The Stax thread (New)

[SACD-Man]

On a separate note, any opinions on the SR-5NB gold edition? Picking up a pair and was wondering what folks thought...

=)

 

[facelvega]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SACD-Man /img/forum/go_quote.gif On a separate note, any opinions on the SR-5NB gold edition? Picking up a pair and was wondering what folks thought...

The people who have them rarely sell them, and few have had hard words for them. Lately the SR-5NB gold seems to fetch prices higher than an SR-Gamma and sometimes as much as an SR-Lambda, though it was originally sold below them in the Stax line.

I've had the SR-5 twice and heard the 5 gold drivers in the very different SR-X and Gamma implementations. I suspect that these last two plus the 5 gold should all be excellent in different ways, and choosing between them a matter of preference. (X for detail and smooth response, though with rolled-off deep bass and a collapsed soundstage; Gamma for musicality and fuller sound; 5 gold presumably splitting the difference but with a wider soundstage than either.) I think if one could have only a single, cheapish electrostat, any of these three would be a good choice.

 

[Faust2D]

Quote:

Originally Posted by spritzer /img/forum/go_quote.gif It's beyond cheap so that's to be expected. You can always use a hammer to try and fix it...?

So what is better H90 or HEV70?

 

[Faust2D]

Quote:

Originally Posted by facelvega /img/forum/go_quote.gif The people who have them rarely sell them, and few have had hard words for them. Lately the SR-5NB gold seems to fetch prices higher than an SR-Gamma and sometimes as much as an SR-Lambda, though it was originally sold below them in the Stax line. I've had the SR-5 twice and heard the 5 gold drivers in the very different SR-X and Gamma implementations. I suspect that these last two plus the 5 gold should all be excellent in different ways, and choosing between them a matter of preference. (X for detail and smooth response, though with rolled-off deep bass and a collapsed soundstage; Gamma for musicality and fuller sound; 5 gold presumably splitting the difference but with a wider soundstage than either.) I think if one could have only a single, cheapish electrostat, any of these three would be a good choice.

I would love to hear SR-5N, since I heard both Gamma and SR-X. I think Gamma is way better than SR-X, but would do you expect from a guy who really cares about spacial positioning and specifically about deep, high and wide soundstage

If SR-5N has better soundsatge capabilities I would even trade my Gamma for it.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

I use my own pair of SR-5NB gold edition more than my SR-Lambdas, but I wouldn't part with either. I love them.

But my 10yr old son kept asking me for my Lambdas and the answer was always no - so finally I got a second pair of SR-Lambdas from recently Fitz. With that deal done, I gave him the SR-Lambda and we sold his pair of SR-5NB golds, after someone begged me for the 4th time to sell off some of my vintage Stax. My remaining pair will never be sold.

PS: Call me strange, but I like the SR-5NB gold better than the Gamma Pro that I sold to Smeggy, and the Gamma Pro were nice, but not as rich sounding to me.

 

[Tachikoma]

The SR-5 has the potential to have a larger soundstage than the gamma pro. Mine does

(pro drivers, wide PC-OCC cable) I actually like the way SR-X does "soundstage" better, which doesn't add anything to the recording compared to the SR-5 and gamma which always have the same "stage" for almost all recordings.

However, the SR-X has a really rolled off treble and bass response compared to either the SR-5 or GP. I hope the usual pro driver + wide cable mod will fix that.

The GP's main flaw is that strange colouration it has in the mids. Everyone sounds like they're singing with their noses stuffed

 

[spritzer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Faust2D /img/forum/go_quote.gif So what is better H90 or HEV70?

The battle of the crap...

I didn't compare them side to side as the HEV70 was sold when I got the E.90 but gut feeling gives the HEV70 the nod as slightly better. I tested both with my bias patch cables so bias isn't an issue.

 

[cosmopragma]

Quote:

Originally Posted by spritzer /img/forum/go_quote.gif The HE 1.2B has a 600v bias and the HE90 is 500v but the rest is correct. The HE 1.2B uses a standard 5 pin XLR jack and the HE90 uses a Fischer plug.

Thanks for the answer.I did ask about the bias and jack of the HE60 though.
Quote:

The part numbers are somewhere in a post here but it's 5 pin in a star pattern.

Any of my questions has been answered before - probably 5 times.Unfortunately the search function is kind of a bad joke since the crash last year.That's the main reason (besides of lost pics and nonfunctional links) I'm no (financial) contributor anymore.Jude doesn't bother to restore a usable search function.

Edit: I've just learned that contributing members now have some kind of primitive boolean search function at their disposal.At the time when I had to renew my contributor status there was definitely none.

But the best is
Quote:

Also when you log off you get the AND search. Only non-contributing members are stuck with OR only.

If this is true typing down what I think about it would earn me a dishonorable discharge .....


Cosmopragma hits the "Log Out" button .........

 

[cosmopragma]

Quote:

Originally Posted by spritzer /img/forum/go_quote.gif You can also just buy a balance pot and install it with a volume pot. .

I am biased against balance pots since every single of these thingies I've encountered in the past did influence the sound quality in a bad way and it was always best to take them out of the signal path but maybe I'm wrong.Are there high quality balance pots available?
Quote:

It would be best to call up the ALPS distributor and ask about these pots. I think they could be special ordered but finding a knob to work will be very tough indeed.

I could probably ask the german Stax distributor about the the original spare part including the knob but this would probably cost a fortune.The pot/knob would likely cost more than my SRM-313 is worth and maybe I should just butcher the latter for parts.

 

[spritzer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cosmopragma /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks for the answer.I did ask about the bias and jack of the HE60 though.

Ahh, I forgot to add that. The HE60 jack is propitiatory but it could be bought from Sennheiser back when the HEV70 was in production. The part number was in some old article about an ESP amp but I don't remember where. The ESP950 also has it's own connector but both of these headphones should be reterminated over to the Stax Pro standard.

The HE90 information can be found here. The HE60 uses the same wiring scheme though the connector is different but it's best to open up the headphones to confirm it as most of the pin outs I found on the net were wrong.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cosmopragma /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am biased against balance pots since every single of these thingies I've encountered in the past did influence the sound quality in a bad way and it was always best to take them out of the signal path but maybe I'm wrong.Are there high quality balance pots available?

Cheap balance pots are crap just the same as cheap volume pots. Alps makes a RK27 balance pot and if you are feeling flushed, a RK50 balance pot. The RK50 is the best you can get and has the price tag to match but if you could find a RK40 that would also be a good cheaper option. Penny&Giles also make some and they could be a good, cheaper option.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cosmopragma /img/forum/go_quote.gif I could probably ask the german Stax distributor about the the original spare part including the knob but this would probably cost a fortune.The pot/knob would likely cost more than my SRM-313 is worth and maybe I should just butcher the latter for parts.

The pot in the SRM-313 is just a standard RK27 and it has no place in a better then average amp. You can also get a DACT balance control but we all know that steppers are the root of all evil.

 

[Tachikoma]

Quote:

However, the SR-X has a really rolled off treble and bass response compared to either the SR-5 or GP. I hope the usual pro driver + wide cable mod will fix that.

*retracts that*

I swapped the new SR-X pads for the old ones, and my treble/bass response came back. Its still isn't as extended as the GP or SR-5 (pro) but its nowhere near as bad as what it had been with the new pads.

Newer isn't always better, eh?

 

[SACD-Man]

Thanks everyone for their opinion on the SR-5NB...I'm sure I will be around this thread more often!!

 

[Geir]

I am thinking of getting my feet wet in the Stax department, so I wonder what would be a decent price for a SR5 + SRD7mkII be when it is cosmetically in decent condition and mechanically in good condition?

 

[Tachikoma]

Somewhere between $300 and $500 if you're talking about the SR-5NB. You don't really need an mk2 and besides, the normal bias SRD-7s can practically be had for free. Tell spritzer that you'll pay for the difference in the shipping (that is the difference between shipping his stuff from japan with an SRD-7 and without the SRD-7), and you'll probably get one =P

ohwait norway and iceland aren't the same country are they... <______< but the normal bias SRD-7s really are much cheaper.

 

[ludoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geir /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am thinking of getting my feet wet in the Stax department, so I wonder what would be a decent price for a SR5 + SRD7mkII be when it is cosmetically in decent condition and mechanically in good condition?

Are you planning to bid on the pair that are on offer on German ebay? I have a low bid on them and was planning to follow through, but I would not want to be in a bid war with other headfiers...