| Originally Posted by Sherwood /img/forum/go_quote.gif They are not. I'm so sorry. Hopefully you'll find yourself a proper pair before too long. |
| Originally Posted by spritzer /img/forum/go_quote.gif you shouldn't smell any burning from any amp. Open up the T1, clean out the dust that always accumulates and check for any discolorations. |
| Originally Posted by spritzer /img/forum/go_quote.gif Now that's something new, I've never seen a T1 like that. Most have only 1 transformer and a very different layout. What is the serial number on this one? |
| Originally Posted by gp_hebert /img/forum/go_quote.gif Lambda Signature / Lambda Pro comparison ------------------------------------------------- I've spent some quality time with both headphones in the past week and I wanted to write down a couple of observations. The setup I'm using is the one in my signature, which is far from being high-end, but I feel it's pretty good at bang for buck compared to some rigs I've heard in the past. I'm using the Denon DA-500 over the Pico right now because I still need to buy a mini to RCA cable to connect the Pico to my amp. A few things before I start. First, the pads on the Lambda Pro are still big and fluffy while the ones on the Signature are much thinner, but still in good shape. I don't know if that would make a huge difference, I leave that to Stax experts to decide. Previous Stax headphones I've heard or owned: SR-202, SR-404, SR-Gamma, SR-001 and SR-007, and I've owned another pair of Lambda Signature at one point. I used a couple of my favourite "testing" CDs: Genesis - A Trick of the Tail (original ATCO) Opeth - Damnation Fritz Reiner/CSO - Pines of Rome by Respighi and La Mer by Debussy (Living Stereo) Camel - A Nod and a Wink Iron Maiden - Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (Toshiba Black Triangle) Charles Mingus - Mingus Ah Um The first thing I noted after listening to both headphones back to back is that there isn't a world of difference between the two, you can easily tell they're from the same family. I'd say they're much closer in sound than, let's say, a HD600 and HD650. Still, there are enough substantial differences to identify which is which and even though I haven't done a DBT (and don't plan to), I'm fairly confident anyone here could hear the differences. I'll divide my impressions in a few categories to try to put coherency in my poor English writing skills. Details -------- Showing off details is a category where the Signature truly outshines the Pros. The Sigs are excellent at extracting micro-details from the music and I can hear some small things like soft cymbal hits that I barely get on the Pros. On the other hand, I find that the way the Sigs present details sometimes detract me from the music, while the Pros are a little bit better at presenting the whole portrait and not just focusing on details. The Pros sound "fuller", especially with rock music while the Sigs can sound quite thin at times, but the trade-off is that the Pros sometime put fog on small things I'm used to hear. Dynamics ----------- That's another category where I feel the Lambda Signature is superior to the Pro. It's quite easy to hear the difference while listening to Respighi's Pines of Rome. I'm not sure how to put that in words, but I think the contrast I hear in terms of dynamics is due to the more sparkly treble of the Signature and its slightly deeper bass. It's not to say that the Pro isn't dynamic, but I just feel its presentation is a bit more dull and less lively than the Sigs. With that said, on recordings with spiky treble, the Sigs can sound quite aggressive while the Pros tame this spikiness a bit. Also, the Sigs sound more impactful to me than the Pros which is quite apparent when focusing on drums. The snare sounds tight as it should and the cymbals have just the right amount of "splashiness". The Pros are not bad, but they sound slightly unnatural to me in that aspect. Frequency response ---------------------- Starting with the bass, the Sigs go slightly lower than the Pros. Also, the Signature's bass is tighter and it's easier to pick the notes individually. The Pros blurry the bass definition a bit and it's harder to hear the string "clacks" of a contrabass or just to get the "bounciness" of a bass guitar. I bet using a proper Stax amp could cure a part of this problem, because each of the SRD-7 setups I've heard in the past always had lesser bass quality compared to setups featuring electrostatic amps. For the midrange, I'd say both are pretty similar, but as I said earlier the Sigs sound more lively. Both of these cans are not particularly great at reproducing mids IMO, at least compared to other electrostats like the SR-001 and SR-007. They sound a bit thin for the lack of a better word and they fail at reproducing the richness male and female vocals can have, though I think they're a bit better with female vocals. Treble-wise, the Sigs shine once again, the presentation is more "crisp" and sparkly while the Pros sound almost rolled-off by comparison. To be honest, the Sigs are one the best headphones I've heard in terms of treble reproduction, with the counterpart that poor recordings sound really poor and shouty. Soundstage ------------- I've always liked the Lambda series soundstage since the first time I heard a SR-404. They sound very open with a wide presentation from the far left to the far right. Compared to what I remember from the SR-007, the Lambdas have a wider soundstage, but it's harder to pinpoint the instruments in space with precision, something that the O2 mastered perfectly. Still, it's hard to dislike the air and sense of space given by the Lambdas. For what it's worth, I don't hear any significative difference between the Pros and the Sigs for that aspect. Conclusion ------------ As a monitor or when listening to well-recorded music, I'd use the Sigs hands down, but when confronted to poorly-recorded rock or jazz music, the Pros can offer a more forgiving and perhaps more "fun" sound. They're both good cans, but to my ears the Lambda Signature is the superior one. If I could associate one general characteristic with each phone, I'd say the Lambda Pro are more "round" while the Signature are more "precise". In the end, it goes down to what each user prefers. |
| Originally Posted by gp_hebert /img/forum/go_quote.gif Conclusion ------------ As a monitor or when listening to well-recorded music, I'd use the Sigs hands down, but when confronted to poorly-recorded rock or jazz music, the Pros can offer a more forgiving and perhaps more "fun" sound. They're both good cans, but to my ears the Lambda Signature is the superior one. If I could associate one general characteristic with each phone, I'd say the Lambda Pro are more "round" while the Signature are more "precise". In the end, it goes down to what each user prefers. |
| Originally Posted by SemiAudiophile /img/forum/go_quote.gif looks like a B series. serial #: B 4358 it could be modded, but i'm not sure. there's these O2 blocker stickers on them and written on the inside. gonna contact the seller to confirm. gp_hebert, thanks for the comparison. i'm very happy with the Signature. i agree that it has a very lively presentation to them. though, sometimes i wish there was more mids or that they were more forward (especially for vocals). i do like them the way they are though because they sound more realistic and gives a more perceived sense of where the singer is placed. i hear that the normal Lambda is better in this regard or perhaps the ESP950, since it's considered a "Lambda on steroids". |
| Originally Posted by Michgelsen /img/forum/go_quote.gif Have you ever tried the HE60? They have a somewhat more forward midrange with even better timbre. |
| the T1 unit was not modified. however it was treated with the O2 blocker compound back in Febuary of 1997. the O2 blocker was a contact enhancer which helped improve the overall output. you will probabily notice certification sticker on the top of your unit. |
