spritzer

They are a Grado, so yes. If you can't handle the truth then stay out of the Stax threads... j/k They are pretty good for a dynamic and avoid the really big faults normally associated with the dynamic principle but they aren't good enough to play with the big boys. I'd love to own one though for the build quality alone and I've got dibs on my friends set...

You guys really need to hear some 'stats and get rid of all that inferior dynamic crap... They are great for their intended role and the noise isolation, while not IEM level, does come in handy. The He60 is fun and they've found their place in my setup with a SRM-Xh fed out of the Corda Aria Dac. They are great for early morning or really late night listening...

Your wish is my demand... That monitor badge on each cup is there for a reason. The bass is extended but it doesn't have the presence of the SR-007. It's flat and taught and very nice. The midrange is just a bit shut in, nothing major and it is actually better then the He60. The top end doesn't have the flesh and texture of either Omega so bad recordings sound worse then they really are. It's good for monitoring but not so for music but it's not a problem and the top end is smooth enough. Detail is excelent and they pick up minute things down in the mix. Soundstage is hurt most by the closed earcups. It's wide but it lacks the depth and layering of the TOTL models. Comfort is excelent but they really should have put leather pads on them and the weight could be a problem for some users. I'm a big man so having 600g on my head doesn't bother me as the headband does it's thing well but you have been warned. All in all they have earned a place in the top 5 and while they sound great they aren't as much fun as a HE60.

They know me all too well. When I go there to pick up a package there is usually something like this "Headphones... again?" and everybody looks at me like I'm retarded... The DAC is crazy big and those TDA1541A S1 chips aren't bad either. The chassis is solid copper with 1" thick wood side panels. All the caps are silver mica or Nichicon and the every resistor is Riken and it cost about the same as an upgraded (insets hottest dac at the moment). Damn I need a 100v transformer?!!!!!!! I hear RSA, Rudistor and Single Power make the best amps so it must be true... My friend is very happy so it's all good.

Go for it! I'm also interested but I'll wait a bit after this most recent shopping madness. I got two packages today and one weight some 25kgs and the other one was the 4070. The Sony DAS-R1 dac was in the first package with a broken Stax SRA-3S. The dac is quite a beast at some 17 kgs and now I only need a 100v step down transformer. Since when do you need to listen to something before you recommend it?? Nobody told me... The HD555 is so bad that I gave them away

The price now is almost the same as buying directly from the manufacturer so I wonder if they are branching out. Yeah I'm searching for some 50$ headphones for my ipod.... wait I don't own an ipod...

Ahhh abusing a friendship for the joy of electrostatics. Been there... It's a pretty simple build and I have both the original Stax schematic and the redrawn one that was based on the pictures from one of my Mk2's. I should get them tonight and I'll post my impressions tomorrow. I really hope I like them but my impressions are often very different from the norm.

Thanks guys and gal. Nobody is safe from my preachings about the electrostatic gospel..

If you strike out on the Illusion (or don't want to spent that much) you could always find a much cheaper normal bias SRD-7 and build the Mk2 bias supply into it and also do a few upgrades along the way. Btw. My 4070 should be here tomorrow if DHL can get off their ass and deliver it these whole 10kms...