[Arthrumus]

  Thanks.
I thought I just needed the Stax energiser, but sounds like I also need a full size (not just headphone) amp as well.
So: Source > m9XX (as DAC only) > (full size) amp > Stax energiser > headphones?
 
I sold my Hi-fi gear years and years ago. Only amp's in the house now (apart from little headphone amps) are surround sound amps for the TV's. These can be used as stereo amps, so might try this (still need the Stax energiser) to see how I like it, and look at a proper stereo amp later on.

That will work. My first Stax setup was like that, an old Sony home theater receiver connected to an SRD-6. You will definitely get better sound from a higher quality amp but there's nothing wrong with starting out cheap. Also Tripath TA2020 based amps sound surprisingly good with Stax headphones and can generally be bought new for well under $100, that was my second configuration before upgrading to an SRM-1 Mk2, and I still think it sounds great. 

 

[purk]

I'm running a match quad of Holland brown base EL34 XF4 and quite happy with the results.  I have never tried the metal base and will not due to price....however the difference is within 5-10% according to somone who own both set of tubes.  I paid $600 for my Quad but that was couple of years ago.

 

[Tadamn]

 

I'm running a match quad of Holland brown base EL34 XF4 and quite happy with the results.  I have never tried the metal base and will not due to price....however the difference is within 5-10% according to somone who own both set of tubes.  I paid $600 for my Quad but that was couple of years ago.

I've one which I received as a gift. You can borrow it from me for a few days.

 

[juantendo8]

Well, I think I'm going to pull the plug on my PriceJapan order. There have been too many recent accounts of them never shipping or replying to recent customers. Regardless of how reliable they have been in the past for others, they have clearly been terrible recently. A month, many emails, and no replies yet, I'm afraid that I'm getting scammed here. Even the prices on their products have not been updated in quite a while. Hopefully I can get my money back quickly and easily. The premium to buy locally is worth skipping this hassle and stress.
 
I have no vendetta against them, but I would heavily recommend steering clear of them for now. At least until they have proven that they have gotten their sh** together once again. Or that they still exist. 

 

[Pokemonn]

Japanese Yen getting stronger...some economist predict Japanese Yen will rise around 1US$=50yen(now 1$=100yen) near future...
please order your staxes quickly!

 

[ctemkin]

Bmichels,
 
There is a lot of information on tube-rolling for the BHSE in the BHSE thread itself and also in a separate thread on BHSE tube rolling.
 
Based on the information in those threads, I bought four vintage Valvo EL34's with DD getters.  NOS without the N.  Valvo is one the various labels that denote Phillips/Mullard, so far as I understand.  
 
I have been delighted with them.  They do sound noticeably better to me than the stock tubes, although that could be due to my system, my ears, or self-justification, for all I know.

 

[angeche]

I have just received my new Shure 1500 KSE. They sound great, better than the Stax SRS-002 I also own (the baby Stax) and it is far more comfortable (the maximum I can stand the baby Stax is an hour!). Not sure they sound 2000 dollars better but that is, as we all know, another issue. 
 
I also own a Stax Sr-009, coupled with a Stax SRM727II, a Sony PHA3 and an iMac (software is Audirvana). By no means and IMHO the KSE 1500 sound as good as the Stax Sr-009.
 
The KSE 1500 is great for having the best quality on the move. when coupled with my Sony NW-ZX2 or my Onkyo DP-X1. and I love electrostatic sound. I have 3000 dollars less but I am happy. At home? No doubt, the Stax SR-009

 

[Spork67]

STAX SRM 1-MKII
In keeping with the theory "the only stupid question is one you don't ask" - Do any of the STAX amp's have a built-in DAC, or are they designed to be fed an analogue signal from the source?
I'm eyeing off an older SRM 1-MKII (with both pro and standard outputs), or for a few hundred more I could get a current model SRM-252S. If the latter has a built-in DAC (good quality) I could almost justify the extra $.
 
Can anyone confirm that my DAC/amp (Grace Design x Massdrop m9XX DAC/Amp ) will play nicely with the SRM 1-MKII​ if used as a DAC?

 

[Arthrumus]

  STAX SRM 1-MKII
In keeping with the theory "the only stupid question is one you don't ask" - Do any of the STAX amp's have a built-in DAC, or are they designed to be fed an analogue signal from the source?
I'm eyeing off an older SRM 1-MKII (with both pro and standard outputs), or for a few hundred more I could get a current model SRM-252S. If the latter has a built-in DAC (good quality) I could almost justify the extra $.
 
Can anyone confirm that my DAC/amp (Grace Design x Massdrop m9XX DAC/Amp ) will play nicely with the SRM 1-MKII​ if used as a DAC?

No Stax amp past or present has an integrated DAC. Maybe in the future, as I believe I recall seeing something about a prototype dac amp combo being shown by Stax at a show recently, but it was a low end amp I think. 
 
The SRM-1 MKII is exponentially better than the SRM-252s. The 252s is the bottom of the current line whereas the SRM-1 MKII was the absolute pinnacle in it's day. It is still widely regarded as one of the best sounding amps that Stax has ever produced. I know from experience, in a direct A/B comparison with the current TOTL Stax amp the SRM-727 (equipped with the spritzer mod to fix the incomplete feedback loop) the SRM-1 MkII holds it's own, only lacking that last few percent of control and refinement. The SRM-1 MkII is capable of authoritatively driving all of the Lambdas and supposedly even does a fair job of driving the SR-009. It doesn't have the oomph to drive the SR-007 though, but then again very few amps do so that's not a slight against it.
 
As long as your Grace m9xx has line out then there shouldn't be any problems. Stax amps accept standard RCA input just like any other amp.

 

[Spork67]

Thanks for that.
Better grab to MKII then.

 

[bosiemoncrieff]

Heard SR-009 out of the stax 727 (tidal, yggy) yesterday. While it was more resolving than HD800 with the WA5, I can't say that it was night and day better. It sounded a bit more refined, with a bit less bass (though with excellent extension), and all the frequencies well integrated. The soundstage placed me among the instruments rather than a bit back. I know the amp is nowhere near as wonderful as BHSE or Carbon, but such an amp would have to make the headphones fundamentally different in order to truly justify the expense for me, not just an incremental step above a well-driven HD800.

 

[astrostar59]

  Heard SR-009 out of the stax 727 (tidal, yggy) yesterday. While it was more resolving than HD800 with the WA5, I can't say that it was night and day better. It sounded a bit more refined, with a bit less bass (though with excellent extension), and all the frequencies well integrated. The soundstage placed me among the instruments rather than a bit back. I know the amp is nowhere near as wonderful as BHSE or Carbon, but such an amp would have to make the headphones fundamentally different in order to truly justify the expense for me, not just an incremental step above a well-driven HD800.

Having had the previous Stax amp (717 which sounds better than the stock 727) and the 009s, IMO you are in for a treat if you can indeed hear the Carbon or BHSE. The jump is truly big, huge, immense. It is night and day.... The 009s scale incredibly well and are held back by that amp.

 

[yates7592]

Heard SR-009 out of the stax 727 (tidal, yggy) yesterday. While it was more resolving than HD800 with the WA5, I can't say that it was night and day better. It sounded a bit more refined, with a bit less bass (though with excellent extension), and all the frequencies well integrated. The soundstage placed me among the instruments rather than a bit back. I know the amp is nowhere near as wonderful as BHSE or Carbon, but such an amp would have to make the headphones fundamentally different in order to truly justify the expense for me, not just an incremental step above a well-driven HD800.

Funny how we all hear differently. I had a 2 hour session recently using very familiar music with the SR009, SRM007t2 and a worse source than yours and to my ears the SR009 was head and shoulders above HD800. Deeper and weightier bass, full mids (not scooped), no piercing treble issue; and a more realistic 3D soundstage. Just a fixed HD800!

 

[Spork67]

I just bought this:
 

 
 
A mate has a powdercoating business so I might get him to repaint the cover.
The faceplate doesn't look too bad.
Fingers crossed the guy selling the headphones is genuine - although I used Pay-pal so if they don't turn up I'll get a refund, but then I'm left with an amp and nothing to plug into it.

 

[purk]

  Heard SR-009 out of the stax 727 (tidal, yggy) yesterday. While it was more resolving than HD800 with the WA5, I can't say that it was night and day better. It sounded a bit more refined, with a bit less bass (though with excellent extension), and all the frequencies well integrated. The soundstage placed me among the instruments rather than a bit back. I know the amp is nowhere near as wonderful as BHSE or Carbon, but such an amp would have to make the headphones fundamentally different in order to truly justify the expense for me, not just an incremental step above a well-driven HD800.

The stock 727 is such a poor sounding amp and I would advice getting the 323S way over it.   I would not judge the SR009 or SR007 out of that amp ever unless it has a feedback mod done to it.  I also owned the stock 727 in the past.