[Whitigir]

It's a shame that Orpheus and Shangri-la cost 50k, SR 009 seems like much better value while offering about similar performance...

I have said this many times, and I will repeat again. With 009, you have choices to match and make your system, such as DAC, cables...amps....not with Sangrila nor HE1

 

[JimL11]

I will post in the Can-Jam page, but here's my thoughts on the 009 v the rest at the show. MY thoughts YMMV.

Can-Jam
My impressions from Saturday on amps and headphones on demo. Sent on Phone so may be some spelling.

Stax 009 + Stax T8000
This is better than my old 717, warmer and smoother, good dynamic nice treble detail. But IMO not better than my KGSSHv Sanyo. It doesn't quite rid the 009 of its sterile nature that has always bugged me on older Stax amps. yes it is better / an improvement but not far enough. so price seems a bit high for the performance.
Note I had to listen to Diana Krall and Peter Gabriel here as no USB port. DAC was Ayre I believe.

Stax 009 + Trilogy Audio Amplifier
This was introduced as a ground up new design with all tube line stage. It sounded better than the T8000 but not by much. Nice enough but not excited yet. I get a wow moment at home on my Carbon. Not hearing that here. The soundstage is nothing special. Looking in the top grill out has 6 tube set horizontally. It was not as warm as my Carbon on the case / top. Think it costs 5K. Nice to see a UK product, and I wanted to be wowed but not happening.
No USB port so listened to Diana Krall and some Jazz.
DAC was Esoteric K-01

LCD4 + Headamp GSX
Moved immediately to this from BHSE and same DAC. Great dynamics. Kicks harder in the upper bass esp on drums, slightly darker as expected. Very different way to present the music. Less plankton more midrange body. I can't fault these 2 not sure if I am already to converted by Stats, but seriously would like to own both if I had the means. I think the LCD4 is more forgiving than the 009 which will help it fit to more front ends IMO. Anyway very nice, but not selling my 009s.
My tracks used at the HeadAmp stand.

HiFi Man Shangri-lLa
Got right on this, no wait.
From the LCD4 and CHORD this sounded very different,more like my 009s. immediately noticed it was bright. I can accept this if it is dead smooth in its delivery, but it wasn't. Ignoring the insane cost of this system for a moment and listening to how it sounds only. It is back to a cold and sharp stat sound that reminded me of my early Lambdas. I got through the dance track ok, but into Beyoncé it all got too shrill and distracting. Details are there, decent dynamics and tube midrange from those 300Bs, but it lost IMO many of the strengths I heard on my SET 300B speaker amps I was disappointed TBH. This is or should be best in the game, but I am not hearing it. My tracks and DAC was CHORD DAVE.

Focal Utopia + Felix Audio 4 Tube amp
Wow, this sounds good. Great drive and lots of energy. I immediately liked this system. Lots of detail but linear and smooth, very organic. The dance track was pumping, nothing wrong here. Beyoncé was full and sounded real and placed in the soundstage, no vocal edges or problems. I found I was very relaxed with this setup, and could listen for hours. It had it all there, nothing missing just not false or synthetic sounding. I spoke to the owner and the company is in Poland and is new to selling in the UK. Then I asked how much is the amp, and he said £850. Wow. That is a superb example of top sound for real world money. IMO it beat the Shangri-La on sonics. Sorry about that but I feel I can say IMO that is what I was hearing,
Didn't recognise the DAC but it was sub 2k I believe. I used my tracks.

HE-1
So excited finally to hear this.
Totally personal space and 1 guy operating the T&A CDP big complaint here, I couldn't use my tracks and the scrappy selection of music was very poor. Some were CDRs with no sleeve note. I had to pick 2 tracks by Alannis Moresetti and some Bach orchestral. The HE-1 was obviously very smooth. Soundstage was about the same as my 009. Those tubes are all good IMO, the whole sound was very real and balanced no digital feel or lack of realism. The sound was a diversion from any other top HPs I have heard. It may be a bit slow or thicker than what I am used to, as in fuller body in the mids. I would need to hear more to be sure it can rock and I wonder if it is a bit dark?
Shame Sennheiser didn't allow a USB stick, or at least have more CDs to choose from. So I came away a bit annoyed / deflated TBH. I has no feel to kill my credit card.

So the 009 and BHSE still my favourite at the show and v close to my Carbon / on par. I know it can sound better than at the show with NOS tubes, and maybe even better DAC. I need another go at the HE-1. My first hearing of the LCD4 and Utopia was an eye opener and if I didn't have my 009a would be happy with either of those partnered with a good amp. They do things a bit differently to stats and I wouldn't like to claim which is more real / accurate but TBH I could Live with either.

So, yet another demonstration that spending obscene amounts of money does not necessarily mean much better sound, or even, sometimes, any better sound.

 

[Jones Bob]

Nice write up!
Do you recall the tubes being used in the BHSE?

 

[paradoxper]

Thanks, Julian. Without that impose of magic, I'm retiring.

 

[Pokemonn]

009 = end game... HF... RIP lol

 

[yates7592]

Thanks for the write up Julian, very detailed considering the time limits. Sounds like you had a great day.

 

[Thaudiophile]

This Z review guy basically craps on the omega headphones

 

[XLR8]

009 = end game... HF... RIP lol

My wallet does not like you...

 

[Pokemonn]

Ha ha please don't worry. as technology(AI robot factory automation semiconductor etc) advanced, every gear(except hyped) will be cheapest.
even poorest man will own 009 like HPs in near future...
end of human era is near...

 

[Whitigir]

Don't know about 12 years into the future, but 009 and BHSE is fairly affordable now....unless you can't build it yourself...hard to see people keep crying because technology's has advanced, human is not and complaint about prices ...you can have it for just a little more than SusVara lol. The differences is that you can build BHSE...but neither Sr009 nor SusVara

Semiconductor will be at their end of production, if KG has newer design, or else it will just get more expensive as parts became obsoleted

 

[Pokemonn]

yeah, when first VTR deck produced, it cost 3000$ but now it cost about 50$..;D thing will go like that.
minor semiconductor will be reproduced when AI robot fully enters manufacturing.

 

[guitardave]

Since the L700's seem to be unobtainable in the US, I am just curious if I buy from Japan, I assume the headphones would be identical, and only the amp (maybe 323x?) would need a voltage converter from 100 to 120, correct? I would like to buy them here but not having any luck finding them unfortunately... I understand I can't get the warranty.

 

[catscratch]

Have you checked with Headamp? That's where I got mine. Granted, that was back in December.

 

[Whitigir]

My current state of Stax-009 world! Don't mind that Utopia...LOL, my Stax bass is straight out crazy, her performances is unbelievable, she drops my jaws literally every time. That is bass alone, let alone other spectrums. I listen to her for almost everything, movies, modern EDM, pops, soft metal.....YouTube....whatever the heck LOL!

My current favorite and will be for a while is JJ tubes! Awesome sound and soundstage.

 

[mulveling]

Rockin' setup, and beautiful amp! I've been warned away from JJ power tubes countless times (reliability), but the fat-bottle 6CA7 options are intriguing to me, since I have no experience there besides running the EH 6CA7 in a vintage Eico HF-87 several years ago (the EH 6CA7 was fairly bright but also very fast and dynamic).

Movies/TV on the 009 has got to be fairly awesome.