With my Stax SR-L700, I have moved from Leben CS-600>SRD-7/mk2 to KGSSHV Carbon and I am very happy with the combination: More details (but a bit less smooth), better space, more balanced sound in all frequency bands... very musical and clean sound for hours of enjoyable listening. I have never heard any other Staxes so I can not comment on the "absolute" position of the SR-L700 in the Stax house. But I totally love SR-L700 sound and would like to hear a 007 or 009 one day
I would say yes for very short cables, but if you have to run relatively long cables, better use balanced cables (if the DAC has a true balanced output) to cancel out noise, therefore the need for balanced inputs.
With my Stax SR-L700, I have moved from Leben CS-600>SRD-7/mk2 to KGSSHV Carbon and I am very happy with the combination: More details (but a bit less smooth), better space, more balanced sound in all frequency bands... very musical and clean sound for hours of enjoyable listening. I have never heard any other Staxes so I can not comment on the "absolute" position of the SR-L700 in the Stax house. But I totally love SR-L700 sound and would like to hear a 007 or 009 one day
It is well known that the 323S is the best sounding amp currently available from Stax and I can attest to this. I tested out the 727II and can confirm that in stock form it is far from being a great amp. I was impressed with the 717 also but that amp is more colored than the 323S beside sounding more refined and a little more expansive. From what I understand the 353X is the 323S with a balanced input terminal which is likely not any better given that the 323S will convert any SE into balanced signal anyway.
That really depends on the phones being used. I like the SRM-353X, it's a quality budget amp. The L500 and L700 sound like they've been voiced with the SRM-353X, the sound with the L700 is euphoric and a little on the lean side, nothing wrong with that. I agree the 727II is pretty crappy, you can really feel the treble has been rolled off and in my view, it seems likely it would perform well with the SR-009 (not a fan of the SR-009). The L700 sounds ok with the SRM-006tA which is what they had paired at the Tokyo Headphone festival in Nakano this past October, and it sounds a little flat with the SRM-007tA.
I don't know, I thought 2 m would be too long for se and 0.5 m would be OK, but was surprised with the results. My short microphone cables (0.7 m) (Klotz mc5000+Neutrik plugs) sound better than the Kimber Hero with WTB plugs (0.5 m), wasn't expecting that. My longer microphone cables (2 m) sound the same as the Kimber. I just used the Klotz in a pinch while looking for balanced cables, but I guess I'm going to stay with them.
If it weren't for noise cancellation, why would the DAC's balanced output sound better than se?
Given the inherently balanced design of electrostatic systems it makes all the sense to use balanced cables if the DAC has a true balanced design as well. Maybe balanced inputs weren't implemented in the 323 because at the time sources with balanced outputs were at a higher price than the targeted level.
I don't know, I thought 2 m would be too long for se and 0.5 m would be OK, but was surprised with the results. My short microphone cables (0.7 m) (Klotz mc5000+Neutrik plugs) sound better than the Kimber Hero with WTB plugs (0.5 m), wasn't expecting that. My longer microphone cables (2 m) sound the same as the Kimber. I just used the Klotz in a pinch while looking for balanced cables, but I guess I'm going to stay with them.
If it weren't for noise cancellation, why would the DAC's balanced output sound better than se?
Given the inherently balanced design of electrostatic systems it makes all the sense to use balanced cables if the DAC has a true balanced design as well. Maybe balanced inputs weren't implemented in the 323 because at the time sources with balanced outputs were at a higher price than the targeted level.
Some dac manufacturers paid extra attention to the electronics and circuitry of the balanced audio signal/output board. This could be the case why u preferred the cheaper xlr than the RCA cable on your system. I find this to be somewhat true at least on my Yggy dac. I personally run an all balanced system myself so given the choice I will always preferred balanced component but I never rule out a good sounding single end gear either. For instance, the ECP L2 is quite stellar for being a single end output amplifier though this likely due to the design topology used in the amp more than anything else. I don't think single-end input has nothing to do with price, the original Sennheiser Orpheus amplifier only equip with one set of RCA input only.
Someone asked about the space attributes of HD800 vs SR-L700. With the KGSSHV Carbon, the HD800 is still better in this respect. HD800 seems to be the precise space king - better 3D locatization of everything plus wider and deeper space in all directions.
Someone asked about the space attributes of HD800 vs SR-L700. With the KGSSHV Carbon, the HD800 is still better in this respect. HD800 seems to be the precise space king - better 3D locatization of everything plus wider and deeper space in all directions.
One of the big L700's shortcoming is definitely on the soundstage. However the tone is pretty awesome however. Which do you prefer between the two? Also, your Carbon deserves the SR009.
One of the big L700's shortcoming is definitely on the soundstage. However the tone is pretty awesome however. Which do you prefer between the two? Also, your Carbon deserves the SR009.
Yes, the tone of SR-L700 is amazing. I do not know which to prefer yet because they are so different and I do not have space on my table to compare them side by side. But I will try this test one day. I enjoy both, they are both really great headphones. And I like SR-L700 so much that I will probably buy some a SR-009 soon... or sooner or later for sure This hobby is crazy.
Most quoted/rated living composer Arvo Pärt has at home STAX SR-009 (not sure about amp)
one photo (Pärt monitoring recordings with STAX Lambda) from his music recording session here:
http://www.efis.ee/en/film-categotries/movies/id/17558/photos-and-galleries
Having listened and held the L700, it certainly makes me wanna go back to STAX. Sounds great, but certainly not a Lambda kinda of sound however soundstage and depth is clearly a noticeable step behind the 009.
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