The Stax Thread III

[Ali-Pacha]

You mean Sigma NB, right ? 120 € is a steal, indeed.

Ali

 

[davidsh]

You mean Sigma NB, right ? 120 € is a steal, indeed.


Ali

Of course, that one slipped.

 

[Hun7er]

davidsh : you prefer Sigma normal bias than pro bias ?

 

[davidsh]

davidsh : you prefer Sigma normal bias than pro bias ?

Never tried pro bias, sorry.

 

[padam]

  davidsh : you prefer Sigma normal bias than pro bias ?

 
The are more similar than different the Pro is slightly more extended and a bit better behaved at the bass. They are really "love or hate" kind of headphones, sadly, in the end I ended up in the latter camp.
As the internal damping material starts to age the sound may change, at one time I had two NB Sigmas, one like new and one in good condition and the mint one sounded better.

Personally, I think the soundstage "problem" is a bit overrated, if something is really well recorded and mixed (there are some limitations here) it will have a very good natural soundstage and no real "muddiness" in the imaging.
Or is somebody is really into speaker-like presentation, the Realiser A8 is incomparably superior to the Sigmas (or AKG K1000s) in my opinion. Although, admittedly, this system is more expensive and has its own limitations/quirks as well.

 

[antonyfirst]

I must say I prefer the Lambda Normal bias to the Lambda Nova Signature. The LNS are fuller and have a better overall tonality, but lose out in treble extension, resolution, transparency, and have slightly better midrange.
The Lambda like a warm, analoguish source behind them (Museatex, Audionote, Metrum, Eximus, AMR, etcetera) in order to shine, but at that point they have far higher potential than the LNS, which are blurrier in comparison.

 

[Moonhead]

Guys.. Anyone tried comparing Stax 007 MKI vs HD800.

I Guess details are more obvious with HD800, but which is most forgiving with bad Masters ?

I have owned HD800, Never tried 007.

I know the a very different, but thinking of down scaling to either of em.

 

[padam]

Guys.. Anyone tried comparing Stax 007 MKI vs HD800.

I Guess details are more obvious with HD800, but which is most forgiving with bad Masters ?

I have owned HD800, Never tried 007.

I know the a very different, but thinking of down scaling to either of em.

The SR007s are more forgiving, not necessarily because they are darker but because they present details in a more subtle way. Source is also a big factor.
They are very diferrent to the HD800s, but if you don't like them, re-selling shouldn't be too hard.

 

[Moonhead]

Cheers Padam.. 
 
I might just get some 007 then  

 

[mulveling]

Guys.. Anyone tried comparing Stax 007 MKI vs HD800.

I Guess details are more obvious with HD800, but which is most forgiving with bad Masters ?

I have owned HD800, Never tried 007.

I know the a very different, but thinking of down scaling to either of em.

I don't like the HD800 all that much; I find it bright in the wrong ways and generally presenting obstacles to my enjoyment of music. These can be mitigated somewhat with amp pairings, but I like them best with amps that significantly change their natural signature (yes I've heard them with GS-X Mk 2), which is of course a slippery slope.
 
I really love the 007 Mk I, but only with the right amp paring, which is even more tricky than with the HD800. With the right amp, it can beautifully walk the line between forgiving and detailed. The BHSE or a DIY T2 will make it sing, obviously. A KGSShv can get me quite close to that as well -- but here slight tonal differences between builds can have a large overall impact on my enjoyment of the 007 Mk I (unlike with the 009, here you don't want one with a sense of sweetness or warmth). The 007 Mk I are way darker than HD800, and if you pair it with a warm or underpowered amp it will sound dull and basically unenjoyable. In fact below a KGSShv I'd probably rather give the HD800 a go. I've heard the 007 with a Stax 727 and it was awful beyond words...I'd rather listen to Apple's ear pods.
 
Now the SR-009 is an example of a "bright" phone that doesn't bother me in the typical bright ways...and it's a bit more forgiving of amp, though you'll still want at least a nice KGSS (it's VERY mediocre when paired with an un-modded 727), and here's where a slightly warm/sweet amp voicing makes for a great pairing. The SR-009 has been my choice of headphone for the last few months, and will remain so until I get an amp better optimized for the 007 Mk I again -- at which point I'll probably go to a 50/50 split between them. I've heard the HD800 a number of times now on nice gear, and if I liked them enough I'd have already bought a pair.

 

[Moonhead]

Thanks for chiming in, Guys.
 
Well I have a KGSSHV right now.. 
 
009 plays multiple genres better than HD800, but again I never listen to 007. 
 
To me cymbals doesn't sound right on 009, actually better on HD800, maybe 007 will be perfect! 

 

[paradoxper]

I think Mulveling pretty much covered it. I will say though I enjoyed the mk 1 and HV much more than anything I've heard from the HD800. I also feel the mk 1 pulls more detail out of a recording, it just doesn't do it in a in your face way. For dynamics the HD800 has impressive technical ability, but compared to Stax I just don't think it compares at all.
 
With the 009 being so revealing and a bit bright, I think your source will play an important role. So before you decide it's the 009 consider trying some other sources.

 

[negura]

Guys.. Anyone tried comparing Stax 007 MKI vs HD800.

I Guess details are more obvious with HD800, but which is most forgiving with bad Masters ?

I have owned HD800, Never tried 007.

I know the a very different, but thinking of down scaling to either of em.

 
The 007 MKIs are directly responsible for me selling my HD800s and that was on a SET tube amplifier (very close to neutral sound signature and actually quite solid state sounding) + Woo Wee. This was in part because the 007s were much more enjoyable headphones and I didn't have to work hard to "please" the headphones to be able to enjoy them. That said on the KGSSHV I have at the moment, the 007s have scaled tremendously, to a point were sometimes they are very close to the 009s. Sometimes.
 
Oh btw - I thought the KGST drives them very nicely too and it may be cheaper.

 

[Moonhead]

Thanks Guys, your input is much appreciated. 
 
Seems lige the differences between 007 and 009 and quite subtle! 

 

[gepardcv]

 
Seems lige the differences between 007 and 009 and quite subtle! 

 
Not subtle at all, in my opinion. I've compared them on a KGSSHV and on a BHSE. They don't sound similar at all. The HD800 is closer to the 009, but not quite at the same level. The 007 is quite dark compared to the 009. Comparing the two side-by-side isn't even fair to the 007, as it sounds downright muffled.