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The Stax Thread III
Apr 5, 2015 at 3:49 AM Post #4,981 of 25,562
My God, David 10:30 ? With the KGSShv, I cannot go past 9. Had an extended 5 hour session with that amp and the SR 009 yesterday. Found myself turning down the volume a tad as time progressed. Could be my age as well.
 
Apr 5, 2015 at 4:10 AM Post #4,985 of 25,562
david1961 said:
When I listen to my headphones, I like to listen at a certain volume, ( although I don't know what that is in dB's ) whether that's with my HD-600's or 009's, and this volume isn't too low or too high.

When I had the SRM-007t, I was listening at around the same volume with that Stax amp, as I do with the BHSE, and all I can say is I'd never got back to the SRM-007t.


P.S. With the BHSE I have the volume knob at around 10.30.
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Quote:
david1961 said:
There are some that have listened to my 009/BHSE at a lot higher volume than I do.
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I cited my dB levels because when I compare gear I make sure my comparisons are SPL matched. That is important because different gain levels are known to affect one's perception of sonic differences. I use my iPhone app to measure the dB levels on each headphone. 
 
How far your volume attenuator is turned is not always reflective of the actual volume (measured in dB). That is because your DAC may have a different voltage output than other DACs and you may have other pre-amp components in between. 
 
I think for most 70dB average is the normal listening level. Anything more than 80 dB average is considered loud and more than 90 dB causative of hearing loss. 
 
Apr 5, 2015 at 8:21 AM Post #4,987 of 25,562
david1961 said:
I've read somewhere that to get the optimum SQ, a certain volume needs to be got to, but because our hearing is different that volume level will be different.
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there is more to this statement than most headfiers will ever find... your ear is a muscle, if you lifted nothing but 3 lb barbells you'd not get very far..
 
Apr 5, 2015 at 12:31 PM Post #4,990 of 25,562
Most of the Stax put out equivalent SPL except the 4070. I have to crank it up another 30-45 degrees to get an equivalent volume level out of those cans. The Omegas take a bit more too, and the Lambdas the least. 
 
Apr 5, 2015 at 3:50 PM Post #4,991 of 25,562
Note on stands, for my money the factory Stax version is the one to get. I just got a Sieveking Omega stand from a Massdrop sale. Looks really nice, but frankly isn't that practical. It stretches out my Stax headphones, out of their natural resting state. The Stax cover also doesn't fit on as well. The Stax stand is made from Hokkaido wood (and looks better in my opinion), and has the Stax logo to boot. The Sieveking comes with a useless cloth bag you throw in a drawer. The 009 in particular loves to be on a Stax stand. The two ear cups naturally clamp onto the stand. 
 
I also have a vintage Store front Stax stand I use for when I step away for a moment. Maybe I'm just a Stax guy at heart  
smily_headphones1.gif

 
Apr 5, 2015 at 3:55 PM Post #4,992 of 25,562
I use JRiver's volume leveling that keeps the differences between tracks on the same album so I don't need to keep messing with the volume knob when changing albums.  The SRM-323S goes from 0-10 and I listen dead on 4 or what would be 11:00 on a clock.  That measures 76 dB average on a pink noise track using a SPL meter from radio shack.  This is using a Gungnir single ended to the 323S into a SR-507.
 
If I use Spotify or iTunes I have to keep playing with the volume pot because I'm not going to use their volume leveling.
 
Apr 5, 2015 at 3:58 PM Post #4,993 of 25,562
earspeakers said:
  Note on stands, for my money the factory Stax version is the one to get. I just got a Sieveking Omega stand from a Massdrop sale. Looks really nice, but frankly isn't that practical. It stretches out my Stax headphones, out of their natural resting state. The Stax cover also doesn't fit on as well. The Stax stand is made from Hokkaido wood (and looks better in my opinion), and has the Stax logo to boot. The Sieveking comes with a useless cloth bag you throw in a drawer. The 009 in particular loves to be on a Stax stand. The two ear cups naturally clamp onto the stand. 
 
I also have a vintage Store front Stax stand I use for when I step away for a moment. Maybe I'm just a Stax guy at heart  
smily_headphones1.gif
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Thanks for this, been looking for a stand for my 507.  Was going to go with a Omega stand but will probably go instead with the Stax one and dust cover from Elusive disc.  Should have ordered it with the 507 and got 10% off.  Crap.
 
Apr 5, 2015 at 4:13 PM Post #4,994 of 25,562
Peter Walker, the founder of Quad, used to say that the volume control should be used almost like a focus control (much like that of a camera lens) to 'place' the sound stage correctly relative to the listener; in other words, there is a 'right' volume for each recording.
 
Apr 5, 2015 at 4:18 PM Post #4,995 of 25,562
brokenthumb said:
Thanks for this, been looking for a stand for my 507.  Was going to go with a Omega stand but will probably go instead with the Stax one and dust cover from Elusive disc.  Should have ordered it with the 507 and got 10% off.  Crap.
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Good, I had a feeling somebody would benefit from this. The one benefit with the Omega is that it is slightly more stable, but overall I don't like it and wish I hadn't gotten one. I'll probably sell it. 
 
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