[Kurios]

Have listened to the L700 MkII a couple of times now and wondered what you guys thought of the 500T energizer and a Mojo 2 as a DAC? I can use the Mojo 2 elsewhere and of course, it has some useful lossless EQ for the sub-bass if required.
Would I be missing out on much by not using the 700T energizer?

.

 

[Rudivanb]

Thinking about buying a L500 MK2, I am wondering how well these phones would respond to EQ'ing the bass?

I am mostly listening to classical chamber music and EDM, and for the latter I would like a tight, detailed and fast bass. I preferably want one set for both types of music.
For many years I am using HD800, which does both types of music very well, for electronic music with some help by EQ in the lower region.

 

[kid vic]

Thinking about buying a L500 MK2, I am wondering how well these phones would respond to EQ'ing the bass?

I am mostly listening to classical chamber music and EDM, and for the latter I would like a tight, detailed and fast bass. I preferably want one set for both types of music.
For many years I am using HD800, which does both types of music very well, for electronic music with some help by EQ in the lower region.

IME you won't need to EQ the L500mk2 if you already like the HD800. The tuning is sort of similar but the L500mk2 will sound fuller in the bass and mids but will not have the thump of a planar or other dynamics.

 

[Rudivanb]

IME you won't need to EQ the L500mk2 if you already like the HD800. The tuning is sort of similar but the L500mk2 will sound fuller in the bass and mids but will not have the thump of a planar or other dynamics.

Thank you, now I am getting interested even more. Will have to start saving, because I am afraid that once I have listened to a set, I will be convinced that I 'need' to have it.

 

[harris4crna]

I've listened to 300, 500, 700 007, 009/s and 9000x. Owned the 009. The amps matter with Stax. The only HP/s I would own is the 700 or 9000x driven by BHSE. I own the Audeze CRBN, so no need for 9000x, so I'm going to purchase the 700 while visiting Japan next week. Why post. Well, thought I would share my Stax journey and to conclude my experience.

 

[homeros8000]

Thank you, now I am getting interested even more. Will have to start saving, because I am afraid that once I have listened to a set, I will be convinced that I 'need' to have it.

IMO the starter Stax L300 is miles ahead of HD800. The L500 is very similar to L300 but fuller and warmer. Both are relatively easy to drive.

 

[mulveling]

IMO the starter Stax L300 is miles ahead of HD800. The L500 is very similar to L300 but fuller and warmer. Both are relatively easy to drive.

I never got what people saw in the HD800. Bleh!! HD820 even worse.
I was a fan of Sennheiser back in the days when 007 was only ever poorly amped, and before the HD800 release (HD600 & HD650 days). These days they're of 0 interest to me.

 

[homeros8000]

I never got what people saw in the HD800. Bleh!! HD820 even worse.
I was a fan of Sennheiser back in the days when 007 was only ever poorly amped, and before the HD800 release (HD600 & HD650 days). These days they're of 0 interest to me.

HD 600 is still a great headphone driven by ECZD!

 

[EJSorona]

I never got what people saw in the HD800. Bleh!! HD820 even worse.
I was a fan of Sennheiser back in the days when 007 was only ever poorly amped, and before the HD800 release (HD600 & HD650 days). These days they're of 0 interest to me.

I currently own an HD598. Bought it in late 2015. They are my headphones for everday, non-serious use. I only had to change the earpads and the lower headband pad a couple of years ago.
The OG HD800 sound harsh. That's why a lot of their users mod it. The HD800S is, basically, a factory modded HD800 and with a different coat of paint.
I owned the HD800S, but they were a hassle to drive and make sound not harsh and not too sterile. When my L700 Mk 2/SRM-353X combo arrived, I felt that it outclassed my HD800S and the tube amp I used to drive them.

 

[catscratch]

Electrostat bass is far more about how good a seal you get. With a bad seal, you lose everything below 50hz but get a bump in the FR between 50 and 100hz. With a good seal, you get more linear bass with deep extension though it won't be boosted. I would say that if you want to EQ the bass up, first you should try to get a good seal and then you can start EQing. With the new Lambdas this may require modding.

EDM is one of the few genres that often will have bass content below 50hz, and electrostats generally aren't the best for it. Even if you do get a perfect seal and flat bass down to 20hz, most EDM is mixed for club systems which have some amount of bass bloat and boom, and on a very clean sounding system it often just won't sound right. I do think electrostats are terrific for more downtempo genres like psychill, but anything that's more uptempo will often sound wrong. Having said that, the L700, assuming good seal and proper bass extension, has far more "normal" sounding bass than most electrostats and probably can work. Mine certainly has better and more extended bass than my HD650, but that isn't hard. I haven't heard the L500.

 

[harris4crna]

I concur 100% in regards to the HD800/s. I have listened to these HPs hundreds of times to try to hear what people say and I always come to the same conclusion, they are not for me. The only amp I could even tolerate them would be on a Woo Tube amp. Now, the HD700 is my everyday HP I use to watch TV and play video games. I hardly ever listen to music with them. Prior to them I had a Senn 500 series (don't even remember the model #) that I used for over 15 years. For listening to music I'm still on the search for the Holy Grail.

Now, I post this in a Stax thread, so I may need to duck after stating this. I have had the same experience with Stax as I did with the HD800. Lived in Japan for 3 years and did not go a week without auditioning Stax HPs on all Stax amps. I wanted to hear the magic that everyone spoke of and I could not. I returned to the US, bought the BHSE and a used pair of 009s. Had them for year and sold them. I didn't hate them, but not great as an everyday HP for all genres. Now, with that said, the 9000x narrows the gap on the right amp as a everyday HP, but not at the price point.

Most recently I went to a local headphone meet. Gentleman brought his L700 MK2 to the meeting. I auditioned it on my BHSE. This was the first time listening to it on my amp. I will honestly say, I really enjoyed it. At the right price this is worth picking up. Matter of fact, I most likely will next month while visiting Japan. The USD to Yen conversion rates are off the hook currently. I could bring it back, hate it and sell it for a profit if I wanted. Wish I could hear the 007 on my amp, I may come to the same conclusion. Who knows.

 

[EJSorona]

For the HD800S I owned, I also used a tube amp made by a local techinician. With the vintage, unmatched 6SN7 tubes the amp came with, the 800S still sounded a bit lean, but better than with a solid state amp. I swapped the 6SN7 tubes with a matched pair of PSVANE CV-181 Mk II, and it was a world of difference. At the same gain level, they sounded louder, more powerful, but could get a little overwhelming after a while. Sadly, the glass on those PSVANE tubes is very thin and, thus, fragile, they felt more like eggshells, I broke one of the tubes when I was stowing the amp inside a drawer. I replaced them with a matched pair of vintage NOS Sylvania 6SN7GT tubes, and while not as good as the CV-181, they were definitely better than the ones that the amp came with.
Sold the amp and the remaining PSVANE tube to a guy that lived in the middle of nowhere, but happened to own amps made by the same technician. Such a small world we live in.
With the L700 Mk 2, I tried the blutak mod, both with full and partial seal. With full seal they farted all the time and, honestly, they sounded rather plasticky without EQ. With partial seal they don't fart and they sound a little better IMO, specially with EQ. I would love to try one of those 3D printed spacers because the tip of my ears do touch the protective mesh.
For DAC, I owned a DENAFRIPS ARES II, which I sold about a year ago because I wasn't really that impressed with its performance and I needed the money for other projects. I kinda regret it now, specially after reading from other ARES II owners that the last FW updates improved the sound quality quite a bit.
I dunno if I should believe those stories.

 

[harris4crna]

purchased the L700 mk 2 here in Tokyo. Got a great deal. Looking forward to my return and listening to them on the BHSE.

 

[tumpux]

purchased the L700 mk 2 here in Tokyo. Got a great deal. Looking forward to my return and listening to them on the BHSE.

Where did you get it in Tokyo?
Do they have X9000 demo unit too there?

 

[harris4crna]

Where did you get it in Tokyo?
Do they have X9000 demo unit too there?

Went to Dynamic Audio in Akihabara to purchase the 700. They had a x9000 at E-Earphone for demo. I did not listen to it since I had no intention to purchase it. I'm happy with my purchase.