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HEDD-ADAM ATM we are beyond thrilled to announce HEDDphone® - the first full-range headphone design based on HEDD / ADAM founder and speaker veteran Klaus Heinz’ world-known Air Motion Transformer driver!! The Air Motion Transformer (AMT) is an electrodynamic transducer that allows to move air significantly faster than common voice coil, magnetostatic (planar) or electrostatic systems. Their traditional piston-like movement is overcome by a folded diaphragm that squeezes out air four times faster: A breakthrough for capturing more details in any audio recording. In order to reproduce the complete audible frequency band (and beyond), HEDDphone® introduces VVT® technology (pat. pending), a new variable diaphragm geometry that replaces the fixed geometric structure of conventional AMT tweeters. Aiming at both, the audiophile and professional markets, the HEDDphone® brings the enormous dynamic capabilities and the superior sonic resolution of the AMT principle to the world of top-end headphones. It excels where it really matters: in accurate, untamed, and touching music reproduction. We will show the first handmade units at this week's MUNICH HIGH END SHOW, May 9–12. Meet us in Hall 4 / P03, take listen, and help us spread the word on this unique new Made in Germany headphone design. HEDDphone ONE will be available in Q3 2019. The price will be well below 2000€.

Edifier CEO talks to KitGuru about STAX OMEGA headphones and more ! Published on Jan 8, 2019 We recently had some time to sit down with Edifier CEO WenDong Zhang and he talked about them buying STAX and their relationship with the iconic headphone maker. He goes over other information on their speakers as well. Its an interesting interview if you are interested in audio.

So thats a bit of a bummer then, especially if you buy a new set and find they are old stock using the old drivers. So the SZ3- prefix is no guarantee then. So if I decide to replace my existing Mk2 with another, how sonically will I know if I've got the newest version?

@spritzer I know you have said before that trying to use Stax serial numbers to determine when the headphones were produced is unreliable. I think you said previously its the 007's with the latest diaphragms which you now rate as the best iteration of this model. Is there any easy way or external distinguishing features that enables one to say a particular 007 is fitted with the preferred drivers?

AH the W A F !! (wife acceptance factor) Like keeping your workbench clean and tidy

Jecklins uncomfortable - how come? If you want uncomfortable then its Grados or Audeze! Lovely Birgir - Peter Walker would be proud! Are these the Quad Musik style frames?

Still at the prototype stage I believe. Has anyone had chance to hear a set? Short video discussing the prototype

I've always found DSP processing sucks so thats bad news. Seems the so called revolutionary material was originally designed for other purposes not for high end audio as per the piece written by Tyll

Can you post the link to the video please? From the blurb on the web site it implies they are not available to buy at the moment as you are asked to register interest so perhaps they are looking to see how many potential punters there may be. Might be worth asking Tyll to use some of his contacts to find out where they are with production units. They may have a prototype or pre-production unit he could get his hands on

Anyone seen or heard these? https://sonomaacoustics.com/sonoma-model-one-headphone-system/ THE SONOMA MODEL ONE ELECTROSTATIC HEADPHONE SYSTEM NEW TRANSDUCER TECHNOLOGY The M1 Headphone System is the world’s first headphone to use a High-Precision Electrostatic Laminate Transducer (HPEL) developed by Warwick Audio Technologies Ltd. This patented technology ushers in a new paradigm in electrostatic transducers offering all of the benefits of traditional electrostatics, but manufactured with unprecedented consistency and matching between transducers. HPEL Transducer The ideal loudspeaker transducer would have zero mass, respond infinitely quickly to any signal, be perfectly damped, have no distortion and be perfectly linear. Until now, the technology that best exemplifies those characteristics is electrostatic. Introduced almost 60 years ago, electrostatic headphones have remained the choice of discerning listeners who demand the highest audio quality. Now, a revolutionary new electrostatic transducer, derived from the world of ultrasonics, has been developed in the UK by Warwick Audio Technologies Ltd. (WAT). The patented High-Precision Electrostatic Laminate (HPEL) audio transducer ushers in a new paradigm in the field of electrostatic drivers, and the Sonoma M1 is the first headphone system in the world to use it. A conventional electrostatic transducer consists of a thin membrane (coated with a conductive material) between two electrically conducting metal grids. There is a small gap between the membrane and grids. The membrane is kept at a high DC potential relative to the grids, and the audio signal is applied across the grids. This results in the membrane moving in response to the audio signal thus creating sound. Clearly, in order for the sound to propagate through the grid/membrane ‘sandwich’, the grids have to be perforated in some way. In contrast, the HPEL uses a thin (15 μm – less than the thickness of a human hair), flexible laminated film for the ‘front’ grid. The laminate is affixed to the open (cell) structure of an insulating spacer (made of Formex™), and the film is very accurately machine-tensioned in the x-y plane. In this way, small ‘drum-skins’ are created by the cells. A stainless steel mesh forms the ‘back’ grid. When the audio signal is superimposed on a 1350 V DC bias voltage, the ‘drum-skins’ formed by the flexible ‘front’ grid vibrate, producing sound. Unlike a traditional electrostatic panel, the sound you hear from a HPEL does not pass through a grid! To take full advantage of this feature, everything has been done in the design of the M1 to keep the areas in front of and behind the transducer as clear as possible so as not to impede the sound waves. Thanks to a proprietary Finite-Element Analysis software package, WAT is able to fine tune the characteristics of the ‘drum-skins’ such that they have different resonant frequencies. Each cell is acoustically independent, but driven in parallel. As a result, the sound from each cell combines in acoustic space, but the independent resonances average out, avoiding any large resonant peak in the audio band (as can happen with a single driver area). The thin, light laminate material ensures an extended frequency response, with the panel remaining linear to over 60 kHz. The HPEL has unmatched transient performance, and its surface area has been maximized to deliver a full frequency response. Additionally, due to the fact that it is produced with modern automated manufacturing techniques, the HPEL delivers unprecedented consistency and matching between transducers (< ±0.8 dB difference between left and right channels). The simplicity of its design also enables exceptional durability and reliability. Naturally, such a light, thin transducer is susceptible to bending, etc., so the panel is encased in a special, super-rigid, high glass-fill polycarbonate ‘cassette’ which allows the transducer to perform optimally

You should write reviews for 6MOONS!

Sennheiser say their target markets are First division footballers, Oil Sheikhs and Drug dealers Wonder if they might have some B stock models for sale, slight chip to the marble

Having both the 007Mk1 and the 009 I have always been torn between the two. When I first had the 009 it came over as very bright but I put this down primarily to the source as the 009 helped me to hear how artificial some of the recordings sounded. I gradually moved to a Non Over Sampling DAC which sounded much more natural, smoother and less artificial, I have never moved back. Compared to the 007 the 009 is like opening a window, letting in greater clarity and detail so I was quite surprised at Bob's comments. However; moving directly from the 007 to to 009 is aurally quite a shock to the ears, especially if perhaps as Bob is not familiar with the 009 at all. Presumably the EQ should work just as well on the 009 too? It's just that it has quite a lot going for it over the 007 such as being easier to drive and extended frequency range. Personally I have always shied away from EQ as it can introduce yet more processing of the musical signal, and I always feel all processing degrades the signal to a lesser or greater extend. Tyll did you get a feel for the preferable domain to do the EQ in. I know in your tests it was presumably digital EQ in JRiver? However; many professionals prefer analogue EQ as it's sometimes claimed to be less intrusive. Given that the HD800 you used for the EQ test is modified, are you going to repeat the test with a non-modded sample? As you have Anaxilus among your review team I presume you are going to try the EQ HD800 on him? Would be an interesting conversation. I know he is not a fan of Stax saying they sound too ethereal. The other surprise were Bob's comments regarding HiFi Mans new flagship the HE-1000. I understand he feels it changed the tonality of his reference recordings which given its impressive frequency response is a serious issue, so cant really be classed as accurate or neutral. Having not heard it myself, listeners seem to either be extremely enthusiastic or are somewhat underwhelmed. Certainly so far it does not seem to have scored as highly as one would have expected given the express hype train that's been running for the past several months.

Interesting video Of Bob Katz talking about his work and mastering philosophy

Bob Katz is an audio mastering engineer and author of a popular book on audio mastering. Katz has mastered three Grammy Award-winning albums and one nominated album. He has received acclaim from audiophiles and his book on mastering has received acclaim, with some considering it the "definitive work on mastering Spritzer is cited in the video regarding his Stax expertise, mods, amplifier design and building - Congratulations !

I thought Lightning never strikes twice! Yeh lots and lots of LL's for sale on various forums besides HF but don't sell

Yes the SR3 was my very first set of Stax when they were launched back the and I've had most models since then! There is not much else that compares even today

Now don't all rush at once http://tinyurl.com/l3j79ey

Is that the Foo or Feng Shui version of the Fazor?

I presume the covers are molded plastic rather than wood?

This looks as thought its being made out of the AudioValve RKV impedancer? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Stax-headphone-all-series-highend-step-up-transformer-/171364028043?pt=DE_Elektronik_Computer_TV_Video_Elektronik_Verst%C3%A4rker&hash=item27e6178e8b Step up transformer for Electrostatic headphones (just like Stax - etc.) include in the setlist. The name of this model is EST. It can be powered from 8 ohm amplifiers, but particularly also from the OTL output of the RKV 2 + 3 (100 Vpp). The device provides both the required for the operation of the headphone-static voltage of 280 / 580 VDC, and up to 550 Vrms signal voltage. The bandwidth achieved while nearly 100 Khz. This box is ideal for owners of all kind of STAX electrostatic headphones. The combination of RKV Mark 2 and this box give an impressive authentic sound that was perhaps never previously been achieved so. But how can that be, you might ask ... Well, quite simply. In general, the output transformers do indeed known to the problems. In the EST box but this is quite different. If one uses preferably the RKV Of course, the output transformer of the company have Pikatron little stray - inductances / capacitances, but the extremely low impedance output resistance of the RKV prevents its adverse effect on the sound. For this reason, it is almost a must, this combination - to listen RKV / EST. The EST does not require a separate supply voltage and gains required for the STAX static high voltage elegantly from the signal. A separate supply voltage is always fed possible cause of interference and should if possible be used. as a driver with its output voltages of up to 80 Vpp, a sufficient translation of the transformer of ratio 5 In addition, the exchanger is designed as autotransformer - galvanically coupled. specificationsAudioValve: "EST -Box" -Suitable for low-dyn. Headphones and electro-static headphones just likeSTAX -3 switchable mode for-"8 ohm"-"32 ohm"-"electrostatic mode" - Mode for down step ratio(dynamic headphones) and step upratio -Quality Pikatron output galvanic coupled transformers -Combi jack sockets for dyn. headphones and all STAX headphones models - No interfering external power supply nessesery - Internal bias voltage for STAX280+580VDC (LED control) -Suited perfectly in interaction with RKVMark 2 -Can also be connected to semiconductor amplifier here in thepicturethe excellenttransmission propertiesof theEST used on aSTAXheadphoneconnected to theoutputof the RKV Mark 2

Absolutely agree my experience entirely. I heard these claims being made on the other place so decided to check them out, which is why I bought the three samples. Several of my friends who work in the recording industry, all use HD800's in their work everyday, none agreed that older vs newer samples sounded different or better. Even my *unofficial" contacts in Sennheiser UK/DE say as far as they know there have been no changes to the sound throughout the entire production run. However it's always good to have first hand experience. Any manufactured product will have slight variances. I currently have three HD800's of similar vintage to those you referred, except that the current model is literally a few weeks old. They all have good ear pads on them and sound like peas in a pod. Unless the ones that were being compared were out of spec I think people who claim there are really noticeable differences are deluding themselves and hearing what they want to hear. The easiest person to fool is yourself! One thing I did notice on the latest production sample is that the stainless steel mesh which covers the ear cups is a much lighter gauge and slightly more open. It gives more easily to the fingers when you hold it compared to earlier versions, but it sure doesn't sound any different. Anyway this discussion ought to be in the HD800 Redux thread really

Well i'm afraid you seem to be proving the point DefQon made. Its all the totally incorrect speculation and hype from that other place where we know everything is based on solid facts I have a early, late and middle production Sennheiser HD800 and they all sound exactly the same, not a jot of difference between them, As we say here "its an old wives tale" I'm aware that during production runs Stax will use different components for the same purpose, particularly as they change supplier or their suppliers stop making them, but thats quite usual. But the same model of Stax amps have multiple different circuits - Really !!??

DEF: "Obsolescence is the state of being which occurs when an object, service, or practice is no longer wanted or out of date, even though it may still be in good working order." What i'm saying is that earlier versions are no longer wanted, as buyers go for the recent Audeze FOTM, which is supposedly superior to the 10 versions that have gone before it. For example on many of the European audio forums very early version of some Audeze products have become almost unsaleable due to the way the manufacturer has operated. (e.g. The first versions of the LCD2 and LCD3). Audeze are basically undermining the resale value of their own products. The only way you can determine exactly what you might be purchasing is to email the company and try and persuade them to tell you which version it is.