The Stax Thread III

[Whitigir]

Move around as in stand up and walk around? Nope. However if you're talking about jaw movement to get that Stax fart, yes I did try that. Yesterday, I wore glasses, today I didn't. It's funny that I've had the SR-009 since 2012 and have felt that to be the sorta the de facto standard to (personally) compare other headphones to (the Susvara is a different topic OT to here). But The SR-009S does so far seem to set the new bar. I'd need to somehow get hands on a little more with it. I may try to visit the Stax office again sometime soon as (aside from more time with the SR-009S), their President Nakata-san has suggested for me to visit their new showroom of the Stax History.

Excellent! I found my stax 009 does not fart with my glasses on, and I really hate it when it “fart”, painful and annoying both at the same time LOL!

 

[Rayzilla]

Excellent! I found my stax 009 does not fart with my glasses on, and I really hate it when it “fart”, painful and annoying both at the same time LOL!

I haven't kept up with the fart part but based on your experiences, I would guess that it has to do with the suction of air when glasses are not worn and the suction does not happen when there is the gap created by your glasses.

 

[Whitigir]

I haven't kept up with the fart part but based on your experiences, I would guess that it has to do with the suction of air when glasses are not worn and the suction does not happen when there is the gap created by your glasses.

Yes, I guess so. Maybe port mods will improve it, but I don’t feel like tinkering around with hard work when I can have glasses on (simple). I don’t like hard works LoL!

 

[buzzlulu]

Enjoyable 009s conversation so I hope not to make to much of a detour HOWEVER this is the "Stax" thread - so now for something different (sorry!):

Fresh opinions on a KGSSHV amplifier? I am playing around with my first Stax setup - L300Limited and 353 amplifier. Obviously a 009/009s awaits
A KGSSHV is really not much of a financial step up from the 353 - and I am early in my journey and do not know if I am ready to Carbonize things yet (although price is really not an issue)

So - I am going to assume that:

a KGSSHV will take the L300Limited to a higher level than the 353?
a KGSSHV is significantly better than any CURRENT Stax amplifier? How much so?

Finally - a KGSSHV can easily make a 009/009s strut its stuff - and better than any current Stax amplifier?

And while we are at it - one more - and this really applies to any KG amplifiers - Carbon, HV etc. etc.
Obviously the Stax engineers have a certain "sound" they aim for and this is accomplished with their own headphone and amplifier pairings - the Stax sound as envisioned by Stax.

Do the KG amps change this Stax envisioned sound into what their own KG/Mafia vision is for what the sound should be - or do they keep the Stax engineers intended sound and simply improve upon it?

 

[musicday]

I wish the D10 portable amplifier used usb type C,. Also the battery life seem very short compared to M-03 when used in analogue mode.

 

[protoss]

I wish the D10 portable amplifier used usb type C,. Also the battery life seem very short compared to M-03 when used in analogue mode.

This little beast of an amp/dac is way better than that fire-hazard M-03

 

[bearFNF]

This little beast of an amp/dac is way better than that fire-hazard M-03

Wait what? fire hazard? Do you know of something that has occurred with the M-03? If so, please share.

 

[protoss]

Wait what? fire hazard? Do you know of something that has occurred with the M-03? If so, please share.

Just an old post i remember. And because of this I just stayed away completely.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/kingsound-m03-can-it-drive-stax.851827/

 

[powertoold]

Finally - a KGSSHV can easily make a 009/009s strut its stuff - and better than any current Stax amplifier?

Are you buying a kgsshv or making one yourself? If you're going to make one, then might as well go for the Carbon since it's the newest and "best"

I have a kgsshv 500v, am in love with it, and consider it my "end game" amp. I also have a 007tA, and the kgsshv is much much better (a lot more "slam" and subbass, although I did feel like the 007tA had more forward and "lush" vocals, but I never directly compared them. I am 100% confident kgsshv is *a lot* better).

The problem with buying DIY amps is it's difficult to assess their reliability. It's a much bigger risk to buy a DIY amp.

 

[purk]

You can easily get the KGST in the FS forum at $2000 and that is a steal for the price. I love the KGSSHV and they are way better than the 727 or 007t as well as the 717. It should better the T8000 as well. KG amps are amazing!

 

[buzzlulu]

Are you buying a kgsshv or making one yourself? If you're going to make one, then might as well go for the Carbon since it's the newest and "best"

The problem with buying DIY amps is it's difficult to assess their reliability. It's a much bigger risk to buy a DIY amp.

I would be buying and not building...the last time I handled a soldering iron was back in the 70's when I was active in Ham Radio. Transistors didn't even exist back then

A purchase would be made from far across the seas... (Iceland)... so I think the pedigree and integrity will be good!

KGST - I want to remain solid state.

What about what I wrote above - which is very important to me:


"And while we are at it - one more - and this really applies to any KG amplifiers - Carbon, HV etc. etc.
Obviously the Stax engineers have a certain "sound" they aim for and this is accomplished with their own headphone and amplifier pairings - the Stax sound as envisioned by Stax.
Do the KG amps change this Stax envisioned sound into what their own KG/Mafia vision is for what the sound should be - or do they keep the Stax engineers intended sound and simply improve upon it?"

 

[padam]

I want to remain solid state.

What about what I wrote above - which is very important to me:

"And while we are at it - one more - and this really applies to any KG amplifiers - Carbon, HV etc. etc.
Obviously the Stax engineers have a certain "sound" they aim for and this is accomplished with their own headphone and amplifier pairings - the Stax sound as envisioned by Stax.
Do the KG amps change this Stax envisioned sound into what their own KG/Mafia vision is for what the sound should be - or do they keep the Stax engineers intended sound and simply improve upon it?"

The 323S and the KGSSHV aren't that different in general topology.
But freed from the constraints of a simple, unregulated power supply and equipped with parts that are able to handle higher voltages, you'll get an improvement in reduced distortion, a more linear frequency response, higher dynamics, bigger soundstage and much better bass impact and control. And of course you can crank up the volume to ear-bleeding levels if you want to.

Whether the amount of these improvements are 'huge' or 'fairly small' is totally dependent on the listener.

Although not quite the same setup with either the new amp (carbon is a bit warmer and smoother) or the headphones you can find some impressions here

 

[buzzlulu]

Padam
Thank you for the link. Off to it now to do some educational reading however your description above was very informative.

My thought process for now is as follows. This year was my first back in headphone listening since returning to this forum from when I was last active in 2003/04 (main listening is always 2 channel). It has been a busy return (and expensive)...as the purchase of a Utopia, Z1R, and now my first Stax system will attest to.

My end goal is a 009/009s and most likely a TOTL amplifier to follow. For now my newly delivered L300Limited/353X is giving me exactly what I want - an entry and taste into Stax. A jump from a 353 to KGSSHV is, for me, negligible in cost. A jump to a Carbon is a larger investment (even though I can make it) however the $3k saved between the two amplifiers can fund most of the cost of a 009/009s. If the KGSSHV can run the 009's - WELL - then it buys some play time to have fun.

If a Carbon is warmer and smoother - than for what I am looking for perhaps no - and I seem to have the impression from reading (and communicating) that the Carbon was voiced to "tame" the 009. I don't know if I want an amplifier which was voiced for one specific headphone - and was made to "fix" its deficiencies. If the powers to be at Stax wanted to fix any deficiencies then perhaps they would have done so with one of their own amplifiers?

 

[Whitigir]

No, Carbon was not voiced to tame 009. Carbon was voiced to Synergize and pair with 007 MkI

BHSE, Grounded Grid and other tubes from KG design. I think Stax original T2 was used for 009, they are magical together

 

[padam]

It's not specific for the SR-009 at all, it is simply a further improvement from the previous versions that happens to sound a bit warmer.
But if you intend to buy it new anyway, then you might as well choose the SR-009S instead later on when it comes out, impressions can only be sketchy for now, but it just looks to be a better starting point.

The short answer is: why not try that amp? There really aren't many of them around, so if you think it is not enough improvement for the amount you spent, just resell it and move on.

Personally, I am using a rather low-level amp and for a short time I had a KGSSHV and I just didn't love the matching with my favourite headphones (too sterile), so just moved on and enjoy music with a fairly low-level amp. Yes sometimes I feel that it is congested, a bit fuzzy, not quite zero silence, bass not being great etc. but it just plays music so brilliantly every time I turn it on (or humans do sound human with YT and stuff) that it doesn't seem to matter that much.

It almost as though it forces you to concentrate on the 'whole' music itself, rather than its individual elements (think of it as the bigger, whole digital picture if you will, rather than its individual pixels)