[catscratch]

[duplicate]

 

[DaveBSC]

Quote:

P.S. If I were for instance to get a 009 from PriceJapan, what are my options if it goes wrong? I had problems with Stax stuff from overseas before, and Stax told me to take it to Yamas while Yamas told me to take it to Stax, and pretty much that was that.

The Japanese warranty is still valid. Many of the import shops like PJ or Bluetin should be able to assist you in getting it back to Japan for service.

 

[sillysally]

Quote:

I was not really until I listened to the SR-009 with the A10. I really like that combo but can not go all the way there right now so I am taking a first step with the SRM-727II based on SillySally recommendation.

 
I let my son (yes he is over 18) who is into music try the stax combo, he was simple amazed at the clarity, precision, separation from my stax combo, along with the bass impact of the drums and cymbals.
 
One of the music videos was Girls on film by Duran Duran (uncut), very nice drumming on that MV..

 

[shimmer n roar]

I envy your son and you even more.

The SR-009 is one headphone that I'd love to hear.

 

[Noirceur]

Hello, I am French, who compared the 009 with the Ultrasone Pro-2900 (a open Pro-900) ? bass impact is the same?

 

[treecloud]

Well I guess I got lucky, these old phones work and sound great. I wanted to drive them with my computer system so I bought the little Topping TP 30 usb/dac/amp, used the EQ function in J River (which apparently is processed internally at 64 bits), and 10 bands enough precision to get the job done. Driven flat with files and the Topping the Lambda did sound quite a bit better than the old NAD receiver and cheap Panny DVD player, but it still needed the EQ. Wasn't hard to get a good balance. The Lambda's resolution is amazing!

 
Quote:

Ah, thanks John. I had been afraid to power them up. They seem to work perfectly. And on closer inspection I see both dust covers are slack and wrinkled, but I don't hear anything I would attribute to that. But I do remember why they were in a closet! Rip your head off thin and bright. I have the SRD-7 SB on an old NAD receiver, and after a quick and dirty EQ first impression is very positive. The drivers will take bass EQ without overload or going muddy. Resolution across the range is excellent.
 
I don't know what to attribute the skewed balance to. Sort of doubt it was the NAD or cheap Panny disc player. That leaves the energizer and phones. First guess is I won't find a way to listen to these things without pretty serious EQ. I would love to hear opinions from others familiar with this phone.

 


Quote:

You can't actually see the driver membrane - you are looking at the dust covers. These can be wrinkled, without being damaged. As long as they aren't torn. Is there any channel imbalance or problems with either driver?

 

 

[treecloud]

I thought I'd add another note or two now that I've been listening to this set-up for several days.
 
First off I was having a hard time remembering exactly how long ago I bought this Stax phone and Energizer. By using the Wiki Stax product history page here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Stax_products I was able to find the date both the Lambda and SRD-7 SB were introduced, 1979, making them 33 years old! I bought them used at Stereo Exchange in NYC in the mid 80's as near as I can remember. I doubt they have all that many hours of use on them due to the condition they were in when I bought them, and the fact I found them too bright then, as now, but had no way to correct the FR distortion back then without the cure being as bad or worse than the disease!
 
Second note is a riff on how I personally appreciate how far digital has come since the introduction of CDs. It has really come to fruition in so many ways, exemplified in my modest little system of 1) external hard drive of all my (ripped) CDs (that I carry with me when I'm going anywhere for very long), 2) laptop, 3) J River Media Center (with EQ that I had not used before this), and last 4) Topping TP-30! (the quality of this little guy was the real surprise).
 
I don't see too much on the Topping here where Head-Fi'ers live, so a sub note caveat that may have positive implication for certain Stax users? I haven't bothered with the head phone output jack (too busy listening to the Stax, because) I have the SRD-7 connected to the speaker outputs. From the little that's out there on this tiny amp I would not be surprised if driving a Stax energizer is the best Fi one can get out of this very inexpensive little usb T-amp combo. It really sounds good to my ears.
 
Last, the sound of the phones themselves. Wow. I had hopes I could get a cheap but good fix to my "headphone problem" by reviving the Lambdas, and I got more than I bargained for. I've been an avid DIY speaker guy for years, and have let headphone listening go by the way side for the most part. I have a pair of Westone in ear phones that sound darn good, and convenient. Also a pair of Sennheiser HD 595s I never been able to work up too much enthusiasm for, and a pair of Fostex T50RP that I can hear potential in when I EQ them a little. Pretty good phones. My last phones years ago were the 1st model Yamaha Orthodynamic HP-1, which are beyond repair and gone to headphone heaven.
 
I've long been a fan of full range electrostatic speakers having owned several classic models. In addition, creating multi-way speaker systems of the best sub components available to the DIYer was a door that opened as a result of the DEQX DAC/crossover/EQ all-in-one box (with software) that is like Photoshop for audio. It's takes a while, but it's fun, and teaches a lot about audio if you have patience and perseverance.
 
All that forgoing to get to the bottom line, this Stax Lambda 33 year old design, fed a clean signal and corrected for fr distortion, is my new reference for overall sound quality. Which is a very pleasant surprise.
 

 
Quote:

Well I guess I got lucky, these old phones work and sound great. I wanted to drive them with my computer system so I bought the little Topping TP 30 usb/dac/amp, used the EQ function in J River (which apparently is processed internally at 64 bits), and 10 bands enough precision to get the job done. Driven flat with files and the Topping the Lambda did sound quite a bit better than the old NAD receiver and cheap Panny DVD player, but it still needed the EQ. Wasn't hard to get a good balance. The Lambda's resolution is amazing!

 


 


 

 

 

[cjfrbw]

I think my 507 played through 300b amp is better in overall quality than my original normal bias lambda, with 507 having more intense tone color and bass, but not as seductive or involving as the original Lambda, qualities that are difficult to describe.  The original Lambda is no slouch.
 
I actually find the sound of my original low bias lamda played through trannie and 300b to be similar to the  Orpheus HE 90 setup I heard at the NoCal show, in terms of sweetness and seductiveness. (caveats for show conditions etc. applying)

 

[milosz]

Quote:

I thought I'd add another note or two now that I've been listening to this set-up for several days.
 
First off I was having a hard time remembering exactly how long ago I bought this Stax phone and Energizer. By using the Wiki Stax product history page here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Stax_products I was able to find the date both the Lambda and SRD-7 SB were introduced, 1979, making them 33 years old! I bought them used at Stereo Exchange in NYC in the mid 80's as near as I can remember. I doubt they have all that many hours of use on them due to the condition they were in when I bought them, and the fact I found them too bright then, as now, but had no way to correct the FR distortion back then without the cure being as bad or worse than the disease!
 
Second note is a riff on how I personally appreciate how far digital has come since the introduction of CDs. It has really come to fruition in so many ways, exemplified in my modest little system of 1) external hard drive of all my (ripped) CDs (that I carry with me when I'm going anywhere for very long), 2) laptop, 3) J River Media Center (with EQ that I had not used before this), and last 4) Topping TP-30! (the quality of this little guy was the real surprise).
 
I don't see too much on the Topping here where Head-Fi'ers live, so a sub note caveat that may have positive implication for certain Stax users? I haven't bothered with the head phone output jack (too busy listening to the Stax, because) I have the SRD-7 connected to the speaker outputs. From the little that's out there on this tiny amp I would not be surprised if driving a Stax energizer is the best Fi one can get out of this very inexpensive little usb T-amp combo. It really sounds good to my ears.
 
Last, the sound of the phones themselves. Wow. I had hopes I could get a cheap but good fix to my "headphone problem" by reviving the Lambdas, and I got more than I bargained for. I've been an avid DIY speaker guy for years, and have let headphone listening go by the way side for the most part. I have a pair of Westone in ear phones that sound darn good, and convenient. Also a pair of Sennheiser HD 595s I never been able to work up too much enthusiasm for, and a pair of Fostex T50RP that I can hear potential in when I EQ them a little. Pretty good phones. My last phones years ago were the 1st model Yamaha Orthodynamic HP-1, which are beyond repair and gone to headphone heaven.
 
I've long been a fan of full range electrostatic speakers having owned several classic models. In addition, creating multi-way speaker systems of the best sub components available to the DIYer was a door that opened as a result of the DEQX DAC/crossover/EQ all-in-one box (with software) that is like Photoshop for audio. It's takes a while, but it's fun, and teaches a lot about audio if you have patience and perseverance.
 
All that forgoing to get to the bottom line, this Stax Lambda 33 year old design, fed a clean signal and corrected for fr distortion, is my new reference for overall sound quality. Which is a very pleasant surprise.
 

 


 

I've got a DEQX  too, love it.  I use it to tri-amp Magneplanar MG 3.6's, 
 
It's the software that makes DEQX really special.  It goes way beyond just flattening out the frequency response of  the system, it works magic in the time domain. It corrects for phase, group delay and impulse response anomalies. The depth, imaging and 'rightness' of my MG 3.6's with the DEQX is really special.  (Maybe I should say really SPATIAL.)
 
I have wanted to try using the DEQX algorithm with  headphones....I have to build a dummy head in order to make my measurements.  I have started to build a measuring head into which the calibrated DEQX mic can fit..... someday I'll finish this project.  I don't anticipate actually USING the DEQX with headphones for my headphone listening, I just want to see if / how it works.  Of course when I finally getting around to this, I will write it up here someplace.
 

 
 

 

[sphinxvc]

Quote:

I've got a DEQX  too, love it.  I use it to tri-amp Magneplanar MG 3.6's, 
 
It's the software that makes DEQX really special.  It goes way beyond just flattening out the frequency response of  the system, it works magic in the time domain. It corrects for phase, group delay and impulse response anomalies. The depth, imaging and 'rightness' of my MG 3.6's with the DEQX is really special.  (Maybe I should say really SPATIAL.)
 
I have wanted to try using the DEQX algorithm with  headphones....I have to build a dummy head in order to make my measurements.  I have started to build a measuring head into which the calibrated DEQX mic can fit..... someday I'll finish this project.  I don't anticipate actually USING the DEQX with headphones for my headphone listening, I just want to see if / how it works.  Of course when I finally getting around to this, I will write it up here someplace.

 
*Googled*
 
That product looks dope.  I can definitely see a Lambda plus DEQX being "reference" if it works as advertised.  Hmm, if only I didn't just buy a dynamic amplifier with no resale value.  
 
 

 

[milosz]

I am curious to see what corrections the DEQX will want to do to a headphone.  I'm guessing it will just make some frequency response adjustments, and basically leave the time domain stuff alone- 'cause my guess is that any decent headphone has good group delay & phase-vs-frequency characteristics already.  Therefore, I don't think that the results from using the DEQX on headphones will be as dramatic as using them on speakers.
 
Also, one of the advantages of using them with 2- or 3-way speakers is that the DEQX gives you linear-phase crossovers with up to 300 dB per octave slopes.  Using a really steep slope can make quite a difference in sound- you have treble, for example, ONLY coming from the tweeter, no attenuated treble coming from the slower / more prone to energy storage midrange driver as you would have in a system with, say, an 18 dB-per-octave passive crossover. This really makes a difference for imaging and so on- there are fewer "time cues" coming from both mid and tweeter driver, at different times- but this sort of benefit wouldn't apply to headphones 'cause there's no crossover.
 
Anyway,  I WILL try it some day and write it up.
 
I already have a styrofoam head, AND a rubber ear (pinnae) so that's a good start on a low-rent measuring head....
 

 
(My ex-wife would probably agree that I have a styrofoam head....)

 

[lyricsuite]

Woo Audio WEE - Issues!
 
I haven't contributed much here despite lurking for a long time, but thought it would be useful to share my WOO experiences and to ask for any help the forum could give. I paid for a WEE with normal and pro bias sockets back in December. The first unit I received had something seriously wrong and buzzed loudly, so it went back across the Atlantic (I'm in the UK) and was 'repaired'. The repaired unit still hummed (but much more quietly) and following an exchange with Jack eventually went back a second time, when I was told Woo could detect no fault. It's now finally back in the UK and the issue is as follows:
 
I have no hum from any other equipment (Stax 4070, 407, and original Lambda, SRM-T1S and SRD 7 Mk2)
Woo WEE hums from pro bias port (loudest on 407, and only slightly audible on the less sensitive 4070)
Woo WEE hums when connected to sources and when running completely by itself
Hum is not volume dependent and is a harmonic of 50Hz power
Hum only happens when the bias circuit is on
 
I have tried the unit in three different locations and think it may have been quieter in one, so do wonder whether there is a mains issue to which it is super sensitive...
 
Woo will not help any further at this point (and have treated me like some sort of idiot, which doesn't seem very characteristic). I am a professional musician with 25+ years of recording experience and have never had a problem with my audio gear... 
 
Any advice would be very welcome!

 

[n3rdling]

Is the WEE plugged directly into the wall or via step up transformer?  What about the T1S/SRD7?

 

[milosz]

I finally got around to trying the SRD-7 I bought in late 2011.  I'm fairly new to Stax, having bought an SRM-T1 and pair of Lambda Pro Signatures in September 2011, followed quickly by an SRM1-MK2, SR-007, and SRD-7.  Also a pair of Koss ESP-950's with Stax cables.
 
I've been listening to the Stax and Koss headphones through the SRM-T1  mostly.  Now I finally got around to hooking up this SRD-7, using a Tim Rawson clone of a First Watt F3 JFET amp. So far I've only listened to the Koss ESP-950's on this set up, but- wow! -  GREAT sound. For some reason I was thinking a transformer would sound a lot worse than the direct amp, but it really sounds very good.  The Koss seem to sound more open than on the Stax amps. 
 
Haven't listened to my Stax 'phones on this setup yet.  I want to set up the SRM-T1 off the same DAC as this F3 / SRD-7 setup so I can make a fairly direct comparison, once I set up the SRM-T1  I will do some comparison listening.
 
 
Using a Musical Fidelity VDAC at the moment, with a Little Dot MK III as a line stage.  Going for that tube sound-  the VDAC sounds a bit euphonic, and the Little Dot MK III does as well.
 
I'll try some other DACs later.
 

 
 

 

[lyricsuite]

Thanks for the reply!
 
The WEE is directly into the wall as is everything else - there's a switch on it to shunt between 115 and 230v.
 
Neil
Quote:

Is the WEE plugged directly into the wall or via step up transformer?  What about the T1S/SRD7?