[makne]

When I eventually get into e-stats, I'd like to avoid cashing out all at once. So currently I'm debating if I should go with L500 + 353 amp and upgrade to L700 down the line, or go for L700 + 252 amp and upgrade to a better amp down the line.
The main concern for me is the difference in soundstage between L500 and L700, as it was the "dealbreaker" for me on the L300. Is the L500 more like L300 or L700 in this regard?
Also, has anyone tried the L700 with the 252 amp? Is it enough to drive them until I can afford something better?

 

[ecmfidelity]

Problem is I live in Norway, and buying used internationally is kind of a hassle. I'd rather just stick to the current stax line-up, which I can get domestically. At least in the first round
When you say that the L700 can get bright with the 252 or 353, do you mean brighter than the L300? Because I never really had a problem with the L300 on the 252.

I owned a 353x for a few weeks. It was not bright at all with my L700 - I am very sensitive to bright headphones. For me, the audio magic happens in the midrange and upper bas. Headphones with midrange/upper bas magic and a high degree of transparency magic are hard to find. I'm ranking 353x/L700 very high in that respect, ie treable enough to creat transparency but not enogh to call the combo "bright".

 

[Petyot]

Also, has anyone tried the L700 with the 252 amp? Is it enough to drive them until I can afford something better?

I answered this question 12 messages ago... Maybe you should use the search function a bit more

Sounds very good... I have the SRM252s and a SRM-006t with the L700. The SRM-252s offers (in my opinion) 95% of the SRM-006t's sound

BTW, I should have said 98% of the SRM-006t's sound

 

[makne]

I answered this question 12 messages ago... Maybe you should use the search function a bit more



BTW, I should have said 98% of the SRM-006t's sound

Thanks, and sorry, I also get annoyed when others bring up already answered questions.
Aiming for the L700 and 252 as my entry in e-stat world then

 

[Petyot]

Thanks, and sorry, I also get annoyed when others bring up already answered questions.
Aiming for the L700 and 252 as my entry in e-stat world then

No worries.

An entry that could also be an end point. I am seriously thinking of letting go the SRM-006t since the SRM-252s is (for my ears) almost as good for a fraction of the price...

 

[makne]

No worries.

An entry that could also be an end point. I am seriously thinking of letting go the SRM-006t since the SRM-252s is (for my ears) almost as good for a fraction of the price...

Very encouraging. As I stated above the L700 with 007t2 was a little too tubey for my tastes (didn't have long to adjust to it though), hoping a solid-state amp can alter that a little.
I was initially planning to save up, sell my speaker rig (can probably pay for 50% of L700+252) and then get e-stats. But after your comment especially, I'm debating whether I should sell both speaker rig and my Elear, and get the e-stats now... but I love the Elears aswell... this is hard.

 

[Rossliew]

Save up until you can get the desired combo. Why settle for second best now and lose money along the way as you upgrade? Enjoy your Elears and put any extra penny into your piggy bank for your dream estat setup.

 

[makne]

Save up until you can get the desired combo. Why settle for second best now and lose money along the way as you upgrade? Enjoy your Elears and put any extra penny into your piggy bank for your dream estat setup.

Thanks, used market for E-stats isn't exactly big in Norway either. And the different power supplies makes it hard to buy/sell outside Europe aswell. Although as Petyot said, L700+252 might just be enough for an end-game.
Think I'm gonna hang on to the Elears, not make any rushed decisions. Dream scenario would be to be able to keep Elear AND get Stax. No matter which Stax setup I tried, it couldn't match the natural-feeling soundstage (except for the 009) and engaging dynamic punch of the Elear. I'm only 19yo too so it's not like I'm short on time.

 

[Rossliew]

Indeed the dynamics give you that visceral punch in the gut bass but properly amped and sourced, so can stats as well. You have many years ahead of you so enjoy the head fi trip

 

[makne]

Indeed the dynamics give you that visceral punch in the gut bass but properly amped and sourced, so can stats as well. You have many years ahead of you so enjoy the head fi trip

I actually had no problem with the L700 bass quantity or quality out of the 007t2, the Elear is just more dynamic and makes everything POP so to speak. It's quite a unique feature really.
Back home listening to my 2-channel (SVS Ultra bookshelves) there's definitely a resembleance to the Stax in the way the music is presented. The placement of instruments, the detailed-but-never-fatiguing treble and instrument separation is really speaker-like on the Stax. Main difference is that the Stax sacrifices soundstage size, and gains a sense of intimacy and extreme detail/resolution that my speakers are nowhere near matching. The only headphone I've heard with the same level of resolution is the Susvara, which is far more expensive and also has a more headphone-like, fatiguing treble.

Between my Elear and SVS Ultra's I'm in a good place right now, although the Stax's detail and resolution is hard to forget. I'll definitely get into e-stats in the future, but not quite yet
Looking forward to the rest of my audiophile journey!

 

[kvn864]

Thanks, and sorry, I also get annoyed when others bring up already answered questions.
Aiming for the L700 and 252 as my entry in e-stat world then

I have 252, and just bought L700, for some reason I think it will pair fairly well for the time being. also wonder what 207 would worth if I sell them.

 

[BenF]

I have 252, and just bought L700, for some reason I think it will pair fairly well for the time being. also wonder what 207 would worth if I sell them.

It does pair well, don't worry

 

[henriks]

When I eventually get into e-stats, I'd like to avoid cashing out all at once. So currently I'm debating if I should go with L500 + 353 amp and upgrade to L700 down the line, or go for L700 + 252 amp and upgrade to a better amp down the line.
The main concern for me is the difference in soundstage between L500 and L700, as it was the "dealbreaker" for me on the L300. Is the L500 more like L300 or L700 in this regard?
Also, has anyone tried the L700 with the 252 amp? Is it enough to drive them until I can afford something better?

Hifi-freaks.dk has just opened in Sweden and in a month i Norway, i don't see Stax in the swedish page, but the L700 is 1160$ in Denmark at the moment..

 

[makne]

Hifi-freaks.dk has just opened in Sweden and in a month i Norway, i don't see Stax in the swedish page, but the L700 is 1160$ in Denmark at the moment..

Thanks! I see they offer 30-day home trial, something oslo hificenter doesn't do (only stax distributor in Norway atm). If I could get a 30 day home trial with some stax models, it would be easier to make my mind up. Will wait until they open up in Norway

 

[Pahani]

Thanks! I see they offer 30-day home trial, something oslo hificenter doesn't do (only stax distributor in Norway atm). If I could get a 30 day home trial with some stax models, it would be easier to make my mind up. Will wait until they open up in Norway

An in-home trial is a thoroughly excellent idea! Even though I was used to my 2170 system, which I had been using for a year, I found that it still took me awhile to get used to L700. I liked them a lot on day 1. After 2 weeks is when I truly started to appreciate them, though! I switched back to my modded M1060 for about 20 minutes and they sounded like complete garbage 0.0 Your experience may vary, of course.

P.S. I have dual SVS PC12+ subwoofers and 4X Prime Elevation for Atmos in my home theater setup. You gotta experience a couch vibrating at 16hz =D