The Stax Thread III

[noxa]

I need your help… I’ve wanted a 007mkii forever, literally the day I went into this hobby that was my endgame and it still is, never won’t be, I want to go to my grail but I honestly can’t work out the energizer deal.

I want to know what’s the cheapest minimum amp I can drive these off of and they still blow me away, the last 20% I can chase over the next couple of years.

 

[TheAbyss2022]

I mean, yes and no. What are you trying to get out of it?

L700 can sound very good but it can need some tweaking depending on fit. I find it needs a bit of EQ, and I had to replace the yokes on the headband so that it would fit my head properly. But when you dial it in, it sounds very nice, neutral, transparent, liquid mids and very open sounding. I'm not what it'll do that the CRBN won't, though. If you avoid doing any irreversible invasive surgery you can probably resell at little to no loss.

Ok thanks.

I was just trying to expand more into estats but I don't think the L700 will do anything that the CRBN can already do. I probably need to look at something like the DCA Voce or Corina.

 

[fidgeraldo]

I was just trying to expand more into estats

Hey.
I have CRBN and also Stax SR-003mk2.
Mk2 are not at the same level as CRBN...but they are really interesting IEMs.
I like them a lot.
Just as an idea.

Cheers!

 

[catscratch]

Well if you want a different sound signature, Lambdas of various sorts do sound a bit different from other estats, they have an excellent sense of openness and clarity and have very upfront mids, but you do trade some bass punch and definition, and their imaging is a bit diffuse. Technically they're a downgrade from the TOTL stuff but not that much of a downgrade, they're still pretty solid.

L700 is somewhat different from other Lambdas though, a bit fuller, richer, and with more dynamics and slam, but less openness/clarity. It's a bit more normal, for better or worse.

 

[TheAbyss2022]

Well if you want a different sound signature, Lambdas of various sorts do sound a bit different from other estats, they have an excellent sense of openness and clarity and have very upfront mids, but you do trade some bass punch and definition, and their imaging is a bit diffuse. Technically they're a downgrade from the TOTL stuff but not that much of a downgrade, they're still pretty solid.

L700 is somewhat different from other Lambdas though, a bit fuller, richer, and with more dynamics and slam, but less openness/clarity. It's a bit more normal, for better or worse.

Do you reckon the 007 MK2 is the better option?

 

[Svperstar]

Maybe this is the wrong thread but it appears to be the most active estat thread on HeadFi.

What exactly is the difference between the KGSSHV and the KGSSHV Carbon?

When I decided to go down the estat rabbit hole end of last year I dug through threads and they said the HV was the true end game and can drive any estat to is max performance way better than the Stax amps. Skip ahead and the Carbon blows the HV out of the water and is necessary if you want your Stax 007 to sound it's best

 

[Svperstar]

I need your help… I’ve wanted a 007mkii forever, literally the day I went into this hobby that was my endgame and it still is, never won’t be, I want to go to my grail but I honestly can’t work out the energizer deal.

I want to know what’s the cheapest minimum amp I can drive these off of and they still blow me away, the last 20% I can chase over the next couple of years.

The Topping EHA5 will drive the 007mk2 just fine, not as well as a Blue Hawaii or Carbon, but you will enjoy them

 

[catscratch]

Do you reckon the 007 MK2 is the better option?

It's a very different presentation. The 007 is more technically capable than any Lambda and has more solid bass, richer mids, more pinpoint imaging and better resolution at the frequency extremes. At the same time, Lambdas have more openenss and clarity, and a better sense of air. Their upfront mids might be preferable over the 007's more laid back mids for some music, and they resolve midrange nuances and detail very well, or at least the L700 does. It's been a while since I heard some of the others.

Unfortunately, I can't tell you any of this in any more detail since I haven't heard the CRBN and I don't know how it fits into the picture. It's in the plan to get one at some point but that'll have to wait a while.

The 007 also needs a nuclear reactor of an amp and using it without one is a waste of money. Lambdas though are generally far easier to drive.

 

[Svperstar]

Do you reckon the 007 MK2 is the better option?

Going from the CRBN to the 007 you will have a similar headphone just darker and with bass that doesn't slam as hard, also the pads and pad mounting mechanism as well as the headband on the 007 is completely inferior to the CRBN.

I went from daily driving the 007mk2 to the CRBN and it was an improvement.

 

[Gradostax fan]

I need your help… I’ve wanted a 007mkii forever, literally the day I went into this hobby that was my endgame and it still is, never won’t be, I want to go to my grail but I honestly can’t work out the energizer deal.

I want to know what’s the cheapest minimum amp I can drive these off of and they still blow me away, the last 20% I can chase over the next couple of years.

Get a modified 717 amp from mjolnir audio....

 

[Chefguru]

Get a modified 717 amp from mjolnir audio....

This

 

[Svperstar]

Get a modified 717 amp from mjolnir audio....

A regular 717 would be fine and not cost $2,000+

 

[aokman]

It's a very different presentation. The 007 is more technically capable than any Lambda and has more solid bass, richer mids, more pinpoint imaging and better resolution at the frequency extremes. At the same time, Lambdas have more openenss and clarity, and a better sense of air. Their upfront mids might be preferable over the 007's more laid back mids for some music, and they resolve midrange nuances and detail very well, or at least the L700 does. It's been a while since I heard some of the others.

Unfortunately, I can't tell you any of this in any more detail since I haven't heard the CRBN and I don't know how it fits into the picture. It's in the plan to get one at some point but that'll have to wait a while.

The 007 also needs a nuclear reactor of an amp and using it without one is a waste of money. Lambdas though are generally far easier to drive.

Thats a big claim over L700s lol

 

[Svperstar]

The 007 also needs a nuclear reactor of an amp and using it without one is a waste of money.

I would dispute that it needs a nuclear reactor amp. I started with the Stax T1S and 007 mk2, not considered a good match. I then upgraded to the Stax 717, which was literally released to go with the 007. The sound did improve for sure but the core character of the 007 was unchanged. Same with the Blue Hawaii/Carbon. They both sound better then the 717 but the difference between them and the 717 is smaller then the T1S/717

The Stax 717 is imo a great "sweet spot" and a good stopping point if someone doesn't want to spend thousands of dollars.

 

[Gradostax fan]

I would dispute that it needs a nuclear reactor amp. I started with the Stax T1S and 007 mk2, not considered a good match. I then upgraded to the Stax 717, which was literally released to go with the 007. The sound did improve for sure but the core character of the 007 was unchanged. Same with the Blue Hawaii/Carbon. They both sound better then the 717 but the difference between them and the 717 is smaller then the T1S/717

The Stax 717 is imo a great "sweat spot" and a good stopping point if someone doesn't want to spend thousands of dollars.

Does the 007srmt1s sound overly dark sloppy?