[Venture Guy]

  Some in this forum have advocated the KGST as a great match, but at about triple the price.  The 006 was used at the recent CanJam Socal STAX demo.
The 323 is probable best cost to performance ratio.  I use one now for the 207, and intend to get an L700.  Another thought is a used 727 with the Spritzer mod. Kevin Gilmore himself has said that it is "similar" to his KGSSHV design.  Hope this helps, Tom

Thanks! Where do I find out about the 727 Spritzer mod?

 

[Michgelsen]

  Thanks! Where do I find out about the 727 Spritzer mod?

 
Google for: stax 727 feedback mod

 

[Tompoodie]

These are my STAX notes to myself from CanjamSocal 2016. Comments?

* Stax L700 versus 507. The 700 was definitely significantly superior. About 40% greater soundstage. You could hear the hall ambience better. The 507 sounded muffled, small, and definitely not as much meat on the bones, significantly so. In addition, the L 700 had very satisfying bass, Which is supposed to be one of the 507's best attributes. The 700 is one of those cases where the more than doubling in price is almost also a doubling in the quality of the overall listening experience. This is something you will want to get some day. You heard two people say that it is really not worth getting the 009, because the difference is not enough. In addition the 700 strikes an outstanding tone balance between the 009 and 007. The hall ambience and Resonances of the instruments is what really came through and changes the experience on the 700 versus the lesser lambdas. In summary your 207 is "Small." Smaller tone smaller detail, smaller hall ambience, smaller soundstage. Listening at home the same day, the 207 sounds veiled, distant, less detailed, less distinct, less meat on the bones than L700. The 507 and the 700 were both being driven from an 006 tube amplifier. Wyred4sound DAC was being used.
* 009 versus the L 700 was not a huge difference. The bass in the 009 was better. Soundstage a bit bigger, Hall ambience a bit better, but were much closer together then the large gap between the L 700 and the 507 at Canjam Socal and 207 at home on the 323S amp.

 

[Tompoodie]

I am afraid I don't have personal experience with the Spritzer modded 727, however if you search head-fi with "Spritzer mod 727" you should find plenty of info.

 

[VandyMan]

I have a modded 727 II (mod done by HeadAmp) that I use with my 009s while waiting on my BHSE. I think it sounds very good, but I have nothing to directly compare it to.

 

[Tompoodie]

I will offer this personal opinion, Venture guy.  I would purchase a used 252 amp dirt cheap and use it to power the L700 until the funds are available to purchase a KGST new  from Mjolnir Audio (made by Spritzer) or by Headintheclouds (or a used KGST).
Perhaps other members can suggest other KGST builders.  
The 252 internals are not radically different from the 323, and is a great value, especially used.  You could also purchase a 252 from Price Japan (not currently listed on site, you would need to email them) , and use a wall wart to convert to US voltage, assuming you are in the US. The US price for the 252 is $450.
 
I am going to put my money where my mouth is...I intend to purchase an L700 later this year.  I am a penny pincher, and hope will wait to hopefully get a Black Friday discount, and don't want to buy too soon in case there is a silent revision in the first year.
 
Then, when I have enough funds, I will purchase a KGST, even though I have never heard one. I currently have a 323S, which I purchased used.
A Headfiers whose opinion I respect ( Mulveling)  has expressed how musical the L700/KGST combo is.  Equally important is that this combination is not far away in performance from the far more costly 009/KGSSHV combination. There are many others who rave about this combination.  My notes from what I heard with the Stax 006/L700 at CanJam are posted above.  The 006 has an unregulated power supply and I believe less swing voltage than the KGST and is not as good an amp.  The fact however that STAX uses it to demo the L700 however tells me they feel it sounds best with tubes.
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/785949/the-stax-sr-l500-and-sr-l700-impressions-thread/15
 
There is another great in this thread re L700/KGST that I can't find at the moment, and will try to post later this week. 

 

[chowmein83]

These are my STAX notes to myself from CanjamSocal 2016. Comments?

* Stax L700 versus 507. The 700 was definitely significantly superior. About 40% greater soundstage. You could hear the hall ambience better. The 507 sounded muffled, small, and definitely not as much meat on the bones, significantly so. In addition, the L 700 had very satisfying bass, Which is supposed to be one of the 507's best attributes. The 700 is one of those cases where the more than doubling in price is almost also a doubling in the quality of the overall listening experience. This is something you will want to get some day. You heard two people say that it is really not worth getting the 009, because the difference is not enough. In addition the 700 strikes an outstanding tone balance between the 009 and 007. The hall ambience and Resonances of the instruments is what really came through and changes the experience on the 700 versus the lesser lambdas. In summary your 207 is "Small." Smaller tone smaller detail, smaller hall ambience, smaller soundstage. Listening at home the same day, the 207 sounds veiled, distant, less detailed, less distinct, less meat on the bones than L700. The 507 and the 700 were both being driven from an 006 tube amplifier. Wyred4sound DAC was being used.
* 009 versus the L 700 was not a huge difference. The bass in the 009 was better. Soundstage a bit bigger, Hall ambience a bit better, but were much closer together then the large gap between the L 700 and the 507 at Canjam Socal and 207 at home on the 323S amp.

 
I mostly agree with this, having also heard both the 507 and the L700 at SoCal CanJam 2016. However, I'm not sure if I agree that the 507 had that much of a smaller soundstage compared to the L700. The L700 did have a bigger soundstage, but at least to my ears it wasn't that much bigger.
 
I'm also not sure if I would say that there wasn't a big difference between the 009 and the L700. At least to me I could hear some obvious differences, and obviously the SR-009 has the potential to really scale up even further with better equipment. It was quite obvious how the SR-009 sounded significantly better out of the SRM-007 than on the SRM-006 amp, whereas with the L700 there was still quite a difference between the two amps but it wasn't as big as on the SR-009.
 
And the DAC that fed the SRM-006 tube amp was a Wyred4Sound DAC? (This was what the Stax people told you, right?) Thanks for noting that, I was always wondering what it was.

 

[nemomec]

 
I'm also not sure if I would say that there wasn't a big difference between the 009 and the L700. At least to me I could hear some obvious differences, and obviously the SR-009 has the potential to really scale up even further with better equipment. It was quite obvious how the SR-009 sounded significantly better out of the SRM-007 than on the SRM-006 amp, whereas with the L700 there was still quite a difference between the two amps but it wasn't as big as on the SR-009.

 
On the Stax amps like SRM-006tII/007tII the difference between SR-L700 and SR-009 is not so huge, maybe 90 to 100 percent. But the SR-009 scales much better and with a higher quality source or/and amp the SR-009 increases the gap to the SR-L700. The price performance is with the SR-L700 + standard Stax amp much better. For best performance of SR-009 you need a more expensive setup and very important a high quality source.

 

[Tompoodie]

Quoted from post #204 (Trantime) "I also heard the SR009 and BHSE at the HeadAmp exhibit.  It was easy the hear why people say it's the most transparent amp you can buy.  The amp and hp is virtually invisible but it's not to my taste.  It sounds very dry and sterile."  
 
T​his was my impression also.
 
Did you a chance to listen to do this setup at CanJam?
 
Have you had the pleasure of hearing 009/KGSSHV or 009/KGSSHV Carbon?  I haven't, and am hoping I will be able to at the Headphonia area of T.H.E Show at Newport in June.
 
I suspect hearing L700/KGST vs 009 KGSSHV Carbon one could catch a bad case of the feared audiophile disease of upgraditis.

 

[Tompoodie]

Here is the post I referred to above in post #18.  I have no doubt this is accurate:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/785949/the-stax-sr-l500-and-sr-l700-impressions-thread/15
 
 
Consider:
 
KGST from Mjolnir Audio/Spritzer $3000
retail US cost for STAX L700 $1400,                 Total Cost: $4400
 
KGSSHV Carbon from Mjolnir Audio  $4600
STAX 009 in US  $4450                                     Total Cost  $9050
 
Double the cost for what I believe is the ultimate STAX rig (minus DAC of course) for what many believe is 5-10% improvement technically (bass, soundstage, imaging/air/instrument separation and detail) but maybe even less subjective listening pleasure difference because tone of the L700 is optimal.

 

[Michgelsen]

  Double the cost for what I believe is the ultimate STAX rig (minus DAC of course) for what many believe is 5-10% improvement technically (bass, soundstage, imaging/air/instrument separation and detail) but maybe even less subjective listening pleasure difference because tone of the L700 is optimal.

 
Bollocks for two reasons:
- Expressing improvement in percentages is futile.
- There are probably "many" more people who think the 009 is miles better than the L700, than there are people who think it's only "5-10%" better.
 
Obviously if you want to save money, go for the L700. Similarly obvious: if you want the best, get the 009. Captain Obvious out.

 

[Tompoodie]

Your point is well taken.  In my profession, I at least make an attempt to quantify to the extent possible.  No question a machined aluminum housing and the improved space in the 009 headphone, and though very similar, nontheless different sound element,  to create soundstage are the "best."  How much "bester" it is, is quite subjective, and I respect your opinion.
 That was my assessment based on the 009/007 amp in the STAX room at CanJam doing A/B comparison 5 minutes at a time, twice for each cans, and again for 12 minutes on 009/Blue Hawaii an hour before.

 

[crazychile]

 
Double the cost for what I believe is the ultimate STAX rig (minus DAC of course) for what many believe is 5-10% improvement technically (bass, soundstage, imaging/air/instrument separation and detail) but maybe even less subjective listening pleasure difference because tone of the L700 is optimal.

Bollocks for two reasons:
- Expressing improvement in percentages is futile.
- There are probably "many" more people who think the 009 is miles better than the L700, than there are people who think it's only "5-10%" better.

Obviously if you want to save money, go for the L700. Similarly obvious: if you want the best, get the 009. Captain Obvious out.

I agree the percentage thing is subjective bollocks. For me it comes down to what tickles my audio monkeybone. Maybe the L700 does it for some, and for others maybe the 009 hits that. What sucks is when neither does it but one is analytically or quantitatively better in an area or two, but lacks the emotion to fire the monkeybone.

I have heard neither, but am really considering the L700.....

 

[Michgelsen]

I agree. Haven't heard any of them either, but I am considering the L700, mainly to see what the fuss is about. I'm very happy with my 007, but I generally like the 'Lambda presentation' as well, and if it's true that the L700 does it so well, it could be a good opponent. We'll see.

 

[CrocCap]

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