spritzer

Happy Birthday!!!

I was thinking the same thing, anybody using a Benchmark will have their ears bleeding with this. It's less of an issue at higher volume levels but the higher sensitivity is indeed not a good thing. Either Rudistor or Ciuffoli spring to mind as people who know fuck all about bias supplies as well... I can make something for you which would make that combo work.

The SR-009 will have plenty of fans but I'm starting to miss the SR-007 smoothness and more forgiving nature. This is mostly due me putting Foobar on random and it digging up all kinds of crap... While the uber detail retrieval was cool at first it has started to wear a bit thin. The SR-007 is clearly one of the most detailed transducers ever made but it's true sign of greatness is that the detail retrieval in never flaunted. It is just there for the listener to discover but with the SR-009 it is a bit like a party trick, "Have you noticed this new awesome feature?". Small issue on the grand scheme but I'm known to be just a tiny bit picky... Edit: Couple of other things, the instructions manual is the worst case of Engrish I've seen in quite a while. Stax also have a little clause that says warranty will be void if people don't report what amp they were using their cans with. Presumably this means they won't cover third party units...

Nope, just crap fakes. 5 real ones were in the bag and they test just fine.

Yeah, my fake K216's test at 0V so they aren't even mostfets...

I spent the last couple of days trying to fix the SZ3 version of the Mk2 but with only limited success while only manipulating the arcs/pads. Next step is to strip them down but especially with voices they never sound natural to my ears. The SR-009 has a tiny bit of that same feeling to me but nowhere near as bad.

There is dust inside the driver which is causing this. Since the set is new I would return it right away.

This one is a bit funny... I really should setup a FTP server with these speeds... Edit: I get this 10 min later... A bit odd...

Just got mine and first impressions are quite good. The fit is a bit on the small side for my gigantic head but that should get better with use. The build quality is stunning though, simply a joy to behold after the flimsy SR-Omega and built to a price SR-007's. Now for the sound, I got them an hour ago and the BHSE isn't even fully up and running by now, neither is the APL for that matter. First impressions do remind me a lot of the SR-Omega but a properly built one. Same open nature and the slight forward sound will also bite your hand if you push the volume too far. Just find a good volume setting and stick with it. Now what is different is the control so tiny details and instrument separation aren't lost like in the SR-Omega and the midrange is never edgy and shrill. The bass is tight and controlled but could use a bit more bloom where the material calls for it. As for being better then the SR-007, only time will tell but I'm certainly not unhappy.

Even with 100% correct fit the lowest registers will always be slightly overblown. What Stax tried to do with this unit is to have the earcups breath just a little bit so once the phones sit on the head the port is supposed to be almost closed. As with so many other brilliant ideas it doesn't really work in practice. The force on the exerted on the earpads will always depend on the size of the users head and the tension/angle of attack of the arc's. Same issue as with the Mk1 but now with the added benefit of the ports not closing properly and thus messing up the bass and midrange. I'm not sure what Stax were thinking with the Mk2.5 (SZ3) though. Rumor has it that it was a test bed for the new diaphragm material found in the SR-009 which could make sense as the drivers are certainly different. My set has been on loan for a couple of months now but the plan is to get it back and see if I can "fix" them. I've already install Mk1 springs with no real difference so it is time to plug the ports and install Mk1 earpads.

While the testing should easily show the difference between a SZ2 and SZ3 then the results of these sets could be wrong given how demanding they are of a correct fit. My mods to the Mk2/A's can be skipped simply by getting the fit right (well about 90% of the way) which would cause issues with measuring. Well that saves me buying a set. I had been watching all auctions in Japan looking for the serial numbers for a while now.

NEED CIA APPROVED MIXERS!!!!! I have one of the Kitchen Aid Professional mixers at the bakery and it isn't bad for doing stuff I can't be arsed to do by hand. I guess my front panels need to take a small trip to Headamp HQ now...

Show me pics and I can tell you for certain. Hell, just the serial number will tell me what version it is. The SR-007A should just be the Japanese market version of the SR-007Mk2 but I have never seen a SZ3-xxxx SR-007A so perhaps Stax didn't change the Japanese model and only the export version...

I thing Andy should just hand deliver my set since it is bloody freezing up here. The tube amps are just a good way of staying warm.

Yeah, there is a reason why I can't stand Yama's... If you do end up with another Mk1 I'd be willing to buy the squealing set off you. One can never have too many spare parts...

Here is a picture of my lot, 600 pieces all fake.

Double post...

Just got my boards. It's a bit startling just how much smaller the Exstata V2 amp boards are compared to the KGSSHV given that they were once identical...

Looks like that Sigma/303 will be a reality...

I'm with Milos on this one, the Sigma Pro was always a poor substitute for the normal bias model off an amp that really can push them. The 404 version was better still and not as bloody hard to drive. On a similar note, why have we never built a Sigma/303? It's a much more natural choice given how the cable fits and has the same drivers. I guess I could always get out of retirement and make one last set...

I will tear them apart and post pics to the best of my ability.

Ditto. One can never have too many parts...

Happy belated.

My most recent haul was a high speed hand held drill to fabricate something for Antonio plus a lot of M3 and M4 taps. I break these like they are candy... This week I also bought a Stax SRX-Mk3 Pro (stock Stax unit) plus most of the parts needed to build the Ciuffoli 300B Stax amp.