The Stax Thread III

[robo24]

Yeah, I still have my L300 and keep wavering on selling it because I’d get so little for it, I might as well keep it. Far more impressive than the $300 used price would indicate.

 

[DougD]

What can one expect from this SRD-7? Never seen a non-Stax version! CLICK

A Mjolnir SRD-7?

You can expect a working SRD-7 that has been upgraded and tested by one of the very top people working in the e-stat amps world, Spritzer aka Birgir from Iceland. It's going to be top of class for that type of equipment (energizer boxes), except for others that have been upgraded even further with expensive Lindahl transformers. You can get more info on this specific version at https://mjolnir-audio.com/, under amplifiers for electrostatic headphones.

If you already have a very good speaker amp, these can be a pretty cost effective way to power an e-stat headphone.

How close any energizer can get to SOTA performance compared to a dedicated e-stat amps is a debatable subject. There are a few flavors of energizers still in production or available. But I take it as very interesting that Stax itself has not sold any type of energizer in 40 years, and almost all of the reviews of the top e-stat headphones are by people who have chosen to use the expensive, single purpose e-stat amps over energizers.

HTH.

 

[martin778]

working SRD-7 that has been upgraded and tested

So this is an original SRD-7 stripped down, repackaged and tweaked to pro bias (or a refurbished SRD7 Pro?).

 

[oneguy]

Your signature says you have the SR-X9000, ES-1a, and Hive X on order.
Have the ES-1a or Hive X arrived yet? Or do you have an ETA?

I'm very curious to know how they compare to the L700 and RR1.

Thanks

EDIT:
Just realized that you already reviewed the ES-1a (https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/es-lab-es-1-alpha-es-1a-electrostatic-headphones.25825/reviews). How does it compare to the L700?

When do you expect to get the Hive X?

I’d rate the ES-1a above the L700mk1 and the L700 above the RR1. It’s been about 4 months since I last heard the ES-1a but from memory it sounded more open (wider sound stage) with more low end. It had been years since I heard a 007a but from memory I liked the ES-1a over the unmodded 007a out of a Stax amp. The 007a was lackluster and didn’t seal well in my head. Unfortunately the 007a wasn’t available to give a second shot when I had the ES-1a in January. I’m planning on heading to Tokyo to try the 007a and L500mk2 on @spritzer recommendation when the ES-1a comes in.

Hive X should arrive late this week or early next week.
ES-1a should ship next week
X9000 should arrive in a month or two

I also have plans to pick up another estat to try (Perun Rock) but no firm timeline on that

 

[bigjako]

It had been years since I heard a 007a but from memory I liked the ES-1a over the unmodded 007a out of a Stax amp. The 007a was lackluster and didn’t seal well in my head. Unfortunately the 007a wasn’t available to give a second shot when I had the ES-1a in January. I’m planning on heading to Tokyo to try the 007a and L500mk2 on @spritzer recommendation when the ES-1a comes

Curious why you’re heading to Tokyo to hear the 007a when you be already heard it and considered it lackluster. What changed? I recently heard a Mk1 and need to have one now, but curious if somethings newly changed on the current model.

 

[KDS315]

What can one expect from this SRD-7? Never seen a non-Stax version! CLICK

Pretty good one, better than the original, made by Mjölnir Audio ("Spritzer") in Iceland, uses better transformers (at least there is one version using LUNDAHLs)

 

[oneguy]

Curious why you’re heading to Tokyo to hear the 007a when you be already heard it and considered it lackluster. What changed? I recently heard a Mk1 and need to have one now, but curious if somethings newly changed on the current model.

Mainly going to hear the L500mk2. Don’t really want to travel an hour and a half by train each way just to hear one headphone so I figure I’d give them another shot. Maybe I’ll have better luck this time? I’m also going to try a CRBN if they have one on hand and there a host of other non-estats to kill the time that I’d like to demo.

So it’s not just a 007a trip but it’s on the docket if they have one on hand. Nothing that I know of has changed other than the last time I tried one the T8000 wasn’t available. It’s not as good some of the DIY amps but it’s better than the last amp I tried one on. I’d love it if I could get one for an at home demo since most say they need power to give them a fair shake.

 

[claudiuschan]

Finally finished modded my SRM-T1 with CCS over this weekend. Thanks to you guys for all the info in this thread.

 

[KDS315]

Finally finished modded my SRM-T1 with CCS over this weekend. Thanks to you guys for all the info in this thread.

Congrats, you’ll be amazed how much this improves the sound! Very happy with mine (plus ECC99 tube mod)

 

[claudiuschan]

Congrats, you’ll be amazed how much this improves the sound! Very happy with mine (plus ECC99 tube mod)

Thanks!. Yes it really does.. Love it on my 007MK1.

I am not a pro listener, my experience so far are improve on the soundstage and lower end. Mid sound lust and warm, high still the remains STAX signature fast and not fatigue.

Just curious how much current your ECC99 running ? and do you use ECC99 gold version ?

I am still wondering if it worth ECC99 upgrade because there is mod on the PCB and irreversible. Perhaps till the time where 6CG7 getting too expensive

 

[KDS315]

Around 5.8mA is the CCS set for running the ECC99 from what I know. About 20% more than the standard 4.8mA before. Personally I find it worth the irreversible modification, and yes it is the Gold Pin ECC99, but that is the identical tube, just with gold pins which do not oxidize over time. Has no audible effect.

It even drives my SR 007Mk1 rather well and my easier to drive SR 009.

 

[tjlindle]

Since there was some talk of entry-level above, the L300 is great I agree, also the 303/404 can be found in sub-$400 range on secondary market and are two of the best Lambda.

It's too bad Nectar Sound doesn't do the $350 Pollinator anymore, while it was available that was arguably the best price-to-performance I've ever heard in headphones, hell even at almost double the price the Hive X is incredible price-to-performance.

 

[GGSuperMe]

I need help in making a decision. So I have a Nectar HiveX coming in and should be here with 1-2 weeks. I need an electrostatic amp or energizer and I have a budget of up to $2200 CAD (Canadian). The options are quite limited in Canada, so I have the following options:
USED:
-Lightly Used L500 and SRM-353X. Bought in 2021. $1380
-Very lightly used (Maybe 3 hours) Hifiman Jade II Electrostatic Amplifier $1000
-Audio Valve Solaris $3350 (Demo Model) The store that heavily discounted it is offering a 1 year warrantee (Audio Valve no longer in business) - I could stretch for it, but reluctant because I don't know if it's any better, plus getting this might require me to ship it off in the distant future to try and get it serviced.
-A well used SRM-006ts rated as 8/10 by the owner.
-Stax SRM-T1 - Over 10 years old but describe as in excellent condition for $999
-SRM-007tII Driver Unit c/w with NOS RCA clear top matched tubes and described by it's owner as in mint condition for $1800.
-iFi iESL new for $1999, but I don't have a speaker amp and to drive it with my headphone amp I would need to by a 4 pin headphone extension cable. There is one available on Amazon Canada for $130 CAD. Since this is new I would have to pay taxes so that brings it to $2200 before buying a cheap speaker amp, or headphone extension cable. Also I would be driving it off of a Jot2 or Fiio K9 Pro which is stated to be able to output 46 Vpp which using a online calculator suggests that it is capable for outputting 16 vrms. The iESL requires between 10-20 vrms at 64 Ohms. I have no idea if that changes the amount of vrms that the iESL would receive from the K9 Pro. As for the Jot 2, Not sure if this would work, couldn't find any useful information and frankly it's not the best amp. I love the sound coming out of the K9 Pro AKM version.
-Bottlehead Electrostatic Amp (new built to order) - $1499 USD so with conversion to CAD and duties, probably somewhere around $2200 CAD. Also the build time could be anywhere from 4-8 weeks. The problem with this choice is that I would have to wait 1-2 months (probably closer to 2 months) to finally get to listen to the HiveX.
-SRM-400S for around $1700 after taxes.

So which one do I get? Any thoughts or suggestions would be welcomed.

 

[GGSuperMe]

Forgot to put the Woo Wee new for about $1000 CAD new. I would need to get a speaker amp and would have around $1000 - $1200. Could get a Used Schiit Aegir and use the K9 Pro's preamp.

 

[ufospls2]

Forgot to put the Woo Wee new for about $1000 CAD new. I would need to get a speaker amp and would have around $1000 - $1200. Could get a Used Schiit Aegir and use the K9 Pro's preamp.

Might be worth also checking out the options below

The SRD-7

https://mjolnir-audio.com/products/

And these

https://mjolnir-audio.com/used-amplifiers/