[Tugbars]

Crinacle's opinions are just his subjective opinions. I have Neumann KH310's and KH810 DSP subwoofer. I used my setup to compare neutrality of the headphones I have and my friends have. I did it in a completely unscientific way, I just trusted my ears. So this is just my opinion and nothing more: If i would ignore 2-4khz recession in omegas, they are the most neutral sounding headphones I've ever listened to. Compared to Hifiman or Abyss products, Stax is free of colorations in sound. If you are looking for reference sound, Stax is good; if you are looking for hi-fi colorations, Stax might not be the best. They may sound a bit joyless and boring to people who wants to "enjoy" the sound rather than hearing what's the microphone is picking in the recording session.

I hereby share measurements of my setup in free field:

also it's surprising, how similar port modded 007 sub-bass sounds to Kh810 subwoofer even though it's a dynamic driver.

talking about 353x, it's really a neutral sounding detailed amp but it has barely enough power for 009 and lacks power to drive 007. 353X can be bottlenecking what these headphones can do.

final note: Yes, 007 sounds a bit warm, 009 sounds a bit anemic and it doesn't "rumble". Stax headphones are ONLY relatively to other headphones, sound "neutral" to my ears.

 

[T3RIAD]

What do you guys think about crinacles Stax rating? I think all of his headphone and IEM ratings are on point but seems like he tested all Stax, including the 009 and 007, on a 353x amp. May that explain the low ranking? They all got downranked because of their tuning though, not sure if another amp would fix that.

Well, he ranked the Sr-007 fourth and the Sr-009 ninth. Not exactly terrible results. And he gave both the highest possible ranking, S+, for technical performance.

E-stats have a lack of impact that's very palpable in certain types of music. It's a light and airy sound. For detail they can't be beat, but some people care more about tonality than detail.

I doubt it's the amp because he ranked the Sr-007 the highest, even though those are commonly regarded as the hardest to drive. Putting the Sr-007 - the warmest sounding Stax - first implies that crinacle just doesn't prefer the e-stat thinness.

 

[Deolum]

Well, he ranked the Sr-007 third and the Sr-009 ninth. Not exactly terrible results. And he gave both the highest possible ranking, S+, for technical performance.

E-stats have a lack of impact that's very palpable in certain types of music. It's a light and airy sound. For detail they can't be beat, but some people care more about tonality than detail.

I doubt it's the amp because he ranked the Sr-007 the highest, even though those are commonly regarded as the hardest to drive. Putting the Sr-007 - the warmest sounding Stax - first implies that crinacle just doesn't prefer the e-stat thinness.

Would love to see a Hifiman or Dan Clark estat ranked as comparison.

 

[Mach3]

I wouldn't take his review seriously.
I mean come on, he gave a $4k Utopia 3 stars for value for money.
Secondly, driving the 007 with a 353x is like pitting a 18 year old inexperience driver behind the wheel of a F1 and expecting to get good lap time.

 

[T3RIAD]

I wouldn't take his review seriously.
I mean come on, he gave a $4k Utopia 3 stars for value for money.
Secondly, driving the 007 with a 353x is like pitting a 18 year old inexperience driver behind the wheel of a F1 and expecting to get good lap time.

To be fair, adding something like a Carbon would have increased the price of the combo to almost twice the most expensive item on the list.

 

[Mach3]

Yes I understand that, but that's like he used a O2 amp to do the review on the Utopia.
I don't agree that most HP over $1000 are great value let alone $4000 pair of headphones.

 

[T3RIAD]

Yes I understand that, but that's like he used a O2 amp to do the review on the Utopia.

I don't think that would sound as bad as you think. Utopia is easy to drive.

I don't agree that most HP over $1000 are great value let alone $4000 pair of headphones.

Yeah, I agree it's strange he gave three value stars to the Utopia.

 

[491838]

Do you think the L500 with an entry level energizer would be a good start for an e-stat set-up, to see what they're about? I'm thinking about selling my HD800 since they sound kinda grainy even with EQ. I'm looking for something that sounds softer in the treble but maintains a good level of detail too.

 

[armani006]

My 006t amplifier was upgraded using a Dominic's CCS board. The board was purchased from him and simply installed.

I note as a minus of the upgrade - High frequencies have become sharper. In all levels, both on instruments and on slaps, crackles and hissing sounds.
When playing the guitar in instrumental music, the blow with nails on the strings became very sharp, somehow unnatural, just like the blow of plastic nails on plastic strings. The cymbals and ringing of the triangle also became sharper and more accented. Brass high-frequency sounds too sharper. It gets tiresome with long listening. It is comfortable to listen only quietly.
In the middle frequencies, everything is different. As a plus of the upgrade, the voice has become more accented. Compositions with good vocal emphasis, it became more vivid, expressed, that is feminine that masculine. The voice became intimate, sounding close to the listener. Very good effect.

Big improvement is bass, it became more defined, more accented. There was no more weight or amplitude in it, it just became clear, faceted, more picked.

The stage has become a little wider, more volume is felt in the sound. Instrument locations are more familiar.
In general, a characteristic digital signature appeared in the sound. The tube sounding began to wilt less. The original amp sounds softer, warmer and just more veiled. With the upgrade, everything began to sound sharper and digital. For those who power the amplifier from a good DAC without sharpness
that sound would probably be a good combination. But if you have a sharp Delta-Sigma chip in sound and you need to soften it, then it probably won't work.
Probably the modernized amplifier is closer to a transistor one, although it remains a tube amplifier in fact.

First this modded AMP was tested with Audio-GD NFB28 DAC with Saber 9018, now I have R2R Ares II DAC. It would fit this amplifier better than sigma delta. Now the sound more natural and less sibilant.

Sound goes from PC to DAC via optics or usb, 192 / 24bit, Neotech Up-OCC XLR copper interconnect cables.
Headphones SR-L500 + Custom mode leatehr Pads 2.5 cm thickness.

 

[mnemonix]

Do you think the L500 with an entry level energizer would be a good start for an e-stat set-up, to see what they're about? I'm thinking about selling my HD800 since they sound kinda grainy even with EQ. I'm looking for something that sounds softer in the treble but maintains a good level of detail too.

I believe the L500 is identical to the L300 except it has thicker pads and the L500 Mk2 has detachable cables and metal yokes on the headband instead of plastic. At over $200 more, you don't seem to get much more for your money so if you're on a budget I'd suggest the L300 + SRM-252 combo which for Stax is very good value and will give you a taste of electrostatics. If you want better (though that is subjective) sound quality jump up to the L700 which has better drivers, but stick with the entry level SRM-252 energiser to keep costs down for now. Don't believe the hype, the L series are easy to drive and the entry level, solid state Stax energiser is a decent design.

I am in a similar position to you but have been researching for several months now so the above is distilled from every review, forum thread and specification I have been able to read. Unless someone can enlighten me, I don't understand the point of the L500.

 

[armani006]

I believe the L500 is identical to the L300 except it has thicker pads and the L500 Mk2 has detachable cables and metal yokes on the headband instead of plastic. At twice the price you don't seem to get much more for your money so if you're on a budget I'd suggest the L300 + SRM-252 combo which for Stax is very good value and will give you a taste of electrostatics. If you want better (though that is subjective) sound quality jump up to the L700 which has better drivers, but stick with the entry level SRM-252 energiser to keep costs down for now. Don't believe the hype, the L series are easy to drive and the entry level, solid state Stax energiser is a decent design.

I am in a similar position to you but have been researching for several months now so the above is distilled from every review, forum thread and specification I have been able to read.

I think L500 + custom pads are the best variant. L700 much more expensive than L700. I have L500 and modded them with 50 Euro pads and got much more bass response as L700 can give. I have also new L500 mk2 on second hand market.

 

[mnemonix]

I think L500 + custom pads are the best variant. L700 much more expensive than L700. I have L500 and modded them with 50 Euro pads and got much more bass response as L700 can give. I have also new L500 mk2 on second hand market.

But surely an L500 + custom pads is exactly the same thing as an L300 with custom pads since I thought the pads were the only difference in the first place???

 

[mnemonix]

I have also new L500 mk2 on second hand market.

Also curious why you're not keeping the Mk2? The headband yokes are a known weak point of this series so it would seem they are an improvement in this respect?

 

[Hubert481]

I think L500 + custom pads are the best variant. L700 much more expensive than L700. I have L500 and modded them with 50 Euro pads and got much more bass response as L700 can give. I have also new L500 mk2 on second hand market.

Which pads?
do you have a link therfore?

 

[daytrader]

I believe the L500 is identical to the L300 except it has thicker pads and the L500 Mk2 has detachable cables and metal yokes on the headband instead of plastic. At over $200 more, you don't seem to get much more for your money so if you're on a budget I'd suggest the L300 + SRM-252 combo which for Stax is very good value and will give you a taste of electrostatics. If you want better (though that is subjective) sound quality jump up to the L700 which has better drivers, but stick with the entry level SRM-252 energiser to keep costs down for now. Don't believe the hype, the L series are easy to drive and the entry level, solid state Stax energiser is a decent design.

I am in a similar position to you but have been researching for several months now so the above is distilled from every review, forum thread and specification I have been able to read. Unless someone can enlighten me, I don't understand the point of the L500.

Your thoughts on how far up the energizer model tree you recommend for using with the L700s before diminishing returns kick in? In other words the best pairing until you get to the point of the energizer superseding the ability of the ear speaker.