The Stax thread

[Tachikoma]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meyvn They sounded sibilant to me on 230V with the SRD-6, but I don't get any of that feeling (or the etch, really), with the SRD-7 Mk. II. Keep in mind, though, that my main headphone is a K1000, and yours is an Omega II. We probably have completely different perspectives on just what we want in a headphone. Also, I have NOT heard the Sig and the SR-007 on the same system at the same time. Hopefully I'll remedy that soon, and when I do I may completely retract my opinion. But from memory, what I said stands.

My experience with the SRD-6SB and SRD-7mk2SB mirrors yours - the SRD-6 definitely added more etch to the sound, and was less efficient to boot. I can only imagine what the illusion transformer might sound like

I'm thinking about giving the SRD-7mk2SB a few mods later (and a repair, there's some odd crosstalk on my right channel) - the first thing to go will be the cables that link the transformer to the amp.

 

[kojebee]

Hi Stax experts,

I owned a pair of Stax SR-84 headphones many moons ago, and MISS MY OLD STAX HEAPHONES

So, you know, I have to get some!

I have more than enough canal phones, but we are talking Stax here

I'm looking at getting the Stax SR-001 MK 2 earphones.

I'll be looking to use them at home AND on the move?

Do you think an Iriver H140D matched with them on the move, would justify the purchase?

Thanks.

 

[bahamaman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jjcha and the ES-1 just brought it to another level. Now all these were just brief impressions, but only recently have I come to appreciate the O2's as really being top notch

. . . and long term impressions would only add to your appreciation of the O2, imo. The ES-1/Omega II has proven itself to be such a phenomenal combination that it has produced some unfortunate consequences. I no longer spend much time at head-fi, since there's really nothing left to research, no upgrade to plan for.

 

[milkpowder]

Darnit... just read through the whole flipping thread

It looks like I need a 3030 CSII, but they're so expensive...
Lambda Pro/SRM-1 looks like a good alternative too...

Anyone had experience with EIFL? They have the 3030 for $740, which is 390GBP. Assuming I'll be hit by import duties and tax around 20% = 470GBP. That's still 129 pounds cheaper than buying from a UK retailer. I might actually save up for that....

 

[audiomagnate]

Quote:

Originally Posted by milkpowder Darnit... just read through the whole flipping thread It looks like I need a 3030 CSII, but they're so expensive... Lambda Pro/SRM-1 looks like a good alternative too... Anyone had experience with EIFL? They have the 3030 for $740, which is 390GBP. Assuming I'll be hit by import duties and tax around 20% = 470GBP. That's still 129 pounds cheaper than buying from a UK retailer. I might actually save up for that....

I can't believe you read the whole thread! I just check in every once in a while. Anyway I finally got a wall bug for my lowly SRD-X and Gammas (non pro-I am not worthy!). I got tired of buying c batts and got a wall bug, so I haven't heard them for about six months. Wow! They still have that depth and reality that only electrostatics have. Like when your walking past a jazz club in Chicago - is Billy's still there - and you hear those cymbals, and you know it's live music. Nothing but electrostatics can do cymbals right. The bass isn't that good, but everything else sounds pretty good. I think I'll sell my brand new 880's, they sound great, but for some stange reason, I end up taking them off five minutes later.

 

[milkpowder]

Quote:

Originally Posted by audiomagnate I can't believe you read the whole thread! I just check in every once in a while. Anyway I finally got a wall bug for my lowly SRD-X and Gammas (non pro-I am not worthy!). I got tired of buying c batts and got a wall bug, so I haven't heard them for about six months. Wow! They still have that depth and reality that only electrostatics have. Like when your walking past a jazz club in Chicago - is Billy's still there - and you hear those cymbals, and you know it's live music. Nothing but electrostatics can do cymbals right. The bass isn't that good, but everything else sounds pretty good. I think I'll sell my brand new 880's, they sound great, but for some stange reason, I end up taking them off five minutes later.

Makes me want to get them sooner... *Sigh* Money is my only barrier

 

[johnmatrix]

Quote:

Originally Posted by spritzer The O2's are IMO the kings of the stats with only my tweeked and recabled SR-X/Mk3's coming in second on pure prat and fun alone. They are awsome out of the Blue Hawaii, deep tought bass and extended highs with a glorius but slightly shut in midrange. Not bad for a 31 year old design

Spritzer,

What tweaks and recables did you do to your Sr-x? Could you post pics?

 

[Carl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by milkpowder Darnit... just read through the whole flipping thread

Try the old SR-X mk3 impressions thread next!

Quote:

It looks like I need a 3030 CSII, but they're so expensive... Lambda Pro/SRM-1 looks like a good alternative too...

You don't have to go as a system. SRM-1mk2 + 303 would work well, for example.

 

[spritzer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnmatrix Spritzer, What tweaks and recables did you do to your Sr-x? Could you post pics?

I replaced the crappy stock cable with a NOS lambda cable of ebay and it cleared up most of the sibilance and widened the soundstage. I also removed all the damping from inside of the driver housing because it isn't there for purity of sound but for minimizing the back wave. This opens them up and makes them shine. Here is a bad pic

Then I made this adapter so I can borrow a 230v bias from some of my other amps to use any phone with the Blue Hawaii.

 

[Carl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by spritzer I also removed all the damping from inside of the driver housing because it isn't there for purity of sound but for minimizing the back wave.

I did that too, for a time, but it's there for more than that. The bit of foam adds mechanical damping, increasing the load the diaphragm has to push, thus increasing the solidity of the sound. Without it there's a bit more clarity and imaging, but at the expense of thinness to the sound.

Nice recabling job, by the way, I've been meaning to do something similar for some time, including the bias adaptor.

 

[spritzer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carl I did that too, for a time, but it's there for more than that. The bit of foam adds mechanical damping, increasing the load the diaphragm has to push, thus increasing the solidity of the sound. Without it there's a bit more clarity and imaging, but at the expense of thinness to the sound. Nice recabling job, by the way, I've been meaning to do something similar for some time, including the bias adaptor.

The sound was a bit thin and very bright. This is the case with almost all electrostats if they aren't driven properly so the common fix in the 60's and 70's was forcing the back wave towards the ear. The most extreme case I have seen is with the Superex PEP-74, layer upon layer of various damping materials. This though probably isn't why Stax did it since these phones were aimed at the pro market so they couldn't be left completely open. The sound here is still a preference thing and I prefer resolution over most things.

Replacing the horrible cable fixed the brightness issue by a large margin and the Blue Hawaii took care of the rest, filling in the sound but reveling the boxed in midrange. A brief warning though. Driving these or any phones from this era with a powerful amp is hazardous because the stators bare metal and if the voltage swing gets to high the phones will arc, burning the mylar.

 

[Meyvn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by spritzer I replaced the crappy stock cable with a NOS lambda cable of ebay and it cleared up most of the sibilance and widened the soundstage. I also removed all the damping from inside of the driver housing because it isn't there for purity of sound but for minimizing the back wave. This opens them up and makes them shine. Here is a bad pic Then I made this adapter so I can borrow a 230v bias from some of my other amps to use any phone with the Blue Hawaii.

So, did you just have the cable connect the four signal pins to the Blue Hawaii, and then the bias pin to the 230v transformer? And then the dummy pin just nowhere?

 

[spritzer]

The bias pins on normal phones are always connected together at the socket so there are only 5 wires and no dummy pin.

I'm also working on the ultimate adapter box that has both transformers and an ESL amp input with every connector and adjustable bias supply with a digital readout. I'll just have to get a few more parts and of course the time to build it.

 

[milkpowder]

Just picked up a pair of SR-003.

I wonder how the SRM-310 sounds?

Anyone got much experience with this weird headphone-stand-like amp?

 

[thrice]

Quote:

Originally Posted by milkpowder Just picked up a pair of SR-003. I wonder how the SRM-310 sounds? Anyone got much experience with this weird headphone-stand-like amp?

A friend of mine has it and I've heard it a few times. It's a good little amp. It's not going to win awards for the world's best 'stat amp, but it does what it needs to do. Is there better...you bet. But it is a good little amp for the money I think.