[audiokid]

Yes - does it loads when I push on the outside! Sounds like you might be familiar with this?

 

[davidsh]

  Yes - does it loads when I push on the outside! Sounds like you might be familiar with this?

Yeah, that's the Stax fart. Search on it. Not harmful afaik, that it happens a lot just means that you have a good seal and coupling between the earpads and your head, as it is due to air pushing on the dust screen/diaphragm. Don't hope you find it too bothersome.. The original 007 mk.1 does it very badly, I hear.

 

[audiokid]

Ah, I see. OK, as long as they're not broken! Thanks for the quick response.
 
No, it's not too much of a problem as it only happens if I try to make it happen. Sounding good though. 
 
They are being fed by a Chord Hugo, and compared to Audeze LCD-X and Grado RS1i. 
 
No contest with the Grados, they are just fun headphones for the iPad etc. 
 
The LCD-X are exceptionally good, but first impressions are that the Stax are more transparent and also more comfortable. The LCD-X have more bass but I'm hearing some very detailed deep bass on the Stax which I hadn't identified before. Very nice indeed!

 

[astrostar59]

Hi Guys
Thought I would post my Stax & Speaker set-up as it has been updated recently. I have finally got my 'headinclouds' built KGSShv (off-board) in situ with the 009s. Looks kinda ok on the stainless desk I designed. Marble here is real cheap, you can choose from a huge slab and have it cut. Sometimes it is better to have a desk or shelf system made, it often doesn't cost much more than an off the shelf item.
 
My DAC is an None Oversampling and tubed Audio Note 4.1 (kit) with tweaked parts. I recently dropped my pre-amp out of the system to feed the DAC direct to my KGSShv or Plinius. The KGSShv is no problem as it has a volume pot, but the Plinius is a power amp, so I am using Audirvana+ inbuilt volume control. Digital volume is not so great, so have an incoming passive to do the same thing but in analogue on the line feed. Digital volume sounds poor when hiked right back, as is required here.
 
My DAC is tubed, but has no USB capability, which is fine. I prefer to use outside devices for that as when I bought it there were poor implementations of USB, though more manufacturers have got it right now as they realised more clients are wanting USB feed. I have an M2Tech full stack with ex PS, which can now use Integer mode in Maveriks (finally horrah!). The Mac Mini feeding the M2Tech sounds really good, looks like spaghetti mind, I try and hide it behind the iMac. I use the iMac to screen share the Mac Mini, as I work on that on web design. 
 
The room is actually a Conservatory which is facing the sea. I have to vent it in summer, but more or less it is controllable and a solid roof helps keep the heat out.
 
Getting all my tunes on the Mac Mini was one of the best things I ever did. I tested at length against CD spinning on a good CEC belt drive transport, and the Mac Mini with Audirvana+ and integer mode beats the drive easy. I would say 15% quality hike at least.
 
The 009s with the KGSShv are obviously more detailed and have a more sophisticated sound overall, but I like the speaker setup as well. It can pressurise the room so gives a different experience. Certain times of the day I need to use the 009s as I live on the top floor of an apartment, and the neighbours don't dig Ramstien!
 






 

 

 
Hope you like my system. It's been a long journey, and might not be the best system in the world as we know it, but I dig it. Everytime I play some tunes I smile, that's what this hobby is about right?

 

[negura]

   

 
Looking really good!
 
I had a friend over today and we listened to the 009s + KGSSHV, as well as the 007 MKIs on the same. One of the conclusions we drew: Yet again both of us are puzzled how this is not more talked about... For all that the 009s do really well, and that's all been thoroughly commented upon: transparency, detail, speed, transients, more needs to be said about the reproduction of the bass. It is astonishing in all of: depth, precision, extension and impact. The best we've both heard.
 
Oh yeah, I did get to hear the Chord Hugo. Nifty little device, but I prefer the PWD2 w.PUC2 overall.
 
Regarding speaker setup: I agree. My reference sound system ended to be my PMC speakers + dual mono Class A amplifier. Despite slightly better detail and transients on the 009. The presentation, imaging and realism on speakers is something else. However that and past 7pm with small children = no go.

 

[astrostar59]

Hi Negura
I agree, speakers can pressurise a room, and give a 3D experience that can rival live concerts. But I also dig the Stax presentation. It is very different, more personal, and somehow seems closer to the artist. I am not sure why, I guess the microscopic detail and transient response of the 009s in particular make it so exciting. Speakers, even horns sound slow and lazy compared. Yes the bass and room experience with speakers is nice. If I had to have one or the other, I would have to take the 009s at the moment. I think they are the highest you can go without 500K on amps and speakers. I have heard a system like this one here that was close, and really lifelike, but that system costs 500K and all those tubes! I am into solid state now, apart from the tubed DAC. It fits my rather hectic lifestyle!
 

 

[negura]

  Hi Negura
I agree, speakers can pressurise a room, and give a 3D experience that can rival live concerts. But I also dig the Stax presentation. It is very different, more personal, and somehow seems closer to the artist. I am not sure why, I guess the microscopic detail and transient response of the 009s in particular make it so exciting. Speakers, even horns sound slow and lazy compared. Yes the bass and room experience with speakers is nice. If I had to have one or the other, I would have to take the 009s at the moment. I think they are the highest you can go without 500K on amps and speakers. I have heard a system like this one here that was close, and really lifelike, but that system costs 500K and all those tubes! I am into solid state now, apart from the tubed DAC. It fits my rather hectic lifestyle!
 
 

 
I agree the 009s are top notch in transients. Imo this is unmatched in the headphones world. I was unfortunate enough to hear these speakers two rooms away from a 009 rig: http://hifilounge.co.uk/pmc-bb5-se-speakers
 
They are big studio monitors (with tacky veneers - ugly screw*rs they are) and they are more than a match for the 009s in transients and detail. Something I cannot say about top end Wilson or Focal for example. Both of which were also within short reach to hear.

 

[arnaud]

Astrostar59, your setup look neat, I want to see the view on the ocean! No, one thing just doesn't sound right: you need the wireless mouse with tactile top, I really like these .

As for sr009 always seeming to extract more details than any speaker, I had a recent conversation with another headfier that was quite interesting. We always think about headphone missing crossfeed to properly render soundstage but the interesting thing is the speaker stereo reproduction isn't perfect either as both speakers talk equallly to both ears. This is bound to limit perceived resolution, especially when adding reflected sounds from the room. Headphones are the closest you can be to the recorded sound as far as transients are concerned, besides the benefits of single full range / fast transducer...

Arnaud

 

[edstrelow]

Astrostar59, your setup look neat, I want to see the view on the ocean! No, one thing just doesn't sound right: you need the wireless mouse with tactile top, I really like these

.

As for sr009 always seeming to extract more details than any speaker, I had a recent conversation with another headfier that was quite interesting. We always think about headphone missing crossfeed to properly render soundstage but the interesting thing is the speaker stereo reproduction isn't perfect either as both speakers talk equallly to both ears. This is bound to limit perceived resolution, especially when adding reflected sounds from the room. Headphones are the closest you can be to the recorded sound as far as transients are concerned, besides the benefits of single full range / fast transducer...

Arnaud

I am always surprised that in a headphone forum people think cross-feed between speakers is a good feature.  Crossfeed is simply an artifact which  messes up the stereo cues present in the signal, which in commercial material are primarily interaural amplitude differences, i.e. loudness differences between the two signals. Speaker crossfeed creates 2 extra channels, sometimes called phantom channels in which say, the left speaker sends its signal to the left ear and then to  the right ear with a delay for the additional time to get across the head  (and vice versa for the right speaker).  Periodically someone comes up with a set-up to cancel the crossfeed /phantom channels.  Carver had an electronic system, and Polk built a series of speakers in which each box essentially has 2 speakers, one for the correct signal and the other for a cancellation signal for the opposite channel.  I have had the Polk SDA1 for years and it is quite effective over a fairly narrow listening location.  What does  it sound like?  Like headphones but in real space such that you almost think you can touch the performers.    Polk made these for about a decade and finally dropped the line in part because of resistance from audio dealers who didn't like having to handle fairly expensive speakers which made conventional speakers appear obsolete.
 
 
For anyone interested here is a starting point http://www.polksda.com/

 

[negura]

We always think about headphone missing crossfeed to properly render soundstage but the interesting thing is the speaker stereo reproduction isn't perfect either as both speakers talk equallly to both ears. This is bound to limit perceived resolution, especially when adding reflected sounds from the room.
 

 
THIS. Very much agreed.
 
The speakers have an uphill battle to match resolution, but the presentation excels in realism imo. Past a certain point, however ultimate detail matters little. That said and despite this, I've heard speakers that at least match the 009s in resolution and transients.
 
And also the mastering is done on studio monitors.

 

[davidsh]

   

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

Astrostar59, your setup look neat, I want to see the view on the ocean! No, one thing just doesn't sound right: you need the wireless mouse with tactile top, I really like these

.

As for sr009 always seeming to extract more details than any speaker, I had a recent conversation with another headfier that was quite interesting. We always think about headphone missing crossfeed to properly render soundstage but the interesting thing is the speaker stereo reproduction isn't perfect either as both speakers talk equallly to both ears. This is bound to limit perceived resolution, especially when adding reflected sounds from the room. Headphones are the closest you can be to the recorded sound as far as transients are concerned, besides the benefits of single full range / fast transducer...

Arnaud

I am always surprised that in a headphone forum people think cross-feed between speakers is a good feature.  Crossfeed is simply an artifact which  messes up the stereo cues present in the signal, which in commercial material are primarily interaural amplitude differences, i.e. loudness differences between the two signals. Speaker crossfeed creates 2 extra channels, sometimes called phantom channels in which say, the left speaker sends its signal to the left ear and then to  the right ear with a delay for the additional time to get across the head  (and vice versa for the right speaker).  Periodically someone comes up with a set-up to cancel the crossfeed /phantom channels.  Carver had an electronic system, and Polk built a series of speakers in which each box essentially has 2 speakers, one for the correct signal and the other for a cancellation signal for the opposite channel.  I have had the Polk SDA1 for years and it is quite effective over a fairly narrow listening location.  What does  it sound like?  Like headphones but in real space such that you almost think you can touch the performers.  

 

Never thougth of it that way, thank you for enlightening me!

 

[realmassy]

...

Congratulations for the nice setup! And the sea view, of course
I'm sure the Audio Note DAC makes a perfect match with the KGSSHV and the 009

 

[astrostar59]

Thanks Massy
 
Yes, having some tubes in the amplification and / or rectification IMO takes it a bit closer to realism, not just looking good on the tech specs. I am not sure if I would go ALL SS, either phones or speaker systems. But you never know! I think to get to that point it would take serious money on a front end DAC like the MSB Analogue (which I have not heard) which is purported to be a none oversampling architecture. Maybe someone can chine in here about that?
 
Tube DACs can be had for not so serious money, yet can offer a superb level of digital replay if well designed. Likewise, the KGST can do the same for not much money. Right now, I am very happy with my KGSShv, it actually sounds like a tube amp (in a good way).

 

[djonny]

Hi all ! When I tested the polarity of m-audio ie-40 to properly fix the cable I noticed that STAX SRM-007tA and SRM-212 have reverse (wrong. + and - are reversed) polarity with STAX 003, 404, 009 phones. But SRM-323A have proper polarity. I've done this tests by recording on mic negative and positive short square pulses from my acoustic system (proper polarity - from positive square pulse diaphragm moves to listener and creates pressure), STAX phones, Beyer DT770 and Senn ie-4 phones. Beyer DT770 and Senn ie-4 had proper polarity. Now when I changed the output polarity of STAX SRM-007tA and SRM-212 by resoldering + and - on output socket everything is OK! Nothing to say that I was very surprised when found this problem in STAX amplifiers!!! Also I think it's good idea to test the polarity of other amplifiers for STAX phones.

 

[Farkhat]

Meanwhile in Russia...
 
Completed the second project of Dmitry aka Demograf - headphone amplifier for electrostatic headphones. 
Amplifier is built on a tantalum tubes 3C24/24G 1943-1944 issue, USA, is constructed as a double single-ended. 
Power supply constructed on kenotron and executed in a separate unit, amp weighs approximately 15 kg., power unit weight of about 35 kg.. 
Amplifier has separate outputs for dynamic headphone and external speaker. 
 
The meeting was listening to all the higher models of the Stax and compare Stax sound of the new project with the amplifier/headphones Orpheus. Listening showed outstanding results of this new project. 
 
Further details and characteristics will be later. 
 
See photos from the meting:
 
http://forum.doctorhead.ru/index.php?showtopic=27179&st=75#entry655079
 
Photos of a new project at my home, see here:
 
http://forum.doctorhead.ru/index.php?showtopic=6257&st=10000#entry662560
 
WBR,
 
Farkhat