[bmichels]

Let's bump this thread a bit
I know that headband on 009 doesn't look good and it is prone to cracks so i was thinking about something similar to MrSpeakers's memory wire,NiTinol.That probably will improve the comfort and certainly will last much longer.How hard will it be do add such a headband to Stax009?
Any thoughts?

Well. My initial though is : If it works.... don't fix it.

 

[musicday]

Well. My initial though is : If it works.... don't fix it.

I do agree with you, that was just a suggestion.
The headband quality could be higher especially at this price point, maybe in the Stax SR-010 next year at CES 2018

 

[ToroFiestaSol]

I have low expectations for SR-010...this is from 2012:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/stax-interview-and-factory-tour-12-12-12.650210/

" if we are to bring a new flagship amp to the market, it would have to exceed the performance of the T2, no less. So, we are taking all these factors into consideration and are currently in the design phase.
The design has effectively started and we are at the stage of deciding on an enclosure size and such. The fundamental design is complete actually but there is a lot more left such as the casing because it certainly won't fit in the current enclosures"

Guess what they did? Yeah baby, the SRM-T8000, and is it better than T2? Come on, according to trusty reports, it's a bigger, slightly better 717...dissapointment is not enough to describe this situation.

We don't know how much SR-010 will cost, but if it is 2x 009 price, I would expect it to be better than 009 and any 007 setup in the world, with mods and aftermarket amps included...Stax is an enigma so everything can happen, but after the T8000 my particular expectations are pretty low.

 

[AnakChan]

Let's bump this thread a bit
I know that headband on 009 doesn't look good and it is prone to cracks so i was thinking about something similar to MrSpeakers's memory wire,NiTinol.That probably will improve the comfort and certainly will last much longer.How hard will it be do add such a headband to Stax009?
Any thoughts?

Prone to cracks? My SR-009 is 5.5 yrs old. No cracks.

 

[mulveling]

I'm not sure what kind of humans you guys know, but it sure as hell doesn't sound like a "fart" to me (who coined this, anyways). I'm skeptical that anyone who wasn't already aware of this phenomenon would call it "fart" right off the bat. My troll sensors are ringing on this one.

 

[bearFNF]

The only "cracks" I have seen is the head clamp dude that just broke his headband due to wrapping rubber bands or whatever around the headband.

The only other issue I have seen is the adjuster clips breaking, mostly on demo headphones at shows, but one I know at a private residence.

Let's bump this thread a bit
I know that headband on 009 doesn't look good and it is prone to cracks so i was thinking about something similar to MrSpeakers's memory wire,NiTinol.That probably will improve the comfort and certainly will last much longer.How hard will it be do add such a headband to Stax009?
Any thoughts?

 

[bearFNF]

Sounds more like a crinkling or popping sound to me than a fart.

I'm not sure what kind of humans you guys know, but it sure as hell doesn't sound like a "fart" to me (who coined this, anyways). I'm skeptical that anyone who wasn't already aware of this phenomenon would call it "fart" right off the bat. My troll sensors are ringing on this one.

 

[ToroFiestaSol]

Even Stax's farts have musicality, very tube like fart if you ask me

 

[wrathofkhan]

Yes the famous Stax fart is complety normal and mentioned many times in this thread (particularly for the SR-009 and SR-007 Mk1). It's something to do with sudden air pressure change when the perfectly sealed pads suddenly lose their seal. When Stax tried to remove the issue with the SR-007 Mk2 by introducing a small air gap, most users complained that it spoiled sound quality, so there's various DIY fixes with blutak etc to block up the air gap.
In short, don't worry about it and stop pressing the earcups (or moving your head suddenly)

Edit: Ali beat me to it. I've come across dealers not aware of the Stax fart. They're not necessarily stupid, just don't share the same passion in headphones as some of us. Most dealers are still heavily loudspeaker focused.

I had this feeling that it was kinda normal because it did it on both SR-009s but it sure was a relief that it is not a fault.

Thank you Attorney and others for your speedy helpful response.

 

[MacedonianHero]

Prone to cracks? My SR-009 is 5.5 yrs old. No cracks.

Mine too...zero cracks whatsoever.

 

[Olschl]

I have a pair of SR X series replacement pads coming from a non-USA
distributor, since I never received any reply from any of the alleged ones
in my homeland.
I don't think they'll fart; but I won't mind if they sound better
(musically, that is) than the threadbare fossils I've been using.

 

[behwatch]

Let's bump this thread a bit
I know that headband on 009 doesn't look good and it is prone to cracks so i was thinking about something similar to MrSpeakers's memory wire,NiTinol.That probably will improve the comfort and certainly will last much longer.How hard will it be do add such a headband to Stax009?
Any thoughts?

Most likely user problem. Mine no cracks or any problems since 2012...

 

[Ali-Pacha]

Mine too...zero cracks whatsoever.

Sliders on the headband are prone to cracking when settings are done by pushing the headpad when phones are on the head.
When sliders are individually and manually set to gey the proper settling, there's absolutely no risk of early cracking

Ali

 

[astrostar59]

Well, now, let's think about this for a minute. I imagine Tyll gets non-electrostatic headphones monthly for review, so it makes sense for him to buy a "reference" amp to test those. OTOH, how often does he get electrostatic headphones for review? Last time was a couple years ago. Yes, there are a couple coming up: Mr. Speakers, HFM, maybe n3rdling's Orpheus clones if he ever decides to make them a commercial product. The Sennheiser HE-1 and Sonoma don't count because they have dedicated amps. It is less sensible for him to buy an amp that he MAY need to use every few years for testing, which is probably why spritzer gave him one - because he wasn't going to buy one on his own. It would be great if Justin could do the same with a BHSE but considering HeadAmp's profit margins, not very feasible. And the problem with DIY amps, regardless of how good they are, is, only a small fraction of potential buyers is going to have access, or going to build, one, so how do you make sense of a review that uses an amp that most people have never heard and can't get? And that's even without getting into the issue of which DIY version of which amplifier? For the KGSSHV, for example, do you want the mini version with KGBH PS, or a maxi with Golden reference HVPS. What about the LV - Golden Reference or 7815/7915 basic PS? Let's face it, the stat headphone market is a small sliver of the audiophile market, which is a small slice of the overall headphone market (Beats, anyone?).

Now, Bob isn't a reviewer per se, he is a mastering engineer who sometimes uses headphones for his job, and occasionally does a review as a sideline. If he gets a "reference" amp, it is because he needs one for his job, not because he is going to be reviewing a bunch of headphones. IIRC, before he had a KGSS and SR-007 Mk II, he used a Stax SRA-12S (one of their first solid state amps from the 1970s) with Stax SR-3 and SR-5 headphones, also from the 1970s, which tells you how often he replaces amps and headphones.

So, yeah, in a perfect reviewing world, Tyll and Bob would have reference electrostatic headphone amps. And as long as we're at it, I want a pony for Christmas.

Great point there JimL11. And I agree 100%. I have a mixed view on 'reviewers' both HP systems and speaker systems. I won't say all are rubbish or biased, BUT they are doing it for a living, which means they cannot say any product is the absolute best ever. This won't make sense and would in effect make them redundant, unemployable. Yes a few have said such a statement, but it is rare, and all to often they misquote that later as the opposite. A top HP like the 009 needs a top DAC as a source, bung an iPhone on the end and the BHSE and 009 will be 'tizzy' for sure, big time.

Also, having heard a reasonable spread of other top HPs at Can-Jam, then some low-mid range mass market phones I believe some manufactures treat the design of such HPs as EQ machines. None of those HPs had anything like a linear or transparent sound signature. In most cases they boomed up the bass response and drew back the crucial 4-6 kHz ranges to be more forgiving with cheaper / weaker sources. I am the first to admit I sat on the train back from Can-Jam for 4 hours enjoying my Pioneer SE-MHR5s on dance and other energy material. It does entertain. But just for fun when I got home, I played the same Rammstein track on my 09s and Carbon, then the Pioneers out of my iPod, well another track entirely came out, almost was it actually the same track? I don't need to tell you which sounded right and had 300% more information in it! And the sound out of the little Pioneers, if that was replicated in a full size speaker in a typical room setting, the bass would shake the walls and drown out the vocals, generally become annoying and anti social TBH, just obviously inaccurate and coloured.

Going back to reviewers some have said 'I like the XX so much 'it is a keeper' or 'reached for my cheque book' I want to believe this is genuine, but you never know if they got it for half price or less. Maybe my paranoia? But I do try to read posters on here and use my ears more than magazine reviews. And that is why this community is so damb good!

 

[buzzlulu]

Side question - I need to buy two Stax CPC-1 covers however cannot find any place Stateside. Short of eBay from Japan any suggestions?