[Pokemonn]

 

I got pic of new stax driver?

I found some rumor at local japanese sites, which say this SR-??? unit cost lambda level but perform SR-009 level.
If this rumor is true, this SR-??? will be a total destruction for high-end headphone industry?

 

[Armaegis]

Is there any area in the 007 that you guys would say is better than the 009?

 

[Ali-Pacha]

Stiffening the stators won't hurt, but Lambda drivers aren't bad at all. On the other hand, I hope they'll release an new housing eventually.
 
Anyway, got my hands on some SR-407. Can't compare to Novas or other SR-x0x Lambdas, but they are undoubtly more forward than my old normal bias and Signature. Very (very) dynamic, lots of "ooomph" on low mids, less airy, soundstage a bit constricted (thinner pads ?), more sensitive. They are definitely voiced to approach electrodynamics sound signature. Not bad per se, but some of the e-stat magic is a bit lost on the way.

Ali

 

[Michgelsen]

  I found some rumor at local japanese sites, which say this SR-??? unit cost lambda level but perform SR-009 level.
If this rumor is true, this SR-??? will be a total destruction for high-end headphone industry?

 
Very interesting, but not very surprising that technology from the top-of-the-line model is adapted for the cheaper models. I am curious already how a new model will sound. I hope the 'oomph', as Ali-Pacha calls it, will not be lost, as I found that a welcome improvement when I had the 507.
 
Besides this new Lambda model, I am also curious about the rumoured new amp Stax is supposedly working on. Do you have any info on that from your Japanese sources?

 

[Ali-Pacha]

Maybe Arnaud has something to say 

Ali

 

[astrostar59]

  Is there any area in the 007 that you guys would say is better than the 009?

It makes hideously bright DACs sound normal...

 

[astrostar59]

Sorry that sounds a bit abrupt. I can't think of any angle the 007 can equal the 009 to be honest. The only reason you would want the 007 instead of the 009 would be budget constraints or to mask or calm down a bright front end. Such a bright front end would really need to be resolved by other means. The 009 says how it is, hides nothing, reveals all those ambient details we crave to get closer to the source and realism of live music.
 
I don't find the 009 bright. I know some (not saying who) claim it has a 'rough treble' or 'harsh top end'. I absolutely disagree. People that do IMO need to look at the rest of their equipment as IMO they headphone is the most ruler flat response and has an ultra fast grip on the music. Everything else including high end speakers sound slow to me.

 

[manywelps]

The 009 does sound bright to me.  I'm not sure if that's just because it's accurate.  The 007 sounded dark and significantly less detailed than the 009.
 
It nearly bothers me, it might be the AKM chip in the bifrost uber... the AKM4396 is famously harsh, but I never heard that with the AKM4399 in the Bifrost.

 

[Rayzilla]

  This is what I did. I just picked up the 009 and pairing now with the 323S until something else comes up. I am very happy with this as my starting point and I can tell that there is great potential with the 009.

 
 

  What DAC are you pairing them with?

I am pairing my set up with the Line Magnetic 502CA dac, which has the sabre chip but it also has the option to run tubes. I don't have a lot of experience with dacs other than the portable FiiO dac/amps and the Headstage Arrow. Compared to the FiiO, the LM is very transparent, no colouration of the sound. It probably allows the 009 to be as clean as can be. When selecting the tube option, it is less clean but I generally do not use this option because I like as much detail as possible. Sorry that I can't really say too much more since I haven't tried too many other dacs with my own amp.

 

[Arthrumus]

So I got my SR-407s today and WOW! My beloved SR-5s are officially obsolete, everything that they could do the 407s can do better. The 407 even trades blows with my ESP-950 as far as bass quality, and to my ears the 407 just sounds more controlled. I seem to be in the minority on the ESP-950, but I really don't think it's actually all that detailed. I suppose my copy could be defective (or perhaps my ears

) but they sound veiled to me. Not so with the 407, and unlike the SR-5 the 407 provides satisfying bass without sacrificing any of the detail and clarity, they're just so freaking good at every genre I throw at them!
 
These are my first lambdas, and I find the ergonomics to be great. I was a bit concerned when I first put them on, because the clamp is much tighter than my other headphones, but after hours of listening I've experienced no discomfort. In fact these are less fatiguing to me than the ESP-950. The 950s have almost no clamp at all, but something about their sound signature just rubs my ears the wrong way, causing me pain after relatively short listening sessions. I'm gonna go ahead and say it... think I've found my end game headphones... for now.

 

[Ali-Pacha]

I've had my SR-5 for over 35 years, got my hands on SR-407 few days ago, and I don't feel one is better than another. Especially considering mids, which are truly lovely on SR-5. Dynamics and details are better on 407, but not sure bass extension is so much better on 407 (slight weakness of 407 among Lambdas). BTW, I haven't done any side by side comparison on my SRM-1/mk2 Pro, only Lambda Sig vs 407 on my modded 727, and Lambda NB vs 407 on SRM-1/mk2 Pro...
 
Which amps / transformers do you have ?

Ali

 

[n3rdling]

  So I got my SR-407s today and WOW! My beloved SR-5s are officially obsolete, everything that they could do the 407s can do better. The 407 even trades blows with my ESP-950 as far as bass quality, and to my ears the 407 just sounds more controlled. I seem to be in the minority on the ESP-950, but I really don't think it's actually all that detailed. I suppose my copy could be defective (or perhaps my ears

) but they sound veiled to me. Not so with the 407, and unlike the SR-5 the 407 provides satisfying bass without sacrificing any of the detail and clarity, they're just so freaking good at every genre I throw at them!
 
These are my first lambdas, and I find the ergonomics to be great. I was a bit concerned when I first put them on, because the clamp is much tighter than my other headphones, but after hours of listening I've experienced no discomfort. In fact these are less fatiguing to me than the ESP-950. The 950s have almost no clamp at all, but something about their sound signature just rubs my ears the wrong way, causing me pain after relatively short listening sessions. I'm gonna go ahead and say it... think I've found my end game headphones... for now.

 
The 950s are definitely veiled for a stat.  Using a better amp for them helps though.
 
Armaegis, it's hard to name one area where the 007 bests the 009, but if your preference is warmer sounding gear then you'll probably prefer them.  They're definitely better for listening to poor recordings with.  Imaging precision might be a hair better as well.

 

[astrostar59]

  The 009 does sound bright to me.  I'm not sure if that's just because it's accurate.  The 007 sounded dark and significantly less detailed than the 009.
 
It nearly bothers me, it might be the AKM chip in the bifrost uber... the AKM4396 is famously harsh, but I never heard that with the AKM4399 in the Bifrost.

DS DACs can sound great as many R-2R DAC can, but the failings in many DACs IMO is the poor (cheap parts, after though in design) of the power supply and output stage. Many 3K+ DACs have pathetic power supplies and opp amps / buffer stage, it kills the sound signature regardless of the integrity of the digital PCB and chip type / architecture.

 

[zolkis]

  Is there any area in the 007 that you guys would say is better than the 009?

 
In stock form, none, if not for the bass, but IMO that as well is better on the 009.
Now I mostly preferred my modded 007 to my 009 in liveliness, musicality, bass and treble, and also in stage.
But it took insane amount of time to find that exact setting, and it's not an easy mod.
However, the 009 continues to be more neutral, still more open, with more emphasized mids.
I recommend getting the 009 with an amp you can afford at the moment and grow on that later.
Moreover, though I managed to make my 009 sound warmer and with more bass with a slight mod to the pads, after all I think it's best kept in stock form and used with a proper amp.
With all the HE1000 and Abyss hype, I think the 009 is still the best and most true-to-the-music headphone that is available.
But it also depends on your musical preferences.

 

[manywelps]

 

  The 009 does sound bright to me.  I'm not sure if that's just because it's accurate.  The 007 sounded dark and significantly less detailed than the 009.
 
It nearly bothers me, it might be the AKM chip in the bifrost uber... the AKM4396 is famously harsh, but I never heard that with the AKM4399 in the Bifrost.

DS DACs can sound great as many R-2R DAC can, but the failings in many DACs IMO is the poor (cheap parts, after though in design) of the power supply and output stage. Many 3K+ DACs have pathetic power supplies and opp amps / buffer stage, it kills the sound signature regardless of the integrity of the digital PCB and chip type / architecture.

The treble is so bright it's on the edge of annoying.  It give me listening fatigue after an hour or two if I'm at normal levels.
 
I'm really confused because the ESP-950 doesn't do it, but the innerfidelity charts show the ESP-950 as having a treble spike, and the SR-009 not.
 
Edit: It's been bothering me so much over the past 3 days, I just swapped out my uberfrost for my NFB-15.  The WM8741 is one of my favorite DACs for being smooth and non-fatiguing.