[mulveling]

Totally take your time. Lot of things happening when you're evaluating a lot of gear at once, and especially when you get something like the T2 for the first time. I had the same blown away reaction and took a bit of time to drop major impressions for the same reason. Congrats on the pick up! Looking forward to all of the updates and more in-depth impressions whenever they land.

That first T2 moment is special. Heard 007 (way before there was a Mk 2) and original Headamp KGSS many times in the 2000s, and they nearly bored me to death compared to dynamic headphones like HP1000, L3000, and even R10. Definitely put myself in the "stats are not for me" camp.

Then I think 2014-ish I heard for the first time both the SR-009 and Purk's OG DIY T2. Absolutely blown away. Completely. That immediately became my head-fi pinnacle sound, and still is today, though to be fair I haven't pursued experiencing the new super headphones & super amps (2ch takes away that level of resources). That first impression was so strong. And I still experience it in largely the same way today. It hasn't faded much, though any minor fading is due to how much I've advanced my 2ch (the amount I've spent there is mind bending lol -- look up the cost of VAC Master monoblocks plus Master pre / phono).

Incidentally I also heard BHSE for the first time immediately after that first T2 listen. Not recommended lol. It took me a while later to hear BHSE on its own before I could start to like it.

 

[Schelp san]

Lambdas are a whole lot of fun, and that line of thinking has merit. However, guys like us are going to accumulate a lot of headphones and amps anyways!

You are right, somebody buying an amp of this caliber was already going a road and collected big round Stax on his way.

Hear hear!

But on a more serious note, totally agree with the sentiment in the preceding posts. Stax ear speakers over time have also shown evolution and experimentation with thinness of the driver as well as evolving preferences. It's a nice historical journey via ear-speakers.

Thanks

 

[number1sixerfan]

That first T2 moment is special. Heard 007 (way before there was a Mk 2) and original Headamp KGSS many times in the 2000s, and they nearly bored me to death compared to dynamic headphones like HP1000, L3000, and even R10. Definitely put myself in the "stats are not for me" camp.

Then I think 2014-ish I heard for the first time both the SR-009 and Purk's OG DIY T2. Absolutely blown away. Completely. That immediately became my head-fi pinnacle sound, and still is today, though to be fair I haven't pursued experiencing the new super headphones & super amps (2ch takes away that level of resources). That first impression was so strong. And I still experience it in largely the same way today. It hasn't faded much, though any minor fading is due to how much I've advanced my 2ch (the amount I've spent there is mind bending lol -- look up the cost of VAC Master monoblocks plus Master pre / phono).

Incidentally I also heard BHSE for the first time immediately after that first T2 listen. Not recommended lol. It took me a while later to hear BHSE on its own before I could start to like it.

Stats are really an edge case. High power amplification just really makes a huge difference for most of them. Much more than planars and dynamics, minus a few exceptions. And synergy is also important just as with other non-stats.

The BHSE still has a special place in my heart and I think is a fine amp, but for the hardest to drive stats, (007, SGL Sr. etc.), taking the next leap really makes a difference.

Also, I'll address in my other thread, but I've been listening to vinyl more and more.. and I'll need your advice on how to maximize for headphones + swap/upgrade what I have. I've got the bug now. There's just something special about it lol

 

[protoss]

I find the hardest to drive estats quite amusing , technically only the Sr-007 is the hardest to drive.
Every Power Plant amplifier was literally created to just drive the 007. Than came decades later the SR and the whatever Russian, European boutique estat headphones to power those.

It's seems it's all about synergy than power for the most part, especially when it comes to 009 and the rest.

 

[mulveling]

The perceived sensitivity difference between 007 and 009 (or L700) is right about 4 dB. Peoples' listening levels vary a lot more than that! So someone might well be driving 009 with more power demand than someone else's 007. Unlike dynamic headphones, we don't have electrostatic amps with virtually unlimited headroom. They simply run out of voltage. Even a 009 on T2 will have way LESS headroom for loud listening than a Grado or Sennheiser on say a little dynalo (Headamp GS-X for example).

This is my guess for why peoples' experiences with electrostats, and amps to drive them, varies so much.

 

[protoss]

Yeah, Stax really need to change up their game and start releasing more efficient headphones. Not only start but permanently having all their gear efficient for the modern world.

Stax 007MK3 (super efficient version)
Stax 009SMK2 (super efficient version)
Stax X9000MK2 (super efficient version)
Stax L700MK3 (super efficient version)

edited: *(Audeze LCD4Z, revamp the whole line up like the 4z).

 

[aokman]

Yeah, Stax really need to change up their game and start releasing more efficient headphones. Not only start but permanently having all their gear efficient for the modern world.

Stax 007MK3 (super efficient version)
Stax 009SMK2 (super efficient version)
Stax X9000MK2 (super efficient version)
Stax L700MK3 (super efficient version)

edited: *(Audeze LCD4Z, revamp the whole line up like the 4z).

Not sure what you expect them to do about it lol, the design is stupidly simple in principle and there doesn’t seem to be much room for efficiency improvements outside of the amplification itself and maybe changing the bias like Sonoma use 1200v+ bias voltage which would make everyones existing amplifiers incompatible and next to useless…

Be careful what you wish for….

 

[protoss]

hahaha,

I wrote this efficiently idea, years ago.
I am in favor for it.

 

[aokman]

hahaha,

I wrote this efficiently idea, years ago.
I am in favor for it.

Doesn’t worry me as it’s easy to scale bias and transformers to those levels already, people who invested in BHSE and the like price point amplifiers wouldn’t be happy though…

Amplifiers can already be done better if enough R&D budget is put in by a big company and maybe some more bespoke semiconductors, the tech exists to do it but it’s always a chicken and the egg problem…

I haven’t heard anything groundbreaking about Sonoma as is and it’s completely bespoke ecosystem…

 

[protoss]

Yeah, I am thinking on the longevity of Staxs. I want them to survive and continue for the next 50 years. And for that to happen we need the average consumer aboard.
For this to happen, the dang headphone must be efficient and easy to drive at its full potential.

It be great that the D10 drove all Stax related headphones at a 100%

With these understanding, one day a X9000/009/007 Bluetooth estat headphone can arise. A wireless Stax headphone of the future.

 

[simmconn]

More efficient estat phones? C’mon, if you are in need of hearing aids, get a prescription

 

[protoss]

Stax bankrupted themselves twice..... spoiler alert.
My way or the....

 

[aokman]

Yeah, I am thinking on the longevity of Staxs. I want them to survive and continue for the next 50 years. And for that to happen we need the average consumer aboard.
For this to happen, the dang headphone must be efficient and easy to drive at its full potential.

It be great that the D10 drove all Stax related headphones at a 100%

With these understanding, one day a X9000/009/007 Bluetooth estat headphone can arise. A wireless Stax headphone of the future.

My current understanding is estats are already insanely efficient due to the driver mass and push / pull technology. It’s the amplification that needs a lot of work to natively generate the voltages required in an ever diminishing market of lower and lower voltage semiconductors. If you mean real round trip efficiency then it is moving away from class A topologies along with tuuuuuuubes… Which will radically drop power consumption.

Topping technically proved this somewhat even if it isn’t liked and uses transformers still…

 

[mulveling]

My current understanding is estats are already insanely efficient due to the driver mass and push / pull technology. It’s the amplification that needs a lot of work to natively generate the voltages required in an ever diminishing market of lower and lower voltage semiconductors. If you mean real round trip efficiency then it is moving away from class A topologies along with tuuuuuuubes… Which will radically drop power consumption.

Topping technically proved this somewhat even if it isn’t liked and uses transformers still…

Yes, you could say electrostatic transducers have insanely low sensitivity but extremely high efficiency

The amps are the opposite…

 

[number1sixerfan]

I find the hardest to drive estats quite amusing , technically only the Sr-007 is the hardest to drive.
Every Power Plant amplifier was literally created to just drive the 007. Than came decades later the SR and the whatever Russian, European boutique estat headphones to power those.

It's seems it's all about synergy than power for the most part, especially when it comes to 009 and the rest.

The 007 and SGL Sr. are the hardest to drive stats I have ever owned, most other stats aren't in the same boat. The 007 is just ridiculous. I wasn't a big fan of it until I got the T2, it easily made the biggest difference of any headphone. I think the CRBN after those two is next in line, and then the x9000 (which really, isn't that hard to drive).

That said, I've always had reserve stat amps on hand in case anything happens to my main amp. Over the past few years, I've had the SRM1-MK2 and the T1s. Even with the 009, there is no mistaking the difference in dynamics with a better amp. There is a quantum leap in performance between any stax amp that I've heard (fyi I have not tried the 717 or T2) and the BHSE for example. I mean quantum leap, no hyperbole (clearly this is hyperbole lol). I simply would not own a TOTL stax headphone without one of the notable, capable amps.. which is a bit different from my perspective of dynamics. I.E. an affordable GSX Mini or similar can power just about anything decently.