[Spork67]

I also want to see them release more value-minded models that are good, and not just crazy flagships. I'll have an L700 soon, we'll see if they fixed the classic Lambda problems with it.

 
This.
The sound from the midrange stuff is already on par with / better than dynamic HPs costing considerably more
Even just updating the styling and materials (less brown plastic, more brushed alloy, or even some nice wood) would be nice to see and would almost certainly attract more people to the brand.

 

[paradoxper]

 
For paradoxper, BTW, speaking of builds and T2, how is your T2 coming along?

Parts are being polished and anodized. A little attenuator code yet to be done but close to completion. 

 

[nemomec]

  I find 007 (current MK2 version, with port mod) more transparent and fast than 009.
009 exagerates small level details and has an artificial treble. My amp is neutral, with grain free treble and mids (KGSSHV Mini) and my DAC is not bright (PS Nuwave DSD via Singxer SU-1, i2s). My 007 sounds neutral and natural with my chain, but 009 not. Also, 007 spots better the source changes. Swapping PS Audio Nuwave for a worse DAC (Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 or Audient ID22) made it sound bright and thin, not natural and real like with the Nuwave DSD. 009 sounded thin and bright with the two DACs.
 
If that's not the definition of transparency and speed...
 
Don't want to dismiss anyone's opinion, but if one of the most reputed mastering engineers on the world says: "009 wasn't even a contender, you have to be deaf to prefer it over port modded 007", using his own mastered tracks and educated, critical ear, with tons of experience with reference grade audio transducers...you can't differ with him, sorry, he is not your regular clueless reviewer paid by a magazine.
 
Brighter doesn't mean more transparent.

 
Sorry thats not true, i haven´t heard any SR-007 there are more transparent than a SR-009. With a little more Stax experience it´s easy to make following order:
 
Stax SR-009
Stax SR-Omega
Stax SR-007 MK1 first series up to SN: 70xxx
Stax SR-007 MK1
Stax SR-007 MK2 SN: SZ2-xxxx
Stax SR-L700 Advanced Lambda
Stax SR-007 MK2 SZ3-xxxx
 
The SR-009 is the most source depended headphone that i known and scales tremendously with the setup in both directions from worse to outstanding, that´s one reason for most people to choose a easier handling SR-007.
 
For technicans its easy to verify the transparency of SR-009, take a Smyth Realizer and measure the above headhones in a very good loudspeaker setup and make a listen and decide which headphone the loudspeaker including room sounds most real.

 

[a1uc]

I'm trying to decide on the 009 or 007 you guys are making things hard

 

[astrostar59]

I'm trying to decide on the 009 or 007 you guys are making things hard

Well see you have the excellent TotalDAC, so not a bright DAC problem looming for you. If it was a brighter (possible treble issue) front end it may have been better going 007s. So I would invest in the 009s and then look for the best amp you can get hold of. A KGSShv would be fine, a Carbon or BHSE better. TBH my previous KGSShv and DAC sounded fabulous with the 009 so you can't go too wrong IMO.

 

[Ali-Pacha]

Aaah, this good ol' periodic - infinite loop 007mk1 vs. 009 talk

 
Let's add more boring stuff to the pile, right after a session on my BHSE :
- less high mids emphasis on 007, then less detail masking than 009...but no more details IMO
- there's something a bit fuzzy about 007 highs, maybe the high level of 3-5 khz and 8 khz. Maybe it helps them retrieving details too
- larger soundstage on 007, maybe a mix between tonal balance (not Sennheiser though) and deeper pads
- way more impact on 009. BHSE does wake 007 up and leads them to a very satisfying level of energy, but hierarchy remains, DWI
- slower bass on 007, not as textured nor extended as 009 bass
 
I understand why one does prefer the older brother. From an audiophile point of view, 007 are more refined and less fatiguing, better for long sessions, especially with classical. 009 may sound a bit artificial and / or too "in your face", but I really do prefer this energetic presentation...007 are another way to hear things, I like them for what they are, but definitely a bit too polite for my tastes.

Ali

 

[arnaud]

x2, sold my O2mk1 after the false hope of the bhse waking it up. Treble is also more natural sounding on the 009 to the ears in direct comparison. The only time I'd recommend the O2 is if you listen to high spl and / or subpar recordings (to some limited extent...).

Btw, posted in the dedicated thread already but it did not seem to me like there was a talk of sr009 successor in the fujiya article. A new amp hopefully ready to show next spring, that was it and wanting to do something special to celebrate 80th anniversary in ... 2018 ...

I don't have big hopes for the amp considering what it'd cost to release another T2 today. The BHSE truly is a bargain, can never appreciate this enough!

Arnaud

 

[catscratch]

FWIW the new 007A is considerably less polite to my ears than the 007 Mk1, which, I agree, was too polite, even out of the BH. However I loved the tonality and resolution so I put up with the slightly sleepy dynamics. On the flip side, the new 007 doesn't quite have the same midrange tone, and there's something very slightly off about its mids to me, maybe a slight honkiness? But, so far I've only used it with the 717 and I haven't done the bass port mod, which could potentially help.

Even with the issues I quite like this new 007.

Oh, right. Fuel, meet fire.

 

[Ali-Pacha]

I agree, 007mk2 are indeed more bumpy / energetic than 007mk1, but to the expense of technicity IMO. 009 remains ahead on both areas.
YMMV, of course.

Ali

 

[zolkis]

In my experience:
- my modded 007 Mk1 (70xxx) is more open than the 007 Mk2.
- the 007 Mk2 can be made sound better by taking out the springs (the port mod made it more muffled for me), but the extent of improvement is not that much as with the 007 Mk1.
- the 009 sounds a tad more open that the modded 007 Mk1, and much more open than the 007 Mk2.
- the modded 007 Mk1 is more dynamic (in both micro- and macro-dynamics) than the 009, and has slightly larger sound stage with even better location cues. It also sounds cleaner than the 009.
- the SR-Omega is the best of all IMHO, slightly better than the modded 007 Mk1 (they are really close, but the SR-Omega takes no mods for that, has more mids - like the 009 but with much better treble than the 009). Also, its bass is phenomenal.
 
I've heard the 009 used with a copper-only cable will sound better - but I have not taken the chance to verify this.
 
If a new Stax flagship will be voiced like the SR-Omega and maybe improved even more, it will be on my short-list...

 

[JimL11]

  Parts are being polished and anodized. A little attenuator code yet to be done but close to completion. 

Very cool!  I build some of my own stuff but the cost and complexity of the T2 has put me off so anyone who is building one has my admiration.  OTOH I recently splurged on a BHSE and SR009, haven't had a chance to listen to it yet.  We shall see.

 

[a1uc]

What is the avg used price on a BHSE ? And a good place to score a pair
of new 009

 

[NoPants]

i scrapped the 009 with the bhse combo, ended up settling on the t2 with 007 and omegas. i think there's more merit in chasing after the new carbon or circlotron these days after all the bs i went through putting the t2 together, but there's definitely something special about the sound compared to everything i'd heard beforehand

 

[Ali-Pacha]

What is the avg used price on a BHSE ? And a good place to score a pair
of new 009

The issue is more availability than price, really. BTW, they are more or less at MSRP (around $6000) when they pop out.
Pricejapan used to be a reliable source for 009, but it looks like they went radio silent, and Stax's policy about grey market becomes tougher these days...

Ali

 

[ToroFiestaSol]

   
009=brighter, not more transparent

 
Fixed that for you