[audiokid]

Your impressions mirror mine. However, I consider the 009 bass better than the 507 at least when we talk about instrument realism. The 507 may make a better impression with pop/electronic genres, but that's still an impression. The softer, deeper, and more rounded bass is the better one, IMO. In another thread, I just commented this: "often the short-term listening deceives people. I only believe in a combination of short-term and extended listenings. A simple test to tell whether you ear cheats you at the first/short listening is to ask yourself, which compared device's tonality feels "deeper" (as pink-noise-deeper) at the same perceived musical resolution: usually the one with the perceived deeper/softer/more relaxed tonality is the better one, and the other is harder sounding. 

In my experience, the pads age doesn't change the sound that much, if the filling doesn't shrink and the leather doesn't break. If the volume shrinks, the pads tend to sound a bit more open and lose some perceived bass, as the ears get closer to the membrane, and the sound stage may also change.

After some lengthy listens this week, I decided not to keep the 009 / 007t kimik system. As good as it was, I thought it sounded different to the 507/323s system, better in some places but not in others. I can appreciate what the flagship system does, but the energy, snap and bounce the 507/323s have just makes them so addictive.

Practically it suits me better too - no valves to worry about, compact amp on the desk, you can leave it powered up, and the design of the headphones is fantastic in their unique way.

Of course, it's hard to beat the 009 for realism and tonality, and fine details, but I found them a little too soft and polite on many albums. I realise I'm probably in a minority here!

The used 009 / 007tii kimik are going back... Unless someone wants to bag a flagship system in the London area!

 

[zolkis]

After some lengthy listens this week, I decided not to keep the 009 / 007t kimik system. As good as it was, I thought it sounded different to the 507/323s system, better in some places but not in others. I can appreciate what the flagship system does, but the energy, snap and bounce the 507/323s have just makes them so addictive.

Practically it suits me better too - no valves to worry about, compact amp on the desk, you can leave it powered up, and the design of the headphones is fantastic in their unique way.

Of course, it's hard to beat the 009 for realism and tonality, and fine details, but I found them a little too soft and polite on many albums. I realise I'm probably in a minority here!

The used 009 / 007tii kimik are going back... Unless someone wants to bag a flagship system in the London area!

i appreciate your boldness and self consistency for listening yourself, comparing to the flagship and deciding for yourself. i am sure you will enjoy the 507 and your focus to the music will be undisturbed by upgraditis for a while

 

[realmassy]

The 507 are excellent value for money and the pairing with the 323 is just right. Used to love that combo.

 

[arnaud]

i can assure you that a silicon carbide amp is coming.
Boards should be here soon.

Changed your mind?

http://www.head-fi.org/t/582518/electrostatic-amplifiers-voltage-ratings#post_7925872

 

[kevin gilmore]

put a fair amount of work into it, and carefully selected parts.
should know soon if the board performance matches the prototype

T2 class heatsinks!

 

[project86]

  Hi.
Im curious about a couple questions:
 
Imagine that you find a new Stax SR-4070..never opened from a order never sold about 9/10 years ago (the S/N is 2xxx of 4070 manufacured orders at time of order) . Perhaps one of the very few SR-4070 still unopened or maybe the last one...but for sure an

exceptional and rare opportunity
​

 
How much could those earspekers cost?
What's a reasonable price to buy them? 
 
Cheers

 
 
Having been on the hunt for a good condition SR-4070 for the past year, I have yet to see a pair go for the older prices of $1200-1400 or so. I used to see sales of that type on a semi-regular basis. But when I wanted a pair for myself, it seems the supply has dried up. $1500-2200 or more is the range I've encountered, depending on the condition. I was outbid on a near-mint pair when I refused to go higher than $2350. The seller later mentioned he got roughly $2600 for it. 
 
As for being worth it.... that's subjective. I am really enjoying mine off a KGSShv. I can see how people find them sort of sterile though, but then again people say the same about the 009. For me, having 007 plus 4070 offers a nice contrast.  

 

[eric65]

  Transformers box (Wee modified / Wee unmodified / Verto / Verto modified) + RKV-II amp versus Stax amp (SRM 727 / SRM 007t2) :
 
Follow here : http://www.homecinema-fr.com/forum/post178230197.html#p178230197
 

 
You can follow the "Hunger Games" of amplifiers here (in french): http://www.homecinema-fr.com/forum/post178234006.html#p178234006
Normally, only one winner!
 
Already two "tributes" out.
 

 

[schorsch]

Hello,

Has anyone experienced the malvalve headamp?

Regards Georg

 

[3X0]

Having been on the hunt for a good condition SR-4070 for the past year, I have yet to see a pair go for the older prices of $1200-1400 or so. I used to see sales of that type on a semi-regular basis. But when I wanted a pair for myself, it seems the supply has dried up. $1500-2200 or more is the range I've encountered, depending on the condition. I was outbid on a near-mint pair when I refused to go higher than $2350. The seller later mentioned he got roughly $2600 for it.

Dang. I've wanted a SR-4070 but I wouldn't pay anywhere near that much for one. If the value on them has gone up so much I hesitate to fathom what the rarer Stax are worth now.

 

[audiokid]

i appreciate your boldness and self consistency for listening yourself, comparing to the flagship and deciding for yourself. i am sure you will enjoy the 507 and your focus to the music will be undisturbed by upgraditis for a while

 
Thanks, let's hope so!
 

The 507 are excellent value for money and the pairing with the 323 is just right. Used to love that combo.

 
Yes, they seem to work well together!

 

[astrostar59]

The 507 are excellent value for money and the pairing with the 323 is just right. Used to love that combo.

 
Yes, they seem to work well together!

 
 
 
I think the 507s are Stax's sweet spot, the point where high end starts and the cost is still reasonable. Beyond this level it starts to get a bit crazy. But if you fall for the Stax magic, there may be no other alternative but to go higher up the ladder. I heard the 507s through a KGSShv and it scaled really well, and the headphone came alive a lot, more dynamics, more bass, warmer. It shows they 507s are really capable. But with a nice front end and decent Stax amp it is really pretty good. I am thinking of buying a pair of 507s as a set I can lug around when I visit family in the UK, and in that case would be powered by a Stax 717. 

 

[astrostar59]

  Dang. I've wanted a SR-4070 but I wouldn't pay anywhere near that much for one. If the value on them has gone up so much I hesitate to fathom what the rarer Stax are worth now.

I second that. Unless you are a collector I can't see the sense? Get the 007s new and your done. 

 

[project86]

  Dang. I've wanted a SR-4070 but I wouldn't pay anywhere near that much for one. If the value on them has gone up so much I hesitate to fathom what the rarer Stax are worth now.

 
 

  I second that. Unless you are a collector I can't see the sense? Get the 007s new and your done. 

 
 
Well, for me anyway, the benefits of a closed back design are worth the price. I do a lot of listening at night while the family is sleeping, and blasting an open headphone just won't do. Plus I already have an 007 anyway. Would I buy a 4070 first at that price, before an 007? Probably not. But as a complementary headphone it matches quite well. 
 
Also, the 4070 sounds way better on my KGSShv than it did when I tried a 727II and a WES. So the return on investment rather depends on your amplification strategy. 

 

[astrostar59]

Well, for me anyway, the benefits of a closed back design are worth the price. I do a lot of listening at night while the family is sleeping, and blasting an open headphone just won't do. Plus I already have an 007 anyway. Would I buy a 4070 first at that price, before an 007? Probably not. But as a complementary headphone it matches quite well. 
 
Also, the 4070 sounds way better on my KGSShv than it did when I tried a 727II and a WES. So the return on investment rather depends on your amplification strategy. 

 
Gotcha. It shows to me that there is a market for a closed design. And I agree, decent amplification does have a marked improvement. I got attacked for saying this a few posts back. It seems to me the ones attacking are Stax amp only users, like I used to be.
 
There are those that have the knowledge, those that think they have the knowledge, those that stop halfway up the mountain and think they know all the knowledge.... 

 

[Ali-Pacha]

Wiktor strikes again :
http://www.ebay.fr/itm/STAX-SRM-T2-SPS-T2-the-amplifier-T2-2-/301305765203?pt=UK_AudioVisualElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Headphones&hash=item4627391d53
http://www.ebay.fr/itm/STAX-SRM-T2-SPS-T2-with-SR-OMEGA-T2-1-/301305757966?pt=UK_AudioVisualElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Headphones&hash=item462739010e
The first one was bought by him for 6 k€ here : http://www.casques-headphones.com/les-bonnes-affaires/381-stax-srm-t2.html
How about "lol" ?

Ali