[icebear]

  I think he means the homemade-looking one with the internal DAC and VU meter, not the 727A, 007tII, or portable 003 that are also there.

Indeed, yes this is the one I was referring to :

 

[Lan647]

Interesting to hear STAX is producing an amplifier specifically for the SR-009. Hopefully, it will be tuned so that it will attenuate the (IMO, quite significant) flaws of the 009 and bring it closer to the 007 mk1, which I definitely feel is a superior headphone. Something along the lines of what Sennheiser did with the HDVD800 + HD 800. 


 

 

[Michgelsen]

Damn that new amp looks sexy!!

 

[aphex27]

  Interesting to hear STAX is producing an amplifier specifically for the SR-009. Hopefully, it will be tuned so that it will attenuate the (IMO, quite significant) flaws of the 009 and bring it closer to the 007 mk1, which I definitely feel is a superior headphone. Something along the lines of what Sennheiser did with the HDVD800 + HD 800. 


 

lol

 

[Pokemonn]

EQing 009 can easily mimic 007 sound. please try EQ. its not difficult.

 

[Lan647]

  EQing 009 can easily mimic 007 sound. please try EQ. its not difficult.

While in theory I can imagine that would work pretty well, why would you bother? There is nothing the 009 does better IMO and the 007 can be had for half the price. 
 
And before anyone jumps in and talks about "detail" and "air" and "soundstage width"... it's just more treble, guys. It's just more treble. 
 

 

[arnaud]

Actually, the omega 2 (mine's an early mk1 but my previous 007A was even more pronounced) has a spike in treble at 10kHz or so and, as such, I actually find it more trebly than the 009 because this sticks out (especially when I put the omega 2 on right after the 009).

 

[Lan647]

Actually, the omega 2 (mine's an early mk1 but my previous 007A was even more pronounced) has a spike in treble at 10kHz or so and, as such, I actually find it more trebly than the 009 because this sticks out (especially when I put the omega 2 on right after the 009).

It varies with model. The 70xxx ones I've heard don't have it. Mine (71xxx) has a little bit of it, but I happen to like it actually. Never gets bright to my ears but does add a little bit och sparkle and "fun" compared to the earlier 70xxx model. 

I find the SR-009 much more bothersome, having what I hear as a raised upper midrange/low treble. It makes the sound more immediately "detailed" but really it just sounds unnatural to me. 

 

[potkettleblack]

   it's just more treble, guys. It's just more treble. 
 

You spelt better wrong.

 

[rgs9200m]

The 007 is fine and insightful and fast, but if the recording, especially vocals, has some dryness or gravelyness to it, I find the 009 has more liquidity and makes these vocals or other sustained notes sound more liquid and continuous and is just what the doctor ordered.
Maybe a tube sound with the BHSE can do this with the 007, but I have not heard that amp. BUT, you have to be careful that the recording does not have too much digital glare, because then the 009 gets notoriously peaky and can be shrill and fatiguing.
I find good recordings, especially SACDs, are great with the 009, as these recordings are generally excellent and analog-like with the upper mids/treble and free from the dreaded digital glare that I can't stand.
So I think both phones have their merits and flaws. (But I'm still addicted to the lifelike Stax sound for the record. I just think you need both the 007 and 009. But if you can only have one, the 007 is the one to have and is most versatile.)

 

[Pokemonn]

FYI digital EQer DEQ2496 is $299 at Amazon. much cheaper than 007.
to 009 owner, if you have SQ issue, try software/hardware EQer. Plus you can tweak bad recordings too.
 
http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-DEQ2496-BEHRINGER-ULTRACURVE-PRO/dp/B000CCN152

 

[Ali-Pacha]

 
While in theory I can imagine that would work pretty well, why would you bother? There is nothing the 009 does better IMO and the 007 can be had for half the price. 
 
And before anyone jumps in and talks about "detail" and "air" and "soundstage width"... it's just more treble, guys. It's just more treble. 
 

The best amp I've used so far with 007mk1 and 009 (I own both) is a modded SRM-727II...obviously no T2/BHSE level, but that should'nt be that far from a KGSS. The source is an Yggy.
 
For me, 007 clearly lacks impact and upper mids compared to 009. Considering bass, 009 has a bit less amount of it, but the impact / tightness is better.
Considering treble, the 9-10 khz spike on 007 and the lack of upper-mids give me the feeling of a less well-integrated FR, and sounds like a kind of "trick" to enhance details in spite of the somehow distant sound of 007.
Soundstage is better on 007, a bit wider and deeper, but it's partly a consequence of this distant sound IMO.
 
Until now, even if I do like my 007 for relaxing yet refined listening sessions, I feel the 009 as technically superior, but mostly it does better suit my tastes sonically.
Even if I don't praise mafia's sonical tastes that much, I acknowledge they are the most technically skilled guys out there concerning e-stat amping. So I'm in line for a BHSE (should be this year

) which is well-accepted as the real kick-in-the-arse amp for 007.
Time will tell 

 
Ali

 

[karlgerman]

 
If one use a mac, there is a nice EQ implemented. Easy to get there using PureMusic for example.
 
As we know, DAC´s and Amps manipulate the sound and if all parts fit to your personal taste a 009 is still best for me.
Same for my loudspeaker system, which is electrostatic also.
 
Leaving my Esoteric-DAC switched on for more than 5 hours optimized the treble performance so there is a warm easy listening sound and no reason for EQ-ing any more.
That remind me how a precise clock could be so important to treble and midrange, maybe as influential as DS or R2r processors.

 

[Lan647]

  The best amp I've used so far with 007mk1 and 009 (I own both) is a modded SRM-727II...obviously no T2/BHSE level, but that should'nt be that far from a KGSS. The source is an Yggy.
 
For me, 007 clearly lacks impact and upper mids compared to 009. Considering bass, 009 has a bit less amount of it, but the impact / tightness is better.
Considering treble, the 9-10 khz spike on 007 and the lack of upper-mids give me the feeling of a less well-integrated FR, and sounds like a kind of "trick" to enhance details in spite of the somehow distant sound of 007.
Soundstage is better on 007, a bit wider and deeper, but it's partly a consequence of this distant sound IMO.
 
Until now, even if I do like my 007 for relaxing yet refined listening sessions, I feel the 009 as technically superior, but mostly it does better suit my tastes sonically.
I'm in line for a BHSE (should be this year

) which is well-accepted as the real kick-in-the-arse amp for 007, so time will tell 

 
Ali

I'm personally using a modded 717, I would guess it's somewhere around the level of your modded 727. Caps replacements did a great job tightening up the low-end of the 007. In its original state, the bass was a tad loose compared to the 009. Now, the bass of the 007 is just as fast and tight as the 009 but richer and a little weightier. With the BHSE, I'm sure it will be even better. 

With the treble I guess it's just preferences. I've never found the vocals of the 009 to be realistic even on very high quality recordings, because of that (to my ears) upper mid emphasis and overall lack of warmth and richness in tone. I don't know whether or not the 007 is ideal, but it certainly gives the most transparent and authentic vocal reproduction I've heard from any headphone. 
 
But again, preferences I guess. 

 

 

[Ali-Pacha]

Yep, matter of tastes 

 
The mod is about feedback, which is lacking on 727's last stage.
717 has global feedback, 727 with mod has local feedback(s), but it's commonly accepted that both are very very close :
http://www.head-fi.org/t/223263/the-stax-thread-new/17445#post_8174660
http://www.head-fi.org/t/223263/the-stax-thread-new/13935#post_6885201
http://www.head-fi.org/t/616260/stax-srm-323s-or-srm-717-for-driving-the-sr-007#post_8523207
 
If you like the way 007k1 presents vocals, you should try some Sigma Pro's...mids absolutely to die for, and impact 007mk1 can't compete with on our "lesser" amps 

 
Ali