[DuncanDirkDick]

I my experience you can do a lot with pads alone when on a budget. Older and newer Lambdas with ZMF pads for example are insane. Not the intended signature but a joy listening to.

 

[chocolates]

yeah, like most headphones i've noticed some serious differences with different pads. you can get a surprising bass response from the new lambdas for example with the blutack mod and a better seal (i.e. with socas' pad mod and some thicker pads or the L700 pads)

one thing i appreciate about the older lambda style pads is that they don't decay into a gross mush like velour pads do - fortunately, since they're not so easy to replace but sadly i have a pretty poor seal with glasses on and the bass and treble take a noticeable hit

 

[NehPets]

I wonder why they changed the moniker from 500 (for the T) to 400 for the S instead of keeping the same numbering as per the 700. Not that it matters, but just surprised.

Probably to differentiate them in a SRM-006tS vs. SRM-353X kind of way.

 

[118900]

Probably to differentiate them in a SRM-006tS vs. SRM-353X kind of way.

Yep. It will probably sit “below” the 500 in the same way I imagine.

 

[Zufalle]

Can anyone comment on the longevity of the Koss ESP950 or 95x compared to a used Stax? I'm looking for a roughly 500$~ electrostatic setup and I see that I can either buy a Koss or use a Japanese proxy auction service and buy used (which I'm fine with). The Koss warranty is worthless to me since I'm not in the US, I'll probably be attempting DIY repairs.

I could probably buy the SRS-3100 in like new condition rather than a decade old set, I know the SRM-252S is supposed to be lacking, but I could probably get it a nice linear regulated 2A supply cheaply locally. Would it still distort badly at high volumes? I'm usually listening at rather loud volumes. Would it even compete with older sets like SRS-4040 or SRS-3030?

Can anyone also comment on what "good" prices are like on Yahoo Auctions and what models + energizers I can expect to grab at that price point? I already know SRS-3030 and 4040 are kinda within reach in "good" condition.

Thanks a lot.

 

[timb5881]

Can anyone comment on the longevity of the Koss ESP950 or 95x compared to a used Stax? I'm looking for a roughly 500$~ electrostatic setup and I see that I can either buy a Koss or use a Japanese proxy auction service and buy used (which I'm fine with). The Koss warranty is worthless to me since I'm not in the US, I'll probably be attempting DIY repairs.

I could probably buy the SRS-3100 in like new condition rather than a decade old set, I know the SRM-252S is supposed to be lacking, but I could probably get it a nice linear regulated 2A supply cheaply locally. Would it still distort badly at high volumes? I'm usually listening at rather loud volumes. Would it even compete with older sets like SRS-4040 or SRS-3030?

Can anyone also comment on what "good" prices are like on Yahoo Auctions and what models + energizers I can expect to grab at that price point? I already know SRS-3030 and 4040 are kinda within reach in "good" condition.

Thanks a lot.

I have had my ESP950's since about 1992. I did have the amp serviced about 4 years ago, the caps went out. Still I have not really had any problems with them.

 

[Zufalle]

I have had my ESP950's since about 1992. I did have the amp serviced about 4 years ago, the caps went out. Still I have not really had any problems with them.

Whatever I'll buy will be my daily driver, and I'm a chronic headphone breaker (broke Shure SRH440 and Beyers in months) so I'm a bit worried about the poorer build quality.

 

[petitpierre]

Can anyone comment on the longevity of the Koss ESP950 or 95x compared to a used Stax? I'm looking for a roughly 500$~ electrostatic setup and I see that I can either buy a Koss or use a Japanese proxy auction service and buy used (which I'm fine with). The Koss warranty is worthless to me since I'm not in the US, I'll probably be attempting DIY repairs.

the lifetime warranty is only valid in the US ???

 

[Zufalle]

the lifetime warranty is only valid in the US ???

Outside the US you'll have to ship it back and forth, which for some places will get very expensive very quickly.

 

[118900]

Whatever I'll buy will be my daily driver, and I'm a chronic headphone breaker (broke Shure SRH440 and Beyers in months) so I'm a bit worried about the poorer build quality.

Remember that electrostatics (like planars) are inherently delicate, regardless of the build quality. Are you sure this is the way to go considering how your other headphones ended?

unless you are very unlucky headphones don’t tend to break within months so how is that happening to your equipment?

 

[Zufalle]

Remember that electrostatics (like planars) are inherently delicate, regardless of the build quality. Are you sure this is the way to go considering how your other headphones ended?

unless you are very unlucky headphones don’t tend to break within months so how is that happening to your equipment?

I honestly feel like the headphones mentioned above had deliberate weakspots in their headbands. The drivers dying on the beyers is pure bad luck though as the driver looked pristine on inspection but measured as an open circuit or in the hundreds of kiloohms. I've a rather wide head too that I feel applies more pressure to headbands. As long as neither the Stax nor the Koss have deliberate weakpoints (ie: they break identically for lots of people or get symmetrical breaks on both sides) I feel like they'll be fine with me. I've read about the sensitivty to dust and I'm willing to take extra steps to protect them. I'm mostly concerned about the headband/yokes/etc.

 

[118900]

I honestly feel like the headphones mentioned above had deliberate weakspots in their headbands. The drivers dying on the beyers is pure bad luck though as the driver looked pristine on inspection but measured as an open circuit or in the hundreds of kiloohms. I've a rather wide head too that I feel applies more pressure to headbands. As long as neither the Stax nor the Koss have deliberate weakpoints (ie: they break identically for lots of people or get symmetrical breaks on both sides) I feel like they'll be fine with me. I've read about the sensitivty to dust and I'm willing to take extra steps to protect them. I'm mostly concerned about the headband/yokes/etc.

Got it, I was worried you were being a little rough on them which is now clear not to be the case.

 

[chocolates]

finally got my SR-Sigma (almost a month later...)

these are so interesting but incredibly ridiculous to put on. forward soundstage and surprisingly thumpy bass around 100hz+. oddly enough it sounds like the technicalities are a bit dulled compared to usual estats? overall doesn't really sound very much like a stax headphone but the acoustics are definitely interesting

my pair is in pretty good condition fortunately and doesn't exhibit any channel imbalance as far as i can tell which is nice

 

[petitpierre]

finally got my SR-Sigma (almost a month later...)

these are so interesting but incredibly ridiculous to put on. forward soundstage and surprisingly thumpy bass around 100hz+. oddly enough it sounds like the technicalities are a bit dulled compared to usual estats? overall doesn't really sound very much like a stax headphone but the acoustics are definitely interesting

my pair is in pretty good condition fortunately and doesn't exhibit any channel imbalance as far as i can tell which is nice

is it low bias or pro bias? I have a low bias sigma with the srd 7.I have no points of comparison with the other stax because they are my first estats.Last night I listened to Kenny barron in a trio during a concert and certe the high is emulated but there were a lot of impacts in the low.superb on the double bass solos with an immense sound scene. I’d like a little more detail, that would be great...

 

[Zoide]

I read that there are ways to improve the bass on the Lambda earspeakers, at least the current production ones. One of them is by swapping the factory earpads with aftermarket ones (eg: Vesper audio), and the other is by doing the blu-tak or fun-tak mod, which means opening up the earcups and putting a ring made out of that adhesive dough or plasticine to create a seal, thus more resonance.
What's your take on those mods?
PS: I can't seem to find Loctite fun-tak where I live, but there are the Patafix by UHU. They appear to be, basically, the same stuff: adhesive platicine that doesn't harden like epoxi-based doughs do, thus can be used several times.

I think it will work just the same. I'm in Europe and I used Pritt Poster Buddies "Haftpunkte - Multi Fix", which worked well: