The Stax Thread III

[JimL11]

  Or don't rely on another persons personal preference and listen to both and come to your own conclusion.

Absolutely.  It just seems, at least recently, that the SR007 has been relatively neglected - but maybe I'm over-reading things.

 

[3X0]

And then there's the subfractional minority that don't care for either the SR-009 or SR-007 (any iteration) and prefer other electrostats.
 
The SR-009's pricing may have something to do with its perceived superiority by the average layperson. It was known as a $4-5k headphone for quite some time and some might say the relatively prohibitive cost and consequent "exclusivity" add to the allure of electrostats in general.

 

[jibzilla]

  This is very true actually.  The SR007 MKI is continued to be very highly regarded.  Same as the R10, Orpheus, and Qualia.  I hope that the Focal is as great as Tyll thinks of them.  I sure wish that he brought out his Stax gears for a shoot out rather than relied on his auditory memory.

 
The Lcd-X and Mr.Speakers Ether are two exceptions but they still do not quite reach the hd800 and 007mk1.

 

[potkettleblack]

I've read a lot of impressions for the Utopia and I don't expect to like them more than the 007mk2.

I appreciate Jude's recent review basically saying they're not world beaters at all.

soundstage on par with the 600 and bass quantity of the hd800?

I'm cool thanks

Tyll suddenly calling the e-stat treble fuzzy? Hilarious when you look at his 009 review.

 

[mulveling]

  This is very true actually.  The SR007 MKI is continued to be very highly regarded.  Same as the R10, Orpheus, and Qualia.  I hope that the Focal is as great as Tyll thinks of them.  I sure wish that he brought out his Stax gears for a shoot out rather than relied on his auditory memory.

But also of note -- you and I each have very nice 007 Mk I's that largely remain planted inside their flight cases, due to the 009 (and in your case, also the he90). In fact my 007 Mk I, in its box, currently serves as a nice platform for my 009 to reside on its Stax stand
 
In my perception there's a roughly 60/40 split* in favor of the 009 over 007 variants (* i.e. my guesstimate perception of the popularity of each model, based on comments by people in headphone forums, not my own listening time split, which is almost 100% towards the 009). BUT they're both very good, and both have their vehement proponents.

 

[MacedonianHero]

  But also of note -- you and I each have very nice 007 Mk I's that largely remain planted inside their flight cases, due to the 009 (and in your case, also the he90). In fact my 007 Mk I, in its box, currently serves as a nice platform for my 009 to reside on its Stax stand
 
In my perception there's a roughly 60/40 split in favor of the 009 over 007 variants. BUT they're both very good, and both have their vehement proponents.

 
I'm more of an 80/20 between my SR009s and 007Mk1 in favour of the 009s.

 

[mulveling]

   
I'm more of an 80/20 between my SR009s and 007Mk1 in favour of the 009s.

Ah, I meant 60/40 in terms of what I perceive the popularity of these two models to be, by those who have heard both and commented on the various forums. In terms of my own listening time, it's more like 98 / 2, heavily in favor of the 009 (perhaps shifting slightly more in balance when I get a BHSE).

 

[paradoxper]

 
Absolutely.  It just seems, at least recently, that the SR007 has been relatively neglected - but maybe I'm over-reading things.

Perhaps. At the other place, that other big mouth person whom is worshipped sways all. Hated the 009, loved the 007 and now pushes the mk II recent stock - I guess?
 
Here it has always seemed split with some slight favor to the 007.
 
Which regardless, you like what you like, they like what they like, I like what I like.

 

[nemomec]

I prefer also the SR-009 to the other top e-stats, the SR-009 is the technical best e-stat compared to the others and not a beginners headphone. Big problem is you need a descent amp and source for SR-009, on the Stax amps they sound only good but not exceptional, on a bad (not natural) source horrible.
 
I would personal rate the top models to:
 
Stax SR-009 (real open window to the source with no colouration)
Stax SR-Omega (awesone bass and resolution)
Sennheiser HE-90 (awesone mids and timbre)
Stax SR-007 MK1 (nice timbre, bass and mids)
Sennheiser HE-60 (awesone mids)
Stax SR-L700 Advanced Lambda (maybe 80-90% of the SR-009 performance)
Stax SR-007 MK2 (nice timbre and mids)
 
I had/have also some top dynamic and magnetostatic headphones but in my opinion they can´t compete with the top e-stats especially in terms of transparency, speed and highs. But i think the most people don´t like this "real" sound they comes from a e-stat and prefer the "coloured" sound of the most dynamic and magnetostatic headphones to compensate poor recordings and sources. I like also these headphones and take it as contrast to the e-stats.

 

 

[arnaud]

Time for a poll . I sit firmly in SR009 camp and I also strongly believe something is not up to spec in Tyll's rig in regards to stat stuff... There is no way the O2mk1 is more neutral than the SR009, subjectively or objectively speaking.

It often boils down to listening level and upstream gear / source material in regards to the preference for 009 or O2 because the former has significantly more midrange presence where most people are most sensitive to.

I value quality midrange and flatness over extension with dips and peaks. I value clean and quick transients over impact and hate splashy / projected sounds. I value depth and placement / separation over sheer headstage size. So, it seems I am in the end more a stat guy than anything else. Curious about the Focal phones still but not really holding my breath.

There is no question however that a world with just stax phones would be very boring for most. Some like, need or benefit from the constant downpouring of new headphones to take the place of last months shiny toy and there's always hope for truly breathrough products .

Cheers,
Arnaud

 

[purk]

I didn't mean to start this debate.  In any event, I actually prefer the SR009 over the SR007 but I also can't help but really appreciate the SR007 MKI when properly driven out of the BHSE, Carbon, or the DIY T2.  I am just glad that I have an option to choose between the two.  Like many who prefers the SR009 over the SR007, I do feel that the SR009 to be more transparent as well as having better resolution than the SR007.  Out of the my T2 and the BHSE (now Mulveling's) as well as the Carbon, the SR009's treble has never bother me.  

 

[TheAttorney]

Agree with the last 3 posts, other than I differ slightly from purk in that, having got used to the 009s, I see no point in going back to my 007 Mk1's - they sound nicely "comfortable" for the first few seconds (like slippers for ears!), but then I notice the (relative) colourations and the reduced clarity and transparency and I soon get bored.
 
The 009s are the most neutral headphones I've heard, and ones most likely to give me a "You are there!" experience. But as I've stated before, they're not quite perfect. If they had just an overall slight tonal tilt in favour of the bass, then tonally they would be perfect for me.
 
When you have such a detailed and transparent headphone, that also is slightly tonally forward, then there's often a fine line between "You are there!" and "In yer face!". And small details in the quality of upstream components can cause the 009's to cross that line. But if all planets are in alignment, then I think the 009's handle bright recordings better than my 007 Mk1 - because the 009's can better separate the core music from the noise and hash.
 
Being a die hard audiophile, I'll not stop looking for something better. Now that I have an integrated headphone amp in mu DAVE DAC, it makes sense to revisit the Dynamics. So next on my list to try are the HEK V2, and inevitably now the Focal Utopia, and I may as well try the LCD4's while I'm at it.. All of these should be available in the same dealer to try in about a month's time. The Abyss is already discounted - the best sounding dynamics I've heard so far, but so ugly!    

 

[astrostar59]

  I would personal rate the top models to:
 
Stax SR-009 (real open window to the source with no colouration)
Stax SR-Omega (awesone bass and resolution)
Sennheiser HE-90 (awesone mids and timbre)
Stax SR-007 MK1 (nice timbre, bass and mids)
Stax SR-007A (2015)  (nice timbre, bass and mids)
Sennheiser HE-60 (awesone mids)
Stax SR-L700 Advanced Lambda (maybe 80-90% of the SR-009 performance)
Stax SR-007 MK2 (nice timbre and mids)
 

I wonder if I can add the 007A in here as above (in bold text). I heard the 007MK1 last week out of the Carbon and then the same track on my own 007A 2015 model and they sounded very alike. I wonder wether my 007A sounded a bit more transparent and a bit faster as well. I would need a longer demo to know for sure, but it was real close. If this is proven by others, then it may make sense now to buy the current 007A as they are looking a really good buy TBH. I fell out with my previous 007 MK2.5s (black) so I am not a blind 007 follower.
 
Never heard the SR-Omega but fascinating to see you rate that above the 007s.
I agree re 009, superb headphone but does need a great source. I went for a warmer sounding DAC with enough detail. I can imagine a detail freak DAC may not gel so well on the 009s regardless of the amp used?

 

[astrostar59]

Time for a poll . I sit firmly in SR009 camp and I also strongly believe something is not up to spec in Tyll's rig in regards to stat stuff... There is no way the O2mk1 is more neutral than the SR009, subjectively or objectively speaking.
 

Arnaud, didn't Tyll use a Stax amp for those demos? If he did he needs to do another comparison with a BHSE or Carbon.

 

[arnaud]

AFAIK, a kgss with adjustable bias voltage (hopefully properly set).