[John_M]

@John_M whatever output voltage your DAC has, the amp will clip always at the same volume level.

Thanks, that's understood! (I have repeatedly stressed how little I know...)

Is the same true for the arguments that were being made earlier about the voltage swing requirements/ the difficulty of achieving the required output current with an electrostatic amp (i.e. the output level of the DAC doesn't make any difference at all to any of this?)

 

[John_M]

I will indeed in the near future ^^ (if everything goes according to plan)

Comparing the SRM-717 with the KGSSHV didn't exactly blow me away, but such is high-end audio I suppose. Relatively small and gradual improvements aka diminishing returns.

I'm not arguing the Carbon sounds different, I haven't heard it. What surprises me is the power aspect... even with the whole debate about voltage swing at 20 kHz and not being current-limited, I can only assume some people listen at much higher volumes than I do, where the amp's features come across more easily.

Have you still got the SRM-717? If so, do you think you could set up a volume matched blind test vs the KGSSHV mini?

 

[pofofo]

Thank you! And would the Stax SR-L700MK2 and the SR-L500MK2 headband fit? Does anyone know where I can get all of this sent to Europe? The prices are kinda insane everywhere Ive looked.

 

[tabness]

Trying this here for you Stax connoisseurs:

Can someone help with the following Lambda models in terms of the the best/most natural midrange (looking for anything close to a R10 or even CD3000 presentation of vocals and strings)? Willing to sacrifice technicalities like soundstage/imaging/layering that my current favorite Stax the 009S has.

• SR-Λ (normal bias)
• Lambda Signature
• One of the Lambda Nova series
• L700

I want to stay in the pre-1995 Stax era. Lambda Pro does not seem to be the right one from everything I've read. Sigma is way too dorky to consider. Not considering the 007 models either after my experiences with the 009S and Ω (it would likely be too dark).

For reference, I have 009S, SR-Ω, and now the L500 MKII. The 009S is just a little bit too bright and too neutral but is otherwise my favorite, I'd just like a more midrange forward phone. The Ω is a bit too dark and also too neutral like the 009S though it has the best timbre of any Stax phone I've heard. The L500 is too bright but does get a bit of the way there with a more forward midrange.

 

[510198]

I just bought a pair of Stax SR-Lambda (serial number: A4758) with SRD-6 adaptor for $50. I havent tried them yet, because I dont have an amplifier. The previous owner havent used them since the 80s. Ive cleaned them as best as I could, but pads are in a sorry state. The inside foam is long gone and the grill of the right one has some green coloration.

Do you guys think there is any hope of these working?

Any tips on how to get them cleaner or some restoration tips?

Wow $50 bucks! I thought $175 for my nb was a deal and a half lol

Gently clean it (no water!) and your good to go! X-Acto knife maybe lol

 

[510198]

Trying this here for you Stax connoisseurs:

Can someone help with the following Lambda models in terms of the the best/most natural midrange (looking for anything close to a R10 or even CD3000 presentation of vocals and strings)? Willing to sacrifice technicalities like soundstage/imaging/layering that my current favorite Stax the 009S has.

• SR-Λ (normal bias)
• Lambda Signature
• One of the Lambda Nova series
• L700

I want to stay in the pre-1995 Stax era. Lambda Pro does not seem to be the right one from everything I've read. Sigma is way too dorky to consider. Not considering the 007 models either after my experiences with the 009S and Ω (it would likely be too dark).

For reference, I have 009S, SR-Ω, and now the L500 MKII. The 009S is just a little bit too bright and too neutral but is otherwise my favorite, I'd just like a more midrange forward phone. The Ω is a bit too dark and also too neutral like the 009S though it has the best timbre of any Stax phone I've heard. The L500 is too bright but does get a bit of the way there with a more forward midrange.

!

For new headphones I would recommend Verite closed.

 

[DougD]

For reference, I have 009S, SR-Ω, and now the L500 MKII. The 009S is just a little bit too bright and too neutral but is otherwise my favorite, I'd just like a more midrange forward phone. The Ω is a bit too dark and also too neutral like the 009S though it has the best timbre of any Stax phone I've heard. The L500 is too bright but does get a bit of the way there with a more forward midrange.

Given your comments, seems like you don't like the dark side, but want want a little less edge/brightness. The Schiit Loki Mini at $149 might be the answer you're looking for, to dial things in just a bit, to the perfect Goldilocks sound for you.

 

[pofofo]

Wow $50 bucks! I thought $175 for my nb was a deal and a half lol

Gently clean it (no water!) and your good to go! X-Acto knife maybe lol

Thank you. I used a couple of tweezers to get rid of hair and gunk and went over everything with a microfiber cloth. They sound amazingly good with an old NEC amplifier I bought for $20, punchy and deep bass, but a little bright, might be because the inner foam is gone. I ordered a pair of earpads for Beyerdynamic DT100, hopefully I`ll get them to fit.

 

[Tugbars]

First of all, I use SR007 with KGSSHV Carbon. I really like them.

I was in HQ of Denmark's STAX distributor yesterday.(to have my headphones fixed) I've tested 727A(fresh from the box) amp with my SR007's. It wasn't driving them loud enough to my taste even when the volume knob cranked all the way up. My SR007's sounded bland(like band-pass filtered), dark, bass was boomy. There was no sparkle in treble like it has while driven with Carbon. They almost sounded like 500$ dynamic headphones. I do not recommend anyone to buy 727A with 007. I think I know why now some people really find 007 bland and boring. I was surprised actually how bad my headphones could sound.

I know that there will be some who will disagree with me. I ask myself though, am I biased towards Carbon because I paid a hefty price for it? Then the audible difference was so huge that I don't even see a point in judging myself whether I was biased towards Carbon or not. At first hand, I experienced the difference again. It was unbelievable.

 

[zeroduke]

I've got 727A and also 007, 009S and 700MKII. I have experienced no problem at all with any of them. In this case, they all sound very good and loud (1/3 power).

 

[T3RIAD]

I think the differences in e-stat amps mostly come down to power. When people say things like this:

It wasn't driving them loud enough to my taste even when the volume knob cranked all the way up.

I do not recommend anyone to buy 727A with 007

And other people say this:

I've got 727A and also 007, 009S and 700MKII. I have experienced no problem at all with any of them. In this case, they all sound very good and loud (1/3 power).

The key difference here is how the first person is listening at such a higher level. It amazes me how loud some people like to listen to headphones.

I have the SR-009S with SRM-353x, which should be similar in loudness (the SR-007 is 1 dB less sensitive, but the SRM-727a has 1 dB more output). I keep the volume knob between 9 and 10 o'clock.

I've always wondered if a high-end amp would make my system sound better, despite the relatively low listening level. Posts like these make me think the answer is no. Whether someone thinks Stax amps sound great or suck seems to come down to how loud they listen. There is no doubt the Carbon has way more power than any of the Stax amps.

 

[Tugbars]

I've got 727A and also 007, 009S and 700MKII. I have experienced no problem at all with any of them. In this case, they all sound very good and loud (1/3 power).

Good in relatively to what? I really don't know what "good" can mean alone without a comparison.

And yes, I listen loud. The main problem with 727A was that It sounded "filtered". Bass had no impact, trebles had no texture. Turning up or lowering the volume didn't change that. I really can't recall my experience with 007t anymore. I wish I could try again.

 

[T3RIAD]

Doesn't the SRM-727a specifically have some sort of feedback problem that messes up its frequency response?

 

[Tugbars]

Yeah, the feedback is from VAS stage on 727A. The modification is to move feedback to output stage.

 

[Mach3]

Every DIY'er know the 727A needs the feedback mod to sound correctly. Google it srm-727 mod, resolder a few resister to turn them into SRM-T8000 killers.