[Pokemonn]

I agree, and portable for Stax is a very crazy idea. Not sure if closed back is ideal for ES, but on my 009, even if I have my palms behind and over the drivers at 10cm away, it still affect the sound performances

Don't you know that almost good idea came from near craziness. normal people never invent great idea. for exsample T2 is very crazy. 200W power consumption to drive a headphone! and did bankrupt Stax once.

 

[VandyMan]

The size is great for portability, but also for those without a lot of desk space. Having a built-in DAC is a plus for the same reason.

Based on a very brief listen, I think this will be an easy to recommend under 1K solution for those putting together a new STAX system. Especially if they do not already have a DAC.

I may get one for when I want to listen to my STAX in a room other than my living room (where my BHSE is housed).

 

[336881]

The size is great for portability, but also for those without a lot of desk space. Having a built-in DAC is a plus for the same reason.

Based on a very brief listen, I think this will be an easy to recommend under 1K solution for those putting together a new STAX system. Especially if they do not already have a DAC.

I may get one for when I want to listen to my STAX in a room other than my living room (where my BHSE is housed).

Yeah but as quickly as people buy them is as quickly as they will sell them if headamp, schiit or mjolnir get involved. If it sells like hotcakes one of them might.

 

[336881]

That raised a hair raising question....would 009 be the last greatest Stax headphones in history, and would be craving for 30 years from now with astronomical pricing ? Kind of like the original Omega ?

The end of an era. The Stax name would probably still remain but like every other Japan audio name from 30 years ago made in china. Prices would see a hike for sure. There are tons more sr-009's though and very, very few original omega's and probably zero original omega's left in mint condition. I think it could go back to the original msrp. of $5500 but that's about it, even 30 years from now.

 

[VandyMan]

Yeah but as quickly as people buy them is as quickly as they will sell them if headamp, schiit or mjolnir get involved. If it sells like hotcakes one of them might.

There is no KG design for a STAX DAC/amp for them to copy, so I'm not sure I would expect anything from HeadAmp or Mjolnir. Perhaps they could do an original design, if they know how to build a DAC, but that sounds like a major project to me and good luck getting it at the same price point.

 

[VandyMan]

The end of an era. The Stax name would probably still remain but like every other Japan audio name from 30 years ago made in china. Prices would see a hike for sure. There are tons more sr-009's though and very, very few original omega's and probably zero original omega's left in mint condition. I think it could go back to the original msrp. of $5500 but that's about it, even 30 years from now.

I think that high powered headphone amps may well be banned in the EU and Japan within the next thirty years due to their electrical usage.

 

[SeaWo|f]

Yeah but as quickly as people buy them is as quickly as they will sell them if headamp, schiit or mjolnir get involved. If it sells like hotcakes one of them might.

I read that Schiit has messed with idea of an electrostatic product but abandon the idea a while back. And if you think mjolnir is going to do a high volume mass produced product, you will be left wanting.

 

[Whitigir]

These ES amps are not easy to make for the parts cost and labors efforts. I can not say enough how amazed I am at Headamp, that is hauling away with BHSE productions. Especially at the on going prices.

 

[JimL11]

Yeah but as quickly as people buy them is as quickly as they will sell them if headamp, schiit or mjolnir get involved. If it sells like hotcakes one of them might.

Well, here's what Jason Stoddard, one of the principals at Schiit, posted back in 2014:

"To elaborate a little bit more:

1. The opportunity in lower priced gear is much, much, much higher than the ultra high-end--at least 5x higher for each halving of the price--in total sales, not units. We don't want to address the 400 people a year who will consider products with 5-figure price tags. That's not us.
2. We don't have a problem building some walls around what we do, and staying focused. To wit:
a. You won't see a surround processor from us, for licensing and ongoing changes in the HDMI standard. That's for other people.
b. You won't see an electrostatic amp from us, for liability (high voltage) and political reasons."

 

[mulveling]

These ES amps are not easy to make for the parts cost and labors efforts. I can not say enough how amazed I am at Headamp, that is hauling away with BHSE productions. Especially at the on going prices.

Yeah the Headamp BHSE is a fabulous deal for a finely engineered piece of sonic and visual art. I'm happy to hear reports he seems to have optimized the lead times?

Mjolnir is cranking out quite a few units over the past 2 years, and the market for this stuff can't be THAT much bigger...

 

[mulveling]

Well, here's what Jason Stoddard, one of the principals at Schiit, posted back in 2014:
b. You won't see an electrostatic amp from us, for liability (high voltage) and political reasons."

Political reasons? Like what, pissing off the Stax mafia? (e.g. if the circuit and/or build quality is deemed not up to snuff)

 

[336881]

Political reasons? Like what, pissing off the Stax mafia? (e.g. if the circuit and/or build quality is deemed not up to snuff)

Sounds like it. That was 4 years ago though.

 

[SeaWo|f]

Someone also made the comment that they had experimented with a particular amp variation that lends itself to low cost but were unhappy with performance. I think another company is selling a variation of that today, but again hearsay.

Edit :: If they did make one I would probably pick it up to try if the price was right.

I was/am still thinking about the voce, but the only description I have is that tonality is between the 007mki and 009. I feel this is exactly where my 007mk2.5 fits so it seems redundant. I will wait and see where consensus lands though before a final decision.

 

[JimL11]

No idea on the "political reasons." I remember seeing a post by Jason Stoddard on the Schiit blog that they had briefly experimented with a similar circuit to the TubeCAD schematic - basically a two stage diff amp input, diff amp output, cap coupled with no negative feedback, but decided against it. The Rudistor Egmont is similar design if I'm not mistaken. According to someone who has built both an Egmont and an SRX Plus, the latter sounds significantly better, for a modest increase in parts cost.

I had a chance to compare my Stax SR007 Mk2.9 with port mod to the VOCE this weekend, driven by a BHSE, at the New Mexico meet. They sounded pretty similar in tonality, but it was a brief audition, so I hesitate to say more. One of the others who listened said he thought the VOCE had a more even frequency response, but that the Stax seemed more effortless, and a third listener noted some differences in soundstage presentation, but he didn't go into more detail.

 

[SeaWo|f]

Yea, pretty consistent impressions and not enough to motivate me.