The Headcase Stax thread

[BoilermakerFan]

I'd have to see the SR-003 up close but the plug works well so I don't see any need to change it. There are also not that many options in such a tiny system...

That what I was thinking, but Stax discontinued the older 003s. If the drivers were tweaked or changed, I would definitely just buy the whole new 033s instead of just a 003 cable to use with my existing 001s. Of course, if the cable is more than $100 shipped, I'll just buy the whole new 003s anyway and have both. I've come to really like the small 001 setup, unsure if I'll mod it instead of trying to build a new small amp or wait until you and KG release the new DIY portable design. I need to finish my new headband and cup design for them. Copying the basic idea of the stock Stax holder, but in HDPE with more range of motion with spring loaded ball bearing balls to add the tension and hold the two pieces together and putting it on an AKG K140 donor headband for extra comfort with leather head strap.

[spritzer]

Ok, SR-507's sitting on my head. First impressions are a lovely smell of leather, the new arc assembly is very substantial but it isn't very comfy for my gigantic head and it makes the headphones rather heavy. As for the sound, I'm on my second song so nothing solid yet but no real issues either.

[spritzer]

Ok, these a silly sensitive. The specs say they are only 1dB over the SR-404 but the combination of a slightly forward nature makes it more pronounced.

[Voltron]

Oo, cool. Is it true that the leather earpads "greatly contribute to the overall Grace of the Sound"?

[spritzer]

Don't know about that but these are very forward sounding, enough to annoy me. The pads are very nice and the ability to twist the arc assembly is pretty odd...

[Currawong]

After the O2s (and LCD-2s) the 404LEs sounded too mid-forward sounding to me, and the LNS (with the thicker pads) sounded better. It was the opposite when the HD-800s were my main cans. Fascinating how one's brain changes and adapts.

[spritzer]

That's not something that has ever been a problem for me. When I was waiting for the 507 to be delivered I was using a Grado RS-1/RA-1 combo which isn't exactly shy about presenting the upper registers...

[postjack]

That's not something that has ever been a problem for me. When I was waiting for the 507 to be delivered I was using a Grado RS-1/RA-1 combo which isn't exactly shy about presenting the upper registers...

I never pegged you for a Grado guy.

[cetoole]

I never pegged you for a masochist.

FIFY.

[spritzer]

Ohhh I am not. The local Senn rep asked me about the RA-1 for customer and with Stuart popping by the bakery for lunch 10 minutes later I asked if I could borrow his. The plan is to bring it by to let them try the HD800 on it vs. the SPL Auditor which costs about the same here...

[Les_Garten]

Ohhh I am not. The local Senn rep asked me about the RA-1 for customer and with Stuart popping by the bakery for lunch 10 minutes later I asked if I could borrow his. The plan is to bring it by to let them try the HD800 on it vs. the SPL Auditor which costs about the same here...

Throw an ALO Amphora in there and you'll have the Trifecta! How much would it cost $5,000?

[postjack]

Ohhh I am not. The local Senn rep asked me about the RA-1 for customer and with Stuart popping by the bakery for lunch 10 minutes later I asked if I could borrow his. The plan is to bring it by to let them try the HD800 on it vs. the SPL Auditor which costs about the same here...

right on.

just for fun, can you come up with something nice to say about the RS-1?

[spritzer]

It's more a matter of a crappy store charging too much for crap rather then prices being excessively inflated. The tax and highest VAT in the world doesn't help but some people do try to be competitive. That store in particular is just the worst of the worst. I hadn't gone there for 10 years after they tried to sell me RCA plugs as banana's but a recent trip to buy a Tivoli radio for my mom there showed it is still run by the same idiots. I guess they would be pretty pissed if they knew how many people I've persuaded over the years not to do business with them...

right on.

just for fun, can you come up with something nice to say about the RS-1?

They don't weigh much? I do quite like the pink driver model which used to be here in the sense that I also like the HD600. I wouldn't like to own one but I can stand to use them for short periods...

[Spychedelic Whale]

Oh shit..Can I say shit ? So this what stax is all about, only if I knew sooner

Finally got my stax and needless to say, sorry again, this is the shit..

So far no headphone satisfied me or came any close to this kind of sound, everything was 'meh'.. well except JH16, but the transparency and realness from the Stax is something alright.

Thanks STAX Mafia, you made another victim.

pics:

Edited October 27, 2010 by Spychedelic Whale

[atothex]

Wow finally found something you liked. Congrats.

[cetoole]

Told you.

[manaox2]

I had the same reaction Spy. Glad you like them.

[spritzer]

I've been digging through my stash of gear sorting what I'm going to sell and I came across this SR-X Mk3 I had totally forgot about. The plan was to keep it around for potential Pro mods but since this one had been fitted with a ribbon cable it made sense to keep it as a normal bias unit (the cable is useless for a Lambda). Despite some mild channel imbalance (which will probably go away with some use) I decided to tare it down and finally try out some mods to the SR-X chassis.

Those that have worked on these sets might have noticed that Stax intentionally broke the baffle seal by raising the plate with the earpads a millimeter or so above the baffle. While the air is restricted there isn't a proper SR-007 seal so it would be well worth the time to try it out. I've lost count of how many SR-X's I've worked on over the years but I've always done it by the book. Fixed the drivers with tape and never tampered with the damping/seal. Now it was time to do something different so I attached the drivers with polyurethane glue (let it cure for 3 days) and then placed a ring of blutac between the baffle and the metal shell and assembled it all under tension. Round it all off with new earpads.

The end result is pretty nice, nice taught bass that goes deeper than before and they don't sound so bloody tinny. The SR-X's were always about the midrange and it is just more real now. Voices have real presence and rock solid imaging. Real bass extension is never going to happen with non Pro models but every little bit helps and it's fun to do stuff like this. It's also been fun to compare them to the semi vintage RS-1's I have here.

[K3cT]

Congratulations, Whale! If the humble Lambda can impress you so much, I wonder how the Omega will do.

[manaox2]

Lambdas are a great starting point for a horribly expensive future. I still want to hear an Omega badly... jealous.

[padam]

Listening to an SRD-7 plus normal bias Sigma combo. Now theses are very nice phones, I had two other normal bias Sigmas before and a Pro but this one seems to sound better than all of them, my favourite electrostatic perf/price setup.

There seems to be less mid-bass and slightly more highs and also only slightly muddy overall (and I alter the treble and bass a bit further using the speaker amp's tone control, helps it further as these phones seem to take this a lot better than others).

I can only imagine that the damping material is just in the right quantity in the shell. The serial is in the 3000s by the way so it might have a service at some point as I got a Japanese document as well with something Chinese in it.

[spritzer]

The damping did change a bit over the years though mostly it was less comprehensive to make them cheaper to make. Also the glue used to secure the wool looses its grip over the years so you need to replace it as this will alter the sound quite a bit.

[padam]

I was planing on having them converted but I am definitely off from it now, these are way too good sounding on their own so I guess it has a full service at some point and the damping seems to be in nice shape as well and the pads are almost new.

If these would have more extension they would be almost flawless but you can't have everything, they are great for what they are, "tiny" electrostatic speakers near the ears ) And my friend told me the Sigma 404 has a honky quality to the upper midrange so might have a bit more extension but the overall sound is not as nice.

[spritzer]

You get a lot more extension with the BHSE...

The Sigma/404 should be even more linear, at least that is my take on the sound but amp choice is always a huge factor with Sigmas.

[padam]

Yeah sure but I am staying at under 500$ with the amp included and the little fiddling with the EQ works very well but it is nice even without it. With a BHSE or other higher grade amp, I would need to put at least a 4 (or something else) before those numbers which is a bit different and I still would not have that much better extension overall even with a Sigma 404 (for that I have a completely different hp) so I think I stay where I am now, maybe try them other speaker amps and change to an SRD-7 Mk2.