hydrocity
<100
Official Funky Cat status
Funky Cat Maybe
Posts: 31
|
Stax
Apr 16, 2007 14:11:23 GMT
Post by hydrocity on Apr 16, 2007 14:11:23 GMT
I heard the stax lambda's (properly driven) and own the baby stax (sr001-mk2). The lower end portable sounds very distant from the bigger ones in that the air and delicacy is almost lost. They are still very good a retrieving detail, but nothing like their bigger brethern. The bass on these things though are signature stax, complete, extended, concrete, and not at all bloated. The soundstage is the best i've heard in any kind of transportable system. One would get these for the bass and soundstage and portability.
As for the lambdas and higher enders.. well. If anything could compare with the k1000's I say the staxen are the ones. Absolute microdetail, air, and overall abundance of texture(especially with vinyl) that is just beyond even sa5000 levels- transcends into just another world.
almost like if you have been listening to mid-fi speakers then switch to high end headphones, you get the same feeling with stax.
those highly positive views (or bs) that just fell out of my mouth you have to take with a grain of salt knowing that when I heard the lambdas they were driven out of one of the high end energizers, one of them which was the tube one, and all out of a very good vinyl setup- with a bottlehead preamp for the win.
the baby stax was used both with two aa batteries(lol) and out of a 4.5v adapter, sourced out of either my disc player or an ipod. (you could say source limited it but i tell you it was not the source- the price on these baby stax is just enough to make the technology feasibly portable, nothing really was put into the sound...)
ps i got banned form teh other place..
|
|
insanitybeard
Been here a while!
My head feels like a frisby, like a football.....
Posts: 473
|
Stax
Aug 16, 2007 9:00:00 GMT
Post by insanitybeard on Aug 16, 2007 9:00:00 GMT
Before I bought my current 'phones my local (ish) Stax dealer let me audition the "entry model" lambda basic 2020 setup for a weekend at home. My source wasn't very good, but the quality of sound and complete lack of distortion were excellent. I didn't buy them because they didn't have enough impact and dynamics, and without this the music just wasn't engaging me. But I appreciate their strengths.
|
|
|
Stax
Aug 16, 2007 12:07:35 GMT
Post by PinkFloyd on Aug 16, 2007 12:07:35 GMT
Another one? they sure do seem to like banning people over there, maybe it gives them a sense of power
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Stax
Aug 16, 2007 13:30:16 GMT
Post by Deleted on Aug 16, 2007 13:30:16 GMT
Hydrocity I bet you weren't banned for posting too often ! BTW, as a Stax owner, I found your previous post quite interesting. SandyK
|
|
insanitybeard
Been here a while!
My head feels like a frisby, like a football.....
Posts: 473
|
Stax
Aug 16, 2007 14:44:07 GMT
Post by insanitybeard on Aug 16, 2007 14:44:07 GMT
Despite not being overwhelmed by the sound of the lambda basic setup I listened to I still want a pair of electrostatics! When I took them back I asked the dealer if he could obtain me a higher spec set- the classic or signiature systems with better energisers and transducers to audition but he never got back to me. I wondered if one of tube energisers would have helped them sound less "clinical".
|
|
|
Stax
Aug 16, 2007 14:51:43 GMT
Post by dc on Aug 16, 2007 14:51:43 GMT
just an excerpt from a reply in another thread, figured it might be useful here in case anyone missed it ... The words airy fairy come to mind, both in the sense that the sound is very delicate and articulate, but at the same time a little "in the clouds" so to speak, in that the detail is effortless and pristine but I would say at the expense of enjoyment depending on the genre of music. It's like a hyper-detailed microscopic view of each instrument its strings and each artist and their every last move. To me this is just what the doctor ordered for large orchestral pieces and smaller chamber works are bearable. When I'm in that kind of mood, you know "head in the sky" I love hearing the various parts of the orchestra and being able to focus in on any whichever portion I like. However, the Stax are not without fault, the bass by comparison to dynamics lacks impact and tangible force, the sound is so delicate and emerges from thin air that you can barely feel the air as it pushes into your ears even at high volumes, which makes it very easy to listen at too loud volumes without discomfort and you only realise when your ears start ringing afterwards. In this particular setup, although the SR-404 are much improved over the original SR-Lambda Professionals vocals are still thin and unromantic for women and nasal for men. How can I put this? They're like very sharp, in-focus and perfectly composed photographs, however they lack a realism or 3D effect, such as an oil painting or even a sketch might better convey (dynamic headphones), despite not being as detailed or accurate down to the last minute feature. So to me, the only thing I can listen to on the Stax is classical but when I do, and when I'm ready for it does it take you away ... As always, all in my humble opinion and your mileage may vary =D dc
|
|
insanitybeard
Been here a while!
My head feels like a frisby, like a football.....
Posts: 473
|
Stax
Aug 16, 2007 15:10:30 GMT
Post by insanitybeard on Aug 16, 2007 15:10:30 GMT
I think you've summed it up very well. I still covet a pair of 'em even though dynamics are better with the kind of music I listen to. Has anybody got experience of listening to Sennheisers' Orpheus or cheaper(!) HE60/HEV70 combination?
|
|
|
Stax
May 9, 2008 12:28:58 GMT
Post by dc on May 9, 2008 12:28:58 GMT
Just got the Stax SR-Lambda standard bias. This in conjunction with the SR-404 and SR-Lambda Professional creates a trinity of Stax Lambda type ear speakers: Impressions so far are less detailed and less dynamic than the SR-404 when driven from the SRM-1/MK-2. Similar sound signature but with a rolled off treble and more emphasis on mids and mid bass. Good non fatiguing headphone suitable for background listening, whereas I would consider the SR-404 and Lambda pros far too engaging and will be used for dedicated listening.
|
|
Nigel
Been here a while!
Watching over Gotham City keeping us safe
Posts: 2,064
|
Stax
May 10, 2008 20:00:40 GMT
Post by Nigel on May 10, 2008 20:00:40 GMT
Nice one dc, you are establishing quite a collection there.
How superior are the latest Omega's are in comparison with other models in the range?
|
|
|
Stax
May 11, 2008 8:03:17 GMT
Post by dc on May 11, 2008 8:03:17 GMT
Haven't had the pleasure of hearing Omegas (yet)
The problem with them is unless they're properly amped and with an adequate source feeding them, are being held back from truly shining.
My concern is the accompanying gear that I can't justify spending so much money on. Meets in Australia are few and far between =(
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Stax
May 11, 2008 8:21:50 GMT
Post by Deleted on May 11, 2008 8:21:50 GMT
dc I think that may apply to all models ? Alex
|
|
|
Stax
May 11, 2008 10:50:52 GMT
Post by dc on May 11, 2008 10:50:52 GMT
yeah that's true, just that the O2 are notoriously hard to drive.
actually more like, they sound like turd, you don't even get an idea of what they could sound like. whereas with my various lambda variants, i could imagine them being better at what they do currently but the O2 changes completely. this is all hearsay mind you.
ie. nothing on this side of a KGSS is even worth mentioning =\
|
|
|
Stax
May 11, 2008 13:59:08 GMT
Post by dc on May 11, 2008 13:59:08 GMT
I wish I had the skill, time and resources to pull it off.
|
|
insanitybeard
Been here a while!
My head feels like a frisby, like a football.....
Posts: 473
|
Stax
May 13, 2008 0:36:33 GMT
Post by insanitybeard on May 13, 2008 0:36:33 GMT
So if I wanted to get a Stax setup I'd be better off matching one of the current headphone models to an older amp? Are the older driver units fairly easy to obtain? I did think about buying the current SR303 classic model headphone/ solid state amp- I think it was the SRM313 but I think it's been updated.
|
|
|
Stax
May 13, 2008 3:47:48 GMT
Post by dc on May 13, 2008 3:47:48 GMT
So if I wanted to get a Stax setup I'd be better off matching one of the current headphone models to an older amp? it seems that Stax has well and truly caught on over at head-fi and FOTM fever is going wild. vintage stax gear seem like they will be hard and harder to come by for cheap seeing as every man and his dog is now going to be watching ebay. i got my gear because it was so cheap, but there's good current production stuff out at the moment.
|
|
|
Stax
May 13, 2008 8:34:44 GMT
Post by minivan on May 13, 2008 8:34:44 GMT
yeah i dont get it, isnt' stax been around for 50 years already? why all the sudden craze about stax? kind of weird, i also notice some of the people been around there a few years already , making a few thousands posts and they also want to join the herd. has any1 studied mass psychology and gave us an explanation on this?
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Stax
May 13, 2008 8:51:32 GMT
Post by Deleted on May 13, 2008 8:51:32 GMT
Perhaps they have all read dc's posts ?
|
|
|
Stax
May 14, 2008 0:28:21 GMT
Post by dc on May 14, 2008 0:28:21 GMT
hehe, the seller appears to be Fitz
that was a decent-ish price. I got my Stax Lambda Pros + SRM-1/MK-2 amp for about US$400 but that was an absolute STEAL
|
|
|
Stax
May 22, 2008 10:51:14 GMT
Post by slwiser on May 22, 2008 10:51:14 GMT
Just got my SRD-7 adapter hooked up to my Berning micro-ZOTL feeding a set of Stax Gamma Pros. The sound has a great deal of detail and clarity. Good bass not the best I have heard but quite adequate. Texture is very good. Overall this is the second best setup I have just under my Ultrasone Edition 9 out of my Yamamoto HA-02.
|
|
pagan
<100
How do I activate my account?
Posts: 81
|
Stax
Jul 2, 2008 10:12:54 GMT
Post by pagan on Jul 2, 2008 10:12:54 GMT
Has anyone tried any of these amps with the stax?? www.high-amp.de/html/frame.htmlI've tried the gilmore ac coupled. Anyone with info about the RTR400 or Hybrid?
|
|
cosmopragma
Team Cosmoid
vorsprung deutsch audio technic uber burgermeiester
Posts: 78
|
Stax
Jul 3, 2008 11:51:26 GMT
Post by cosmopragma on Jul 3, 2008 11:51:26 GMT
Has anyone tried any of these amps with the stax?? www.high-amp.de/html/frame.htmlI've tried the gilmore ac coupled. Anyone with info about the RTR400 or Hybrid? Our favorite german DIY guru is currently building two of the hybrids for himself and for head-fi member RichterDi and he will produce a few additional amps for the german community in case the amp is as good as its nimbus.RichterDi happens to live nearby so I'll have the opportunity to audition the amp as soon as it is completed.I haven't decided yet whether I want to get the amp or not.I want to audition it first. The PCBs got lost in the mail and have to be manufactured again and getting the right variety of tubes seems to be not that easy but nevertheless the amps will probably be here soon. Here's a link to the related thread at hifi-forum.de for those of you that are capable of reading german posts. www.hifi-forum.de/index.php?action=browseT&back=1&sort=lpost&forum_id=211&thread=124My moniker is LEARNER over there.
|
|
pagan
<100
How do I activate my account?
Posts: 81
|
Stax
Jul 3, 2008 13:27:13 GMT
Post by pagan on Jul 3, 2008 13:27:13 GMT
Thanks cosmopragma
I'll do some translation of that site over the weekend.
As i said i had the gilmore ac coupled amp but did find the bass a bit fuzzy. I have all the tubes already ;D ,a suitable tranny, even some 2sj109's.
maybe p-p as they're already in a chassis.
allan
ps just a bit undecided whether hybrid or RTR400
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Stax
Jul 3, 2008 13:32:57 GMT
Post by Deleted on Jul 3, 2008 13:32:57 GMT
Allan You may be better off with a 2nd hand Stax transformer, and your SC 20W Class A ? Alex
|
|
pagan
<100
How do I activate my account?
Posts: 81
|
Stax
Jul 3, 2008 21:47:47 GMT
Post by pagan on Jul 3, 2008 21:47:47 GMT
Alex I still have/use the original transformer for the headphones.
I prefer to direct couple in audio equipment. ie no transformers and no caps
allan
Stax are high impedance, high voltage devices, and I've got some tubes etc doing nothing, so.............
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Stax
Jul 3, 2008 22:24:00 GMT
Post by Deleted on Jul 3, 2008 22:24:00 GMT
Allan So do I wherever possible.Although the Stax transformers don't get anywhere near the -3dB at 70KHZ, or , heaven forbid 150KHZ that XTRProf raves on about ( ) They really surprised me with how good they can sound with my Class A amp as a driver. I think that such good transformers may be more of a rarity these days, due to lack of availability of suitable grain oriented (?) steel. Try getting one of the big name transformer makers to do a custom wideband transformer for you. A mutual acquaintance tried to get one made for his tweeters ! Alex
|
|