The Headcase Stax thread

[spritzer]

Deranged is right. They look quite good sitting upright like mini desk speakers, turn them sideways and stick them to your head and it takes on a whole new look Thankfully, Ludo over on H-F sent me some busted K240s to use as SFI foster phones, and with them a very nice pad of thick and dense wool felt which is perfect for lining the insides, they sound pretty good with it in the wood housings. It's that stuff under the earpad in the pictures. I also have a busted set of Koss UR-20s which I've taken the strap/loop headband off, now I just need to make a mounting fixture to stick it together with the cups. Should work and be very comfy.

Sounds good. If you need any Sigma info just shout...

Lambda woodies? You mean the Wedge thingy on mine or something else?

More like new wood covers for the Lambda housings instead of the plastic grill to try and eliminate the upper midrange peak.

Nope, one of the few 'stats I haven't tried yet. Definitely on my list. I remember the HE90 fitting well but I was sitting down. Listening while lying down unfortunately puts a very different comfort demand on your headphones.

The He60 is much smaller and lighter then the HE90 so they work much better lying down. I like them but they will always sound "wrong" due to the strange tonal balance.

I'll try that. The headband looks like it can be bent without any issues. I've been somewhat reluctant to manhandle $2k phones but what the hell.

The headband is supposed to be bent for ultimate fit and to tailor the sound somewhat. There is no way you'll damage the headphones by doing it as my SR-007 have lasted 5 years of tweaking and are still like new.

[Elephas]

I agree the HE60 works well while lying down. The Airbow SR-SC1 (or SR-404) also works very well, with its rectangular shape and light weight.

However, my headphone of choice while lying in bed is the HD650. I usually last five to ten minutes until... zzzz, loud snoring. The amazing thing is that I can fall asleep even wihile listening to fast-paced dance music. Must be getting old.

[randerson3024]

Has anyone had the Omega 2 MK2's long enough to burn them in? Mine sound OK, but they are lacking in bass performance compared to my original Omegas and HE 90's.

[spritzer]

I've never found much burn in is needed with electrostatics but my set has more then 700hours on them though mostly just playing on a stand. The bottom line is that you are never going to get any deep bass out of the mk2/A with the port open. Seal off the port and the Mk1 bass returns but the phones aren't identical as the Mk2/A is quite a bit more forward, enough to annoy me.

[The Monkey]

I've never found much burn in is needed with electrostatics but my set has more then 700hours on them though mostly just playing on a stand. The bottom line is that you are never going to get any deep bass out of the mk2/A with the port open. Seal off the port and the Mk1 bass returns but the phones aren't identical as the Mk2/A is quite a bit more forward, enough to annoy me.

spritzer, when you say "forward" which part of the range are you referring to, mids, highs?

Thanks!

[spritzer]

spritzer, when you say "forward" which part of the range are you referring to, mids, highs?

Thanks!

The whole range is more forward making them sound "impressive" but the extra bite in the upper midrange and treble eats at me after a while. Compared to the supreme smoothness of the mk1 it's a let down They seem to be better if I push them closer to the ears but I need to do some more tests to be sure.

[spritzer]

Is this something we might have to import in bulk from Japan?

A Rinkya Blog: Pepsi Blue Hawaii New Summer Japan Soda

[deepak]

Sounds better than the Ice Cucumber from last summer

[spritzer]

Sounds better than the Ice Cucumber from last summer

Sure does. I'm debating having one included in the latest Rinkya shipment. 600gr via EMS isn't exactly cheap...

[Dusty Chalk]

I'd be interested in a Blue Hawaii group buy.

[deepak]

Sure does. I'm debating having one included in the latest Rinkya shipment. 600gr via EMS isn't exactly cheap...

It would be neat if it was in a glass bottle, would be a cool keepsake. But plastic and chemicals doesn't exactly stand up to the test of time \

[The Monkey]

I think the Signatures and the 007t are a pretty fucking good combination.

[Elephas]

On my system, the O2Mk2 doesn't seem to lack deep bass or impact.

Comparing it to the O2Mk1 with a few tracks, the O2Mk2 goes just as deep and has more impact, which can be more satisfying. I also tried the Real Traps test tracks.

Some tracks I used:

Diana Krall - Temptation

Jennifer Warnes - Way Down Deep

Enigma - The Rivers of Belief (Extended Version)

Madonna - Frozen (Meltdown Mix Long Version)

Cincinnati Pops Orchestra - Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture

Sheffield Lab Drum & Track Disc - JK Drum Improvisation

Burmester Vorfuhrungs CD3 - Yim Hok-Man - Poem of Chinese Drums

[boomana]

Some tracks I used:

Diana Krall - Temptation

Jennifer Warnes - Way Down Deep

Enigma - The Rivers of Belief (Extended Version)

Madonna - Frozen (Meltdown Mix Long Version)

Cincinnati Pops Orchestra - Tchaikovsky 1812 Overture

Sheffield Lab Drum & Track Disc - JK Drum Improvisation

Burmester Vorfuhrungs CD3 - Yim Hok-Man - Poem of Chinese Drums

No Umbrella Song?

[JBLoudG20]

No Umbrella Song?

I was just going to ask

[spritzer]

It would be neat if it was in a glass bottle, would be a cool keepsake. But plastic and chemicals doesn't exactly stand up to the test of time

Exactly why I left it out. Rinkya just told me that this shipment needs to go in two boxes so I've either broken the 30kg barrier or that was something included that I didn't know I was buying... All I know is that the shipping will sting quite a bit.

[Elephas]

Hehe, I got a bit tired of it. As good as the Stax, HE90, HE60, Qualia, PS-1 and L3000 are, listening to that song four or five times a day for 3 weeks gets a bit tiresome. But it's still rated 5 stars in my iTunes library.

I've found that some oldies I used to like a couple of decades ago sound better than they used to.

Also rated 5 stars by yours truly and suitable for butt-wriggling exercises with the O2Mk2:

Madonna - Like A Prayer (12" Dance Mix)

Depeche Mode - Black Celebration (Black Tulip Mix)

Sinead O'Connor - Mandinka (Jake's Remix)

Erasure - Blue Savannah (Der Deutsche Mix II)

Enigma - Principles of Lust (Everlasting Lust Mix)

New Order - Bizarre Love Triangle (Extended Dance Mix)

[Smeggy]

You want bass, try some Mercan Dede and A perfect Circles' lullaby . The only phones I have that don't tremble before them are the 003 (which go deeper, cleaner than most other phones I've come across) and Smegma Pro. Everything else I have struggles or hits the stops at more than moderate levels.

[Elephas]

I only see in my library:

Katie Melua - Pictures - Perfect Circle

Evanescence - Justice - Orestes (A Perfect Circle Cover)

Ozgur Sakar aka Misda Oz vs. Mercan Dede - Buddha-Bar X - Abi-i Beka

If some Stax engineers visit the local distributor and shops, I'll have to find some way of telling them about the SR-Smegma.

[spritzer]

If some Stax engineers visit the local distributor and shops, I'll have to find some way of telling them about the SR-Smegma.

You can also tell them to get off their ass and build us a new Sigma with SR-404 drivers.

[faust3d]

You can also tell them to get off their ass and build us a new Sigma with SR-404 drivers.

With magnesium alloy frame?

[spritzer]

With magnesium alloy frame?

Why not?

[Smeggy]

well that's certainly a product i'm not interested in buying.

But it has that creamy rich sound you all love

[Duggeh]

There is a set of SR-Omega with SR-007 drivers in them on that auction site. Buy it now price is €1400 / $2180 /

[spritzer]

There is a set of SR-Omega with SR-007 drivers in them on that auction site. Buy it now price is