The Stax Thread III

[JimL11]

Another alternative is idler drive.  I read that Sugano tested his Koetsu cartridges on a Garrard idler drive turntable, and one can very good results with a Lenco 75/78 idler drive for a modest cost.  Both of course mounted in a heavy plinth with vibration/acoustic isolation.  The Japanese direct drive turntables are seeing a revival but need to have good vibration/acoustic isolation.

 

[Rossliew]

Can anyone share if the Technics SL-300 is a good TT for a start?

 

[jibzilla]

  Can anyone share if the Technics SL-300 is a good TT for a start?

 
Vinyl Engine and Audiokharma would be a better place to ask. I personally do not see the hefty shipping, fees and step down transformer being well worth it till you hit $1k. For technics that would be a sl-1025.

 

[Joeybgood]

I'm just now diving headfirst into Estatland. I've been told by a few folks that Estat cans do not require/do not improve with burn-in hours like dynamic and planar cans do.  Is this the general consensus of everyone that owns them? I have a new pair coming in a few days. Tks in advance for your advice.

 

[zolkis]

All materials change with time, but with Stax e-stats there is little variation in my experience and AFAIK. Your brain will adapt more to the sound than the phones would change. If you don't like something in the sound, or you hope it will get improved in time, the reason for that change would more likely be because of getting used to the sound, or because of getting a more synergistic amp or source.

 

[Joeybgood]

  All materials change with time, but with Stax e-stats there is little variation in my experience and AFAIK. Your brain will adapt more to the sound than the phones would change. If you don't like something in the sound, or you hope it will get improved in time, the reason for that change would more likely be because of getting used to the sound, or because of getting a more synergistic amp or source.

makes sense. much tks

 

[astrostar59]

  makes sense. much tks

 

  All materials change with time, but with Stax e-stats there is little variation in my experience and AFAIK. Your brain will adapt more to the sound than the phones would change. If you don't like something in the sound, or you hope it will get improved in time, the reason for that change would more likely be because of getting used to the sound, or because of getting a more synergistic amp or source.

Funny, I was just discussing this subject today with a hifi buddy. I also think the brain gets used to the SQ hike from upgrades. Over the years, I have done various tweaks and changed items in my system and more or less it has got better each time. Sometimes the upgrade was big and quite obvious, other times more subtle, but in a few weeks I find I 'accept' the new level as the norm, and it looses some of it's wow factor. This wow factor is what you get in a demo in the store, or on first getting new gear at home. It is not necessarily closer to real music maybe? It may be just a bit more detail or soundstage width. Dunno. But as I say, to me it seems to fade in time, a bit like driving a fast car and you don't notice you are driving faster until you get back in the old one.
 
If you find you are forgetting the gear and chilling to music more than before, then that is a good sign. But will we ever stop looking I wonder? Another bigger subject.
 
I think it can be an addiction, try new stuff, like hopeless shopaholics who have a house full of clothes still in the bags they were bought in (my ex wife was like that). I have tried to control it as best I can. Now where was the used DAC advert I saw?

 

[Joeybgood]

   

Funny, I was just discussing this subject today with a hifi buddy. I also think the brain gets used to the SQ hike from upgrades. Over the years, I have done various tweaks and changed items in my system and more or less it has got better each time. Sometimes the upgrade was big and quite obvious, other times more subtle, but in a few weeks I find I 'accept' the new level as the norm, and it looses some of it's wow factor. This wow factor is what you get in a demo in the store, or on first getting new gear at home. It is not necessarily closer to real music maybe? It may be just a bit more detail or soundstage width. Dunno. But as I say, to me it seems to fade in time, a bit like driving a fast car and you don't notice you are driving faster until you get back in the old one.
 
If you find you are forgetting the gear and chilling to music more than before, then that is a good sign. But will we ever stop looking I wonder? Another bigger subject.
 
I think it can be an addiction, try new stuff, like hopeless shopaholics who have a house full of clothes still in the bags they were bought in (my ex wife was like that). I have tried to control it as best I can. Now where was the used DAC advert I saw?

I hear ya! Reallllly trying to find  a sustained sense of contentment with my gear and just enjoy it without thinking "hmmmm.. this sounds great but......."  I really feel the constant search for 'better' (upgraditis) is a distraction and saps the level of enjoyment that I should be experiencing. Time to chill and just listen!!!!

 

[zolkis]

In the past few months I've been just leaning back and enjoying my systems. I found that a convenient 'good enough' beats 'the best' for me, as I've been mostly listening to my mobile setup during the past 3 months, even though my "fixed" home rig is far better in most respects. However, I am not immune to upgraditis either, since my new amps will hopefully be ready in a month or two, and will definitely compare them to the BHSE (not expected to beat it, but to get decently close for a smaller cost). Perhaps it will be a big bang on the floor, but I like experimenting and then sharing how NOT to do stuff .

 

[bmichels]

Me too, just enjoying my new BHSE + SR009

I Will investigate to upgrade my DAC next week.

 

[martyn73]

  In the past few months I've been just leaning back and enjoying my systems. I found that a convenient 'good enough' beats 'the best' for me, as I've been mostly listening to my mobile setup during the past 3 months, even though my "fixed" home rig is far better in most respects. However, I am not immune to upgraditis either, since my new amps will hopefully be ready in a month or two, and will definitely compare them to the BHSE (not expected to beat it, but to get decently close for a smaller cost). Perhaps it will be a big bang on the floor, but I like experimenting and then sharing how NOT to do stuff .

I'm afflicted with downgraditis for my mobile set up; out with the Mojo and in with the O2 for my iPhone 6S and HD650. If the O2 is just as good as my Canford headphone amp then the O2 will be gleefully condemned to sale by auction. I've arranged a sightless test of DACs connected to my SRM-727II to find out if there's any truth in hi-fi DAC verbiage. 
 
A cure for Stax upgraditis is to listen to a veiled dynamic headphone.

 

[purk]

Me too, just enjoying my new BHSE + SR009

I Will investigate to upgrade my DAC next week.

I'm happy with the Yggy as well as other BHSE onwers.

 

[Joeybgood]

  I'm happy with the Yggy as well as other BHSE onwers.

I'm hoping I'll be equally as enamored with my Carbon / yggy combo.

 

[astrostar59]

  Have to agree, there's nothing like vinyl (just as there's nothing like Stax). Unless you have big reel tapes, that is...
It's just a damn shame that I like expensive cartridges, and that they're a part that wears down with use.

So do knees but we go out for walks. Don't worry, just enjoy.

 

[mulveling]

 
So do knees but we go out for walks. Don't worry, just enjoy.

I do enjoy them, and don't let worry of wear or accident get me down too much. But it still sucks when an expensive & beloved cartridge bites it, as happened with my Koetsu Onyx Platinum recently (that one was due to an accident not caused by me, but at least I'd got to enjoy it for a few years and hundreds of hours). Cartridges are far more delicate than large glass tubes, and typically have less hours of lifetime on them too. Still worth it, I agree!
 
There are a number of beloved albums I've got on both digital and vinyl, where you can tell that the digital copy will NEVER sound good, no matter what DAC you're pushing it through -- while the vinyl copy sounds absolutely glorious. This occurs more than I'd like. And it hardly EVER happens the other way, even with bargain-bin, slightly beat up vinyl pressings. Ugh.
 
I figure that if I ever need to downsize in life and have to unload my Tannoys (which I would absolutely hate to do, like losing a limb), then I could at least find a way to keep the turntable, a couple Koetsus, a beater Ortofon, my choice of ~500 vinyl records, the BHSE and either hev90-balanced or Carbon, my 009s and L700 (see ya 007, lol), and have at least that epic headphone system as my consolation prize in life.