The Headcase Stax thread

[Cynric]

I'll see if I can find out from wich parts the sound comes tomorrow.

just to confirm: the buzzing is coming from the transformer and is pretty audible. 220V or 240V does not matter. I'll try loosening its screws a little, maybe there is just some tension causing it to vibrate. If that does not work, i'll see if i can dampen the case somehow; Or is there any chance of finding out the transformer specs and buying a new one?

[spritzer]

I would bolt the transformer firmly to the frame as it will only dampen an vibrations. Have you tried DC blocking caps to see if that is the issue?

[kirkwall]

Here are my impressions of the 307, 407, and 507

If you want the short version I bought the 507.

Long version

Take my impressions with a grain of salt as it was in a not totally quiet place. I went to my favorite Stax dealer here in Japan. I listened through a srm-600 and a srm-006TS, as well as a little on a 323s. I hated the 307 immediately, it sounded like a 404 and 303. In other words etch. The 407 and 507 were very close. Both sounded great with no etch at all. I felt there was more bass from the 507 also it felt a bit more detailed in transient notes. I would say if you are tight on money don't feel bad about the 407. It really is the best bang for the buck lambda and the sound quality is very similar to the 507. I have a small head ( I usually wore the old head band assembly as small as it would go) and the 507 feels great. My setting is 2 clicks above the smallest setting on the 507.

Compared to the SC1 and LNS the 507 beats them both.

Well time to get back to my 507s...

Many thanks for the impressions. 407s for me, off a 323 most likely, until I can free up some funds.

best,

k

[John Buchanan]

This isn't strictly limited to Stax phones, but I was wondering why the terrible wow in the piano on masterings of "Changes" from Black Sabbath Volume 4 is hardly noticeable on phones and mind blowingly annoying on speakers. Any theories?

[Dusty Chalk]

You're using tube amplification on the headphones and solid state on the speakers?

[John Buchanan]

Next suggestion. Makes no difference, as also very evident when using both solid state systems.

[Dusty Chalk]

Placebo? That's all I got.

[ktm]

This isn't strictly limited to Stax phones, but I was wondering why the terrible wow in the piano on masterings of "Changes" from Black Sabbath Volume 4 is hardly noticeable on phones and mind blowingly annoying on speakers. Any theories?

You've got my interest. My speaker system is all tubes, I can go full SS or hybrid on the Stax. If I can avoid working again Monday night, I'll give it a whirl.

I believe there was quite of bit of Sabbath that never sounded right on sand amps.

[spritzer]

You are talking about stereotypical tubes vs. solid state which is just that, a stereotype with no real meaning. With Stax equipment the sand amps aren't dry and sterile while the tube amps are overly lush and warm. In fact, SS amps like the 717 are a bit too warm while a reconditioned T1 is a bit on the dry side...

As for why this happens, I'd say it is all about how the track was recorded.

[John Buchanan]

The wow is definitely there - quite obvious in the piano notes, but it's hardly audible on phones, compared with speakers. It sounds like a recording on a home tape recorder.

[wink]

Are you syre your speakers aren't Wurlitzers... tee hee.

[Cynric]

I would bolt the transformer firmly to the frame as it will only dampen an vibrations. Have you tried DC blocking caps to see if that is the issue?

Thank you for the suggestions, but no luck with that, neither with loosened nor with firmly tightened screws. DC is very unlikely to be an issue, according to my meter there are only a few mV of DC on our AC line. Dampening won't work either, cause there is next to no room left over the transformer, squeezing some sound absoring stuff in there and pressing the lid down also didn't solve the buzzing..

Sigh, guess I'll either have to change the transformer or live with it...

[John Buchanan]

LOL - Quad 989s actually.

[ktm]

The wow is definitely there - quite obvious in the piano notes, but it's hardly audible on phones, compared with speakers. It sounds like a recording on a home tape recorder.

I ran it through Proacs with the Audio research amp. Then through headphones. I'd say the whole album is a good example of how not to engineer sound.

But it is much worse on speakers than cans. I guess that's why it doesn't get much play time here.

[John Buchanan]

It's not well recorded, sure, but the wow is only really heard on Changes through speakers rather than headphones (Studer D730 -> Apogee Mini DAC -> Studer A68 -> Stax SRD-7 Pro -> either Stax Sigmas or Quad 989s for those interested). Similar things noticed on Studer -> Audio Research LS5 Mk 2 -> Audio Research VT130). If I was mixing this album solely through headphones, this would have been missed.

[K3cT]

Dear Stax Mafioso, I'm just looking for your opinions.

Recently there is a growing consensus in my local circle that the Stax, particularly the Omega2 MK2, doesn't image as well as the top dynamic headphones such as the T1 or HD800. I would have tested this personally but during my time of auditioning the O2 MK1 and MK2, I didn't have those two cans handy for a direct comparison.

So, what do you Stax seniors think? Is it by chance, could be related how the diaphragms are constructed and positioned?

[spritzer]

I for one haven't come across any headphone that has better imaging then the SR-007. Some like the HE90 are much bigger but washed out and diffused as if you were listening in a fog. What most can's do is present something larger then life and it doesn't follow what's on the recording which the SR-007 always does. That's not their greatest feature though, that's providing depth and layering to the soundstage which is truly unique.

I tried the T1 at CJ and it was washed out, ditto for the HD800 which is just a poor version of the HE60.

[forbigger]

brian, youre asking on the wrong side of town......otoh, the sennie boy will defend his favorite till his last drop of blood. Same here. you wont get the truthful answer. the truthful answer is what you believe. for me, i dont give a shit about imaging. whats good of imaging if there's lack of clarity, roll off bass/treble, muddy bass/mid ? IMHO, screw the imaging, this is the last trait i look for in a good headphone.....and i'm very sure that the imaging of something like o2 is already up to standard. lets compare clarity of o2 vs hd800, i can bet that hd800 cant even hold a candle against o2

[aardvark baguette]

[K3cT]

brian, youre asking on the wrong side of town......otoh, the sennie boy will defend his favorite till his last drop of blood. Same here. you wont get the truthful answer. the truthful answer is what you believe. for me, i dont give a shit about imaging. whats good of imaging if there's lack of clarity, roll off bass/treble, muddy bass/mid ? IMHO, screw the imaging, this is the last trait i look for in a good headphone.....and i'm very sure that the imaging of something like o2 is already up to standard. lets compare clarity of o2 vs hd800, i can bet that hd800 cant even hold a candle against o2

Wise words,Senor Budi. I don't think the O2 has an imaging problem myself and in fact I tend to agree with Spritzer over there what with the fact that you can focus better with a smaller and more realistic soundstage. I am just curious what the folks here would think and even better if there is a technical reason why Stax images better (or doesn't) , that's all.

Thanks for the response anyway, Spritzer and forbigger.

[Dusty Chalk]

for me, i dont give a shit about imaging.

Me neither, especially since most music is not targeted at headphones, so the concept of imaging is ludicrous with anything other than binaural recordings. So take anything I say within that context.

whats good of imaging if there's lack of clarity, roll off bass/treble, muddy bass/mid ?

What? No, quite the opposite, for good imaging, you want the most accurate, best stereo separation, yet best matching between channels that you can get. You definitely want clarity.

But then again, I don't understand imaging on headphones in the way that people usually talk about it. It's easier for me to talk about separation and isolation of particular musical elements in the mix, etc.

[deepak]

Darth Nut's review of the O2 made imaging and headstage fairly clear to me. The O2 do image well with non-binaural recordings. I have yet to hear a binaural classical recording that blew me away, usually they are only just as good or slightly worse than well miced recordings (ie Everest which are really good). The one's that are really impressive like hearing voices behind you or doors slam behind you are gimmicks

Imaging doesn't exist with studio rock. Even on speakers you are only hearing the isolated differences in the mix, it's not really imaging.

[forbigger]

Me neither Pete. Myself I dont even understanding what is imaging. Thing is some people start to claim that imaging of hd800 is (for lack of better word) better than O2 and kept insisting that this (and soundstaging) are the advantage over O2. For me, this is like saying a Civic is better than a BMW 5 series since Civic have better looking remote control.

The only instance this imaging thing is useful (if my understanding of what imaging is correct) is when you listen to classical music. Any other genre, this trait is useless

[Dusty Chalk]

There's a lot of 2-channel jazz (I.E. Mapleshade) which images well on speakers.

Darth Nut's review of the O2 made imaging and headstage fairly clear to me.

I'll have to look that up and read it later.

[deepak]

Jazz recorded properly in stereo (ie not mono elements hard panned) does image as well.