The Stax Thread III

[ESL-1]

bought SRM-T1 + SR-007 used around 2008
never been impressed
sounds lifeless
what is a proper amp ?

As Padam mentioned the SR-007 Stax needs some good voltage to have it sound the way they should. I had been using an SRM-717 with good results (recommended by Birgir).

I now have had a Eksonic Aeras for some time now and my SR-007 mk1 sounds great. The Aeras even has some T2 dna in its design. It really is a must listen to combo.

You’ll be smiling a lot with this set up.

 

[AudioCats]

what is that flat round thingy on top of the 717, a fan?

 

[ESL-1]

Good question, right answer. That small low profile fan is thermostatically controlled to turn on when the temperature hits 90 degrees and turn it off when the temp drops below. It is made by Middle Atlantic who make pro racks and accessories, good quality, made in the USA.

The fan is called Compcool (for component cool). They are sold individually and also a three fan set with daisy chain connection to small wall PS.

I was running that T1 amp at a local meet demonstrating some new phone. Playing for hours straight, the amp barely got warm to the touch.

Great when you have a stuffed rack cramped for air. It cools by drawing the hot air out of the component. I will attach segments of the paperwork.

Please reach out if any questions.

 

[SolarCetacean]

I'm a sucker for compact audio gear (not really a fan of the huge, heavy devices that are common in high-end audio), and that Aeras looks wonderful. Clean, modern, small, and sleek. That's an amp that I would like to get someday.

I've also wondered for a while why active cooling with fans and such isn't more common in audio gear. I get the concern of background noise and vibration with fans, but given how much audiophile love exotic topologies, it could be a good place to use exotic cooling technology like Peltier coolers.

 

[ESL-1]

I'm a sucker for compact audio gear (not really a fan of the huge, heavy devices that are common in high-end audio), and that Aeras looks wonderful. Clean, modern, small, and sleek. That's an amp that I would like to get someday.

I've also wondered for a while why active cooling with fans and such isn't more common in audio gear. I get the concern of background noise and vibration with fans, but given how much audiophile love exotic topologies, it could be a good place to use exotic cooling technology like Peltier coolers.

The compcool runs at 8 cfm and generates only 19 db, a mere whisper if you sit right next to it.

 

[jvandyk]

L300 are very good phones, much better than the older series such as the 303 ( I have both; L300 wins hands down).

srd-6 is not good enough for the L300, even after solving the bias voltage problem. The little transformers inside are not the same as what is in a srd-7.
But, IMO the srd-7Pro is not resolving enough for the L300 either.

to realize the L300's potential I'd suggest pairing it with a 007t / 717 / 727.

That's good to know about the L300. I actually love the sound of the SR5's but I'm in the market for new cans. My one complaint about the SR5's has always been the lack of much useful deep bass. But I wouldn't trade the clarity and speed they have for that. Adding L300s on the cheap would be fun but I guess not plugged into SRD6. It may be sacrilege in this thread but is there a dynamic or planar headphone that would compete with the Stax sound under $1k?

 

[AudioCats]

Maybe a HiFiman HE6-SE, ~$500 from adorama. They were $400 earlier this year, I think the price has gone back up a bit since.

But they are very heavy phones.

 

[jvandyk]

Maybe a HiFiman HE6-SE, ~$500 from adorama. They were $400 earlier this year, I think the price has gone back up a bit since.

But they are very heavy phones.

Heavy is ok if they are comfortable. I'm a 7 3/4 head size. Thanks.

 

[alota]

Maybe a HiFiman HE6-SE, ~$500 from adorama. They were $400 earlier this year, I think the price has gone back up a bit since.

But they are very heavy phones.

Recently i bought an he6-se and sold after two weeks. I had two original he6 in the past. Imho it is an headphone near to electrostatic sound. Now i have the 009 in my house, i think he6 is a good solution without need to spend extra money in energizers

 

[jvandyk]

Recently i bought an he6-se and sold after two weeks. I had two original he6 in the past. Imho it is an headphone near to electrostatic sound. Now i have the 009 in my house, i think he6 is a good solution without need to spend extra money in energizers

Thanks for the reco! Those might be a good match for the Topping L50 amp I just got.

 

[AudioCats]

... the Topping L50 ....

a speaker amp of some kind is probably more suitable for He6se. It needs quite a bit of juice to run.

again, the He6se's are very heavy phones. Your posture will change with extensive use. They are good as reference phones to put on every once in a while, not for "all day every day" use (unlike the L300)

IMO the "L300 + 007t/717/727" combo is a better overall solution and really not that much more....

 

[alota]

Thanks for the reco! Those might be a good match for the Topping L50 amp I just got.

I don' t know topping l50. In the past i drove with balanced beta-22. Recently with a smallest amplifier with a good result

 

[donpablo]

I have borrowed Stax L700mk2 + SRM D10, and ... I am not amazed, lacking of low bass, lacking of midrange juice, only holography and separation is outstanding, but overal I expected more, comparing to rest of my headphones setups.

 

[omega1990]

Finally got this today. A pretty rare piece. The Stax Aperio Alpha PRO, a dynamic headphone from stax. Very few have heard it. I've read comments that the regular Aperio Alpha was so bad, other users did not even want to comment on it. I just listened to the Alpha pro version which has larger tall pads which are supposed to add what stax ads called rich bass.

Actually I'm wondering why this headphone is hated. This headphone is super fast for a dynamic from the 90's and it actually has bass once the pads settle as it does not really clamp which reminds me of when I had the srx Mk3 pro. It's very transparent! Resolution and blackness of background is obviously not like a stax omega, but it's very good for a headphone this old. Honestly I'm very surprised over why this is considered bad. Imaging is also very precise.

For a dynamic headphone, it actually sounds like an estat...

 

[AudioCats]

This is Spritzer's Woo audio 3es review.

link

I'm speechless. It's a 14k amplifier..

hah!
Thanks for posting the link, the information is very inspiring.

Maybe somebody can do a "hybrid D10 thingey"

** use DC/DC to get high voltage

** RCA input --> 12ax7 long tail first stage ( splits ) --(DC coupled to)--> 12au7 long tail 2nd stage --(capacitor coupled to)--> apex modules.
(the tube portion can "draw "inspiration from" the Jadis JA30 circuit)

it can be one interesting "portable" amp. Just imagine two srm-252 sized chassis stacked, with four tubes poking out the top. (the lower chassis holds the battery pack and DC/DC modules)

A "Portable/micro T-(something)" anyone?