The Stax thread (New)

[edstrelow]

Maybe the Blue Hawaii is the critical factor.

 

[audiod]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 88Sound /img/forum/go_quote.gif The Mk2 arrived minutes ago, here are my initial impressions with a Blue Hawaii. I've fully charged them (2 min.) and so far they are just like my old O2's with some important differences..........The channel imbalance is gone!...ok that was easy......they have more bass, more bass impact, a tad looser (I'm hoping this will tighten up with charging and use).......They fit me perfectly without bending (just like my old O2's, I guess I have a Stax head)....the earpad material is nicer......oooooh real sheep! The mids and highs seem the same to me, which is excellent..........as far as volume goes they seem exactly the same (maybe a tad louder because of the increased bass emphasis) than my admittedly in need of repair O2's. Definitely keepers in my book.......My old O2's are now packed and ready to be shipped for repairs.

Great News! Now I think that I should exchance mine. The funny thing is that Stax USA was having problems with their demo units and some of the other dealers also. Exacly the same problem. This has me baffled.

 

[spritzer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 88Sound /img/forum/go_quote.gif The Mk2 arrived minutes ago, here are my initial impressions with a Blue Hawaii. I've fully charged them (2 min.) and so far they are just like my old O2's with some important differences..........The channel imbalance is gone!...ok that was easy......they have more bass, more bass impact, a tad looser (I'm hoping this will tighten up with charging and use).......They fit me perfectly without bending (just like my old O2's, I guess I have a Stax head)....the earpad material is nicer......oooooh real sheep! The mids and highs seem the same to me, which is excellent..........as far as volume goes they seem exactly the same (maybe a tad louder because of the increased bass emphasis) than my admittedly in need of repair O2's. Definitely keepers in my book.......My old O2's are now packed and ready to be shipped for repairs.

This is more like it!

It could be the BH though as is really kicks the SR-007 into gear...

 

[audiod]

Quote:

Originally Posted by edstrelow /img/forum/go_quote.gif Maybe the Blue Hawaii is the critical factor.

I don't think so. I used a KGSS, 717 & 007t with the same results. Stax USA has verified the problem.

 

[krmathis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 88Sound /img/forum/go_quote.gif The Mk2 arrived minutes ago, here are my initial impressions with a Blue Hawaii. I've fully charged them (2 min.) and so far they are just like my old O2's with some important differences..........The channel imbalance is gone!...ok that was easy......they have more bass, more bass impact, a tad looser (I'm hoping this will tighten up with charging and use).......They fit me perfectly without bending (just like my old O2's, I guess I have a Stax head)....the earpad material is nicer......oooooh real sheep! The mids and highs seem the same to me, which is excellent..........as far as volume goes they seem exactly the same (maybe a tad louder because of the increased bass emphasis) than my admittedly in need of repair O2's. Definitely keepers in my book.......My old O2's are now packed and ready to be shipped for repairs.

Thanks a lot for your take on the SR-007mk2.
Seems like you ahev a totally different experience with them than 'audiod'. Which can be related to personal aspects, system matching, or that there are some faulty pairs out there.

At least there is nice to see that you prefer it over the SR-007.

 

[88Sound]

Also just to be clear....I was listening to the mk2's at a certain volume with the same material, unplugged them and put on my old O2's at the same volume and to me the mk2's seem slightly louder due to the bass. It does make me wonder how broken my old O2's are, but even they sound excellent until that right channel starts to slowly decrease in volume.

 

[spritzer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by audiod /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't think so. I used a KGSS, 717 & 007t with the same results. Stax USA has verified the problem.

The KGBH is a whole different league but your set is clearly acting up.

 

[spritzer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 88Sound /img/forum/go_quote.gif Also just to be clear....I was listening to the mk2's at a certain volume with the same material, unplugged them and put on my old O2's at the same volume and to me the mk2's seem slightly louder due to the bass. It does make me wonder how broken my old O2's are, but even they sound excellent until that right channel starts to slowly decrease in volume.

They could be shorting to the stators or only getting a short burst of bias at the begging and then no more so it will slowly fade away. How long does it take to fade away?

 

[88Sound]

From fully discharged seems to take about 1 hour and after that gets progressively worse until the difference to equalise the volume is about four clicks on the BH. After a certain point the right channel will start to distort before it can be fully equalised with the left at a loud volume.

 

[spritzer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 88Sound /img/forum/go_quote.gif From fully discharged seems to take about 1 hour and after that gets progressively worse until the difference to equalise the volume is about four clicks on the BH. After a certain point the right channel will start to distort before it can be fully equalised with the left at a loud volume.

This too slow for a short circuit inside the earpiece so they must have an intermittent connection on the bias line either it is the cable or the connection inside the earcup. The cable is most prone to break just before it enters the earcup as that was one of the changes Stax made with the Mk2. I hope it is only the cable as that is 100$ but the drivers are a few hundred.

 

[catscratch]

Gents,

I'm putting together an H2 rig, which will also double as a K1k rig. There will be a Cayin A88t driving either headphone.

But, this also leads to this question: how good would the Cayin be for driving the O2 via a transformer box, like, for instance, that Illusion box that Carl is using?

I don't like solid state amps period. I don't think the SRM-007t has the juice to drive the O2, and I don't know anything about the Woo GES other than that it's based on an old KG design that Kevin likes less than the KGSS and the KGBH.

Seems like this speaker amp could lead to a lot of interesting headphone possibilities in the future.

Driving a K340 recabled off the speaker outputs? Hmm...

 

[tyre]

adjustable 0-1000V bias supply for a future transformer box project

 

[spritzer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by catscratch /img/forum/go_quote.gif Gents, I'm putting together an H2 rig, which will also double as a K1k rig. There will be a Cayin A88t driving either headphone. But, this also leads to this question: how good would the Cayin be for driving the O2 via a transformer box, like, for instance, that Illusion box that Carl is using? I don't like solid state amps period. I don't think the SRM-007t has the juice to drive the O2, and I don't know anything about the Woo GES other than that it's based on an old KG design that Kevin likes less than the KGSS and the KGBH. Seems like this speaker amp could lead to a lot of interesting headphone possibilities in the future. Driving a K340 recabled off the speaker outputs? Hmm...

It should be great with any of the transformers but the SR-007 will still be a bit dark and woolly in the bass.

Another option is to convert the Cayin into a Stax amp as it is a push-pull amp. 4 caps of the output trafo and and a couple of resistors and you've got a Stax amp.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tyre /img/forum/go_quote.gif adjustable 0-1000V bias supply for a future transformer box project

That is a great way to do it and they even made a 550v version...

 

[macm75]

I'm here infrequently but never sure if I should start a new thread or add on here. Hope you don't mind barging in.
My issue concerns the SR-303. I own them, for about a year, and use a amp I built myself. It's the Ciuffoli 6BX(L)7 version. I will be converting to a 2A3 output soon and hope for better results.
Anyway I have never been completely satisfied with the 303's. I buddy of mine owns the 404's and we feel the same thing. OK they possess rediculous amount of detail from top to bottom, huge and wide soundstage that is amazingly transparent, and are fantastically dynamic. My problem with them is they lack the easy going liquid naturalness I expect out my normal tube/vintage alnico driver/etc home equipment. I did expect them to be easier on the ears. Hoped for improvement over time but no change.
Anyway, I'm simply wondering if I should be looking for older models like the Lambda Nova Sig or Lambda Nova Classic or do I need to go further back and look for Lambda Pro or basic Lambda's to get the easy sound I'm looking for. I'd sacrifice a little, not a lot but a little, detail/soundstage/etc to get it. Any suggestions welcome.
Thank You. -Joe

 

[spritzer]

The original SR-Lambda fits that bill and the Lambda Pro if you can handle the recessed midrange and nonlinear bass/treble. Any pics of the amp??