The Stax Thread III

[realmassy]

Too bad I've already a mortgage :mad:

 

[arnaud]

How about "lol" ? Ali

 
How about 

 for the fortunate moron who is going to pay for this...

 

[Michgelsen]

   
(...) 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.

 
Yes yes, I'm sure the KGSS(HV) and Blue Hawaii (can) sound better than the Stax amps, but often, when members ask for advice or are happy with what they already have, repeating this is totally irrelevant and unnecessary. Also, Stax amps are 'decent'. Whether 'decent' is adequate for someone, is up to them and their wallet.
Of course, when asked for advice on the non-Stax amps, opinions on those are very welcome and in such cases I'm glad we have members around who have heard many different amps. This post is also not strictly directed at you Astrostar, it's just that any amp-related questions often seem to escalate into posts about the 'need for' Gilmore amps. That gets boring.

 

[mulveling]

This here is the Summit-fi forum. Not the this-here-is-good-enough-and-I-get-tired-of-reading-about-better-alternatives-than-what-I-own-fi forum.

 

[greggf]

Yes, but this is "The STAX Thread", and the 727 and 007tII are not in any way, shape, or form suitable for "The Entry-Level STAX Thread".  So here (hear?) we are.  :O

 

[astrostar59]

I get both sides of this discussion. My point is the 'masses' don't get to hear any / many none Stax amps at dealers. The Stax systems are fine and for the money I agree are very good. But the advent of the 009 and the current hungry nature of the 007 has changed the Stax system offerings IMO. If we go to the 507 system and below, yes that is great value and gives the user a real taste of the high end. But if someone buys the 007 or 009, I am sorry, it doesn't have a realistic Stax system to support it i.e. no amp to match.
 
I get the impression Stax are aware of this situation. There were rumours they may build an 007/009 amp soon. But until then, IMO anyone coming into the world of Stax and buying the 007 or 009 is not being given the right advice selling them bundled with the Stax amps - sorry if this doesn't sit well with some. To be honest, if Stax had a leading amp to do the 007/009 justice I would have bought if for sure - no hassles, with warranty, can hear it before I buy etc etc. Because this is not available, it is up the the headfi community to give out their experiences instead.
 
Going back to the wallet and budgets, a very good KGSS or KGSShv either DIY or built by a builder can be had for around the same as an SRM-727.

 

[David1961]

Even though there are none Stax amps available, if those that aren't in the know about such amps went to a dealer to buy say the 007's or 009's, that dealer will more than likely suggest they buy a Stax amp. This is why before buying any of the top two Stax Earspeakers, the potential buyer ( IMO ) should look on headphone sites.

 

[eric65]

   
Yes yes, I'm sure the KGSS(HV) and Blue Hawaii (can) sound better than the Stax amps, but often, when members ask for advice or are happy with what they already have, repeating this is totally irrelevant and unnecessary. Also, Stax amps are 'decent'. Whether 'decent' is adequate for someone, is up to them and their wallet.
Of course, when asked for advice on the non-Stax amps, opinions on those are very welcome and in such cases I'm glad we have members around who have heard many different amps. This post is also not strictly directed at you Astrostar, it's just that any amp-related questions often seem to escalate into posts about the 'need for' Gilmore amps. That gets boring.

 
Yes, a bit of diversity to exit the Leitmotif "KG produce = the best amps for Stax Earspeaker" can not hurt. 
 
PS: soon have news about it (alternative amps for stax headphones).

 

[milosz]

I think in particular there is one semi-exception to the "All the Stax amps are quite good..."  concept-  for the SR-007 you really want something like a KGSSHV Blue Hawaii DIY-T2 or Megatron.  The SR-007's sound OK on Stax amps but on something able to swing more voltage they have been called "the best sounding headphone, period"  by some folks who have heard all the best electrostatic headphones ever made. Now I think that's hyperbole, but for the SR-007 you really, really want a special amp. Listening to the other Stax phones and the ESP-950 on various Stax amps you hear slight differences between those Stax amps, but they all sound GREAT really. Listen to a pair of Lambdas on a KGSSHV and yes it's an improvement over a stax srm-1/mk2  but the improvement is not night vs day.  However go from an SRM-T1  to a DIY-T2 on the SR-007's  and you will hear a BIG difference.  The SR-007's really come alive with one of those special amps.
 
Interestingly, the SR-009's seem easier to drive and I don't think the difference between a Stax amp and "special" amp on them is as great a change as on the SR-007.

 

[eric65]

   
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.
 

 
Listen, listen, listen; some attention, ladies and gentlemen; Here are the results of the first Hunger games audio (comparison of amplifiers with headphones Stax SR-009). 
 
Six tributes at the start: 
District 1: WooAudio Wee Wee modified and unmodified (coupled to RKV-II amplifier) 
District 2: Stax SRM 727 and SRM 007t 
District 12: Audiovalve Verto unmodified and modified Verto (coupled to RKV-II amplifier)
 
Only one winner normally. 
 
The winner is .... or rather ... are both tributes from District 12, the AudioValve Verto box coupled to the amplifier Audiovalve RKV-II.
 
(Nb: modification of the Verto with cutting the leg of two resistors (see photo : has not yet been achieved and it soon will be, this  modification proposed by M. Becker (of AudioVlave) aims to further improve the clarity of Verto, yet does not lack, according to the comparative monitoring done by Peter (Pierre) to this link : http://www.homecinema-fr.com/forum/casques-haute-fidelite/verto-le-boitier-audiovalve-pour-casques-stax-t30052030-105.html ); this change will be carried out soon). 
 
:
 
 
.
Winner : Verto box coupled to the amplifier RKV-II (with the 009 Stax Headphone)
 
The Verto box (coupled to the amplifier RKV-II) is the winner for the best overall sound rendering over all other competitors amps, with a better overall synergy with the 009; not to mention a much better versatility of use it is also noteworthy (ie : possible listening of Stax headphones and others (no estat) like orthodynamics and electrodynamics headphones with the RKV amp).
 
Eric

 

[SquireC]

If the Verto box is that good, it will need to be able to be used with other power amps using the speaker out connections. Like the Wee and the Stax SRD energisers. IMHO.

 

[eric65]

  If the Verto box is that good, it will need to be able to be used with other power amps using the speaker out connections. Like the Wee and the Stax SRD energisers. IMHO.

 
It is quite possible with the Verto box (using the HP Terminal in reverse mode), but the results may be less good than the use of the RKV- II (or III) in  OTL mode, with input jack (that use the low ratio 1:5.9 of the Verto transformers)

 

[wink]

The big frog in a small pond is not the same as the big frog in a big pond.....

 

[paradoxper]

And . . . nobody cares.

 

[greggf]

I found comments from spritzer on Tyll's Innerfidelity review of the BHSE, where spritzer said, "With electrostatics most amps are just idling at normal listening levels . . . "
 
Can someone define "loud" listening levels for me, as opposed to "normal" listening levels?  How loud is "loud"?