[jackskelly]

Hi, I've recently ordered an SR-009, which should get here this month. This will be the first electrostatic headphone I've ever personally owned. I know the SR-009 uses pro bias, and it seems that STAX now uses pro bias on all of their headphones in current production. Does anyone know if they plan on staying with only pro bias for future models? Would they make another headphone with normal bias? I'm just wondering because I've ordered a BHSE, which should come in this summer, and I'm probably going to get one normal bias plus and one pro bias plug, but I believe that as a default all of them are being made with 2 pro bias plugs (which makes sense if STAX will only produce pro bias headphones from now on), unless you specify otherwise.

 

[livewire]

Stax abandoned the normal bias many years ago, seriously doubt it will make a comeback.
The only reason you might want a normal bias jack is if you are using old school headphones.
It is an option if one decides to go retro. But with 009s, why would you? 

 

[spritzer]

No chance there will ever be another normal bias headphone.  Stax officially stopped supporting normal bias in Sept. 2007. 

 

[livewire]

When was the last year for normal bias "earspeaker" production?

 

[jackskelly]

Quote:

No chance there will ever be another normal bias headphone.  Stax officially stopped supporting normal bias in Sept. 2007. 

 
 
Quote:

Stax abandoned the normal bias many years ago, seriously doubt it will make a comeback.
The only reason you might want a normal bias jack is if you are using old school headphones.
It is an option if one decides to go retro. But with 009s, why would you? 

 
Thanks for the information guys.
I'm still deciding on which plug configuration to get, but it seems settled that pro bias will be what they will continue to use in the future.

 

[spritzer]

Quote:

When was the last year for normal bias "earspeaker" production?

 
Around 1990. 

 

[Snave]

Thanks for the replies everyone, dust seems like the likely explanation so I'll have to send them back to Japan I guess. BTW is there anyone out there in Perth, Australia with a Stax amp I could plug into, just to eliminate a problem with my 323s?

 

[MDR30]

Anyone got a pair of SRX pads in good condition, or know where I can get some, shipped to Europe?
 

 

[soren_brix]

Quote:

@krmathis
 
You said that ' It seemed to lack some of the warmth and "magic" I get from of the SRM-007t. Maybe because the Lyngdorf is a fully digital solid state amplifier, while the SRM-007t is solid state/tube. Or perhaps because the SRD-7/MK2 add something to the sound that? I really don't know.'
 
IMHO it's not the SRD7 that has affected the sound. I've used an SRD7/MK2 for many years with various amps, and the better the amp the better the sound. I use a solid state pre amp and  valve power amp. I have heard very good results with all solid state but not easy to find one that provides the 'magic'.
 
Good hunting.
 

I tend to agree with your experience: "
If I had the SRD-7/mk2 and the 404, would I buy the 006t? probably not ... not that big a difference.
"

 

[Keithpgdrb]

Have had the pleasure of spending time with the stax 407.  A very nice set of cans indeed.  so different then my sr-lambdas.  Much more forward midrange, at least with the 252s amp.  I guess more resolving would be another description.  Not really sure which I can say I prefer, they are just different.
 
what is considered the best in the pro lambda line?

 

[eric65]

Hello.
I' m French.
Sorry for my poor English
It’s my first intervention in this thread.
Just to say i have 009 Stax headphone with tow amps: the SMR 727-II stax amp and, it is verry more orignaly the Audiovalve RKV Mark II amp directly coupled to has WooAudio Wee with the specialy adaptator  (for the jack to the HP enter of the Wee) (See the picture). 
The RKV is amp for electrodynamic headphone with 3 watts power outpur and n it is the most intersting, with 80 max RMS output volts.
With the WEE and the 1:25 at 1:50 ratio volts amplificator transformator, the voltage output of the WEE is to amplify to on 2000 at 4000 volts RMS! (Its enought too burn the headphone 

)
The most important with it's originaly association with RKV-WEE + 009 is i obtain has very very euphonious sound. The sound is no hard or shoulty in the hight-medium when your hear femal voice at hight level (NB : it is the situation with the 727 amp). The sound is very plaisant with good harmonics and also very good neutrality. It-is possibility that this amp is better sound that the all Stax amps (323S ; 727 and 007t2) for less money.
If you are interested you can see the french forum "HCFR" at  "Club des Heureux propriétaires de casque Stax"  for more picture and test.
(NB : you can use the google translation French to English il you are interested)

Thank to tolerate my very poor English.
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 

[arnaud]

Eric, nice to see you over here! 
To summarize your post:
- you have obtained good results driving the sr009 using an audiovalve rkv driving a wee using a custom 1/4inch to bare wires adaptor cable
- you also own an srm-727 amp but found it shouty at higher volume levels with the sr009
- you've found the rkv-wee a much better fit for the 009 with much more euphonic sound and no deterioration with increased volume level
- you mention that the rkv can swing up to 80V so with the wee that has a step up ratio of 1:25 (you found through your own tests it was more like 1:50), there is sufficient voltage swing to damage the headphone (and at least much more headroom than the stax direct coupled amps in production)
- you surmise that the association rkv+wee might be a better fit for the 009 than any of the stax amps in production (and also better value consedering the stax prices in france)
 
arnaud

 

[DefQon]

Interesting way of powering those 009's from the HP/out jack of the RKV to the Wee. I've always wondered what the OTL RKV sounds like with other normal TOTL headphones. Last auction that ended was about 1400 euro's 4 years ago on ebay. I remember reading reviews praising on them back in 04.

 

[scott16]

I got an SRM1-MK2 Amp and it seems like the sound isn't near as loud as when it was new,
I think it's a problem with the Amp (not the headphones) b.c both my Sigma and Lambda Pros seem too low volume
what could be causing this problem?

 

[ymv]

Hey guys,
 
anyone know how to open the plastic case around the transformer for modifying the voltage of the SRM-323S?