[Tachikoma]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nothing101 /img/forum/go_quote.gif long time no see headfi i recently got to go to japan. at the akihabara in tokyo it was headphone heaven. you could find and listen to just about any headphone on the market. i listened to the whole stax range as well as some high end dynamic headphones. after much time listening i can say that my favourite headphone is the stax 404. i preferred it to the omega. it had a more open, airy sound and it sounded less boxy than the omega. while it was not as warm i felt it was more ethereal sounding. anyone else prefer the 404?

Any chance that you were listening to the limited edition SR-404?

I broke the cable on my SR-007, so I wonder if there's any chance I could get the new cable they made for the LE SR-404 to replace it...

 

[nothing101]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tachikoma /img/forum/go_quote.gif Any chance that you were listening to the limited edition SR-404? I broke the cable on my SR-007, so I wonder if there's any chance I could get the new cable they made for the LE SR-404 to replace it...

nah it wasnt the limited edition. isnt the difference just cosmetics anyways?

oh and i swapped around drivers so i heard both on a few.

 

[Tachikoma]

Cosmetics, and the new silver plated cable they made

 

[ferraro25]

After getting a WooAudio6 (dynamic headphone tube amp), I realize that dynamics are pretty much a joke in comparison to my SRS-2050II System. I'm sure the K1000-level dynamics sound comparable, but the HD650, K501, etc., are nothing compared to my SR-202.

If I ever buy a dynamic again in the future, it is going to be something like the D7000, which is bassy and fun as hell, not trying and failing to be a reference-class headphone like so many modern dynamic headphones.

The Omega II is my goal at this point.

 

[edstrelow]

Quote:

Originally Posted by spritzer /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've been spending a lot of time with a SR-404 lately and in stock for it is a very poor excuse for a Stax headphone. It does a lot of things right but that damn upper midrange peak destroys all the other good qualities in an instant. .

I find them excellent for classical orchestral, which I listen to quite a bit. The upper-mid peak brings out timbre and detail quite well.

Unfortunately if there is harshness in this region in the source, whether it be the music or the system this feature will sound bad. However as I have noted previously, some tweaks can tame this harshness, including silver contact paste on the pins of the plug (and just about everywhere else) and most recently the PS Audio Noise Harvester in the power strip (I use 2 of these) mellows out the sound a lot and leaves with with a much more listenable and even likeable upper mid peak.

I would still not compare them to my 007a which has much more detail and precise localization of sound sources.

I only have transistor amps. I wonder do the 404's mellow out more with tube amps?

 

[spritzer]

I've already gotten rid of the harshness in the upper midrange by removing the second layer of double sided adhesive but the peak can't be removed by any other means then damping the drivers. That in its self is far from easy since you have to trap just the right amount of air while not boosting the bass out of proportion at the same time.

The Stax tube amps will dull the coloration down but not enough to make it go away. I haven't tested it yet on the Egmont as it needs a new PSU but I should have the new PoorMan amp PSU up and running today so it can be tested and fitted to the Egmont.

 

[slwiser]

Quote:

Originally Posted by edstrelow /img/forum/go_quote.gif I only have transistor amps. I wonder do the 404's mellow out more with tube amps?

Still not the same as the SR-007 by a good amount in my opinion. The 007 is much better all around using my KGSS as a amp. I had the 404 and a T1S, and while sounding great by themselves, failed in comparison with my 007 and KGSS.

 

[krmathis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tachikoma /img/forum/go_quote.gif I broke the cable on my SR-007, so I wonder if there's any chance I could get the new cable they made for the LE SR-404 to replace it...

Sorry to hear about the broken cable.
Would be great fun if you could score the silver-plated cable from the SR-404 Limited though, and let us know if you notice any improvements.

Not the ideal match looks wise though, black cable on brown 'phones.

 

[edstrelow]

Quote:

Originally Posted by krmathis /img/forum/go_quote.gif Sorry to hear about the broken cable. Would be great fun if you could score the silver-plated cable from the SR-404 Limited though, and let us know if you notice any improvements. Not the ideal match looks wise though, black cable on brown 'phones.

I have a Stax SRX3MkII with with a similar type of silver/copper cable attached by Fitz and it raises the performance of these phones compared to my other SRX3MkII. I was just comparing them together and while they have a recognizeably similar sound signature, the volume with the recable is way up, and the sound is much richer and warmer, something these phones can really use. The effect is rather like what I got by switching to silver IC's.

So I will be curious to know if Stax is onto something with the new cable and if this will be the new high-end standard.

Listening to the recabled SRX3MkII on the old Neil Young Harvest album, sounded just about perfect even with my less than perfect Sherwood Newcastle CD player. Of course the Harvest cd is bassy and when I switched to a Frank Sinatra re-issue which I had earlier been listening to with the 007A with my best set-up it became clear that the SRX3II wasn't the ultimate system. Stll they often take you by surprise at just how good they can sound with some material.

 

[Tachikoma]

Quote:

Originally Posted by krmathis /img/forum/go_quote.gif Sorry to hear about the broken cable. Would be great fun if you could score the silver-plated cable from the SR-404 Limited though, and let us know if you notice any improvements. Not the ideal match looks wise though, black cable on brown 'phones.

The LE 404 cable would have to be made in the O2 cable's mould to fit in the first place, so the colour mismatch probably won't happen (I hope). I've emailed EIFL about it but I'm not very optimistic about it happening, truth be told.

 

[audiod]

It’s funny that for years silver plated copper interconnects were almost universally considered bright.

 

[indikator]

bid war anyone?

Translated version of http://page5.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/e91295869

 

[spritzer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by audiod /img/forum/go_quote.gif It’s funny that for years silver plated copper interconnects were almost universally considered bright.

Most of them are but to a varying degree. What I'd really like to see is some Neotech UP-OCC silver in those cables...

Quote:

Originally Posted by indikator /img/forum/go_quote.gif bid war anyone? Translated version of http://page5.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/e91295869

I'm not going to touch that even though I want to own a T2 quite badly. That said they are unreliable beasts and from what we know of the design, the BH is far better. Much more power (higher bias on the output stage CCS), fully DC coupled (the T2 has input caps), far better PSU design (the T2's PSU is unregulated) and better parts selection (you can't beat a RK50 for a volume control).

 

[Currawong]

The T2 certainly looks the part.

I'm back on the O2s, since the LNS, fun as they are, just aren't as detailed, and I'm a detail junkie.

What I'm wondering is, if it'd be worth re-cabling the SR-5NBs. What do people reckon? If so, what cable and where does one get plugs?

 

[Skin]

not shipping outside of Japan anyway