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STAX Headphones Owners & Discussion Thread


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hi stump,

i have the sr-404 and srm-006t, which i believe are the older model but in the same style as the ones you are looking at, and you are welcome to listen to them anytime if you want.

and yes they all need an amp/transformer? to work. be nice to hear them with that nice sony sacd player you have?

cheers

peter

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You can buy them much cheaper online... the combo should set you back under 2k...

As for the transformer question, the answer is to work in aus they do... BUT, some of them have internal selectable switches.

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Hey Peter

I got the idea after talking with you.i didn't realize your setup was STAX.I like the idea of making use of the balanced Sony.If its not boxed up Ill like to catch up for a listen.regards the transformer HEN I have found its not switchable so maybe all units need a transformer which would mean online would save some money.

Cheers For the Reply ..

Eamonn

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Hey Peter

I got the idea after talking with you.i didn't realize your setup was STAX.I like the idea of making use of the balanced Sony.If its not boxed up Ill like to catch up for a listen.regards

hi Eamonn,

i have just set the stax up to listen to from the pc with some hirez files and flac files and they sound nice but id be interested to listen to them with your sony as well, so be happy to bring them over one day and

see what you think of them. they do have a balanced input and should sound great on some sacd music.

send me a pm when you have some time

cheers peter

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I don't have them yet, but in about a week I will

I heard the combination at a local hi-fi shop a fortnight ago. I was auditioning headphone amps for my Beyerdynamic T1 cans and on a whim I had a listen to a pair of Sennheiser HD-800s, and then on another whim the Stax 507+600LE combination. As a result I put all my existing headphones and head amps on ebay the next day and sold the lot to finance the Stax gear.

The SR-507s are very nice - I also heard the 303 and 404 headphones (they didn't have the newer 307 and 407 cans) and IMO the 507s are superior. Better bass and midrange especially, clearer, and better build. Some of the lower model Stax cans are known for making a creaking sound when you move. The 507 don't.

Stax is presenting the 507+600LE as a "pair" and it's a good match. I also listened to them on a 006t amp and it was similar, but the 600LE seemed to have a tad more drive. I've since found out that it has a higher voltage swing than the 006, and that might be the reason. Different valves too (ECC99 vs 6CG7) which can be driven a bit harder.

Also heard the 507s on the 323 amp, and it sounded darn fine. The 323 is the smallest solid state in the Stax lineup (well, apart from the little 252 amp) but it has the second highest level output of their amps, and seemed to get a real grip on the bass and treble.

Either the 323 or the 600LE would be my amp of choice (from what I have been able to hear - they did not have a 727 amp). It would come down to finances and musical taste - if you like acoustic music, jazz, electronica, chillout, chamber music, folk etc then the 600LE has nuance, delicacy and texture that the 323 didn't quite manage. Conversely if you like rock, metal, prog, big orchestras etc then the tightness and bass grip of the 323 might be better suited. These aren't absolutes, however, and I'm sure either amp would work wonderfully in either setting - it's only on repeated A/B listening that you really hear any difference. The 600LE also costs twice as much as the 323, and that could be significant. The 323 also has just one input, whereas the 600LE has 3 (2 x RCA ; 1 x XLR) and RCA outputs.

Don't buy locally. While I hate to take business from Aussie retailers, the local Stax prices are a joke. The SR-507 is $825 from Japan, including shipping and insurance etc. The 323 amp is about $750 and the 600LE amp about $1,500.

I also had a quick listen to the SR-007 cans, but I didn't think they were being driven properly. The sound was very distant, and not as satisfying as the 507s, but I think it was the 007 amp that was driving them. I'm led to believe that the top shelf Stax cans need a much more capable solid state amp to really get up on their feet - something like a Blue Hawaii that can pump out around 750V rms as opposed to the Stax 007's 340V. Then again, that's a $5,000 amp!

If you buy from Japan you will definitely need a 240-100V stepdown transformer (which can be bought OS or locally). There is no downside to using one. I don't think it is possible to rewire the Stax amps for 240V anymore, or if so it is difficult. They cut the transformer leads short on the domestic stock specifically to stop us doing this.

Edited by AAG
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AAG

Thanks for taking the time for the STAX info.The 507+600LE sounds like the good value setup I would like.Ill catch up with Peter for a demo of his setup and look forward to some more feedback once your set arrives.

Cheers Eamonn

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Once you hear a good stax setup its hard to go back to normal dynamic headphones... They sound very "effortless"

Check out ebay, audiocubes2 and pricejapan. Keep in mind though that all these options will require a setup down converter as it would seem as though that model of amp does not have the wiring necessary to convert them to 230v operation.

If you are serious about going a more dedicated stax setup. I would recommend looking at the KGSS amp from headamp, or looking 2nd hand for one of the 7 series stax amps.

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AAG

... look forward to some more feedback once your set arrives.

Cheers Eamonn

The SR-507 headphones arrived this morning by courier. I ordered them through PriceJapan last Thursday - not bad. As I'd never dealt with them before I ordered the headphones alone first off to see what their service was like. Now I get to admire the cans for a week until the amp arrives (just about to order).

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Hey AAG

Peter came over with his Stax SR-404 and SRM-006t setup and we went through about 6 CDs.First impressions were to turn the volume right up.It didn't give the loud boom sound I would expect from headphones.As I went through the CDs the volume came down as I realized these are not headphones but Head Speakers.So as Im not a Boom Bass fan Im happy to say these are to my taste.They are not closed speakers so there is a lot of sound leakage which I suppose is why they sound like they do.Im sure you could listen for hours with these without any discomfort or ringing in the ears.Although I haven't listen to other head phones except for my beats dr dre I am sold on the Stax Head Speaker system.Id say Ill order the same set as yourself within the next month.

Cheers Eamonn

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Hey AAG

... Im sure you could listen for hours with these without any discomfort or ringing in the ears.Although I haven't listen to other head phones except for my beats dr dre I am sold on the Stax Head Speaker system.Id say Ill order the same set as yourself within the next month.

Cheers Eamonn

Good one, Eamonn, glad to hear you found the right cans - welcome to the Stax mafia :-)

Your impressions are the same as my initial feelings, although I was already used to open headphones as I had Beyerdynamic T1 and Audez'e LCD-2 previously, so the sound leakage was expected. I also initially turned the volume right up, but as I got used to the sound signature it quickly came down again. I found that the comfortable level was around 10-11 o'clock with most music, and that was in a hi-fi store with a bit of background noise.

Ringing and unpleasant resonances, particularly with bright percussive sounds like piano, were my main gripes with dynamic headphones. Most seem to do this to some extent, regardless of whether the amplification is valve or solid state, and it is very tiring to listen to. Stax headphones don't seem to have this fault at all, but the sound isn't rolled off or softened either - it just sounds effortless and unrestricted.

I was also surprised at how well they handled very loud and aggressive music - the opening track on Riverside's "Anno Domini High Definition" was terrific and they never ran out of steam, but were not overbearing either.

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Ringing and unpleasant resonances, particularly with bright percussive sounds like piano, were my main gripes with dynamic headphones. Most seem to do this to some extent, regardless of whether the amplification is valve or solid state, and it is very tiring to listen to. Stax headphones don't seem to have this fault at all, but the sound isn't rolled off or softened either - it just sounds effortless and unrestricted.

I was also surprised at how well they handled very loud and aggressive music - the opening track on Riverside's "Anno Domini High Definition" was terrific and they never ran out of steam, but were not overbearing either.

As someone who is currently around the mid-fi level of dynamic phones and is considering bypassing the high-end dynamics entirely (LCD-2, HD800, T1) and going straight to Stax, I am very happy to read these comments. Particularly the last one :)

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Stax! do it!

Yep. Haven't forgotten your advice Hens :) Would just like to be able to hear a set first.

Are there any members around Gold Coast or Brisbane area who would be willing to demo their Stax rig? Happy to bring along some of my own gear also.

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As someone who is currently around the mid-fi level of dynamic phones and is considering bypassing the high-end dynamics entirely (LCD-2, HD800, T1) and going straight to Stax, I am very happy to read these comments. Particularly the last one :)

I have to confess that I was surprised how good they were with powerful music. I had a preconceived idea (as I think a lot of people might) that electrostatic cans are best suited to "delicate" or "gentle" music and can't rock out, but I was quite wrong. I like a fairly wide range of music and the Stax sounded great with everything from Keith Jarrett to Porcupine Tree. Arguably, they do not have as much "punch" in the bass as the very best dynamic headphones, but it is fast, extended and very musical. They convinced me, but I'd recommend that anyone contemplating buying Stax listen to them first.

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to Porcupine Tree.

Now you're talking :)

I am finding myself drawn towards more open and detailed phones nowadays, rather than darker/bassier ones like I used to. I wasn't too taken by the LCD-2 when I recently heard them.

And as far as bass goes, I really loved bass on the Beyerdynamic DT800/600ohm, yet the Sennheiser HD600 and Alessandro MS-Pro are more than sufficient for me.

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Now you're talking :)

Another prog rocker - excellent :)

I am finding myself drawn towards more open and detailed phones nowadays, rather than darker/bassier ones like I used to. I wasn't too taken by the LCD-2 when I recently heard them.

They're odd, aren't they? I owned a pair for a fortnight before ebaying them. I had a sort of love/hate relationship with them - I'd keep analysing what I was hearing and being frustrated by the lack of any treble sparkle, but at the same time I'd keep trying them out to hear the luscious mids and bass. In the end I gave up on them, but oddly I miss having them around. I think at least partly it's that wonderful smell of wood and furniture polish that they exude - it's intoxicating.

And as far as bass goes, I really loved bass on the Beyerdynamic DT800/600ohm, yet the Sennheiser HD600 and Alessandro MS-Pro are more than sufficient for me.

Considering your comments re bass I'd think you would like the Stax sound. I'd say it is about equivalent to the bass of Grado/Alessandro cans.

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They're odd, aren't they? I owned a pair for a fortnight before ebaying them. I had a sort of love/hate relationship with them - I'd keep analysing what I was hearing and being frustrated by the lack of any treble sparkle, but at the same time I'd keep trying them out to hear the luscious mids and bass. In the end I gave up on them, but oddly I miss having them around. I think at least partly it's that wonderful smell of wood and furniture polish that they exude - it's intoxicating.

Well, sorry AAG, but you're not getting them back, as I'm thoroughly intoxicated by them too, and it isn't just the smell of furniture polish. :)

And I don't find any lack of treble sparkle, maybe because I'm sensitive to brightness and coming from HD650s. But also my criteria is the sound of live acoustic music heard from a reasonable distance, as at a symphony concert, and the LCD-2 matches that criteria very convincingly. No, it wouldn't suit everyone, just as the 650 doesn't, but odd? Nah, just aimed at a particular cliche, of which apparently I'm a member. In any case, thanks for the opportunity of moving up to the next level relatively painlessly, though I will be living on dry biscuits and water for a little while yet. :) --Paul.

Edited by pp312
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Another prog rocker - excellent :)

Yep, very much :) It's not often you hear someone report how well a piece of hi-fi gear went with a Riverside album, so you got my attention there.

Still not confident to invest in the gear before hearing it though, which isn't easy where I live...

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Well, sorry AAG, but you're not getting them back, as I'm thoroughly intoxicated by them too, and it isn't just the smell of furniture polish. :)

Hi Paul, fancy meeting you here :)

Glad to hear you're enjoying the LCD-2 cans - for the sort of music you cite I'd agree that they are great headphones - they have a definite affinity for acoustic as opposed to hard rock or electronica, IMHO.

Cheers, and thanks for providing about 1/3 of the finances for my new Stax rig :) keep munching those dry crackers ...

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It sounds like you got a good deal on the Stax, importing from Japan. One of the shops here is asking $4000 (including matching amp), and that's a "special".

Hope you'll share your impressions once you get it all set up. I love reading about stuff only the better classes can afford. :nana

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I love reading about stuff only the better classes can afford. :nana

As a matter of fact, there's a nice looking Stax 3030 set on ebay at the moment for $500. Selling locally - looks tasty - a bargain.

(BTW - I have no connection with this sale)

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I know, I saw it, and it's upsteam of me at Newcastle. Had I not the Audeze I may have investigated, but right now I seriously doubt that I'd be gaining anything. I did in fact have a Stax Lambda back in the 70s, and at that time I had a problem with what appeared to be rust forming on the drivers (no, I didn't live near the sea). Stax in Melbourne supplied replacement drivers, but I was never entirely confident after that and eventually sold them. In any case they were a little bright for me even then, and as my taste for bright headphones has waned even more over the years they'd probably burn holes in my eardrums now. :nana

Be interesting to see the final price on the 3030 set, and I'll bet it won't be $500.

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Stax has landed.

The SRM-600 LE amp arrived today and I've now had a few hours to listen to it driving the SR-507 headphones. In a nutshell, terrific. I couldn't be happier with the combination of amp and cans. As I imported the amp from Japan I also needed a step-down transformer to run it from 240V. I bought a Tortech 300W 240-100V transformer and it is excellent. No noise at all, runs totally cool. Barely ticks over. Don't skimp on elbow room with the transformer - this is important!

I started off at the deep end with Riverside's "ADHD" album - a rigorous test to be sure. I'd used the first track as a test in the shop and was interested to hear how it would fare in the quieter surroundings at home. I finished up listening to the whole album - couldn't bring myself to stop listening, I was enjoying it so much.

The Stax valve amp has a start-up delay circuit that warms the valves for 30 seconds or so before applying the signal (always a good thing to do, as feeding a signal to a cold cathode can shorten its life). However like all valve amps it "blooms" after being on for about 20 minutes or so once the bias has settled down and the valves are at optimal operating points. Although it sounded great straight away I noticed a slight step up in quality about half way through the 3rd track (about 15 minutes in). Mainly heard as a touch better clarity.

This thing is FAST. Really fast. Electrostatics do pace and rhythm very well - it is their forte - and that gives music a sense of precise timing that conveys emotion. There is great balance in the frequency response, with no part of the spectrum being unduly prominent. Bass is tuneful and tight and has a punch that is quite satisfying for most people, I'm sure. However if you are a genuine bass-head you'd probably not like electrostatics and good dynamic cans would probably be more appealing.

They are completely unfatiguing and you hardly notice them on your head - Stax has been in this game for a long time, and they've worked it out just right. The only potential problem is a tendency to listen too loud if you are used to dynamic headphones (this was mentioned before by Stump). I think that electrostatics are very "clean" sounding, and also have a "distant" character, so if you're used to little speakers blasting right at your ears there is a tendency to try and get that prominent type of sound from the big flexing membrane of the electrostatics too. Once the amp had warmed up and I got used to it I found myself turning the volume down a couple of times until I found a more pleasant level.

The overwhelming impression I had, however, is of musicality. This setup doesn't make you dissect the sound and listen critically - it makes music that carries you away. I found it impossible not to move in response to the music - to me that is the most important test of all. I'd defy anyone to listen to really well recorded driving rock on these cans and NOT play air guitar :)

After Riverside I listened to John Martyn's "Solid Air" and Keith Jarrett's "At the Deer Head Inn" albums - both old favourites. In each case, I intended to listen to specific tracks I use as listening tests for audio gear ("Solid Air" and "Bye Bye Blackbird" on the respective albums). Again, I ended up listening to both albums in their entirety - I just couldn't stop.

I definitely feel that after many different headphone setups I've finally found the right ones. I do still like both the Sennheiser HD-800 and Audez'e LCD-2 cans very much when driven by appropriate amps, but I feel the Stax electrostatics have less "character" and are more musical. I can heartily recommend the Stax SR-507+SRM-600 LE combo, and I'm pretty sure the SRM-323 solid state amp would have been excellent as well. Tastes differ, however, and I'd still urge anyone interested in Stax to have a listen first if possible and not buy on the strength of anyone's opinion.

Edited by AAG
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