[HemiSam]

"bass wallop".  Wow.  that's the first time I've seen that posted referencing the 009's.  Interesting...
 
HS

 

[Ali-Pacha]

Wallop may be kind of exagerative compared to badass orthos, but yes, there's something special for a Stax about the bass punch / tightness of the SR-009...and I believe Stax did communicate about this achievment
007 may be the most bassy Stax, but slower and softer in this area.
 
2 cents / YMMV

Ali

 

[HemiSam]

I was headed towards a 007 once I receive my amp as I like a warmer sound sig and a bit more bass.  I don't need clinical highs.  If the 009 was that meaty on the low end, then I wouldl likely rethink that choice.  I believe I'm back on track now....
 
HS

 

[s1rrah]

Could anyone here that has heard both, please comment on the perceived differences between the Stax SRM-600LE and the Stax SRM-007TII amplifiers?
 
I've recently had a chance to demo a SRM-600LE amplifier and really enjoyed it; coming from a 323S, I found the 600LE to be far more musical, more lush and with much better bass and easier, sweeter highs ... while also being very detailed and retaining a really great mid range. With my 404LE headphones, I vastly preferred the 600LE over the 323S.
 
I've had to give the 600LE back for various reasons and am currently looking for another one but they are slim pickings at best ...
 
And so I've been considering the 007tii amplifier as it's so readily available ...
 
Any comments regarding the sound of these two Stax tube amps?
 
thanks,
Joel 

 

[Ali-Pacha]

  I was headed towards a 007 once I receive my amp as I like a warmer sound sig and a bit more bass.  I don't need clinical highs.  If the 009 was that meaty on the low end, then I wouldl likely rethink that choice.  I believe I'm back on track now....
 
HS

I don't think "clinical" is the right word when speaking of Stax. You may dislike the FR, the lack of bass slam (specifically around 80-100 hz), but "clinical" sounds like unforgiving dynamic cans with mediocre amplification. HD800 come to mind, but some AKG (K812) and Beyerdynamic (T1) may be part of this. Even with the brighter Stax (Lambda Signature ?), highs are sweet and never irritating.
 
Yes, SR-009 is brighter than SR-007, but the latter has something peaky around 10-12 khz that allows them excellent detail retrieval...they sound like "super HD600" to me. Maybe too polite with dynamics and kind of veiled in the (high)mids, but they are kings of long listening sessions.

Ali

 

[negura]

  I don't think "clinical" is the right word when speaking of Stax. You may dislike the FR, the lack of bass slam (specifically around 80-100 hz), but "clinical" sounds like unforgiving dynamic cans with mediocre amplification. HD800 come to mind, but some AKG (K812) and Beyerdynamic (T1) may be part of this. Even with the brighter Stax (Lambda Signature ?), highs are sweet and never irritating.
 
Yes, SR-009 is brighter than SR-007, but the latter has something peaky around 10-12 khz that allows them excellent detail retrieval...they sound like "super HD600" to me. Maybe too polite with dynamics and kind of veiled in the (high)mids, but they are kings of long listening sessions.

Ali

 
Exactly this. On the KGSSHV the 009s treble is amongst the most detailed and as inoffensive as the new Audeze. Which is quite a feat for Stax considering how much more detailed the treble is.

 

[HemiSam]

  I don't think "clinical" is the right word when speaking of Stax. You may dislike the FR, the lack of bass slam (specifically around 80-100 hz), but "clinical" sounds like unforgiving dynamic cans with mediocre amplification. HD800 come to mind, but some AKG (K812) and Beyerdynamic (T1) may be part of this. Even with the brighter Stax (Lambda Signature ?), highs are sweet and never irritating.
 
Yes, SR-009 is brighter than SR-007, but the latter has something peaky around 10-12 khz that allows them excellent detail retrieval...they sound like "super HD600" to me. Maybe too polite with dynamics and kind of veiled in the (high)mids, but they are kings of long listening sessions.

Ali

 
Communicating via a forum is tough at best, so I'll take your point.  It was an attempt at characterizing a lot of neutral detail in the upper range and perhaps a bit too much up top for me, personally.  I don't mind a bit of roll-off way up top as long as there's a good/reasonable level of detail.  I'm older now and sadly it came with age and/or my hobbies.  I couldn't live with something like HD800's...that's not even a start for this camper.  That much I've learned. 
 
HS

 

[mulveling]

  "bass wallop".  Wow.  that's the first time I've seen that posted referencing the 009's.  Interesting...
 
HS

 
Check out Tyll's "Comparing World-Class Headphones" review on inner-fidelity. On SR-009 Bass Slam, he writes: "Holy moly! These hit amazingly hard. Yes, the lowest two octaves are a bit shelved down, but my goodness they rock!"
 

   
Communicating via a forum is tough at best, so I'll take your point.  It was an attempt at characterizing a lot of neutral detail in the upper range and perhaps a bit too much up top for me, personally.  I don't mind a bit of roll-off way up top as long as there's a good/reasonable level of detail.  I'm older now and sadly it came with age and/or my hobbies.  I couldn't live with something like HD800's...that's not even a start for this camper.  That much I've learned. 
 
HS

 
Though many/most might consider the HD800 and SR-009 to be similar in signature and quality, to me they're worlds apart. I would be very unhappy if forced to live with the HD800. I don't like them. The SR-009 are my favorite headphones, and that's including consideration of Orpheus, R10, Qualia 010 (which I do still admire), L3000 (which I still like), K1000, HP-1000, SR-007, etc. Sure the 009 has raised upper mids that give its slightly bright flavor, but its treble is perfectly smooth and non-fatiguing. The midrange is gorgeous. And the bass, I think, is close to as perfect as can be achieved in headphones. Whenever I attempt to listen to HD800, I'll only last more than a minute with a warm amp, and inevitably I'll end up thinking "gosh, I wonder if an even warmer amp could make these sound almost bearable". However, I've enjoyed the 009 with a range of amplifiers from warm, to neutral, to even slightly bright.
 
Still, you may find them not to your liking. But I'm sure there are more example of folks like me that hate the HD800 and love the SR-009.

 

[negura]

It's exactly why I sold the HD800s. There was little reason I wanted to carry on with crazy system matching and modding to "fix" it's treble and bass flaws, when the Stax SR009s are around and not only show how treble should be done, in such an effortless way, but were actually better in bass slam than the HD800s too. Not to mention the mids. The HD800s have bigger stage width but the letterbox sound stage format that doesn't scale down well, didn't tickle my fancy in the same way as it seems to work for others. That soundstage does work well with some music though.

 

[purk]

   
Check out Tyll's "Comparing World-Class Headphones" review on inner-fidelity. On SR-009 Bass Slam, he writes: "Holy moly! These hit amazingly hard. Yes, the lowest two octaves are a bit shelved down, but my goodness they rock!"
 
 
Though many/most might consider the HD800 and SR-009 to be similar in signature and quality, to me they're worlds apart. I would be very unhappy if forced to live with the HD800. I don't like them. The SR-009 are my favorite headphones, and that's including consideration of Orpheus, R10, Qualia 010 (which I do still admire), L3000 (which I still like), K1000, HP-1000, SR-007, etc. Sure the 009 has raised upper mids that give its slightly bright flavor, but its treble is perfectly smooth and non-fatiguing. The midrange is gorgeous. And the bass, I think, is close to as perfect as can be achieved in headphones. Whenever I attempt to listen to HD800, I'll only last more than a minute with a warm amp, and inevitably I'll end up thinking "gosh, I wonder if an even warmer amp could make these sound almost bearable". However, I've enjoyed the 009 with a range of amplifiers from warm, to neutral, to even slightly bright.
 
Still, you may find them not to your liking. But I'm sure there are more example of folks like me that hate the HD800 and love the SR-009.

I think you will like the HD800 a good bit better out of the Balanced Super Symmetry Dynahi.  Unlike you Mike, I do like the HD800 a great deal (of course I also find the SR009 to be more superior).  We usually agree on anything headphones wise but the HD-800 is where we differ the most.  You always find them unbearable while I always think highly of them given their price tag.  They also do work really well with my kind of music.  Heavy & hard rocks are hardly on the HD-800's repertiore.

 

[edstrelow]

I have not been too enthusiastic about the 009 based on the complaints about its high frequency response, the recurring complaints about reliability and then, of course, the price.  This and the fact that I am sending rather large monthly cash transfusions to 2 girls who are in college in the Bay Area. 
 
So I hope to have a good listen to the 009 at the March Canjam.  Possibly someone will let me put  self-stick sorbothane on the earcup 009 earcups. While I have generally been putting it closer to the drivers on my other Stax phones, you can usually hear an effect sticking it just about anywhere.  For the 007, that even means the metal headband arcs. I would predict a slight increase in bass and a reduction in treble harshness even from  small strips of sorb.
 
So far, as I have noted in my thread, I have been happiest with the sound of my LNS  and 404 Lambdas, treated with sorb, to the point that I preferred them to the untreated  007. Although finally I have what I think is a good 007 sorb mod which surpasses the treated Lambdas.
 
I should have these on display at Canjam.

 

[dripf]

   
Any comments regarding the sound of these two Stax tube amps?
 
thanks,
Joel 

 
Now if only someone had a wide range of Stax amps that they could loan to someone like Tyll. Tyll could produce a chart recording the FR variation of all these amps relative to the KGSSRE at 90, 100 and 106 dB. It'd make an interesting article.

 

[barid]

So what are the current thoughts on the SRM-727II (with feedback mod done).  Anyone have any opinions of how it compares to the old KGSS (not the HV) with an old lambda pro, 007mk1, or 009?  I know it's not regarded well vs the newer KGSSHV etc.
 
Used to have a KGSS but sold it to fund some other gear a while back.  I see a lot of nice KGSSHV's on the For Sale board now, but I don't know if I'm ready to swing the price tag for one of those at the moment. 
 
Mainly wondering if it would be a significant step up/down vs my old KGSS.

 

[n3rdling]

   
Now if only someone had a wide range of Stax amps that they could loan to someone like Tyll. Tyll could produce a chart recording the FR variation of all these amps relative to the KGSSRE at 90, 100 and 106 dB. It'd make an interesting article.

 
I highly doubt you'd see any FR variation in the audible band between any of these amps.  They should all measure flat in FR.
 
barid, I think you'll like the modded 727.  It should be really similar to the KGSS but smaller and more convenient in most cases.

 

[theboch]

  I have not been too enthusiastic about the 009 based on the complaints about its high frequency response, the recurring complaints about reliability and then, of course, the price.  This and the fact that I am sending rather large monthly cash transfusions to 2 girls who are in college in the Bay Area. 
 
So I hope to have a good listen to the 009 at the March Canjam.  Possibly someone will let me put  self-stick sorbothane on the earcup 009 earcups. While I have generally been putting it closer to the drivers on my other Stax phones, you can usually hear an effect sticking it just about anywhere.  For the 007, that even means the metal headband arcs. I would predict a slight increase in bass and a reduction in treble harshness even from  small strips of sorb.
 
So far, as I have noted in my thread, I have been happiest with the sound of my LNS  and 404 Lambdas, treated with sorb, to the point that I preferred them to the untreated  007. Although finally I have what I think is a good 007 sorb mod which surpasses the treated Lambdas.
 
I should have these on display at Canjam.

 
I have the SR-009 with a KGST amp.
 
I had the HD-800 and the LCD-2.
 
All I can say is that the SR-009 with the KGST does not have a problem with high frequency or missing bass (in my opinion).
 
They just sound right. Every frequency area seems to be just right... nothing overly accentuated!
 
While I loved the HD-800, the SR-009 is just overall the better headphone and for me personally more suitable and versatile.
 
The LCD-2's are also great, but their kind of coloration of the sound ist just too much for my taste.