[Solshock]

You could probably get a replecement headband for significantly cheaper form Stax Japan if you go through a middleman. Even with middleman fees, I can't imagine it being $150.

Thanks. Any recommendations as to what services to use to grab these Japanese parts?

 

[mechgamer123]

 

You could probably get a replecement headband for significantly cheaper form Stax Japan if you go through a middleman. Even with middleman fees, I can't imagine it being $150.

Thanks. Any recommendations as to what services to use to grab these Japanese parts?

I use Buyee to buy stuff from Japan, but they are by no means the cheapest option. I've heard Tenso is fairly cheap and reliable though.

 

[autoteleology]

I am having the hardest time trying to find some quality matched Raytheon 6FQ7/6CG7 tubes to replace the ones in my SRM-T1 without paying a huge fortune.
 
Could anyone point me in the direction of a quality set or an alternative of similar quality?

 

[DefQon]

  Hey all,
Unfortunately the headband assembly of my SR207's broke.  The STAXUSA replacement part is $150 dollars, which seems a bit steep for me.  I was wondering if there is any demand for stax SR 207s basic system with amp on ebay or other sites if they were to be sold without the headband assembly?
 
Thanks.

 
 

  You could probably get a replecement headband for significantly cheaper form Stax Japan if you go through a middleman. Even with middleman fees, I can't imagine it being $150.

$150 sounds about right. All Stax distributors carry similar prices (excluding shipping) and depending on where you're located it could be even more of a deal breaker.
 
Other option is to salvage the headband assembly off a broken pair.
 

Thanks. Any recommendations as to what services to use to grab these Japanese parts?

http://www.electromod.co.uk/product-detail.asp?P=18
 
Yamasinc (which you're already familar with).
 
There is an Australian Stax distributor whom I've purchased from for pretty cheap prices but they don't ship international I think.
 

  I use Buyee to buy stuff from Japan, but they are by no means the cheapest option. I've heard Tenso is fairly cheap and reliable though.

Unfortunately his out of luck unless finding second hand or broken pair and salvaging parts.
 

  I am having the hardest time trying to find some quality matched Raytheon 6FQ7/6CG7 tubes to replace the ones in my SRM-T1 without paying a huge fortune.
 
Could anyone point me in the direction of a quality set or an alternative of similar quality?

 
Why are you going for Raytheon's? The original Matsush1ta's are far superior in terms of reliability to other 6FQ7/6CG7 makes. Usually go cheap on ebay. I got quads for $35 shipped.
 
Just to point you to a few
 
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/1960s-Matsu****a-MATCHED-SET-PAIR-6CG7-6FQ7-TESTASNEW-Vintage-Amp-Stereo-Tube-/161160695801?pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item2585ed0ff9&_uhb=1
 
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/LOT-of-37-Various-Brand-6CG7-6FQ7-Audio-Vacuum-Tubes-ALL-One-PRICE-/331091726889?pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item4d169ad229&_uhb=1
 
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/LOT-of-10-6CG7-RCA-TUNG-SOL-SYLVANIA-VINTAGE-ELECTRON-TUBES-/141125837225?pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item20dbc161a9&_uhb=1

 

[nick n]

  Hey all,
Unfortunately the headband assembly of my SR207's broke.  The STAXUSA replacement part is $150 dollars, which seems a bit steep for me.  I was wondering if there is any demand for stax SR 207s basic system with amp on ebay or other sites if they were to be sold without the headband assembly?
 
Thanks.

I guess you mean the plastic bits? If you still have them and it is the right type of plastic then using Methylene Chloride from a hobby/modelling shop or plastics shop might get the plastic bits melted back together perfectly. Cheap. Use caution the stuff is like water but use it in a ventilated area.

 

[miceblue]

Oh man. Jammin' with some smooth grooves here on the SRS-2170. This sounds really great!

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A06KWJoTzms[/video]

 

[glorkaglickflic]

Here's the article:  http://wiki.faust3d.com/wiki/index.php?title=Stax_SRM-1/MK-2_Pro
 
Is the Stax SRM-1/MK-2 Pro really superior to the Stax SRM-323 S like the article says?

 

[288920]

I owned a SRM-1/MkII, and currently own a SRM-323s.  I owned a pair of Lambdas and currently own a 407.  Before I sold the SRM and the Lambdas, I had both sets together and did a lot of comparison listening (about a month's worth.  My impressions:
 
Listening to a variety of orchestral and vocal music along with some 60's-70's rock, the SRM-1 MkII (as it stands now, it's 26 years old) is more 'restricted' than the 323s.   The 323s is more powerful in the sense that I have to reduce the volume with the same pair of Stax 407's, also with my original pair of Lambda's.  The 323 seems to be reaching deeper, with a shade more bass impact, and greater clarity.  The treble range is definitely wider, revealing more detail.  Using the same recording (Decca/Solti/Mahler #1, remastered) and the same earspeakers (the 407's), the brass have more bite with the 323 than with the SRM-1.  The bass drums have more clarity; by which I mean that you can hear complete sound of the drum - the initial impact as well as the drum head vibrating after.  You can hear the bows hit the strings immediately prior to their first notes, something that is missed using the SRM-1.  I also hear some faint tape hiss in this remastered recording that I don't hear with the SRM-1, so something is definitely going in with the treble.
 
With vocals (some opera and Grace Slick/Airplane/Starship), there is less difference.  The two sound very much alike, with perhaps a bit more detail with the 323.  Probably because of the closer miking, this is more noticeable on the rock selections than in the opera; but in any case, the difference seems very minor. 
 
So, more power, and a greater range, with the differences being confined mostly to the outer edges of the sonic spectrum, with progressively less difference as you approach the mid-range.  'Warmth', to me, is generally a good thing if not overdone.  I'm not a great fan of coldly analytical sound, but I do prefer a balance, not cold and harsh, and not overly warm and mushy.  Middle-of-the-road, with a slight tilt towards warmth.
 
Hope that helps some.  Everyone's ears are different, and mine are aging.  YMMV.
 
Cheers!

 

[glorkaglickflic]

Thanks for the review.  I was on the fence between the two and now feel good about the 323S.

 

[autoteleology]

  I owned a SRM-1/MkII, and currently own a SRM-323s.  I owned a pair of Lambdas and currently own a 407.  Before I sold the SRM and the Lambdas, I had both sets together and did a lot of comparison listening (about a month's worth.  My impressions:
 
Listening to a variety of orchestral and vocal music along with some 60's-70's rock, the SRM-1 MkII (as it stands now, it's 26 years old) is more 'restricted' than the 323s.   The 323s is more powerful in the sense that I have to reduce the volume with the same pair of Stax 407's, also with my original pair of Lambda's.  The 323 seems to be reaching deeper, with a shade more bass impact, and greater clarity.  The treble range is definitely wider, revealing more detail.  Using the same recording (Decca/Solti/Mahler #1, remastered) and the same earspeakers (the 407's), the brass have more bite with the 323 than with the SRM-1.  The bass drums have more clarity; by which I mean that you can hear complete sound of the drum - the initial impact as well as the drum head vibrating after.  You can hear the bows hit the strings immediately prior to their first notes, something that is missed using the SRM-1.  I also hear some faint tape hiss in this remastered recording that I don't hear with the SRM-1, so something is definitely going in with the treble.
 
With vocals (some opera and Grace Slick/Airplane/Starship), there is less difference.  The two sound very much alike, with perhaps a bit more detail with the 323.  Probably because of the closer miking, this is more noticeable on the rock selections than in the opera; but in any case, the difference seems very minor. 
 
So, more power, and a greater range, with the differences being confined mostly to the outer edges of the sonic spectrum, with progressively less difference as you approach the mid-range.  'Warmth', to me, is generally a good thing if not overdone.  I'm not a great fan of coldly analytical sound, but I do prefer a balance, not cold and harsh, and not overly warm and mushy.  Middle-of-the-road, with a slight tilt towards warmth.
 
Hope that helps some.  Everyone's ears are different, and mine are aging.  YMMV.
 
Cheers!

 
I'm not saying my interpretation is definitive or based on hard evidence, but your review sounds a lot like you had the SRM-323 slightly louder than the SRM-1/MK2. Did you adjust to the same volume notches on both amps?

 

[autoteleology]

Okay, I followed the tube swap process for my T1 to a T but nothing has changed.
 
Some symptoms of the problem:
 

1. Left driver in Lambda NB discharges randomly every 5-10 seconds past a certain volume
2. Left channel is quieter than the right channel
3. Sporadic static noises

 
Now what?

 

 

[288920]

Tus-Chan said:  "I'm not saying my interpretation is definitive or based on hard evidence, but your review sounds a lot like you had the SRM-323 slightly louder than the SRM-1/MK2. Did you adjust to the same volume notches on both amps?"
 
Yep...   both amps were as closely matched in volume as was possible without professional test equipment.  I know that 'louder' is often perceived as 'better', so I was scrupulous about matching volumes.  It was fun having both units (as well as a pair of Lambda and a pair of 407's) around for almost a month to directly compare.

 

[autoteleology]

 

Yep...

 
If you matched the volume knobs, the SRM-323 was louder because it has an additional 20V of output power - that's why I asked with that specific wording.

 

[288920]

   
If you matched the volume knobs, the SRM-323 was louder because it has an additional 20V of output power - that's why I asked with that specific wording.

Well, it wouldn't be possible to 'match the knobs' because 1.) the SRM1-MkII doesn't have markings on the faceplate, and 2.) the SRM-323s' volume knob is much larger in diameter, but with a shorter 'arc' from min. to max.  I matched the volume, as I said, as close as was possible without test equipment.  I set both amps to produce the same perceived volume through the same set of earspeakers on both units, within a few moments of each other.  Perfect?  Probably not.  Pretty damn close?  Yeah.

 

[autoteleology]

 
Well, it wouldn't be possible to 'match the knobs' because 1.) the SRM1-MkII doesn't have markings on the faceplate, and 2.) the SRM-323s' volume knob is much larger in diameter, but with a shorter 'arc' from min. to max.  I matched the volume, as I said, as close as was possible without test equipment.  I set both amps to produce the same perceived volume through the same set of earspeakers on both units, within a few moments of each other.  Perfect?  Probably not.  Pretty damn close?  Yeah.

 
Why didn't you clarify that the first time?