TGXEAR discussion thread.
weexisttocease
Headphoneus Supremus
The Mojo2 drives the Tantalus with 500Ohm, so it will drive the Serratus without any problems. It sounds even more crystal clear and with excellent staging.
blotmouse
Headphoneus Supremus
I need a pair of those rubber gaskets. My Serratus didn’t come with any.
TurntableManiac
New Head-Fier
I was wondering about using the silicon covers over the foams but didn’t know if they were supposed to go over foams or on bare bud. Seems like it’s best to keep the foams on for tuning but they stay in my ear pretty well with just the foam so I haven’t tried the silicon rings yet.
Dsnuts
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Jun 20, 2011
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Silicone rings go over the bud to increase the diameter of the buds and you put the foams over all of it. At least that is how they are supposed to be used. Idea there is to make the housing a bit larger to fit better for larger ears.
IMO, anything that covers the faceplate will change the sound. I treat no foams, thin foams, thick foams, all sorts of foams, like tips for IEMs.
So you're definitely free to use silicone only if that sounds good! Or go thick foam like Hiegi
So you're definitely free to use silicone only if that sounds good! Or go thick foam like Hiegi
How is Mojo 2 crossfeed with tantalus?
weexisttocease
Headphoneus Supremus
haha I forgot I asked this question ages ago
IamInnocentX3
Head-Fier
Opened up my Stax SRM-006tS for cleaning. Lots of dust in there. But still functioning well. After cleaning, I am eager to listen to how my Electrostats will sound with SMSL D300 DAC. So I thought, why not compare my pairs of electrostats and see how they sound and compete in the modern age.
I have both entry SR-202 and Mid-fi SR-507 earspeakers, which now costs about $350 in the used market. The SR-507 is both loved and hated by the headphone community, reviews stating they have an aggressive and untolerable sound signature, all the while Crinacle gave it an overall B+ ranking with S- in technicalities. The SR-202 is noted to sound similar to its newer SR-207 counterpart, yet today, it is considered an antique that can no longer be found within the general market.
When setting up, I connect RCA to my Stax amp and XLR to my SMSL amp. I have compared XLR towards RCA for the Stax amp, and I'd say RCA sounds a bit better, but they are more or less the same.
When first listened to SR-507, I was drawned to its Hi-Fi tuning of its presentation. The pair of electrostats have no problem in detail presentation. I can hear everything that the songs presented, no matter how busy the passages are, SR-507 has no problem pinpointing them precisely in their designated position. The audiophile term commonly use for describing this feature, I believe is, 'effortless', even though it being very old as compared to TGXear.
Switching to TGXear with my SMSL budget amp, I immediately notice there is different form of presentation for these two sets. With the Serratus, the decay is slower, the bass is less prominent but louder, the overall presentation is 'slower but cleaner', not aggressive sounding, more relax yet fuller in general. Even though Electrostats are not the bassiest headsets in general, the SR-507 gives out more bass rumble than the Serratus. The Serratus however, resolves better than the SR-507, aiming to be the more 'cleaner' pair. Both sets gave different presentation, but get this: both of them gave similar sense of detail. And it is in times like these that I want to compare both pairs of headphones with audiophiliac terms. However, lets first compare them to SR-202 before going on an all-out war.
Switching from Stax SR-507 to SR-202, I immediately notice a more bassy presentation. The mid-bass is more prominent on the SR-202. However, the amount of clarity I get is reduced, as 202 sounds muffled as compared to its bigger brother. This is even noticable with the Serratus. Serratus have a more cleaner and airier presentation, even though SR-202 is an estat. In terms of competition, SR-202 stands no ground between these two sets other than the Soundstage width to the Serratus. Other than that, the Serratus smokes it in every other aspects: Detail, presentation, clarity, bass, mids, treble. It stands toe to toe with the SR-507, therefore I will leave the SR-202 out for the majority of the comparison. So now, let us proceed.
Ergonomics: Serratus >> SR-202 >= SR507
Serratus being newer in age and smaller in size triumphs in this category. It will not be a problem to replace earbud covers every 3 weeks. Plus, they are very cheap compared to headphone earpads. On the other hand, I face a lot of problems on Stax headsets like loose screws, ruined earpads and dust covers. Even the amplifiers needs to be checked and modified (planning to) for the best experience.
Presentation/Timbre: Serratus > SR507 >= SR202
Serratus triumphs in its overall presentation of music to these two estats. Though, the SR507 doesnt fall far behind. The presentation of Serratus allows you to immerse into full-range of the music as compared to the analytical SR507. And if not for its technical limits, I would rank SR507 higher.
Test-track:
Speed: SR507 > Serratus
Serratus can handle fast J-core tracks, but it is here that SR507 does best. The presentation of SR507 is geared towards pinpoint accuracy and speed. Serratus is more enjoyable of the two. But I love speed monsters, SR507 won for me.
Test-track:
Soundstage: SR507 >> SR202 > Serratus
With a smaller diaphragm, Serratus falls behind other open-back estats with its soundstaging capabilities. Though I would not consider the Serratus narrow sounding, but comparing them to the SR507 is like comparing speakers to headphones. Larger diaphragm still bests this out for me.
Test-track:
Technicalities/Detail: SR507 >= Serratus
Detail is the amount of information you get when listenining to music. Much more objective than subjective. SR507 shoves all the details forward, which means that you are able to hear and pinpoint everything clearly. However, Serratus does not really presents everything as SR507 does but gives the required space for you to grasp that information accurately. Still, SR507 hones in this position as it is designed to be a studio monitor, hearing everything that you would need to hear.
Test-track, both are able to present the buzzing noise on 2:45 mark, but SR507 presents more forefront and 'unforgiving':
Layering: SR507 > Serratus
Layering is one of the objective aspects that relates to technicalities and speed. It has the same meaning with Seperation. It is clearly noticable that SR507 layers big pieces better than the Serratus. Though, I would never know another set that would layer better if it weren't for these pair of estats.
Test-track:
Transparency: SR507 > Serratus
As contrast to detail, I don't think transparency is the ability to present detail-y, but the ability to present the details. Although the Serratus were resolved to be clearer, but it feels a bit 'lacking' as compared to SR507. This though, may be because of the added bass and layering on the SR507, which helps the pair of estats to present 'more'.
Test-track:
Resolution: Serratus >> SR507
This is where things get a bit spicy. Resolution can be have different meanings for different people. But for me, resolution denotes the ability to resolve pieces better, makes tracks more 'realistic' or immersive. Balance for me requires sets to have very good frequency presentation and resolution. Serratus have both of that. Though SR507 lacks in that department of having that more 'immersion' as compared to Serratus. This does not mean SR-507 is 'unlifelike', in fact, the pair of electrostats is very resolving. Though, the SR507 sounds more artificial as compared to the Serratus. Even on certain tracks you can feel the sharpness from the edges of its presentation, which wakes you up from your 'dreamstate'. On the Serratus, everything is slower, but tracks shows no edges or breaks you out of immersion from the music. Moreover, the Serratus immerses you into the music, providing 'wow' factors every now and then.
Test-track:
Bass: SR507 >= Serratus
Bass has more rumble and energy on the SR507. However, Serratus reaches deeper and has cleaner bass presentation. Putting on the SR507 had me headbanging to J-Core tunes, but Serratus overall has a cleaner and broader presentation. Though, the bass of SR507 isn't muddy. Its just their presentation is different, and I prefer the SR507.
Test-track:
Midrange: Serratus > SR507
The midrange of Serratus is the highlight of its set. However, I found both SR507 and Serratus to be similar in quality but a bit lesser in quantity for the estats. Just that the ethereal, fast and V-shaped presentation of SR507 distracts me from captivating its midrange.
Test-track (Lower-mids):
Test-track:
Test-track (Higher-Mids):
Treble: SR507 > Serratus (Normal)
SR507 >> Serratus (Based)
As a treblehead, I love treble. Especially when its mixed with the forwardness of SR507. Though Serratus is no slouch when it comes to treble presentation. When comparing to SR507, the estats have more quality in the upper-treble and even more in overall quantity. The Serratus though has less in terms of quantity and is more balanced. They have a clearer sense of presentation and are less prone to sibilance. For me however, the addition of treble is a treat, as it makes tracks much more 'sweet'. There was also more sense of 'air' added with the addition of upper-treble. The downside for them however is the presentation being not always clear and prone to 'hiss', but all in all, its about preference and music library. For the general population, Serratus is the way to go, but for people who likes to listen to treble... You could always find your local audiophile headphone shop to demo Stax setups first before making a decision.
Test-track (Treble-highlight song):
Test-track (Ringing Treble):
Test-track (Sharp Treble @ 1:02 mark):
And there you have it, the big boy Serratus against estats. Very sorry for the abrasive posting of Spotify media. From the criteria, it seems as if SR507 is better. Though, it doesn't differ by much. If SR507 is a 8/10, then I would give the Serratus a 7.8/10. On many occasions I would still pick the Serratus as my go-to when referencing. Though, SR507 is like a specialist, more technical and V-shaped than the all-rounder Serratus.
I have both entry SR-202 and Mid-fi SR-507 earspeakers, which now costs about $350 in the used market. The SR-507 is both loved and hated by the headphone community, reviews stating they have an aggressive and untolerable sound signature, all the while Crinacle gave it an overall B+ ranking with S- in technicalities. The SR-202 is noted to sound similar to its newer SR-207 counterpart, yet today, it is considered an antique that can no longer be found within the general market.
When setting up, I connect RCA to my Stax amp and XLR to my SMSL amp. I have compared XLR towards RCA for the Stax amp, and I'd say RCA sounds a bit better, but they are more or less the same.
When first listened to SR-507, I was drawned to its Hi-Fi tuning of its presentation. The pair of electrostats have no problem in detail presentation. I can hear everything that the songs presented, no matter how busy the passages are, SR-507 has no problem pinpointing them precisely in their designated position. The audiophile term commonly use for describing this feature, I believe is, 'effortless', even though it being very old as compared to TGXear.
Switching to TGXear with my SMSL budget amp, I immediately notice there is different form of presentation for these two sets. With the Serratus, the decay is slower, the bass is less prominent but louder, the overall presentation is 'slower but cleaner', not aggressive sounding, more relax yet fuller in general. Even though Electrostats are not the bassiest headsets in general, the SR-507 gives out more bass rumble than the Serratus. The Serratus however, resolves better than the SR-507, aiming to be the more 'cleaner' pair. Both sets gave different presentation, but get this: both of them gave similar sense of detail. And it is in times like these that I want to compare both pairs of headphones with audiophiliac terms. However, lets first compare them to SR-202 before going on an all-out war.
Switching from Stax SR-507 to SR-202, I immediately notice a more bassy presentation. The mid-bass is more prominent on the SR-202. However, the amount of clarity I get is reduced, as 202 sounds muffled as compared to its bigger brother. This is even noticable with the Serratus. Serratus have a more cleaner and airier presentation, even though SR-202 is an estat. In terms of competition, SR-202 stands no ground between these two sets other than the Soundstage width to the Serratus. Other than that, the Serratus smokes it in every other aspects: Detail, presentation, clarity, bass, mids, treble. It stands toe to toe with the SR-507, therefore I will leave the SR-202 out for the majority of the comparison. So now, let us proceed.
Ergonomics: Serratus >> SR-202 >= SR507
Serratus being newer in age and smaller in size triumphs in this category. It will not be a problem to replace earbud covers every 3 weeks. Plus, they are very cheap compared to headphone earpads. On the other hand, I face a lot of problems on Stax headsets like loose screws, ruined earpads and dust covers. Even the amplifiers needs to be checked and modified (planning to) for the best experience.
Presentation/Timbre: Serratus > SR507 >= SR202
Serratus triumphs in its overall presentation of music to these two estats. Though, the SR507 doesnt fall far behind. The presentation of Serratus allows you to immerse into full-range of the music as compared to the analytical SR507. And if not for its technical limits, I would rank SR507 higher.
Test-track:
Speed: SR507 > Serratus
Serratus can handle fast J-core tracks, but it is here that SR507 does best. The presentation of SR507 is geared towards pinpoint accuracy and speed. Serratus is more enjoyable of the two. But I love speed monsters, SR507 won for me.
Test-track:
Soundstage: SR507 >> SR202 > Serratus
With a smaller diaphragm, Serratus falls behind other open-back estats with its soundstaging capabilities. Though I would not consider the Serratus narrow sounding, but comparing them to the SR507 is like comparing speakers to headphones. Larger diaphragm still bests this out for me.
Test-track:
Technicalities/Detail: SR507 >= Serratus
Detail is the amount of information you get when listenining to music. Much more objective than subjective. SR507 shoves all the details forward, which means that you are able to hear and pinpoint everything clearly. However, Serratus does not really presents everything as SR507 does but gives the required space for you to grasp that information accurately. Still, SR507 hones in this position as it is designed to be a studio monitor, hearing everything that you would need to hear.
Test-track, both are able to present the buzzing noise on 2:45 mark, but SR507 presents more forefront and 'unforgiving':
Layering: SR507 > Serratus
Layering is one of the objective aspects that relates to technicalities and speed. It has the same meaning with Seperation. It is clearly noticable that SR507 layers big pieces better than the Serratus. Though, I would never know another set that would layer better if it weren't for these pair of estats.
Test-track:
Transparency: SR507 > Serratus
As contrast to detail, I don't think transparency is the ability to present detail-y, but the ability to present the details. Although the Serratus were resolved to be clearer, but it feels a bit 'lacking' as compared to SR507. This though, may be because of the added bass and layering on the SR507, which helps the pair of estats to present 'more'.
Test-track:
Resolution: Serratus >> SR507
This is where things get a bit spicy. Resolution can be have different meanings for different people. But for me, resolution denotes the ability to resolve pieces better, makes tracks more 'realistic' or immersive. Balance for me requires sets to have very good frequency presentation and resolution. Serratus have both of that. Though SR507 lacks in that department of having that more 'immersion' as compared to Serratus. This does not mean SR-507 is 'unlifelike', in fact, the pair of electrostats is very resolving. Though, the SR507 sounds more artificial as compared to the Serratus. Even on certain tracks you can feel the sharpness from the edges of its presentation, which wakes you up from your 'dreamstate'. On the Serratus, everything is slower, but tracks shows no edges or breaks you out of immersion from the music. Moreover, the Serratus immerses you into the music, providing 'wow' factors every now and then.
Test-track:
Bass: SR507 >= Serratus
Bass has more rumble and energy on the SR507. However, Serratus reaches deeper and has cleaner bass presentation. Putting on the SR507 had me headbanging to J-Core tunes, but Serratus overall has a cleaner and broader presentation. Though, the bass of SR507 isn't muddy. Its just their presentation is different, and I prefer the SR507.
Test-track:
Midrange: Serratus > SR507
The midrange of Serratus is the highlight of its set. However, I found both SR507 and Serratus to be similar in quality but a bit lesser in quantity for the estats. Just that the ethereal, fast and V-shaped presentation of SR507 distracts me from captivating its midrange.
Test-track (Lower-mids):
Treble: SR507 > Serratus (Normal)
SR507 >> Serratus (Based)
As a treblehead, I love treble. Especially when its mixed with the forwardness of SR507. Though Serratus is no slouch when it comes to treble presentation. When comparing to SR507, the estats have more quality in the upper-treble and even more in overall quantity. The Serratus though has less in terms of quantity and is more balanced. They have a clearer sense of presentation and are less prone to sibilance. For me however, the addition of treble is a treat, as it makes tracks much more 'sweet'. There was also more sense of 'air' added with the addition of upper-treble. The downside for them however is the presentation being not always clear and prone to 'hiss', but all in all, its about preference and music library. For the general population, Serratus is the way to go, but for people who likes to listen to treble... You could always find your local audiophile headphone shop to demo Stax setups first before making a decision.
Test-track (Treble-highlight song):
And there you have it, the big boy Serratus against estats. Very sorry for the abrasive posting of Spotify media. From the criteria, it seems as if SR507 is better. Though, it doesn't differ by much. If SR507 is a 8/10, then I would give the Serratus a 7.8/10. On many occasions I would still pick the Serratus as my go-to when referencing. Though, SR507 is like a specialist, more technical and V-shaped than the all-rounder Serratus.
Last edited:
Opened up my Stax SRM-006tS for cleaning. Lots of dust in there. But still functioning well. After cleaning, I am eager to listen to how my Electrostats will sound with SMSL D300 DAC. So I thought, why not compare my pairs of electrostats and see how they sound and compete in the modern age.
I have both entry SR-202 and Mid-fi SR-507 earspeakers, which now costs about $350 in the used market. The SR-507 is both loved and hated by the headphone community, reviews stating they have an aggressive and untolerable sound signature, all the while Crinacle gave it an overall B+ ranking with S- in technicalities. The SR-202 is noted to sound similar to its newer SR-207 counterpart, yet today, it is considered an antique that can no longer be found within the general market.
When setting up, I connect RCA to my Stax amp and XLR to my SMSL amp. I have compared XLR towards RCA for the Stax amp, and I'd say RCA sounds a bit better, but they are more or less the same.
When first listened to SR-507, I was drawned to its Hi-Fi tuning of its presentation. The pair of electrostats have no problem in detail presentation. I can hear everything that the songs presented, no matter how busy the passages are, SR-507 has no problem pinpointing them precisely in their designated position. The audiophile term commonly use for describing this feature, I believe is, 'effortless', even though it being very old as compared to TGXear.
Switching to TGXear with my SMSL budget amp, I immediately notice there is different form of presentation for these two sets. With the Serratus, the decay is slower, the bass is less prominent but louder, the overall presentation is 'slower but cleaner', not aggressive sounding, more relax yet fuller in general. Even though Electrostats are not the bassiest headsets in general, the SR-507 gives out more bass rumble than the Serratus. The Serratus however, resolves better than the SR-507, aiming to be the more 'cleaner' pair. Both sets gave different presentation, but get this: both of them gave similar sense of detail. And it is in times like these that I want to compare both pairs of headphones with audiophiliac terms. However, lets first compare them to SR-202 before going on an all-out war.
Switching from Stax SR-507 to SR-202, I immediately notice a more bassy presentation. The mid-bass is more prominent on the SR-202. However, the amount of clarity I get is reduced, as 202 sounds muffled as compared to its bigger brother. This is even noticable with the Serratus. Serratus have a more cleaner and airier presentation, even though SR-202 is an estat. In terms of competition, SR-202 stands no ground between these two sets other than the Soundstage width to the Serratus. Other than that, the Serratus smokes it in every other aspects: Detail, presentation, clarity, bass, mids, treble. It stands toe to toe with the SR-507, therefore I will leave the SR-202 out for the majority of the comparison. So now, let us proceed.
Ergonomics: Serratus >> SR-202 >= SR507
Serratus being newer in age and smaller in size triumphs in this category. It will not be a problem to replace earbud covers every 3 weeks. Plus, they are very cheap compared to headphone earpads. On the other hand, I face a lot of problems on Stax headsets like loose screws, ruined earpads and dust covers. Even the amplifiers needs to be checked and modified (planning to) for the best experience.
Presentation/Timbre: Serratus > SR507 >= SR202
Serratus triumphs in its overall presentation of music to these two estats. Though, the SR507 doesnt fall far behind. The presentation of Serratus allows you to immerse into full-range of the music as compared to the analytical SR507. And if not for its technical limits, I would rank SR507 higher.
Test-track: Speed: SR507 > Serratus
Serratus can handle fast J-core tracks, but it is here that SR507 does best. The presentation of SR507 is geared towards pinpoint accuracy and speed. Serratus is more enjoyable of the two. But I love speed monsters, SR507 won for me.
Test-track: Soundstage: SR507 >> SR202 > Serratus
With a smaller diaphragm, Serratus falls behind other open-back estats with its soundstaging capabilities. Though I would not consider the Serratus narrow sounding, but comparing them to the SR507 is like comparing speakers to headphones. Larger diaphragm still bests this out for me.
Test-track: Technicalities/Detail: SR507 >= Serratus
Detail is the amount of information you get when listenining to music. Much more objective than subjective. SR507 shoves all the details forward, which means that you are able to hear and pinpoint everything clearly. However, Serratus does not really presents everything as SR507 does but gives the required space for you to grasp that information accurately. Still, SR507 hones in this position as it is designed to be a studio monitor, hearing everything that you would need to hear.
Test-track, both are able to present the buzzing noise on 2:45 mark, but SR507 presents more forefront and 'unforgiving':
Layering: SR507 > Serratus
Layering is one of the objective aspects that relates to technicalities and speed. It has the same meaning with Seperation. It is clearly noticable that SR507 layers big pieces better than the Serratus. Though, I would never know another set that would layer better if it weren't for these pair of estats.
Test-track: Transparency: SR507 > Serratus
As contrast to detail, I don't think transparency is the ability to present detail-y, but the ability to present the details. Although the Serratus were resolved to be clearer, but it feels a bit 'lacking' as compared to SR507. This though, may be because of the added bass and layering on the SR507, which helps the pair of estats to present 'more'.
Test-track: Resolution: Serratus >> SR507
This is where things get a bit spicy. Resolution can be have different meanings for different people. But for me, resolution denotes the ability to resolve pieces better, makes tracks more 'realistic' or immersive. Balance for me requires sets to have very good frequency presentation and resolution. Serratus have both of that. Though SR507 lacks in that department of having that more 'immersion' as compared to Serratus. This does not mean SR-507 is 'unlifelike', in fact, the pair of electrostats is very resolving. Though, the SR507 sounds more artificial as compared to the Serratus. Even on certain tracks you can feel the sharpness from the edges of its presentation, which wakes you up from your 'dreamstate'. On the Serratus, everything is slower, but tracks shows no edges or breaks you out of immersion from the music. Moreover, the Serratus immerses you into the music, providing 'wow' factors every now and then.
Test-track: Test-track: Bass: SR507 >= Serratus
Bass has more rumble and energy on the SR507. However, Serratus reaches deeper and has cleaner bass presentation. Putting on the SR507 had me headbanging to J-Core tunes, but Serratus overall has a cleaner and broader presentation. Though, the bass of SR507 isn't muddy. Its just their presentation is different, and I prefer the SR507.
Test-track: Test-track: Midrange: Serratus > SR507
The midrange of Serratus is the highlight of its set. However, I found both SR507 and Serratus to be similar in quality but a bit lesser in quantity for the estats. Just that the ethereal, fast and V-shaped presentation of SR507 distracts me from captivating its midrange.
Test-track (Lower-mids): Test-track: Test-track (Higher-Mids): Treble: SR507 > Serratus (Normal)
SR507 >> Serratus (Based)
As a treblehead, I love treble. Especially when its mixed with the forwardness of SR507. Though Serratus is no slouch when it comes to treble presentation. When comparing to SR507, the estats have more quality in the upper-treble and even more in overall quantity. The Serratus though has less in terms of quantity and is more balanced. They have a clearer sense of presentation and are less prone to sibilance. For me however, the addition of treble is a treat, as it makes tracks much more 'sweet'. There was also more sense of 'air' added with the addition of upper-treble. The downside for them however is the presentation being not always clear and prone to 'hiss', but all in all, its about preference and music library. For the general population, Serratus is the way to go, but for people who likes to listen to treble... You could always find your local audiophile headphone shop to demo Stax setups first before making a decision.
Test-track (Treble-highlight song): Test-track (Ringing Treble): Test-track (Sharp Treble @ 1:02 mark): And there you have it, the big boy Serratus against estats. Very sorry for the abrasive posting of Spotify media. From the criteria, it seems as if SR507 is better. Though, it doesn't differ by much. If SR507 is a 8/10, then I would give the Serratus a 7.8/10. On many occasions I would still pick the Serratus as my go-to when referencing. Though, SR507 is like a specialist, more technical and V-shaped than the all-rounder Serratus.
Excellent post and very informative
.Serratus is a wonderfully technical earbud. I still can't believe the width and space of the sound it can produce, especially when amped.