The Headcase Stax thread

[l_santista]

20 hours ago, Kiats said:

I am using one of Mjolnir Audio’s Carbon and so am a stranger to this issue you are facing with the 007s. The 007s Mk2, in particular, have been accused of having recessed mids. I will confess that I faced that issue with my previous amps. Hence I was very pleasantly surprised when I started using the Carbon almost 2 years back. The 007s sound much more balanced now.  

glad to hear, as I got both the 007A and the Carbon on the way, and still feeling a bit like "should've just waited and got a 007 mk I"

[catscratch]

A modded 007A is pretty close to the mk1 especially if you EQ it, so I wouldn't worry too much about it. The mk1 is perhaps a tad more resolving in the mids and smoother in the highs, but the mk2/A is more dynamic and impactful. So there are tradeoffs either way. Good mk1s are getting harder to find in great condition so getting a 007A or mk2 and modding it is generally a safer bet.

Oh yeah, Edifier has a new headphone out, don't they.

Wow grandma, what fat wallets you have!

[spritzer]

I have a very recent 007A and they are very nice, just straight out of the box.  Stax have changed the earpads a bit but otherwise they are the same. 

[mrmarbach]

1 minute ago, spritzer said:

I have a very recent 007A and they are very nice, just straight out of the box.  Stax have changed the earpads a bit but otherwise they are the same. 

Does that mean they've improved the treble, as with later SR-009s? Are they still on SZ3xxx ?

 

 

[spritzer]

Stax serial numbers are meaningless so they offer no guide at all.  There was never anything wrong with the 007A/Mk2 treble so it's just as it should be.  The Mk2.5 had rather nasty treble but that was a decade ago. 

[rzyebay]

Some impression of X9000 I would like to share

Mine is the first batch in Japan. Serial number is #6. I have it delivered to Australia immediately after launch and receive it today.

As my system is incomplete at the moment. There are quite a few good cables coming (Odin 2, Stealth Dream etc). This is only a brief introduction of my first impression of X9000.

My setting is:

Source: Jeff Rowland Aeris
Power conditioner: ISOTEK TITAN + NOVA GII
Amp: BHSE (Mullard XF3, Philips Metal Base EL34 Disk Getter), SRM-T8000 (Stock Tube)
Reference Headphones: Sennheiser HE90, SR-009S

The build quality of SR-009S is worse than SR-009 which made me a bit worried about the X9000. But when I open the box, the SR-X9000 just look gorgeous, its build quality is to the state-of-the-art standard. The grey and brown color combination looks very good. Here are some details of the X9000.

Please make sure you read manual when attach the cable to X9000. There are design to stop you attach in a wrong way, but you could still attach the wrong side. I attached the left cable to right unit at the first try and subsequently correct it after I read the manual. There might be some potential harm to the headphone if you attach the headphone cable to the opposite side.

RELAXED

The main impression of X9000 is RELAXED. Yes, no matter what kind of music you play, it give you a very relaxed sound signature. It is not forwarding sound at all. Even you play most intense Orchestra works like Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 6 by Teodor Currentzis.

You will feel the brass and string instruments hoarse like you are getting fxxked by the Orchestra in climax part when you listen to HE90, but you will never feel that with X9000 even you switch to very high volume. Yes, you can switch to a incredible high volume without getting irritable. However, it is strongly recommended you to control the volume as you wouldn't feel any uncomfortable until you feel pain in your ears. It might cause permanent harm to your ear.

It depends on your taste if this kind of relaxed feeling is good or not. For me, I have HE90 for Orchestra works so it is not a issue at all. But if you buy X9000 mainly for Orchestra, you might need to adjust your source and accessories to fit its style. To me, when playing Orchestra works, the HE90 is like BPO, or even BSO, the X9000 is like NHK. I am not saying NHK is not good, I just prefer BPO.

SENCE OF TABLEAU

The second impression of X9000 is sense of tableau. You sometimes feels that 009/009S is pouring music into your ears like water when there are lot of details, but you will never feel that with X9000. Everything is always well arranged in a good manner, in a relaxed way. It is really a pleasure to enjoy music with it.

Unlike 009S, the X9000 focus on the whole picture rather than details. Each part of music combines together and you even feel the sound is tangible. To me, it lack of the ethereal and diffused sound signature of HE90. It feels more 'real'.

After you listen to X9000, you will find it express music in a more superior and comprehensive way than other STAX headphones. (except SR-Omega, I've never listened to it before)

SOUNDSTAGE

The X9000 offer incredible soundstage compared with SR-009S and any other STAX earspeakers I have. To me it is even better than HE90 to some extent. It feels like the the sound is emission and diffused in a very neutral way. You will easily forget you are wearing a headphone. (And yes it is very comfortable to wear it)

To compare, when you listen to piano live performance recordings, X9000 is like you seating at the audience seat, HE90 is like you seating on the stage and 009S is like you head is in the grand piano. I am not saying SR-009S is bad. Actually, there are some person prefer to listen to Piano in closest distance to feel the metallic touch of the sound. It's upon your taste.

SOME OTHER FEATURES

Compared with SR-009S and HE90, X9000 is a more neutral sound headphone, it is neither bright nor warmth, but it is still with very significant 'STAX' style.

X9000 is not a bass monster like SR-007. But their base has sort of similarity. Compared with SR-009s, the bass of X9000 is not the rock-firm style. It is a more bouncy, soft yet surrounding style bass. It is more like HE90's bass performance. I personally like it very much. But if you really like lot of bass then the headphone probably is not for you.

I have tried X9000 with all sorts of music, including Orchestra, piano solo, violin solo, chamber music, Japanese POP, Animation music, Chinese Pop, Acapella, electronic music. It fits almost all sorts of music in my opinion.

I prefer to use HE90 to replay Orchestra and Violin works as it is more energetic, but it is after all personal taste. To me, X9000 is too relaxed for some music, it just lack of the spark that ignite my heard. But when I want to listen to music and take a rest, I will definitely prefer X9000.

AMPS OPTION

I compare my headphones on BHSE and I've also tried SRM-T8000. SRM-T8000 can drive X9000 pretty well just as SR-009S. But overall it is even more softer than BHSE. To me I think BHSE is a better option.

[Mach3]

Can buy a Merc with that collection...

[greenpips]

I hear some buzz sound from o2. Anyone here knows how to fix it? Maybe dust. I'm not sure.

[spritzer]

It might be a cable issue so try moving it close to the headset and see if anything changes.  If it is dust inside the drivers, there is not much that can be done.  Simply opening up the driver will expose it to further dust contamination and this is so small you can barely see it without some instrumentation. 

[greenpips]

 

3 hours ago, spritzer said:

It might be a cable issue so try moving it close to the headset and see if anything changes.  If it is dust inside the drivers, there is not much that can be done.  Simply opening up the driver will expose it to further dust contamination and this is so small you can barely see it without some instrumentation. 

It's definitely cable issue (I've tested with ESP-95X, that's real dust in the driver). Sometime the sound gone in the right driver, until I rotate it. 

 

Anyway, I found impression video of x9000 on youtube.

 

 

 

[eggil]

Like usual, Headfi FOTM impressions are horrible.

I am curious to hear impressions of people I can trust regarding the sound of the new Staxes.

Birgir, for example? It'll be a while before I can listen myself unfortunately.

[spritzer]

I'm still waiting for my set and no word on when it will ship. 

[Juansan2]

7 hours ago, eggil said:

Like usual, Headfi FOTM impressions are horrible.

I am curious to hear impressions of people I can trust regarding the sound of the new Staxes.

Birgir, for example? It'll be a while before I can listen myself unfortunately.

Same here. Initial impressions beginning to filter through all appear quite positive but I will wait until a real impartial description is posted by Birgir or someone trusted. 
 

I’m curious to know how they compare to the other Stax offerings and the CRBN, but not in a hurry to get them, working my way to a Carbon CC for now. 

Edited November 7, 2021 by Juansan2

[JoaMat]

Until trusted person gives a reliable review here, you might study the interior of the new Stax SR-X9000.

 I let the pictures speak for themselves.

 

Edited November 7, 2021 by JoaMat

[spritzer]

Interesting how much is borrowed from the Omega but better implemented 30 years on.  Funny to see only five rivets holding the earpads on as the sixth one interfered with the cable entry back then...    One concern I have is the thin housing as on the original and how that might behave when pushing them.  At least there is no fragile acrylic shell here which will break after 30 years...  

[JoaMat]

This broke after a couple of years.

But a piece of aluminum and 2 component epoxy fixed it and a cnc milled small PCB replaced another broken original part.

Edited November 7, 2021 by JoaMat

[spritzer]

The 009 headband is such an utter pile of crap... 

The winner for the most stupid headband goes to one mystery electrostatic I'll be posting about soon. 

[Four Kneez]

X9000 has been hard to get ahold of even at shows. Only one at CAF, and it’s paired with an LTA Z10e.

For what it’s worth, reviews here have been very positive. I only spent a few minutes with it and would’ve preferred to run it on something like the BHSE which was also at the show, so I’ll refrain from giving impressions.

[chinsettawong]

10 hours ago, JoaMat said:

Until trusted person gives a reliable review here, you might study the interior of the new Stax SR-X9000.

 I let the pictures speak for themselves.

 

 

Thanks for sharing the pictures.  Have you a picture of the other side of the stator, the side that faces the diaphragm?  What is the material and thickness of the spacers?

 

[bwck2000]

I wonder will the position of the bolts allow me to use a pair of the original sr-omega earpads?

[JoaMat]

6 hours ago, chinsettawong said:

 

Thanks for sharing the pictures.  Have you a picture of the other side of the stator, the side that faces the diaphragm?  What is the material and thickness of the spacers?

 

"Diaphragm" side of stator. Zoom in and you can see the structure of net (copper??).

 

Stator with plastic ring. Outer diameter 94mm and inner 84mm.

Thickness of diaphragm ring is 0,95mm on my digital caliper, so I would say spacer thickness 0,5mm. To me spacer material looks like aluminium.

 

 

Edited November 8, 2021 by JoaMat

[judo]

What method they can do this stator structure?

[blubliss]

How do they sound to you JoaMat? These seem interesting to me, could sell the original SR-Omega for lots of money and buy these 😁.

[JoaMat]

Sorry Andy, no review or opinion from me. We have to wait for the trusted - Birgir. I just tear things down, a bad habit.

P.S.
I think SR-X9000 is the best headphone I’ve listened to. I haven’t listened to original Omega or HE90.

[blubliss]

Ha, thanks!

Birgir likes dark stuff, so he'll probably say, OMG these are so bright 😜.