[donpablo]

I don't know what XLR cables are. Or, are you referring to XLR connectors? The Mjolnir is a balanced amp, so XLR connectors were used. In any case, it's neither the cable nor the balanced/SE configuration that makes the biggest difference.

I mean this https://www.techwalla.com/articles/what-is-an-xlr-cable

Yes I know Mjolnir is balanced amp however you are not obligated to use balanced cables (these with 3 pins each) - you can use normal unbalanced jack.
In my case balanced signal through XLR cables through Aune S6 -> LD mk3 SE -> Hifiman he-560 made a GREAT difference in sound, all in plus from bass to treble and soundstage. Even listening only through Aune S6 (without the Little Dot amp) was a big change using balanced outputs.
Why you havent noticed big differene in Mjolnir I don't know exactly, every DAC/AMP is different.

Btw.
Have you used any tube dac/preamp between source and Stax amp?

 

[tigon_ridge]

I mean this https://www.techwalla.com/articles/what-is-an-xlr-cable

Yes I know Mjolnir is balanced amp however you are not obligated to use balanced cables (these with 3 pins each) - you can use normal unbalanced jack.
In my case balanced signal through XLR cables through Aune S6 -> LD mk3 SE -> Hifiman he-560 made a GREAT difference in sound, all in plus from bass to treble and soundstage. Even listening only through Aune S6 (without the Little Dot amp) was a big change using balanced outputs.
Why you havent noticed big differene in Mjolnir I don't know exactly, every DAC/AMP is different.

Btw.
Have you used any tube dac/preamp between source and Stax amp?

The Mjolnir version 1 doesn't have an SE output. I've switched between the Asgard 2 and the Mjolnir (balanced mode), and honestly the difference isn't that big between SE and balanced. Going from HE-560 to L300 is much bigger. Just watch an action movie with lots of contrast between soft and loud sounds. The clashing of swords sounds so real and loud/impactful. A sudden thunderbolt can scare you. Never felt that way with any non-Stax.

No, I've never had any interest in tubes.

 

[donpablo]

I don't know what XLR cables are. Or, are you referring to XLR connectors? The Mjolnir is a balanced amp, so XLR connectors were used. In any case, it's neither the cable nor the balanced/SE configuration that makes the biggest difference.

The Mjolnir version 1 doesn't have an SE output. I've switched between the Asgard 2 and the Mjolnir (balanced mode), and honestly the difference isn't that big between SE and balanced. Going from HE-560 to L300 is much bigger. Just watch an action movie with lots of contrast between soft and loud sounds. The clashing of swords sounds so real and loud/impactful. A sudden thunderbolt can scare you. Never felt that way with any non-Stax.

No, I've never had any interest in tubes.

Yep, Stax made an impression on me, however comparing to my previous setup it lacks something I can call sound-weight, this feeling of soundwave that hits you when you are on the concert. This is low-mid frequency 'problem'. However I know that Aune S6 is very neutral/clear sounding DAC and thats the first case. Second I just corrected litle bit with mod I described few posts ago. I have also another idea in that matter (also extending soundstage) that can be done very cheaply in home - will share it here as well
And third thing is that I probably will order IFI itube2 - from review it looks like this is the thing that will direct sound into what I need. (I was curious about this thing since long time btw.)
About the holographic clarity and detail I can not complain at all (Jazz and vocally oriented song sounds like I've never heard before)

 

[Whitigir]

Yep, Stax made an impression on me, however comparing to my previous setup it lacks something I can call sound-weight, this feeling of soundwave that hits you when you are on the concert. This is low-mid frequency 'problem'. However I know that Aune S6 is very neutral/clear sounding DAC and thats the first case. Second I just corrected litle bit with mod I described few posts ago. I have also another idea in that matter (also extending soundstage) that can be done very cheaply in home - will share it here as well
And third thing is that I probably will order IFI itube2 - from review it looks like this is the thing that will direct sound into what I need. (I was curious about this thing since long time btw.)
About the holographic clarity and detail I can not complain at all (Jazz and vocally oriented song sounds like I've never heard before)

And that is where the game gets more expensive , aka buying a better driving unit.....aka....amplifier, except it is only an amplifier the way common dynamic systems have, so it is called Driving units

 

[Mach3]

Well im going to get Stax mafia after me after this post . But I guess someone needs to say this!

All anyone really need is a 353x , D50 or 727II . Getting a Bhse or anything like that is a waste of money
Everyone here is brainwashing everyone else in buy these extremely expensive over $5000 amps for no reason!.

A used tune up Stax SRM-T1S for $500 is pretty much = to a $5000 amp
The most anyone should spend is $1600 for a 727II

Stax SRM 727II is end game. All anyone needs for a stax setup!
And once people argue that a carbon or Bhse will bring out that extra lame nonsense of missing 10% is sad

End of story.

I got my bulletproof vest on. People need to stop scarying everyone that they need $10,000 to enjoy staxs!

$2400 used 009 or a new $1900, 007 and a new SRM-727 for $1600 is all you need!!


P.S. Needed to be said!

While I would agree that you don't need to spend alot to get a good idea of just how good Stax setup can be.
I wouldn't agree that SRM-727II is end game
At louder volume, it just doesn't properly juice the higher end Stax.
Lambdas range no problems.

I still think the Stax SRS-2170 represent incredible value. At the time, I purchased them for $600 to see what all the fuss was about.
From that moment on, I have not purchased a single dynamic or planar. headphone
My foray into Stax has made me realised it was cheaper to get a better sound for less compared to a dynamic setup.

$10,000 to enjoy Stax ? Is still cheaper than $20,000 to enjoy dynamic headphones.

Trust me, there are a lot of snake oils and “sound good - expensive” dynamic stuff out there

Stax, there is only 1 clear route.

Either way you pick, you ended up spending a hell lot of money

Stax used to be expensive to play with, nowadays with the crazy competitions and the “bias and prejudice of people benchmarking stuff by pricing”, Stax is child play in cost to performances

Take Susvara for example....isn’t that making a $10,000 Stax a child play in comparison already ?

Yes take the almighty Susvara and add the WA234-MONO, 6 + 16 = 22k
Sure it will sound good. But when it starts to cost as much as a decent car, it ridiculous.
Enuff said

 

[cat6man]

Well im going to get Stax mafia after me after this post . But I guess someone needs to say this!

All anyone really need is a 353x , D50 or 727II . Getting a Bhse or anything like that is a waste of money
Everyone here is brainwashing everyone else in buy these extremely expensive over $5000 amps for no reason!.

A used tune up Stax SRM-T1S for $500 is pretty much = to a $5000 amp
The most anyone should spend is $1600 for a 727II

Stax SRM 727II is end game. All anyone needs for a stax setup!
And once people argue that a carbon or Bhse will bring out that extra lame nonsense of missing 10% is sad

End of story.

I got my bulletproof vest on. People need to stop scarying everyone that they need $10,000 to enjoy staxs!

$2400 used 009 or a new $1900, 007 and a new SRM-727 for $1600 is all you need!!


P.S. Needed to be said!

i've loved stax since my first SR-3 based system in college with the energizer powered by my old Kenwood amplifier.

what you spend depends on how much you appreciate any perceived incremental change and how much value you place on it.
i found the BHSE to be money well spent but everyone will have their own sweet spot.
synergy also matters as the quality of the source plays a big role.

i have no desire to debate or convince you or anyone else.
enjoy the music

as always, YMMV

 

[protoss]

My foray into Stax has made me realised it was cheaper to get a better sound for less compared to a dynamic setup.

For a average Joe that should be 99% of people here. So, yes the 727II should be end game. And it is end game. BHSE on wrong tubes sounds awful and bright and garbage.

Again justifying a 10K setup to a Joe down the street will get you laugh out of town. And if you actually A/B them than it's just a 10% differences. No way it should be encouraged for such expense to get a useless sound of 10%

Susvara is 6k and it sound amazing from a 1980s receiver that can cost $200. Or just get a GSx-mini for $2000 which will at least still be less than 10k

And we got to stop comparing planars to electrostatic.

Electrostatic vs electrostatic
Planar vs planar
Dynamic vs Dynamic

There should be no mix and match because it's not fair.

 

[tigon_ridge]

Such comparisons are necessary, because estats are still very niche. People need points of reference to understand why they should spring for Stax, because it's quite a big commitment. It's like going from combustion cars to full-electric ones.

 

[protoss]

Such comparisons are necessary, because estats are still very niche. People need points of reference to understand why they should spring for Stax, because it's quite a big commitment. It's like going from combustion cars to full-electric ones.

I have a hard time to agree with this.

I had many people ask me, so what you think of 009+Bhse or 009+carbon against a H800+Schiit Jotunheim !!!?? I am like what the heck is this comparison.

or 009+bhse against LCD2 + thx aaa 789?! These comparison just can not be compare.

Maybe its easy for you to compare.

Commonsense to me is;

Whats better -

009 or Jade2 or 007 or Voce or Jr. or He-1 ?
or
Abyss or Susvara or LCD4 or HE1000 or Ether
or
Utopia or HD800 or ZMF dynamic


I like this review: explaning something what I am trying to convey : https://www.themasterswitch.com/review-focal-utopia

Quote - "The Focal Utopia, on paper, shouldn’t be the best headphones in the world. For one thing, they are dynamic driver headphones – a type of driver that is found in everything from Beats By Dre to Skullcandy. It’s by far the most common type of headphone driver, and is vastly different to the electrostatic and planar types found in most other high-end headphones".

 

[arnaud]

Protoss, I have hard time to believe you aren’t trolling here.

First attempting to set a cap price or performance to the “last 10 percent”, next claiming this last 10% is not worth to pursue (what the heck are you trying to doing with high end phones then?!), and last that headphones of varying technologies should not be compared?

What comes next in the segregation? Never compared open back / semi open / closed back, sealed vs ported/leaky front, round vs rectangular housings, plastic vs metal domes?

Come on, this is beyond silly!

 

[protoss]

“last 10 percent”

What if I said that last 10% is actually found in the 727II ? and everything after that is placebo ?

 

[bcoryh]

.

BHSE on wrong tubes sounds awful and bright and garbage.

I guess I have been lucky. You must have tried some pretty terrible tubes.....

 

[Mach3]

For a average Joe that should be 99% of people here. So, yes the 727II should be end game. And it is end game. BHSE on wrong tubes sounds awful and bright and garbage.

Again justifying a 10K setup to a Joe down the street will get you laugh out of town. And if you actually A/B them than it's just a 10% differences. No way it should be encouraged for such expense to get a useless sound of 10%

Susvara is 6k and it sound amazing from a 1980s receiver that can cost $200. Or just get a GSx-mini for $2000 which will at least still be less than 10k

And we got to stop comparing planars to electrostatic.

Electrostatic vs electrostatic
Planar vs planar
Dynamic vs Dynamic

There should be no mix and match because it's not fair.

I think you're side tracking on my point I made. I do agree with you, that you don't need to speed a lot to get good sound with Stax's gear.
I don't believe the SRM-727 II is endgames. But I respect in your view it is endgame.
To the average joe they won't be spending 1.6k for a driver. Most of the so call average joe/friends I know would never buy any headphone over $400.
Let alone headphone, amp/driver combo of any sort.
Also I wasn't comparing electrostatic vs dynamic vs planar. I was simply making a statement (my own opinion) on my journey to audio nirvana that I prefer electrostatic, setup base on price performance.
I know some people still prefer their HD600/HD650 compared to the entry Lambdas kit from Stax and I respect their opinion.

 

[arnaud]

What if I said that last 10% is actually found in the 727II ? and everything after that is placebo ?

Then, I’d suggest your criteria or upstream gear/music make anything above the 727II overkill.

On my side, you can look my history and I used to be also very skeptical of the stax mafia, always dissing stax gear and promotting alternative gilmore based designs. I would say that the 009 is so efficient that 727 is plenty for it, blablabla.

I then went on a quest, bought a bhse, organized / participated in local meets where we compared various stax and 3rd party amps. To my ears, the difference between 727 and bhse driving an 009 is akin to the difference difference between 009 and 009S. The 727 is grainy, has no bass control, poor depth and layering compared to the blue hawaii. Other amps like the kgst sounded warm but also felt very restricted in terms of dynamics. Others like the cavalli estat sounded plain funny / bizarre (interestingly, these are never mentioned these days, several years after the initial hype).

On the other hand, opposite to what you say, i found the tubes in the bhse to play a rather subtle role in the voicing. I bought numerous quads, most nos, some new and eventually learned to forget about the tubes given the subtle differences at best...

Now, if for you these easily perceivable improvement in driver control, dynamics, layering and precision of the imaging are all in the “illusive last few percents that isn’t worth chasing”, that suggests you may have been chasing the wrong tail when getting into stats.

We’re beating a dead horse here but it’s worth keeping in mind that the driver is relatively way more critical in estat applications than traditional ortho or isodynamic transducers. Regardless of the transducer technology, garbage in garbage out is surely applicable. In the case of hard to drive omega style stax phones (lamdbas are way easier to drive as mentionned before), cutting corners in the amplification stage is unfortunately spoiling the experience way more than other headphones ime.

The other disadvantage is that the source (and played material) also need to be up to snuff in order to really get what ultimate stat gear is about. For example, when I mention about stage depth and layering above, this supposes that the source and the recording can deliver this kind of information and that your hearing is sensible to it. Again from my personal experience, half the battle hasn’t been the transducer but rather the source and this has taken time for me to nail done.

Arnaud

 

[tigon_ridge]

I know some people still prefer their HD600/HD650 compared to the entry Lambdas kit from Stax and I respect their opinion.

There's something very wrong with these people's hearing perception. Comparing these mid-fi senns to the L300 is like comparing laptops to desktop PCs. The difference in resolution, dynamics, layeredness and imaging, airiness, transparency, etc. etc. is not even close. Those senns lose in absolutely every category here, except some may prefer their signatures. I don't think I can even be friends with someone who has such defect in their hearing or judgment.

Okay, half joking...half.