The Entry Level Stax Thread

[autoteleology]

I had the SR-303 (which is, for all intents and purposes, sonically identical to the SR-404, even according to 6Moons Audio, which is saying something), so I can answer that question.
 
The Lambda Pro is much rawer, detail-intensive, and forward than the SR-404, in my opinion. The SR-404 has more sub-bass, but is less punchy and aggressive, and it sounds more diffuse and euphonic/colored than the Lambda Pro.
 
It's sort of like the difference between an American muscle car (Lambda Pro) and a Japanese tuner (SR-404).

 

[driftingbunnies]

Maybe people who have the SR-303/404 should buy one of the lambda-pros in the FS section so they can give us more input instead of spamming my notifications every couple hours. 

 

[autoteleology]

Maybe people who have the SR-303/404 should buy one of the lambda-pros in the FS section so they can give us more input instead of spamming my notifications every couple hours. 

 
Even better, maybe you could brush up on your reading and comprehension skills? My question was completely different than theirs (not to mention the fact that I answered their completely different question anyways).

 

[driftingbunnies]

   
Even better, maybe you could brush up on your reading and comprehension skills? My question was completely different than theirs (not to mention the fact that I answered their completely different question anyways).

 
Whoa...calm down. What did i ever do to you?

 

[Keithpgdrb]

yeah.. lets keep if friendly people. geez

 

[DefQon]

  Maybe people who have the SR-303/404 should buy one of the lambda-pros in the FS section so they can give us more input instead of spamming my notifications every couple hours. 

 
I'd agree with Tus-Chan as he pretty much answered the previous poster asking the same question.
 
I have both the 404 and the LP, what do you want to know? Tus-Chan pretty much filled in the void of what I describe the comparison in my opinion, although I find the 404 better for trance powered by the 323S it really sounds great with each other. I prefer tubes to colour the LP a bit as the treble etch can be a bit annoying, hence why I love using my SRD-7sbMK2 so much with the LP as I've got them hooked up to a VK-2100 85pwc hybrid class a tube amp. 

 

[DefQon]

   
Prior to the HD800 there wasn't a whole lot of choice out there.  Never liked the R10 all that much (too bloody colored), the HP1000 is a one trick pony and the comfort is horrible, HD600 is astounding for the price but a bit dull and that was it really.  A SR-Lambda or LNS more than holds its own against all of those.

 
What no AKG K701? No Grado's or Beyer's? I thought you liked them.

 

 

[Ali-Pacha]

  Can anyone comment on the sound of SR-404 and how it compare to the like of Lambda Pro and the like?

 
Tus-Chan has answered, but I've also find this : 
http://www.headfonia.com/sr-404le-sr-404-signature-and-sr-lambda-pro/
 
Ali

 

[NamelessPFG]

The first few times I heard the HD800 it was all off some opamp garbage and they sounded terrible.  Give them a good amp and they truly shine...   
Prior to the HD800 there wasn't a whole lot of choice out there.  Never liked the R10 all that much (too bloody colored), the HP1000 is a one trick pony and the comfort is horrible, HD600 is astounding for the price but a bit dull and that was it really.  A SR-Lambda or LNS more than holds its own against all of those.

 
Now if I just had any idea as to what constitutes a "good amp" for the HD800...there's even more opportunity to get swindled into bad amp designs (or just ones not suited for the HD800) when it comes to dynamics and orthos, and something tells me that any amp less expensive than the HD800 itself is not going to cut it. (Not because "more expensive = better", but because the parts needed to control the HD800's drivers well probably aren't cheap in the first place, like with the KGSSHV and BHSE for Omega-series Stax. Then factor in labor and profit margins...)
 
Anyway, back on topic: I noticed everyone wants to compare the Lambda Pro with the modern numerical sets, but comparisons of the original Normal bias Lambda with those same numerical sets are harder to find. That's what I'm especially interested in, and I'm sure to get some answers real soon...

 

[padam]

   
Now if I just had any idea as to what constitutes a "good amp" for the HD800...there's even more opportunity to get swindled into bad amp designs (or just ones not suited for the HD800) when it comes to dynamics and orthos, and something tells me that any amp less expensive than the HD800 itself is not going to cut it. (Not because "more expensive = better", but because the parts needed to control the HD800's drivers well probably aren't cheap in the first place, like with the KGSSHV and BHSE for Omega-series Stax. Then factor in labor and profit margins...)
 
Anyway, back on topic: I noticed everyone wants to compare the Lambda Pro with the modern numerical sets, but comparisons of the original Normal bias Lambda with those same numerical sets are harder to find. That's what I'm especially interested in, and I'm sure to get some answers real soon...

 
There are a definitely a few good ones that does not cost an arm and a leg (for instance, the rather forgotten CEC HD53N), unfortunately in audio there are a lot of cases where more expensive means worse and DIY is where the "real" value at.
 
The Lambda and Lamda Pro are sort of relatives since they are both damped unlike the others. The Lambda Pro has better extension and detail but not quite the pure musicality of the Lambda
The comparisons are there (I mean here ) you just need to find them:
http://www.head-fi.org/products/stax-sr-lambda/reviews/7949
 
I would say that at least in my system the normal Lambda has this treble tilted presentation as well which can be a bit bothersome (for instance, the Signature has a much smoother treble), that and the slightly murky bass are the two drawbacks to what is otherwise an astounding sound - depending on the type of music of course.
It is a little funny that it is considered as "entry-level" when there are many aspects where this headphone is one of the best and definitely above others so those could be graded as "hi-fi, but below entry-level Stax" 

 

[DefQon]

   
Now if I just had any idea as to what constitutes a "good amp" for the HD800...there's even more opportunity to get swindled into bad amp designs (or just ones not suited for the HD800) when it comes to dynamics and orthos, and something tells me that any amp less expensive than the HD800 itself is not going to cut it. (Not because "more expensive = better", but because the parts needed to control the HD800's drivers well probably aren't cheap in the first place, like with the KGSSHV and BHSE for Omega-series Stax. Then factor in labor and profit margins...)

It's not really using expensive parts, no bullschit but the Matrix M Stage + HD800 is actually pretty good farcry from driving it to it's best but it does sound crap loads better than the other expensive crap you can buy. With headphones such as the HD800 which have a slight wonky impedence increase means it will need to be driven by an amp capable of good clean and ample amount of voltage swing, otherwise it ain't gonna cut the mustard.

 

[spritzer]

   
What no AKG K701? No Grado's or Beyer's? I thought you liked them.

 

 
AKG hasn't made good headphones for at least a decade and Beyer have made exactly one good set, the excellent ET-1000.  The bias on these is a bit odd but most good examples can work off a normal bias socket. 
 

   
Now if I just had any idea as to what constitutes a "good amp" for the HD800...there's even more opportunity to get swindled into bad amp designs (or just ones not suited for the HD800) when it comes to dynamics and orthos, and something tells me that any amp less expensive than the HD800 itself is not going to cut it. (Not because "more expensive = better", but because the parts needed to control the HD800's drivers well probably aren't cheap in the first place, like with the KGSSHV and BHSE for Omega-series Stax. Then factor in labor and profit margins...)
 
Anyway, back on topic: I noticed everyone wants to compare the Lambda Pro with the modern numerical sets, but comparisons of the original Normal bias Lambda with those same numerical sets are harder to find. That's what I'm especially interested in, and I'm sure to get some answers real soon...

 
If you want a good, cheap amp then get a G-lite.  That is the golden standard, nothing out there can touch it for the price. 

 

[Chris J]

AKG hasn't made good headphones for at least a decade and Beyer have made exactly one good set, the excellent ET-1000.

What.
This is completely meshugas.
Completely meshugas.
:rolleyes:

 

[n3rdling]

Outside of the AKG K240DF and Beyer DT911 I pretty much agree with him

 

[NamelessPFG]

AKG hasn't made good headphones for at least a decade and Beyer have made exactly one good set, the excellent ET-1000.  The bias on these is a bit odd but most good examples can work off a normal bias socket.   
If you want a good, cheap amp then get a G-lite.  That is the golden standard, nothing out there can touch it for the price. 

 
Given all the raving about the AKG 70x family in the Mad Lust Envy thread, I often wonder what they sound like as a reference point...problem is, a typical 70x, especially the K702 65th Anniversary Edition, is firmly in used Stax Lambda price territory ($250-350 + another $220 or so for the amp, about in line with a vintage Lambda, transformer box and speaker amp).
 
The ET-1000...almost forgot about that one. I've seen it for sale a few times, but haven't managed to actually buy it yet. I wonder how it compares to the Lambdas I've tried.
 
G-lite...never heard of it...*searches*...you must mean the Gilmore Lite, since Kevin Gilmore has a reputation as an amp designer who knows what he's doing (KGSS, BHSE). At $500 (when it was still in production), it's more than I expected, but quality doesn't come cheap. You're about as picky with your amps as I am with my flight sim controls, after all.
 
(The way I look at it, Headamp products are a lot like the U2-NXT, FSSB, Simpeds, and other premium equipment like that, made to work smoothly, reliably and precisely with none of the jankiness mass-produced controller gimbals and pedals have...if you can afford them. But once you've tried 'em, there's no turning back.)