[Czilla9000]

I'll been in college for the past 4 years or so. Since them my Stax Classic 2 System (SRM-313 and SR-303) has remained in storage...
 
...until now.
 
 
I've graduated, and the big boy is coming out after its hiatus. After spending my college years primarily with the Ultrasone DJ1 and Sennheiser HD201 (as well as the Grado SR325i and the JVC DX1000), the Stax is back. I'm hooking it up tomorrow...
 
What should I expect?
 
What modern dynamics can my olde' Classic 2 system compete with?

 

[Don Quichotte]

Quote:

I'll been in college for the past 4 years or so. Since them my Stax Classic 2 System (SRM-313 and SR-303) has remained in storage...
 
...until now.
 
 
I've graduated, and the big boy is coming out after its hiatus. After spending my college years primarily with the Ultrasone DJ1 and Sennheiser HD201 (as well as the Grado SR325i and the JVC DX1000), the Stax is back. I'm hooking it up tomorrow...
 
What should I expect?
 
What modern dynamics can my olde' Classic 2 system compete with?

It depends on your source and interconnects. My 3030 (303 + 313) competes with (and overall surpasses) my cheaply (t-amp) powered K1000, so I'd not expect your dynamics to have any chance in front of the Stax.
 

 

[John Buchanan]

Quote:

>@Vlad: Silly suggestion, but have you checked to make sure the two volume controls (L and R) are at the same level? Else for a quick fix you could just make R side a bit louder to equalise the volume. 
 
first thing i did. Unfortunately it's not that simple. R is the inside control and you have to hold L in place to turn it. It's very difficult to get it right this way. If Kevin or Birgir or someone else who knows how to, let me know how to measure per channel output, I can probably do a better job. 
 
 
>I missed that. Very odd but there can be quite a few reasons for this. Have you tried any of this with a different computer? Given that the computer is old (10mn battery time would point to that) the caps may be toast inside it. 
 
sorry, that was a bit confusing on my side. The crackling popping is still there with the mp3 player. So I guess we're back to the stuffed pot/and or singing transformer and or bad connection somewhere problem?
 
 
p.s. The crackling/popping is distinct from the problem I had with the SRM-300 and SRM-252. It is also not related to the grounding issues (although the grounding issue really is annoying). The crackling before was from the amp clipping and was loud/on high volumes.
Here's it's subtle and audible at any volume, with no source playing (gets more audible, the louder you turn it up. You can also hear it with music playing at low volumes). It also only happens on the SRM-1/mk2 and not on the SRM-300 (as does the bal issue).
 
p.s.s.:
 
 
mkay, 
here are the measurements (err, in the VdB mode AC, which is hopefully right. Laptop running on battery, so no annoying hum): 
 
 
FULL Knobs turn: (the readings drift, hence the range) 
no signal - 0-2v all.
@tone: sine wave, 0.5 amplitude 1khz:
R+ 279-281
R- 279-280
L+ 278-281
L - 279-282
I also tried 1.0 amplitude. and both channels all +- were at around 300V also with drift. 
I also tried vol knob at around 2 o'clock:  (little drift)
 
L+ 187.1, L- 187.0
R+ 187.7, R- 188.3
 
and 1'oclock:
All +- LR were dead set at 46.2V. no drift. 
 
So aside from the slight drift at the full vol turn, it seems I need to get my right ear checked for why it seems lower?
By the way, with the tones, it's a lot more noticeable that the transformer or something on the board near it occilated and produces the same tone

. It's very much audible at ful vol and 1 or 0.5 db. 
Now I'll try to bypass the vol ctrl to see if it's the cause for clipping.

With respect to checking if a problem is due to your ears, put the phones on backwards. If the channel balance shifts to the other ear, it's the amp or phones. If not, maybe an ear syringe/check is in order?
The left/right volume control is easy - use a mono recording and centre it.
 

 

[dave650]

Sorta off topic, this.
I am loving my new Stax SR-507s through a SRM-T1.
i don't have any other Lambdas to compare them to, but they do blow away my SR5s, naturally, and of course the HD650s I just sold.
Never having heard the R10s, I can safely say, for me, any dynamic cans I can afford are bloody toys with them Stax around.

 

[svyr]

lol, 'good news' - i have a flu =(. means the channel imbalance is most probably all in my ears. That probably explains why I thought the srm-300 was ok, since now I got my CD3000 and think the left ear is quieter. hmph, what do you know, one flu ruined the weekend and the start of the week - oh well at least no work for 1 day. 
 
Quote:

With respect to checking if a problem is due to your ears, put the phones on backwards. If the channel balance shifts to the other ear, it's the amp or phones. If not, maybe an ear syringe/check is in order?

>The left/right volume control is easy - use a mono recording and centre it.
 
I was trying it with a tone generator in audacity. But nevermind

 

[padam]

Two new upcoming products from Stax, the SRS-005S and the SRS-2170
 
http://blog.joshinweb.jp/ichinose/2010/09/stax.html

 

[Amarphael]

Good fellas, Does anyone knows and kindly could share what Stax are charching for headband+arc replaced for the O2?

 

[Jodet]

Trying to reach the U.S. importer on the phone is like pushing rope uphill.   Either they ignore it, or its busy for hours at a time.  
 
It's like that old Monty Python sketch with the Firemen sitting around and the phone rings, 'that again? leave it off the hook!'.
 

 

[Nuggets83]

Repair a STAX SR Lambda Pro
 
Hello all together!
 
I hope to get some information in this thread with you very experienced and skilled users.
In my case, I bought a Lambda Pro that is not working properly. At the left side, the transducer makes rattling noise from midrange levels on.
 
In order to investige the reason for this behavior, I disassembled the headphones; especially the left transducer.
There I could figure out, that the inner (ear side) filigran foil has a little (ca. 0.7 cm) disruption. So the real transducer and the electrodes aren't safe from dust and air humidity.
 
I use a SRM-T1 as amplifier and I have also a "normal" Lambda. In combination with my ED-1 (diffusfield equaliser) I love the sound balance of the Lambda Pro very very much. In my opinion the Pro is also more detailed than the "normal" Lambda.
There rise doubts that a new headphone like the SR303 will not reach this sound balance of the Lambda Pro.
 
Because of this features I want to stay with the Lambda Pro, so I have some questions:
 
1.) What exactly is the reason for this rattling sound?
2.) Can the transducer (ripped protection foil, rattling sound) be repaired?  What are the odds that the transducer will work again?
3.) If yes to repair: where?
5.) What must crucially be done?
6.) Can STAX provide original Lambda Pro transducers?
 
I know that this are much questions from one, who posted hardly.
Although perhaps somebody is willing to help me to bring my loved Pro to sound brillantly again.
 
Thanks a lot!
Nuggets83
 
edit:
Some day ago I opened a WTB-thread for Pro spare parts / replacement:
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/513243/wtb-stax-sr-lambda-pro-at-least-one-side-working-any-optical-condition

 

[soundoholic]

Quote:

Repair a STAX SR Lambda Pro
 

1.) What exactly is the reason for this rattling sound?
2.) Can the transducer (ripped protection foil, rattling sound) be repaired?  What are the odds that the transducer will work again?
3.) If yes to repair: where?
5.) What must crucially be done?
6.) Can STAX provide original Lambda Pro transducers?
 

I think, the others can help you answer your questions maybe more properly. I apologize if something in my explanation is not OK and everybody is asked to correct me. Here my point of view:
 
1. If the protection foil is damaged the first suspicion to the rattling sound is a hair or some dust inside.
2. It ´s not easy, but I hope it can be removed.
3. Ask Spritzer. He is able to help you I guess.
5. After the transducer is properly cleaned one must replace the protection foil.
6. The original drivers  - no. You can get only some others from newer Lambdas. Then your Lambda Pro ist not the same after the operation.
 

 

[soundoholic]

Three days ago I promised to say something about a short test of two Lambdas: Of my 404LE (2009) and that 404 (the prod. date unknown) of my friend. The impression do not surprise me. These two are slightly different in the sound signature, the differences even though insignificant are audible. We have tested with a Stax Amp and Accu DP-400 in a blind test. Whereas the 404 showed a typical famous edge in highs and e.g. violin / piano,  sounding a bit hard and more brightly, the 404LE could provide the same music bars more gently, almost without audible edge and hardness, with some kind roll-off in higher treble.
I repeate - there are nuances! The bass definition was also slightly different, however you can really argue which version is better and this is imo the question of preferences.
The conclusion? Please, test yourself.

 

[spacemanspliff]

I have seen that about 26.6 watts is optimal for an energizer.
 
Is there a limit to how much power a SRD-7 can take? I have a very powerful receiver w/ 120 watts per at 8 ohms. Just take it easy on the volume?

 

[Jodet]

Are there any Stax dealers in the Western part of the US?   I'm in Arizona, I know there are no dealers here.  
 
I've emailed them twice asking this question, both times they're replied without answering.
 
And I swear, Stax U.S. LEAVES THEIR PHONE OFF THE HOOK.
 
 
 
 

 

[mrarroyo]

Quote:

I have seen that about 26.6 watts is optimal for an energizer.
 
Is there a limit to how much power a SRD-7 can take? I have a very powerful receiver w/ 120 watts per at 8 ohms. Just take it easy on the volume?

Hi, I am using a 1977 Marantz 2238B, I have read in AudioKarma that the 2230B is a bit better sounding at 30wpc. You should be able to pick one of eBay, of course they most likely will need a full re-cap, new lights and a good cleaning. Good luck.

 

[spritzer]

As it has been said time and time again, the SRM-727 is a major letdown and basically sounds bad.  It's muddy, non linear and a stark contrast against the neutral Stax sets and older Stax amps such as the SRM-1 Mk2 and SRM-717.  The output stage also drifts which causes even further abnormalities as the amp heats up.  Now Dr. Gilmore posted a few pages back a fix for these issues but it was up to me to verify that the fix did indeed work.  It was my amp after all so it was only fair that I'd have all the fun. 
 
First off, here is a picture of the mods that have to be done as they look on my own amp (do note that the picture is quite large).  Basically you have to remove and replace 4 resistors per plug-in board and move the ends of two of them elsewhere.  There are two of these boards in the amp and they are identical.  Now the fix Kevin posted only extended to two resistors per board, i.e. fixing of the feedback loop, but I decided to swap out the two 560ohm resistors (R5 and R6) for 200ohm units to increase the gain of the unit and make it similar to the other Stax amps.  You are dealing with large SMD resistors here and the work is made a lot more difficult by Stax fixing them all in place with some sort of adhesive.  Even if you manage to desolder both ends without damaging the traces then the adhesive will no let the resistors budge.  This makes this a rather harder nut to crack so some soldering skill is needed before attempting this mod.  Care should also be taken to not solder too far down on the gold tab since it might damage the socket.  You should also note that the amp will require rebiasing after this is done, standard DC balance and offset as with the other Stax DC coupled amps. 
 
Once the mod is completed you basically have a new amp on your hands.  It isn't muddy with overblown bass any more, now it is sharp and with clean, detailed bass.  It might even be a bit too sharp with some sources, tending to be just a bit bright when pushed but at sane volume levels it is just lovely.