $400 is way more than you need for most pre-Lambda headphones, but not enough for most Lambda combos.

But up against an Ultrasone, the Koss ESP-950 is probably a better contestant than any Stax other than an Omega.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snicewicz /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well eventually I want to try both a pair of Staxs and Ultrasones. I know they are different but what would you choose with about 400 USD? And why?

You really like to hone in on the good ones, where it is hard to say which is better in the price range, don't you

Those RS-1 you were thinking about buying would be closer to the sound of STAX than Ultrasone, while the Ultrasone is like a great breeding experiment between the RS-1 and those D5000 you were thinking about getting.

However, for the $400, and if being able to walk around listening to them is not important, you should look at the STAX SR-003 with a good amp, or the SR-005 combo that includes the phones and amp.

My SR-003 with my vintage SRM-1 Mk2 Pro amp ($500 for both) can give any of my $100-$700 headphones a run for their money. The clear winner is still my $1,500 Ultrasone Edition 9.

 

[Snicewicz]

Yeah I am just laying out the order I plan to buy things when the money comes

.

I have about 1,000 I could spend but my parents would flip and wouldn't be able to justify such a purchase even though I could.

Now on the list for phones goes:

Livewires (getting impressions next week)
D5000
Ultrasone Pro2500
A stax

That is all I plan to get in the immediate future. I will have some money to play around with about 800 USD more when I stop being lazy and put one of my guitars on ebay. Sigh, headfi has not yet, but will destroy my wallet.

I envy you for the edition 9.

 

[grawk]

For the stat sound, at the $400 price point, the Koss ESP950 might be a better choice.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snicewicz /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yeah I am just laying out the order I plan to buy things when the money comes . I have about 1,000 I could spend but my parents would flip and wouldn't be able to justify such a purchase even though I could. Now on the list for phones goes: Livewires (getting impressions next week) D5000 Ultrasone Pro2500 A stax That is all I plan to get in the immediate future. I will have some money to play around with about 800 USD more when I stop being lazy and put one of my guitars on ebay. Sigh, headfi has not yet, but will destroy my wallet. I envy you for the edition 9.

Are you sure you want to sell a guitar, or will you have seller's remorse?

And, Grawk, where do you get an ESP950 for $400? And, what about the cost to recable to a decent cable, and then there is the driver unit that isn't so great either, so what are the reals costs when said and done to have a 950 setup that is better than an SR-003 or 005 setup?

 

[grawk]

Ok, at the approximately 400 price point, and given that Kevin Gilmore likes the 950, I'd say it's good enough for starters.

As to recabling, that should cost around $1 a foot plus the cost of connectors plus a few cents for solder.

 

[spritzer]

A recabled ESP/950 is a better headphone then any one of the Lambdas so it's well worth to seek out. A Stax replacement cable costs about 50-100$ depending on the type and I guess another 100$ to do the work though it isn't really hard.

 

[krmathis]

I would choose a Stax, no questions asked.
Most probably an SR-404 or one of the vintage Lambda's (SR-Lambda, SR-Lambda Pro or SR-Lambda Signature)

 

[blessingx]

If anyone knows of a secret supply of ESP950s please PM me.

 

[spritzer]

The ebay price of 650$ is far from bad but they sold for around 500$ a few years ago. A group buy might be in order...?

 

[Hopstretch]

How I wish I had never opened this thread.

Farewell $$$

 

[krmathis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by spritzer /img/forum/go_quote.gif The ebay price of 650$ is far from bad but they sold for around 500$ a few years ago. A group buy might be in order...?

Which 'phone are you talking about here, Birgir?

 

[blessingx]

Quote:

Originally Posted by krmathis /img/forum/go_quote.gif Which 'phone are you talking about here, Birgir?

I assume he's answering my question on the Koss.