[amsync]

Ok Stax is dead to me then.

To be fair I am not sure that is Stax fault. Having lived on both hemispheres I know how much the EU wants their share. I am almost certain that the difference with US/Japan is all taxes. If I still lived in the EU I'd figure a way to get a buddy in the US to buy them for me if you have the option. I've had to do that with so many other things before. It's the same with everything from cars to clothes.

Come tomorrow it would $6,600 at this rate, that is around $800 in just 2 days...this raises a question in my mind so if someone booked at $5,800 then they just saved $400 that's not bad at all I would say

All joking aside hope they don't jack up the price anyone

From Justin I personally really didn't get the idea that this was intentional and/or that it will be followed by any movements in price. I think someone just really goofed up on the conversion on the first day.

 

[DJJEZ]

Ok Stax is dead to me then.

Import it from USA and get the seller to write a low amount to minimise import duty

 

[ThanatosVI]

To be fair I am not sure that is Stax fault. Having lived on both hemispheres I know how much the EU wants their share. I am almost certain that the difference with US/Japan is all taxes. If I still lived in the EU I'd figure a way to get a buddy in the US to buy them for me if you have the option. I've had to do that with so many other things before. It's the same with everything from cars to clothes.


From Justin I personally really didn't get the idea that this was intentional and/or that it will be followed by any movements in price. I think someone just really goofed up on the conversion on the first day.

Yeah it's always hard to tell if the fault lies with the manufacturer or distributor, but a 37% increase is way way more than necessary and from a customer perspective doesn't make any sense to pay.

Of course this Problem isn't unique to Stax but companies like Meze or DCA Show that it can also be solved otherwise.

Import it from USA and get the seller to write a low amount to minimise import duty

Always a possibility but very annoying and risky in case of warranty need.
If something happens I have to Ship it around the World on my own costs.

 

[asdafaasda]

They were obviously making a profit and fine at $5800 so contacting them to ask for that old price wouldn't hurt.

 

[number1sixerfan]

A differently sized, physically bigger transducer with different mesh stators using new manufacturing technologies like thermal bonding should give different sonic properties, so I would be surprised if it sounded similar.

Around 2017-2018, Stax had bought back at least two SR-Omegas, which are sitting at their headquarters. They might have a few more, might give a clue about the basis for construction and tuning, at least that's what I'm hoping / betting on, imho should be between 007 and 009 like the Omega.

Will be interesting to see impressions long-time 009/S users. If it is deemed to be much better, then it also puts past opinions into a different limelight.

It was the same with the 007 users switching to / adding in the 009 (and possibly switching back again) slightly different synergistic matches might provide some variables.

Actually, I think I have it totally wrong. Could only skim the article the first time while at work. When I originally read this line, "In 2011, we released SR-009, which is the foundation of the current flagship model.", I thought they were referring to the new sr-x9000. Re-reading, I'm pretty sure they're referring to the 009S.

In any event, I'm still pretty excited and I guess we just won't know until we know.

 

[Audio Addict]

Yeah it's always hard to tell if the fault lies with the manufacturer or distributor, but a 37% increase is way way more than necessary and from a customer perspective doesn't make any sense to pay.

Of course this Problem isn't unique to Stax but companies like Meze or DCA Show that it can also be solved otherwise.

Always a possibility but very annoying and risky in case of warranty need.
If something happens I have to Ship it around the World on my own costs.

The price in the US would be before sales tax. While not all dealers have to collect it based on the recent US Supreme Court most have to these days. That will add cost. The question for the EU is that with or without the VAT.

The other issue is the various trade agreement. I suspect there could be a difference between US / Japan and Germany / Japan.

 

[ThanatosVI]

The price in the US would be before sales tax. While not all dealers have to collect it based on the recent US Supreme Court most have to these days. That will add cost. The question for the EU is that with or without the VAT.

The other issue is the various trade agreement. I suspect there could be a difference between US / Japan and Germany / Japan.

I hope that this is already with VAT for EU.
Even if you remove it we look still at a ~15% increase though.

Trade agreements of course all play a role here. Greed might not be the only reason for this.

Still, it is a very unsatisfying Situation

 

[ToroFiestaSol]

I agree. It's been a long time coming. It will be really interesting to see how these will shake out timbre wise. It gives me some confidence that it sounds like the 009S is the foundation, as I'm just hoping for more advanced performance but with the same clarity/transparency/detail and general tone of the 009 (non-s)--except again for the issues in the highs, which I'm not certain that the 009S corrects for (haven't heard it, but heard that it does to a degree). I'm really hoping there isn't a major deviation from the current signature.

No 1-2khz bump, SR-007 MK1 timbre and smoothness with better resolution than the 009S would be legit god tier, IMHO.

 

[padam]

No 1-2khz bump, SR-007 MK1 timbre and smoothness with better resolution than the 009S would be legit god tier, IMHO.

SR-Omega god tier confirmed but to be honest, this sound still has its own set of drawbacks, there is always going to be a trade-off.

 

[number1sixerfan]

No 1-2khz bump, SR-007 MK1 timbre and smoothness with better resolution than the 009S would be legit god tier, IMHO.

I fully agree. I'm just doubtful you can have the MK1's timbre/smoothness w/better resolution than the 009/S. Almost all of the most detailed and transparent headphones trend more towards the brighter/neutral side of things. That said, I've not heard the original Omegas and again I agree with you, if that happens I'm all for it.

 

[Symbiose]

Does someone here already heard MSB Select Headphone Amplifier and could compare with others amplifiers for electrostatic headphone?

 

[Mach3]

I fully agree. I'm just doubtful you can have the MK1's timbre/smoothness w/better resolution than the 009/S. Almost all of the most detailed and transparent headphones trend more towards the brighter/neutral side of things. That said, I've not heard the original Omegas and again I agree with you, if that happens I'm all for it.

I have the original SR-Ω and they don't sound bright at all. But the resolution exceeds the 009 series. Also, the majority people must haven't been keeping track of prices of the original SR-Ω recently. As they've been fetch north of 6k (not good condition) 8k plus for decent condition unit. So the pricing for the X9000 is pretty fair.

 

[number1sixerfan]

I have the original SR-Ω and they don't sound bright at all. But the resolution exceeds the 009 series.

Yea, that's why I included 'neutral' there as well. I haven't heard anyone mention them as bright, but also haven't seen them described *as warm as* (or dark as many say) and syrupy smooth as the 007 is described (fyi, keep in mind I actually love the 007). Would definitely like to know your thoughts there if you've heard both*. Anyways, I've always wanted to own a pair, but it was just so hard to find them.

 

[musicman59]

A few years back I had the opportunity to demo de MSB Select DAC/Electrostatic Amplifier combo with the SR-009.

The sound was amazing. The best I have heard at the point but it is a $130k or so combo. Later I had also the opportunity to demo the Sennheiser HE-1 with a DAVE and it also sounded amazing for about $40k less.

I think at that level you are splitting hairs in the quality bod the sound and really becomes more of a preference on the sound signature.

 

[arnaud]

Ok Stax is dead to me then.

good that you weren’t around before edifier era, I recall 2x price distortion between Japan and overseas!

20% uplift from the us distributor seems inevitable given the large possibility these hand-made headphones need to be shipped back and forth from Japan for servicing (I don’t wish the same fate for the 9000 but the 009 initial shipments produced doa etc, there are still people getting sudden dreaded channel imbalance these days).