[roghelt]

  Why pay the price for a STAX setup when you can get 90% with the 400i? I was at a recent meet and someone who owns the SR-009 even said they found the 400i surprisingly similar and I think if we really debated it the 400i would win out.
 
Here are some graphs to help illustrate my point:
 
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/StaxSR009SNSZ92251KGSS.pdf
 
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/HiFiMANHE4002014.pdf
 
See how the 400i has a more even frequency response? Even the square waves look similar. Now the 400i is, what, 1/10th the cost of the 009? To me there is no need to go E-stat considering the extra gear needed just to get you started. Then you have to deal with the STAX fart, high voltages, bias voltages, and other unforeseen issues that go along with high voltage systems. Not to mention it will take up more room.
 
Not trying to bash STAX cans, but comparing between these two headphones is a no-brainer.

Yes, a 'no 'brainer'' is correct. But in a 180-degree direction.
 
If I may politely disagree -- as someone who had Stax at one time (see one of my posts in this thread above) and recently spent a decent amount of time with the 400i -- it's not even close. Charts & graphs notwithstanding, I was looking for an even better/different can than my AKG Ks and HD600 without paying a small fortune. Though I had great expectations for the HiFiman as a bargain basement revolution, it was a bust relative to the inner detail, resolution and sweet (not harsh) top end I was enjoying with my current headphones; those qualities were missing in the murk. The thick midrange and lack of recorded environment was a dominant quality. Conversely, Stax have a lucid transparency that the 400i utterly lacks. For the record, I'll repeat that my music is vastly classical with some acoustic jazz recordings. My current aforementioned HPs do them sublime justice. I can only go by what I hear, others may differing sets of musical criteria.

 

[Armaegis]

Late to the party, but if you really like the K702 then seriously consider the K612pro. It's cheaper, more amp friendly (both less picky and higher impedance), and I honestly felt it was better both sonically and technically than the K7## family. And frankly, for those of us playing in the deep end of the pool, the price of this headphone on sale is no more than a decent set of cables, so it doesn't hurt to try.

 

[Liu Junyuan]

  Late to the party, but if you really like the K702 then seriously consider the K612pro. It's cheaper, more amp friendly (both less picky and higher impedance), and I honestly felt it was better both sonically and technically than the K7## family. And frankly, for those of us playing in the deep end of the pool, the price of this headphone on sale is no more than a decent set of cables, so it doesn't hurt to try.

I really want to try the K612pro actually. Thanks for reminding me!