[negura]

  Welp, my life is finally settling down a bit, and Ive gotten to do some longer/more serious listening with the KGSSHV and 009s. Been listening to the new Lady Gaga cd ARTPOP all evening since it just came out. And like I knew these things had bass, but holy cow, can they pound some bass when they are called upon to do so.

 
This. I remember before I first heard the SR-009s I had the complete wrong expectation in regards to their bass, by reading forums.  Unlike some other headphones (not necessarily Stax) what you do NOT get is a gratuitous bass presence in the signature when NOT part of the recording. Which is exactly as it should be.
 
You could also try Prodigy - Smack My Bitch Up or pretty much anything by Infected Mushrooms. That is some mean mean bass.

 

[3X0]

HE90, SR-009, SR-007, SR-Omega

I'm curious to know how the SR-Omega compares to the SR-009. I've read plenty of SR-Omega vs. SR-007 impressions as well as plenty of SR-007 vs. SR-009 impressions, but very few direct comparisons of the two spoked/cartwheeled Omegas.

 

[padam]

I'm curious to know how the SR-Omega compares to the SR-009. I've read plenty of SR-Omega vs. SR-007 impressions as well as plenty of SR-007 vs. SR-009 impressions, but very few direct comparisons of the two spoked/cartwheeled Omegas.

If we look at the whole sound, the SR-Omega may feel a bit more balanced in a way that is does not have a slightly "glossy" character like the SR009 exhibits, but not dark like the SR007 either. So in theory it sounds perfect, being in between the two, but also being a Stax with a big circular driver it is insanely resolving, beyond what the lesser models are capable of.
However, the midrange does not feel quite as well "corrected" as the SR009 there is a slightly dip somewhere which I found to be distracting with vocals.
I found the SR-Lambda to be better in that regard (not changing the tone, similar to SR009) Maybe it is amp dependent as well as I did not hear a T2 or BHSE which should probably be the weapon of choice for these.
Also the soundstage is absolutely huge but to the point where I felt being too wide with the imaging being a bit fuzzy compared to the SR009 and deep bass is not as well defined.
So I would say that the SR009 is better. The fit is similar between the two, but the SR-Omega is lighter (therefore looser) so probably the most comfortable headphone I tried.
 
Some people described it as a relative to the Orpheus but what I've been told is that the HE90 (and possibly even HE60) is still quite a bit better in the midrange tone (for me) not having this distraction.
Yes, the Omega really works wonders with many recordings but also causes a "hm" moment for me especially if I compare against my Lambda which is also bright (glaring?) to be point of being distracting and not that great in the bass, but I am able to adjust to it much better (for instance, even though the soundstage is much smaller than the SR-Omega, it feels more "believable" somehow)
Hope this helps.

 

[spritzer]

The SR-Omega is one that truly needs a BH/T2 to behave.  It's funny how it simply snaps into focus and the overbearing bass bloat is gone, the top end becomes smooth and the midrange has an almost SR-007Mk1 quality to it.  That's the reason the T2 was designed, the new approach to driver design needed much better amplifiers. 

 

[MacedonianHero]

  The SR-Omega is one that truly needs a BH/T2 to behave.  It's funny how it simply snaps into focus and the overbearing bass bloat is gone, the top end becomes smooth and the midrange has an almost SR-007Mk1 quality to it.  That's the reason the T2 was designed, the new approach to driver design needed much better amplifiers. 

Quick question Birgir, how would they be with a KGSSHV?

Thanks.

 

[negura]

  Quick question Birgir, how would they be with a KGSSHV?

Thanks.

 
I was going to ask the same, but I knew I could count on you.

 

[MacedonianHero]

   
I was going to ask the same, but I knew I could count on you.

We'll see what the Don has to say. 

 

[preproman]

Looks like he already did say.  
 
"The SR-Omega is one that truly needs a BH/T2 to behave."

 

[MacedonianHero]

  Looks like he already did say.  
 
"The SR-Omega is one that truly needs a BH/T2 to behave."

I'll let Birgir answer than. 

 

[preproman]

The KGHSSV and the BHSE are not that far apart - are they?  If not, they should act / sound similar on both.  Just guessing here.

 

[blubliss]

The SR-O are very good on the KGSSHV.

 

[spritzer]

  The KGHSSV and the BHSE are not that far apart - are they?  If not, they should act / sound similar on both.  Just guessing here.

 
You can easily spot which amp you are listening to, KGSSHV or BHSE, so there is a difference.  The KGSSHV gets as close as you can with a SS unit but it still can't match the tube units or rather, how the tube units are designed.  The EL34 is an excellent output device in its own right but it's more with how it is used that the transistors just can't match.  This is especially telling here as the KGSSHV and BHSE share so much circuitry. 
 

  The SR-O are very good on the KGSSHV.

 
That is pretty much it.  The HV isn't able to fully clean up the bass or settle the treble but it gets close.  Hard to spot without side by side comparisons too. 

 

[3X0]

  The SR-Omega is one that truly needs a BH/T2 to behave.  It's funny how it simply snaps into focus and the overbearing bass bloat is gone, the top end becomes smooth and the midrange has an almost SR-007Mk1 quality to it.  That's the reason the T2 was designed, the new approach to driver design needed much better amplifiers. 

It's funny because as good as the Omega is, I can vaguely perceive this shortfall-from-ideal from my 323S. I'm not sure I feel limited enough by the 323S to justify laying down another $4000 though.
 
Yet even so, it is an order of a magnitude greater than all else I have heard in recent memory.
 
I deeply enjoy the immense soundstage, so it looks like I may not be as interested in the SR-009 after all. Is the SR-009 more resolving than the SR-Omega? The latter seems almost impossibly resolving; I can't imagine rendering finer detail than this.

 

[padam]

  It's funny because as good as the Omega is, I can vaguely perceive this shortfall-from-ideal from my 323S. I'm not sure I feel limited enough by the 323S to justify laying down another $4000 though.
 
Yet even so, it is an order of a magnitude greater than all else I have heard in recent memory.
 
I deeply enjoy the immense soundstage, so it looks like I may not be as interested in the SR-009 after all. Is the SR-009 more resolving than the SR-Omega? The latter seems almost impossibly resolving; I can't imagine rendering finer detail than this.

It is easier to pin-point the instruments (like with the SR007) so it can be a little better resolving in that way (this is more apparent with multi-channel recordings, minimally-miked stuff there is no big 'imaging' advantage even compared to Lambdas) but it is more about the frequency response which emphasizes different details (of course it should be flat but that doesn't exist and heavily affected by the ear shape as well as described in the old darth_nut review)
The soundstage is almost as big on the SR009 as well as long as you get used to that headphone it is fine (when you get used to a sound and then change to a different one, it takes some time to appreciate what that gives to you - that's my experience anyway)

 

[milosz]

Who made these??