[GarageBoy]

The Jade II has a stax style plug right? Any t1 variant would be my pick (006/007/600) - 717/727 ain't a bad choice


Regarding casework - maybe it's because I grew up with diy audio (my dad built amps with a few grand of transformers and Teflon wiring shoved into what was a baking pan) - but I'd rather have the money spent on the parts and better design than a pretty case - then again, I'd take a ratty car with a 700hp LS1 based motor over the mercedMe

 

[Melody Spalti]

Hi GarageBoy, Jim,
I told Chimney I have feedback modified 727, also a 2012 model with US voltage winding on the BandoBtransformer. Would you just suggest he gets this 727 to be done with step up/down transformers? I am moving on to speakers and portable electrostats.

 

[JimL11]

I personally prefer a modified T1 to the modified 727 (I had both and sold the modded 727), but that's just IMHO.

 

[Melody Spalti]

What about the T1 as is stock?? I can't see many modified T1 on the market either, along with the 727s.

 

[chimney189]

I decided to pick up an SRM-1mk2

 

[JimL11]

What about the T1 as is stock?? I can't see many modified T1 on the market either, along with the 727s.

The stock T1 is fine with Lambda level phones. Where it falls short is driving something like the SR-007, but remember that when Stax first sold the SR-007 it sold them with SRM-006 as a baseline amp, and the 006 is just an updated T1. A modded T1 does a good job driving the 007 - there are better options, but not for that amount of money. Note that even a stock T1 should have its electrolytic capacitors replaced as routine maintenance, as the amps are over 20 years old at this point. Same goes for other older amps such as the SRM-1 series.

 

[chimney189]

Any impressions on the SRM-1mk2? Are higher end models THAT much better? Or is it chasing that 5% type of deal?
From what I'm reading it's a neutral sounding amplifier?

 

[Sound Eq]

powering stax headphones seems to be a big challenge with the likes of 007 mk2, from reading different sites I assume a big upgrade for 007 mk2 powered with an amp other than my 007TII amp, like when amped with KGSSHV or Blue Hawaii or others that get recd here. I am close to sell my beloved Hifiman he1000 SE just to try to buy one of those very expensive amps and clall it quits and stay in stax haven, but I am concerned that it will not be a big jump that was worth investing in and losing my beloved Hifiman HE1000 Se for

l wish I could audition those high end amps / energisers than to take risks in selling my beloved gears

 

[franz12]

powering stax headphones seems to be a big challenge with the likes of 007 mk2, from reading different sites I assume a big upgrade for 007 mk2 powered with an amp other than my 007TII amp, like when amped with KGSSHV or Blue Hawaii or others that get recd here. I am close to sell my beloved Hifiman he1000 SE just to try to buy one of those very expensive amps and clall it quits and stay in stax haven, but I am concerned that it will not be a big jump that was worth investing in and losing my beloved Hifiman HE1000 Se for

l wish I could audition those high end amps / energisers than to take risks in selling my beloved gears

I wonder what are your thoughts about the 007 vs the HEKse with your current setup. Is the 007 that good? The HEKse already resolves quite a lot, so it is hard for me to imagine something resolves more than this.

 

[VRacer-111]

Okay, I just learned something... my modded L300 Limited actually has more subbass impact than my modded TH-X00 Purplehearts on this song, which I've heard many times (but not through several iterations of the new sealed pad mod on my modded L300 Limited):



This song really shows why I LOVE the STAX bass...besides that beautiful percussive midbass, there's that ~40hz centered large 'WUMP, WUMP, WUMP-WUMP' and 'WUMP-WUMP' drum impact starting around 47 seconds in that is absolutely TIGHT and precise yet also is felt as much as it's heard...STAX L300 Limited simply does it way better than the TH-X00 Purpleheart - tighter and more detailed yet with more lowend impact. Purpleheart is much messier/boomier and slower sounding. Both are equally full bodied sounding, though the Purpleheart does have more of a lingering resonating presence.

Now a few caveats to why this is the case for me:

1. On the STAX side, not using a STAX setup...using RME ADI-2 DAC as preamp to NAD C275BEE stereo amp and Mjolnir SRD-7. Have EQ setting of +3.5dB @ 57Hz with Q=1.2 and +1.5dB @ 82Hz with Q=1.3 on the ADI-2 DAC. My L300 Limited uses L700 pads and headband arc assembly and the pads are sealed to the frame with Loctite Fun-tak except for 2 segments at the rear-bottom of the inner channel.

2. On the TH-X00 side, it's running my most potent subbass pad setup, the Jmoney V3 lambskin with custom attenuators and plugged directly into the RME ADI-2 DAC headphone out. Subbass impact is a little below what the stock pads would be, but it does bass quality so much better along with overall better performance.

3. The pad sealing mod in combination with RME ADI-2 is the reason why the STAX is able to pull ahead of the TH-X00 PH at its own game of subbass impact. TH-X00 Purpleheart doesn't have the same level of subbass from the ADI-2 that it does with the Gustard X20U DAC and H10 amp they normally are used with.

And I came to comparing the Purpleheart subbass against the L300 Limited because after I got the pads sealed I started off with my modded HD58X with Yaxi Alcantara pads (which are a noticeable improvement over stock for the low end impact and punch) ... which were 'LOL Fail!' at subbass compared to the L300 Limiteds, then went to the Argons which were 'dang, farther behind in subbass than I remember!'... which got me curious on the Purplehearts...

 

[-HaVoC-Tzu-]

2. On the TH-X00 side, it's running my most potent subbass pad setup, the Jmoney V3 lambskin with custom attenuators and plugged directly into the RME ADI-2 DAC headphone out. Subbass impact is a little below what the stock pads would be, but it does bass quality so much better along with overall better performance.
[/QUOTE]
I have a feeling your PH are underpowered, When my PH are hooked up to HDV 820, they are absolutely deafening. When hooked up to Fostex HPA4BL, they still have serious bass but still only maybe 1/3rd as strong.
P.S. I am not recommending HDV 820 + PH to anyone, unless you already have 2+ 12” inch subs in your car. Then maybe you are enough of a basshead.

 

[VRacer-111]

I have a feeling your PH are underpowered, When my PH are hooked up to HDV 820, they are absolutely deafening. When hooked up to Fostex HPA4BL, they still have serious bass but still only maybe 1/3rd as strong.
P.S. I am not recommending HDV 820 + PH to anyone, unless you already have 2+ 12” inch subs in your car. Then maybe you are enough of a basshead.

I agree, the RME ADI-2 DAC is not something that can drive them their best and not the amp I use them with generally because the low end isn't what it should be along with overall warmness or fullness... why reason/caveat #3 is there. The subbass is not anemic by any means though (it is noticeably there...this isn't some ESP950 or HD700 we are talking about) it's just the STAX L300 Limited is probably close to what it ultimately can be in regards to subbass presentation, which SURPRISINGLY gives it noticeably better subbass impact than a non-ideally powered TH-X00PH (which still has very good subbass impact.)

That is what I'm surprised about. The combination of the mods, the song, and amping is why it ultimately works out the way it does. The L300 Limited modded and properly powered and EQ'd will easily beat up any openback Sennheiser and take it's lunch money when it comes to subbass impact... no contest whatsoever.

 

[Sound Eq]

I wonder what are your thoughts about the 007 vs the HEKse with your current setup. Is the 007 that good? The HEKse already resolves quite a lot, so it is hard for me to imagine something resolves more than this.

its not which is better or worse, its just i have been using planars and dynamic headphones for over 10 years, so all I want to do is get the best setup possible for stax within reasonable spending of course. So if I end up making up my mind about selling the HE1000SE then I will look into buying a better amp than my 007TII and also add 009S

 

[Sound Eq]

can i ask what is the difference between stax 404 LE and 407 sound wise

and is there a noticeable sound difference between stax 404 and 404 LE

 

[Dan Lee]

I've owned the ifi iESL with the iCAN and it seemed to run my L700's fine but the 009's started to do some things that made me a little uncomfortable with it. I then started reading up on the threads here and started reading that quite a few wonder if the iESL actually damages the stat headphones. While I have absolutely no idea if this is even remotely true I stopped using my iESL having already ordered a Carbon. I am still awaiting the arrival of said Carbon and will be sure to let you all know if I can find any noticeable differences between the two. From what people have said it should be night and day. We shall soon see.

I will say despite the iESL not being with me any more, the iCAN and iDSD Pro are absolutely incredible and I believe I would have to spend a lot more money to find something that is significantly better to justify parting with them.