The Stax Thread III
Mar 14, 2018 at 1:40 AM Post #14,626 of 25,262
there is no more L300limited .... all sold out. Actually i bought the last one from stax directly...
 
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Mar 14, 2018 at 4:01 AM Post #14,627 of 25,262
I have limited and L700 and L300 with me. I think limited = L700 but with different tonality, they are grainy while L700 is smoother ,and they certainly have more bass. they have copper cable and stiffer pads which many contribute to the change. Also i review them past pages. if you listen to acoustic musics (orchestra/rock/etc) L700 is much better tonality as they sound so real, while limited also do fine with acoustic and other types (eg. pop, lesser mastered music). I would say L700 have neutral bass than limited.

Are you saying L300 Limited has more bass than L700? So if L700 has neutral bass, than L300 Limited has a warm tilt? Also, do your ears touch the drivers with the L300 Limited pads?
 
Mar 14, 2018 at 6:12 AM Post #14,628 of 25,262
I have hopes that the voce does turn out to be a good headphone even if it's colored. I really like the sound the pre 2016 lcd3f despite the delivery being anything but neutral to me. I have never purchased one because of the reliability issues. If I'd t voce bring that kind of laid back sound to the stats world I will pick one up. For when I'm in the mood to just zone out.

The hifiman headphones I have less enthusiasm for as they have attempted stats before and failed. Plus the belligerent manner in which the companies proprietor engages the community(since deleted) and questionable practices mean I probably would not give them my money either way.

Seawolf, I would say the LCD4 is a very balanced HP, and has an improved HF response to earlier LCDs IMO. I had the 009s fed by my Carbon amp and in the end got jaded with the treble quality and presentation. The 009 to me is a detailed headphone, the LCD4 sounds more like big (high end) speakers. It is a shock next to the 009s, but you get adjusted to it, and the midrange is so liquid, female vocals very realistic. I would say like digital v analogue type of comparison. I can listen to all my Redbook now without issues, not track swop or simply avoids albums altogether. My feeling after a few years on the 009 out of any amp I have heard so far is a stethoscope type approach, and is loosing the timbre and emotion in the music as a cost of presenting the leading edges of notes at the same magnitude as everything else going on. Obviously personal tastes come into it. The HE-1 was IMO also close to the very best high end speakers I have heard. Interested in hearing the Mr Speakers stat, and reading impressions on here too.

I ask myself what I am missing v the 009s, and nothing comes to mind. The detail is all there, just placed in the presentation as a whole, not thrust forward.
 
Mar 14, 2018 at 7:13 AM Post #14,630 of 25,262
Are you saying L300 Limited has more bass than L700? So if L700 has neutral bass, than L300 Limited has a warm tilt? Also, do your ears touch the drivers with the L300 Limited pads?
limited use L500 pad and they are very stiff my ears dont touch the driver, but it will touch it eventually as the pads age. yes, they have more bass, I would say they have same tonality. with higher quality music L700 pulls ahead with very smooth addicting sound ! limited sound better with pop and bad recording bcz of added bass/grain. If you listen to well mastered music / I am not talking about flac/cd format, I mean good mastered / rock / 80s / etc L700 is soooo good. I dont find limited as addicting as L700 lol, I just did A/B now and I felt L700 is warmer bcz of delicate smooth treble [Edit future posts impression changed with burn in, limited is getting smoother]
 
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Mar 14, 2018 at 11:07 AM Post #14,632 of 25,262
Seawolf, I would say the LCD4 is a very balanced HP, and has an improved HF response to earlier LCDs IMO. I had the 009s fed by my Carbon amp and in the end got jaded with the treble quality and presentation. The 009 to me is a detailed headphone, the LCD4 sounds more like big (high end) speakers. It is a shock next to the 009s, but you get adjusted to it, and the midrange is so liquid, female vocals very realistic. I would say like digital v analogue type of comparison. I can listen to all my Redbook now without issues, not track swop or simply avoids albums altogether. My feeling after a few years on the 009 out of any amp I have heard so far is a stethoscope type approach, and is loosing the timbre and emotion in the music as a cost of presenting the leading edges of notes at the same magnitude as everything else going on. Obviously personal tastes come into it. The HE-1 was IMO also close to the very best high end speakers I have heard. Interested in hearing the Mr Speakers stat, and reading impressions on here too.

I ask myself what I am missing v the 009s, and nothing comes to mind. The detail is all there, just placed in the presentation as a whole, not thrust forward.

I have only heard the 009 out of the BHSE and I don't have a problem that most have with the treble energy being a bit too much, I am just not that sensitive to the high frequencies. I did find it to be not as fun as the 007mki or 007mk2.5, again out of the BHSE,

009 is best with tubes amp. Carbon is only good with 007

As I am sure that Stax still has a T2 for testing and the 'fixed' T2 that never saw the light of day. If I had to guess, the 009 was probably developed for those amps. I would love to hear it out of the DIY T2 but I doubt I will get the chance.
 
Mar 14, 2018 at 12:08 PM Post #14,633 of 25,262
Update to Phenomenon Canorum.I removed the magnetic rings from the pads and everything changed.I had a discussion with Zoltan about this issue if a magnetic field can decrease the performance.The pads are now also slightly flatter without rings.This little change removed the Canorum V3 to the same ultimate level than Libratum with 009 pads.The difference to Libratum is that Canorum appear slightly meatier and a hint darker .Overall these are very balanced with excellent bass ,sweet mids and detailed highs.You can read Zoltans review on the other site about Libratums ,just add slightly warmth to performance then you have Canorum V3.Like to add that both Libratum V3 and Canorum V3 are among the worlds best electrostatic headphones money can buy (if not the best)

canorum rings.jpg IMG_2210.jpg
 
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Mar 14, 2018 at 7:28 PM Post #14,634 of 25,262
limited use L500 pad and they are very stiff my ears dont touch the driver, but it will touch it eventually as the pads age. yes, they have more bass, I would say they have same tonality. with higher quality music L700 pulls ahead with very smooth addicting sound ! limited sound better with pop and bad recording bcz of added bass/grain. If you listen to well mastered music / I am not talking about flac/cd format, I mean good mastered / rock / 80s / etc L700 is soooo good. I dont find limited as addicting as L700 lol, I just did A/B now and I felt L700 is warmer bcz of delicate smooth treble

@ahmedie What does the L700 sound like with the L300LE/L500 ear pads? Does treble grain as you call it creep into the music? Do the L700 pads seal better?

When I measured the L300LE there was a a 100Hz bump and then the bass rolled off fairly quickly, which is how older Stax Lambda's behave when the seal is broken. Other member's have shown the regular L300 baffle to have vents and the earpads do not seal very well to the baffle plate like the older taped on pads, hence no Stax fart. I taped around the periphery of the earpads and driver housing effectively sealing them, and this brought the bass measurements more inline with older Lambda's, flatter bass response that extends much lower, and the old Stax fart was back.

Hopefully the the L700 pads I ordered will be here next week and I can add my impressions vs the stock 300 LE pads.
 
Mar 14, 2018 at 8:51 PM Post #14,636 of 25,262
@oktapod

I await your impressions with excitement!

I am still enjoying my 007 mk1 via 727II combo. I recently swapped from my desktop to my laptop. I swear that the rig (modi mb > 727 > 007) sounds more resolving but a tad bit brighter from my laptop, while a bit more even keel / laid back out of my desktop. I wonder why that is? It might be psychological, but I swear its very easily noticeable for me. I think I like the overall sound better out of my desktop. Just a tad bit smoother.


I have made sure all audio settings are the same i.e bitrate quality in windows etc. Major differences is that the laptop is better isolated (on dynamic headphones I could hear hissing from my desktop) and the operating system is w10 on laptop vs w7 on desktop.
 
Mar 14, 2018 at 9:06 PM Post #14,637 of 25,262
@ahmedie What does the L700 sound like with the L300LE/L500 ear pads? Does treble grain as you call it creep into the music? Do the L700 pads seal better?

When I measured the L300LE there was a a 100Hz bump and then the bass rolled off fairly quickly, which is how older Stax Lambda's behave when the seal is broken. Other member's have shown the regular L300 baffle to have vents and the earpads do not seal very well to the baffle plate like the older taped on pads, hence no Stax fart. I taped around the periphery of the earpads and driver housing effectively sealing them, and this brought the bass measurements more inline with older Lambda's, flatter bass response that extends much lower, and the old Stax fart was back.

Hopefully the the L700 pads I ordered will be here next week and I can add my impressions vs the stock 300 LE pads.

I have tried L700 pads on limited and they did sounded more like a L700 including smoothness and decreased bass could hardly notice a different. Also with burn in limited is getting closer to L700 smooth sound. If you have limited you do not need the upgrade it wont worth it.
 
Mar 14, 2018 at 11:26 PM Post #14,638 of 25,262
@ahmedie What does the L700 sound like with the L300LE/L500 ear pads? Does treble grain as you call it creep into the music? Do the L700 pads seal better?

When I measured the L300LE there was a a 100Hz bump and then the bass rolled off fairly quickly, which is how older Stax Lambda's behave when the seal is broken. Other member's have shown the regular L300 baffle to have vents and the earpads do not seal very well to the baffle plate like the older taped on pads, hence no Stax fart. I taped around the periphery of the earpads and driver housing effectively sealing them, and this brought the bass measurements more inline with older Lambda's, flatter bass response that extends much lower, and the old Stax fart was back.

Hopefully the the L700 pads I ordered will be here next week and I can add my impressions vs the stock 300 LE pads.

Did taping the L300 driver housing have an audible impact on bass response, or did it just mostly show up in measurements only? Did you feel added sub-bass weight?
 
Mar 15, 2018 at 1:11 AM Post #14,639 of 25,262
Did taping the L300 driver housing have an audible impact on bass response, or did it just mostly show up in measurements only? Did you feel added sub-bass weight?

Yes it had a noticeable impact when listening. Daft Punk's "Doin' it Right" shows the lack of the stock 300LE sub bass extension very easily. My Senn HD600 has more low end with "Doin' it Right", put it that way. The taped 300LE, was better than the HD600, much cleaner.

My Airbow SC-1 already serve the clean and low purpose, so when the L700 pads arrive, I will determine what direction I go with the 300LE... to seal or not to seal...
 
Mar 15, 2018 at 10:41 AM Post #14,640 of 25,262
i just noticed my volume level settings have been too loud...I have been listening to Stax amps's volume position "5". its just too loud. now its position "3"(for srm-007t and 009).
That was the reson why my Stax amps sounded harsh. darn. i coundnt noticed this fact until today. lol

Which Stax amps volume posions do you guys listen to??? please let me know. Thank you.
 
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