The Stax Thread III

[Rhamnetin]

Well, none of those are very intimidating that's for sure.  The original Stax one, and DIY ones that strongly resemble it, look very intimidating, like they'd run me over easily.

 

[Music Alchemist]

  Well, none of those are very intimidating that's for sure.  The original Stax one, and DIY ones that strongly resemble it, look very intimidating, like they'd run me over easily.

 
I see your point there...but still, I just want to caress it.
 

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

 
I don't recall if you saw this post about an eBay listing of an original T2 + SR-Omega for like $20K:
 

That T2 is blown way out of normal price. That's the very same one that sold on yahoo!japan for less than $3500 earlier this year. The guy is flipping it for crazy money. There's been three or four original omegas sold there this year for $2000 and less too.

 

[joseph69]

All this talk about amps, I received my KGSSHV this afternoon and temporarily just finished setting it up in my system so I could finally listen to my 009 tonight until my BHSE arrives. I can't wait to listen to the 009 for a sufficient amount of time (burn-in) and get used to they sound-signature before posting my impressions. 

 

 

[PATB]

  All this talk about amps, I received my KGSSHV this afternoon and temporarily just finished setting it up in my system so I could finally listen to my 009 tonight until my BHSE arrives. I can't wait to listen to the 009 for a sufficient amount of time (burn-in) and get used to they sound-signature before posting my impressions. 

 

I did not notice any burn-in in the three months I have been using my SR-009.  Oh, and your Grados will sound VERY DIFFERENT after listening to the SR-009 exclusively for a week

.

 

[mulveling]

 
I did not notice any burn-in in the three months I have been using my SR-009.  Oh, and your Grados will sound VERY DIFFERENT after listening to the SR-009 exclusively for a week

.

Yep and yep. 009 sounded amazing right out of the box. And just lol at grados 

 

[Rhamnetin]

 
I did not notice any burn-in in the three months I have been using my SR-009.  Oh, and your Grados will sound VERY DIFFERENT after listening to the SR-009 exclusively for a week

.

 
Hmm, maybe Stax or certain retailers burn them in.  And lol, I can only imagine how much different other headphones will sound after listening to the SR-009 exclusively for a week.

 

[mulveling]

   
Hmm, maybe Stax or certain retailers burn them in.  And lol, I can only imagine how much different other headphones will sound after listening to the SR-009 exclusively for a week.

Back when there was a big hubbub about the driver imbalance issue, I believe it was mentioned that Stax runs in new headphones for 150 hours and then re-tests before sending them out -- and I think it was said that hour total was an increase in response to the imbalance issue (which seems to develop in the first week or two of use). The imbalance issue does seem to still occur, which is unfortunate and at least a bit concerning, but for what it's worth Stax does seem to have excellent quality control. I've heard 3 different 009's and all have had absolutely PERFECT L/R balance -- I mean this must be matching within to 0.1dB -- which is not a level of consistency and precision you can count on with the vast majority of transducer manufacturers.

 

[Music Alchemist]

  Back when there was a big hubbub about the driver imbalance issue, I believe it was mentioned that Stax runs in new headphones for 150 hours and then re-tests before sending them out -- and I think it was said that hour total was an increase in response to the imbalance issue (which seems to develop in the first week or two of use). The imbalance issue does seem to still occur, which is unfortunate and at least a bit concerning, but for what it's worth Stax does seem to have excellent quality control. I've heard 3 different 009's and all have had absolutely PERFECT L/R balance -- I mean this must be matching within to 0.1dB -- which is not a level of consistency and precision you can count on with the vast majority of transducer manufacturers.

 
Which reminds me...those dual volume knobs on some of their amps could have been developed with this issue in mind. Although I've researched the whole imbalance thing for hours, I still never got a grasp of what is really going on, how prevalent it is, which models are affected, etc.

 

[Pale Rider]

  FYI, Elusivedisc.com is having a 12% off everything sale till Halloween.   I called and was told the new Stax stuff is included.  
 
Time to pre-order that SR-L700 and 353X?  

This may have been covered already, but ordering on the website and using the 12% discount code produces no discount on the L700 or the 323 amp. It does produce a discount on the wooden stand. A phone call might be necessary, but the email announcing the discount contains this disclaimer: "Some equipment not eligible for discount, please call for details: 1-800-782-3472."

 

[Jodet]

 
This may have been covered already, but ordering on the website and using the 12% discount code produces no discount on the L700 or the 323 amp. It does produce a discount on the wooden stand. A phone call might be necessary.

 
Ask for Jason.  

 

[lojay]

 
I'm I the only one who thinks the HD800 has defused imaging?  IMO there's no way the HD800 image better than the 009s.  
 
Fuzzier around the edges?  I haven't heard the T2, It sounds like it does some things not as good as the BHSE.  On the BHSE the 009s don't have a black background.  They have no background on that amp - they get out off the way better than any other headphone I've heard.
 
I notice a granier sound on the HD800 while the 009s are as transparent as transparent can get.  
 
I really need to hear the T2.  Is it a hybrid amp or a full blown tube amp?  

 
I think you are probably one of the few who think the HD800 images worse than the SR009. I think you've read David Mahler's 58 flagship review and Tyll's reviews on Innerfidelity. The mods help focus the imaging too.
 
About fuzzy edges, perhaps I am misunderstood for saying that the SR009 has fuzzy edges. It is still more precise than say the HE1000. With the DIY T2 the precision and clarity of the SR009 is the best I have ever heard with these headphones. It is just that in comparison with the HD800, the HD800 delineates multiple instruments playing in unison or harmony, like mass strings in orchestral works, clearer and with pinpoint accuracy. But the SR009 resolves inner details and "air" better than the HD800, for sure. It also does front-back layering between instruments with more precision.
 
Apart from orchestral works, I prefer the SR009 / T2 over the HD800 on almost everything else. You are right on the granier sound - even when modded, the HD800s will never be as effortless and free of grain as the 009. 
 
I've not heard the BHSE, but I genuinely cannot see how the SR009 can get better than this. I cannot fault anything with the amp.

 

[joseph69]

  I did not notice any burn-in in the three months I have been using my SR-009.  Oh, and your Grados will sound VERY DIFFERENT after listening to the SR-009 exclusively for a week

.

I just started listening, and if these need burn-in I can't even imagine how they would sound afterwards!
I started out listening to some Barbra Streisand, and for the first time eve I heard her inhale through her nose…literally!
I usually always go back to my Grados after listening to a new/different HP…this gives me a much better evaluation of each.

  Yep and yep. 009 sounded amazing right out of the box. And just lol at grados 

Yes, they do to my surprise…I would have thought all HP's would need burn-in but as @mulvelinghas mentioned about Stax
burning-in their HP's before releasing them to make sure there are no issues makes total sense as to why they sound so good right out of the box.

 

[Rhamnetin]

  With the DIY T2 the precision and clarity of the SR009 is the best I have ever heard with these headphones. It is just that in comparison with the HD800, the HD800 delineates multiple instruments playing in unison or harmony, like mass strings in orchestral works, clearer and with pinpoint accuracy. But the SR009 resolves inner details and "air" better than the HD800, for sure. It also does front-back layering between instruments with more precision.

 
Sounds like you're describing imaging, particularly L-R imaging where the HD 800 is probably #1 of all time.

 

[lojay]

  ....
I understand that you want to keep certain details secret, such as the builder, but would you be willing to reveal how much it cost and how long it took to build?
 
This is one of the most desirable electrostatic amps, and according to some people, it's even harder, longer, and more expensive to get one nowadays. I tracked down a list of DIY T2 owners and was planning on networking with them once I'm ready for one. One guy told me only a few people in the world would be able to build it now. I do know another guy who is building one for himself. It's taking him years, but he's lazy. haha
 
 
Can you go into more detail about what you dislike about metal with the SR-009? (Although I listen to nearly everything, I listen to a lot of metal. I adored the SR-207 and SR-30 with all genres, including metal, and had serious problems with the HD 800...though, as covered earlier, this was likely due to using a stock HD 800 on solid-state amps and DACs. I bet the new HD 800S will be more pleasing in stock form, since they mentioned that the peakiness in the frequency response has been improved upon. But since I've lost interest in non-electrostats for the most part, I'm not sure whether I would ever bother building dynamic and planar magnetic summit-fi systems just for the sake of certain aspects of sound.)

 
While I would not like to disclose the price I paid, I can say that the DIY T2 is very expensive, much more than the BHSE, even if you get hold of someone to build it.  
 
Listening to In Flames right now. The SR009/T2 does the melodic parts better but when the electric guitars start playing, while they play very fast and nothing is lost in the detail, it lacks the visceral impact of say the HE6. The slightly tipped up treble makes it sound quite fatiguing as well, but some may well like this sort of sound. 

 

[lojay]

   
Sounds like you're describing imaging, particularly L-R imaging where the HD 800 is probably #1 of all time.

 
Correct... but the SR-009 takes the cake for front back imaging