The Stax Thread III

[TheAbyss2022]

with x9000 headband assembly and detachable cables

There's nothing wrong with the headband on the 007 for me but detachable cables will be nice.

I believe the X1000 has detachable cables as well so there is no excuse for this not to be included with a potential "X7000".

Stax are very secretive in their operations. You would think the Stax Mafia would have some indication or leaks about future products but nothing....

 

[genefruit]

There's nothing wrong with the headband on the 007 for me but detachable cables will be nice.

My gripe is based around the assembly doesn't provide for setting a size and relies upon gravity for fit. This can cause the elastic to stretch out, the head pad flops around (which some find as a fit feature). Gravity only can result in the cups not landing at the optimal location.

 

[Rob80b]

For anyone on the lower spectrum, I can highly recommend the SRM 400S if thinking of upgrading from the SRM 252S,

the bigger and most recent Stax amp opens up the sound quite a bit, more dimensionality, the overall sound is less stressed, more at ease and no distortion as with the 252 when wishing to crank the volume or on dynamic passages. Brings the L300 up quite a few notches.
Currently only using the single ended as I just did a straight swap with the diminutive 252, no noise to speak of but will try the balanced input at a later date for the added gain, also due to size difference might move the amp to a more remote location so balanced would help.


…..just to add (no double posting allowed)….after having used the 252s daily since October, the increased clarity and dynamics with the 400s is very obvious on first listen and adds greatly to the sense of air, layering and depth. Was hoping just to get more headroom but the big overall improvement brought is a nice welcome surprise!
…. Just to add, my L300 have thicker 3rd party leather pads and the MKII headband assembly, so more of a L500 MKII I would imagine.

 

[WILLJS]

…. Just to add, my L300 have thicker 3rd party leather pads and the MKII headband assembly, so more of a L500 MKII I would imagine.

do you know who the pads are made by? i’ve been trying to find replacements (i’m assuming the same pads would be compatible with the 202, both being lambda models?)

 

[Rob80b]

do you know who the pads are made by? i’ve been trying to find replacements (i’m assuming the same pads would be compatible with the 202, both being lambda models?)

The pads are from Aliexpress, no specific maker, so just search for "stax pad" but the current Lambda have a removable plastic ear cushion mount which the pads are mounted on and then attached to the speaker.

Believe the 202 are glued, but I'm sure some sort of jury rigg could be done.

Haven't tried the L700 leather pads so cannot comment on the performance differences, sealing, comfort etc.


But I see there are pads for the 202 here.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1267260757...=2047675&ssuid=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

 

[icnaiwhimor1975]

Now I'm in this club too

 

[RogueCrusher]

Now I'm in this club too

Congrats They are pretty amazing right! I took a gamble (even though I was super content with the ES-1a which imho outshine the 007 and 009 by embodying the best characteristics from each) and sold my pair and ordered the ES-2a

 

[WILLJS]

The pads are from Aliexpress, no specific maker, so just search for "stax pad" but the current Lambda have a removable plastic ear cushion mount which the pads are mounted on and then attached to the speaker.

Believe the 202 are glued, but I'm sure some sort of jury rigg could be done.

Haven't tried the L700 leather pads so cannot comment on the performance differences, sealing, comfort etc.


But I see there are pads for the 202 here.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1267260757...=2047675&ssuid=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

thanks i’ll check it out

 

[Rob80b]

I can highly recommend the SRM 400S if thinking of upgrading from the SRM 252S,

Another observation with SRM400 was that when listening to this percussion playlist
https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/8801deff-f577-438b-a11a-873328e43310

is that I'm quite happy "not engaging" the Shiit Loki Equalizer, although it can still be used to reinforce the bottom end for some music but IMHO not needed as it was with the 252s.

 

[DougD]

Another observation with SRM400 was that when listening to this percussion playlist
https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/8801deff-f577-438b-a11a-873328e43310

is that I'm quite happy "not engaging" the Shiit Loki Equalizer, although it can still be used to reinforce the bottom end for some music but IMHO not needed as it was with the 252s.

This is your experience listening with the L300, right?

 

[Rob80b]

This is your experience listening with the L300, right?

Correct, but with thicker leather pads, stock pads are too intimate for my listening preferences, the thicker pads put the staging more at arms length, also creating a better illusion of depth and layering. With the 252 the staging, while not bad is flatter, less voluminous, I'd put that down to the 400 being cleaner with better resolve.
Quite obvious on this Braxton recording.
https://tidal.com/browse/album/282605362?u

 

[Svperstar]

Now I'm in this club too

I'd like to try those but I'm pretty content with my current setup just patiently waiting on the CRBN2 upgrade program to begin.

 

[ericj]

SRA-3S question.

I assume that the trimpots on the driver board are for biasing up the tubes?

Does anyone know the procedure? I'm hoping the trimpots are ok, there is some corrosion on their metal parts and they are an oddball value (7k) that doesn't seem to exist anymore. Looks like i can buy some NOS 6.8k from someone in bulgaria . . . (Edit: *smackforehead* they are 1k. will go through my many horizontal trimpots and see if i have spares)

Finished replacing electrolytics. went ok mostly.

 

[TheAbyss2022]

Thank you to @icnaiwhimor1975 for this 71xxx 007.

I will give them a listen later tonight and compare them to my 70xxx pair with MK2 pads.

 

[number1sixerfan]

Thank you to @icnaiwhimor1975 for this 71xxx 007.

I will give them a listen later tonight and compare them to my 70xxx pair with MK2 pads.

​

It's great to see a lot more of these comparisons happening. And people lending out demos (or did you buy them? lol) so more people can hear them. Much credit to @Chefguru, @padam and others helping to shed light on the various models.

Also, I really wonder what the next big thing is for Stax. Would love to see a flagship that blends the best of both worlds of the 009 and 007, or at least a Stax model that has a more traditional forward and less spaced out sound as in the x9000 (which I still think is an awesome flagship overall).