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- Jan 9, 2003
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Did some more listening this weekend to ES-1a and 009 out of my KGSShv. The ES-1a is definitely dark. In fact its darkness is about as annoying as the 009's brightness (i.e. as heard on most amps, excluding T2). The top end overall sounds more recessed/relaxed than 007 Mk I. While the ES is certainly an impressive headphone and quite competitive, I started preferring the 009 in these sessions - brightness and all. The 007 Mk I has a lot of lovely warmth & body in the midrange and bass, but also has some nice energy & sparkle up top.I'm assuming you've heard both? The es-1a is pretty dark in it's own right. Would be a bit worried about the sound being too dark with the combination, but not sure if it's mainly the drivers or how much the housing affects this.
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I think I would be more open to DIY mashups if I had backup pairs lying around. I really enjoy how distinct the 009, 007 and x9000 all are from one another, although that also contributes to the polarizing nature of the conversations on here lol. In any event, it's cool to see the customizations.
Stax brightness works different than on other headphones & speakers to my ears - it doesn't cause any discomfort or listening fatigue. So I can tolerate more than usual. I hadn't had a good 009 session in a long time (various reasons). It was great to get re-acquainted with the old friend again
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