[rgs9200m]

I'm just speculating, but now that the Carbon has growing availability there may be some good deals on KGSS-HVs in the near future as people upgrade. If I was looking for a tight-budget solution, I would keep my eyes open. That's how I got my KGSS-HV from a user I think was heading in that direction. Don't settle. Get a genuine KGSS-HV. Now that I have it, I don't feel the need for anything better. As I see it, you are much better off diverting resources to your DAC, which is all-important with something as revealing as an SR009. The 009 lets you hear every DAC quality like a microscope.

 

[Music Alchemist]

  I'm just speculating, but now that the Carbon has growing availability there may be some good deals on KGSS-HVs in the near future as people upgrade. If I was looking for a tight-budget solution, I would keep my eyes open. That's how I got my KGSS-HV from a user I think was heading in that direction. Don't settle. Get a genuine KGSS-HV. Now that I have it, I don't feel the need for anything better.

 
How much was the cheapest KGSSHV you've seen on the used market in the past?
 
P.S. Looks like you haven't updated your profile in a long time. I've read so many of your posts talking about having all this stuff, yet most of it isn't listed on your profile.

 

[rgs9200m]

Nah, my profile is old. If you start making offers, I think you can get in under $2400 for a full size, or even lower for a mini, which is a great amp. I changed a lot. I started with a Lambda Nova phone / Stax T1W amp back in 1998,
then, for 8 years, SR007s w/ 007t amps (both versions) and tried a 727 amp for a short time, then an SR009 w/ the 007t/ii amp. I upgraded to more expensive tubes in the amp.
I finally got the SR009 w/a KGSS-HV mini (400v version w/single-ended and balanced inputs) and now I'm happy and done. The DAC is from the EMM folks.
I fooled around w/Stax amps way too long because I was stupid. Please learn from my mistakes and don't mess around with the Stax amps, modded, cheap, combo deals or whatever.
It'll just lead to heartache and thrashing.
But I would not wait too long to get one from Spritzer because he's the most reliable source and who knows when he'll get tired of doing this.

 

[Music Alchemist]

Here's a question for those of you who like the SR-007 more than the SR-009: Do you listen to extreme metal and electronic music? If so, please elaborate on what you like more about the SR-007 with these genres.
 

  Nah, my profile is old. If you start making offers, I think you can get in under $2400 for a full size, or even lower for a mini, which is a great amp. I changed a lot. I started with a Lambda Nova phone / Stax T1W amp back in 1998,
then, for 8 years, SR007s w/ 007t amps (both versions) and tried a 727 amp for a short time, then an SR009 w/ the 007t/ii amp. I upgraded to more expensive tubes in the amp.
I finally got the SR009 w/a KGSS-HV mini (400v version w/single-ended and balanced inputs) and now I'm happy and done. The DAC is from the EMM folks.
I fooled around w/Stax amps way too long because I was stupid. Please learn from my mistakes and don't mess around with the Stax amps, modded, cheap, combo deals or whatever.
It'll just lead to heartache and thrashing.
But I would not wait too long to get one from Spritzer because he's the most reliable source and who knows when he'll get tired of doing this.

 
Intriguing story! So did you ever try the SR-007 on some of the best amps?
 
Ehh...I'm kind of...blacklisted by him. (Don't ask.)

 

[VGoghs earfrmsc]

Come on folks, do you have to be so sober and patient?  theres two new stax HPs coming out in 48 hours and hardly any sp[eculation or hopes written about them.  See Fiio x7 or Chord Mojo, to see the other extreme.
Doesn't anyone care or look forward to their outcoming. How about some informed guessing re there sound signature, or thoughts about materials, anything please.

 

[Music Alchemist]

  Come on folks, do you have to be so sober and patient?  theres two new stax HPs coming out in 48 hours and hardly any sp[eculation or hopes written about them.  See Fiio x7 or Chord Mojo, to see the other extreme.
Doesn't anyone care or look forward to their outcoming. How about some informed guessing re there sound signature, or thoughts about materials, anything please.

 
The new STAX headphones have been discussed here. Do you not keep up with the thread? I also shared some authentic info (not guessing) pertaining to the sound and construction.
 
Anyway, many owners of the SR-009 and/or SR-007 don't really care about the lower-end models.

 

[Ali-Pacha]

I own both 007mk1 and 009 (and Lambda Sig, and SR-X/mk3 Pro...and so on...).
Out of modded SRM-727II, I do prefer 009 by a very large margin. The only "drawback" of 009 are bass quantity. Altough bass slam and quality are way above on 009 IME.
007mk1 are somehow dull sounding "out of the box", you want to kick them in the ass in order to get some real dynamic. I think that's why BHSE does exist 

 On the other hand, they are very relaxing, maybe better on very long listening sessions. But I like my music with energy...considering some HD800 in the future.
 
Sensitivity and dynamics are also two different stories IMO. To picture it :
- Sigma Pro and 007mk1 have the same sensitivity, but the latter has less slam on "regular" amps (and that includes modded SRM-727II)
- Lambdas (for instance Lambda Signature) and SR-009 have the same sensitivity, but even if the latter is far more dynamic than 007mk1, you do feel they need a strong amp to really shine on dynamics. Lambda Signature out of a regular amp have more dynamics than 009
 
2 cents, YMMV, and so on.
 
Ali

 

[Music Alchemist]

  I own both 007mk1 and 009 (and Lambda Sig, and SR-X/mk3 Pro...and so on...).
Out of modded SRM-727II, I do prefer 009 by a very large margin. The only "drawback" of 009 are bass quantity. Altough bass slam and quality are way above on 009 IME.
007mk1 are somehow dull sounding "out of the box", you want to kick them in the ass in order to get some real dynamic. I think that's why BHSE does exist 

 On the other hand, they are very relaxing, maybe better on very long listening sessions. But I like my music with energy...considering some HD800 in the future.

 
That's the main thing that concerns me with the SR-007. I don't want it to be too laid-back, smooth, warm, polite, boring, etc. And some people do describe it that way. But I looooved the SR-207, which is merely an entry-level model, so perhaps the SR-007 would be plenty exciting for me. (I favor accuracy above all else. I don't want my ideal headphones to be too exciting or too boring.) I'm definitely getting both it and the SR-009; just brainstorming whether it may be a better move to get the SR-007 + better amp first rather than the SR-009 + lesser amp.

 

[HemiSam]

So much drivel on here.  Any way to block someone's posts to keep this thread interesting?
 
HS

 

[Music Alchemist]

  So much drivel on here.  Any way to block someone's posts to keep this thread interesting?

 
Go to profile and click block member. ^‿^
 
(But I have seen no drivel...)

 

[HemiSam]

   
Go to profile and click block member. ^‿^
 
(But I have seen no drivel...)

 
Thank goodness.  A useful post.
 
(can't imagine why...)
 
 

 
HS

 

[Music Alchemist]

  Thank goodness.  A useful post.
 
(can't imagine why...)
 

 
HS

 
ehehe. Seems I define drivel as "stuff that is false and nonsensical" while you define it as "stuff I don't like."

 

[rgs9200m]

A few years ago I went to the Axpona show and Woo Audio had the big stat amp (the Wes) with an A/B comparison setup with the SR007 and the SR009. This was the first time I heard an 009.
I was able to go back and forth for some time, adjusting volume as I wanted.
The 007 was quite nice, but I kept feeling I liked my own LCD3 at home better, as it was more vibrant with better fleshed out images. But the 009 was a different story. It sounded darn real, not like a "better 007",
but like something I had never heard before. But it was sort of bright in the upper mids on this amp. Anyway, based on this, I ended up getting an 009 and with now with the KG amp there is basically no brightness or fatigue.
I did however feel the SR007 was more comfortable with its cushy ear pads, and I miss that with the more basic formation of the 009.
All this for what it's worth to the reader, just my impressions.

 

[Music Alchemist]

  A few years ago I went to the Axpona show and Woo Audio had the big stat amp (the Wes) with an A/B comparison setup with the SR007 and the SR009. This was the first time I heard an 009.
I was able to go back and forth for some time, adjusting volume as I wanted.
The 007 was quite nice, but I kept feeling I liked my own LCD3 at home better, as it was more vibrant with better fleshed out images. But the 009 was a different story. It sounded darn real, not like a "better 007",
but like something I had never heard before. But it was sort of bright in the upper mids on this amp. Anyway, based on this, I ended up getting an 009 and with now with the KG amp there is basically no brightness or fatigue.
I did however feel the SR007 was more comfortable with its cushy ear pads, and I miss that with the more basic formation of the 009.
All this for what it's worth to the reader, just my impressions.

 
It's so interesting how people feel that one sounds much more realistic than the other, with opinions going both ways. At the moment I'm re-reading through this and this review by Asr, for the SR-009 vs SR-007 and KGSS vs BHSE.

 

[Tinkerer]

  Here's a question for those of you who like the SR-007 more than the SR-009: Do you listen to extreme metal and electronic music? If so, please elaborate on what you like more about the SR-007 with these genres.
 

 
SR-007 has slightly better bass which is nice in power metal, especially when the step around 60hz is fixed in an equalizer. My real problem is I can tell you what I like about it but not compare it to the SR-009 well.
 
But metal is notoriously poorly mastered. I remember the first time I noticed some random burst of static in a track was with my old rebuilt ESP-6's, my very first electrostatic headphones. I spent several hours rechecking all my work and getting a rip of the CD I was listening to. It was the music itself. You'll also notice a lot of crappy copypaste blaats and blobby whumps from poorly recorded brass and drums in all sorts of non-orchestral stuff too for some reason. And don't forget the overdriven tube crunch of some guitars. Definitely makes you get a couple of reference tracks after that to listen to and see what your system is doing vs. the recording.