The Headcase Stax thread

[spritzer]

I hope you are ready for some rather large pics... I forgot that the HC albums don't resize and since I've been up for 20 hours now and working 15 of those I can't be bothered to do this again:

Here are SR-007 pads opened up to end all this nonsense. For comparison is a set of SR-Omega earpads which do use high quality artificial leather:

Happy now?

Thanks Spritzer. I guess I will assume that AC2 is just a bit confusing and has some typos.

Their site is riddled with inaccurate details which they never bother to fix. One of the reasons I don't buy from them any more...

Is there any compelling reason why I shouldn't buy 303/404 pads instead of 202 pads for my SR-Lambda? I may as well maximize comfort if I bother to change them, and the color mismatch is a non-issue for me.

None that I can think of. I do like the sound of the "breathable" pads a bit more as the bass is more even but the difference isn't earth shattering.

[deepak]

I couldn't get through to Yama's, but I left them a voicemail and sent an email.

I am no leather expert, but my new brown MK1 pads smelled and felt like the real thing to me.

[spritzer]

Vincent, here is a picture from one of my old listings showing the different pads:

The black ones in the picture are Sigma pads bur the SR-202 look very much alike.

I couldn't get through to Yama's, but I left them a voicemail and sent an email.

I am no leather expert, but my new brown MK1 pads smelled and felt like the real thing to me.

Thanks for your help and lets hope they'll get back to you.

Looking at the insides of the 007 pads it is easy to just remove the soft foam from the backing material and cut a new piece from any foam you'd like to use.

[GPH]

I just got a pair of SR-001Mk2 delivered to my house by another head-fier. Listening to them right now and the mids are truly fantastic, it reminds me once again of why I prefer stats over dynamic headphones. It's not a fair comparison because they're an open design, but let's just say that these Stax eat for dinner every IEM I've tried. I'll post more impressions in a few days.

[aardvark baguette]

let's just say that these Stax eat for dinner every IEM I've tried.

Of course they do, they're power-hungry. Everyone knows that.

[Elephas]

Happy now?

Yes! Look at those icky brown fake-leather pads!

Either way, the Mk2 pads are real leather and better than Mk1 pads.

If the Mk1 pads are real leather, they sure are some icky type of crappy leather that feels clammy and don't breath at all.

If the Mk1 pads are artificial leather, which is my not humble opinion, that explains everything. True, they are somewhat better quality than other pleather pads such as the ones on AT A700 headphones, but they are not real leather.

People are so gullible and easily fooled.

Imagine, if someone is wrong about the Mk1 pads being real leather, what else are they wrong about? Hmm...

[spritzer]

Of course they do, they're power-hungry. Everyone knows that.

The SR-003 off the BH is a sobering experience to say the least.

Yes! Look at those icky brown fake-leather pads!

Either way, the Mk2 pads are real leather and better than Mk1 pads.

If the Mk1 pads are real leather, they sure are some icky type of crappy leather that feels clammy and don't breath at all.

If the Mk1 pads are artificial leather, which is my not humble opinion, that explains everything. True, they are somewhat better quality than other pleather pads such as the ones on AT A700 headphones, but they are not real leather.

People are so gullible and easily fooled.

Imagine, if someone is wrong about the Mk1 pads being real leather, what else are they wrong about? Hmm...

*Reaches through monitor and smacks Michael on the head* Leather can be made in any way the customer wants so it doesn't have to breath. The lamb leather in the Mk2 pads is much coarser (which no doubt leads to moar bass) then what is used on the Mk1 pads. You want the pads to seal as much is possible to create the illusion of an infinite baffle. I'm no leather expert but the fine grain and the back could mean that the Mk1 pads are some strange leather such as Antelope or something like that. It's also very thin, much thinner then what little leather there is on the Mk2 pads.

[The Monkey]

I just bought a pair of Lambda pads off eBay. They have black and brown ones to choose from. $60.

Elephas, the ones at AudioCubes are actually cheaper. Is there a particular reason you went with the ebay vendor?

[faust3d]

Who da fuck cares if it's leather or not. The thing I noticed it that Mk1 pads form a tight seal, Mk2 pads don't do (not designed that way) that just as Jade pads do not seal much. So I figure Stax used the material to achieve a specific goal with Mk1 pads. To be hones I could not get a Mk2 to fit the right way so I am not at liberty to disscuss how they sound

[Dusty Chalk]

They sound like duct tape between the pads and the earspeakers?*

*My apologies if this is a proprietary design.

[spritzer]

They sound like duct tape between the pads and the earspeakers?*

*My apologies if this is a proprietary design.

Am I missing something?

[Dusty Chalk]

My bizarre sense of humor and view of the world?

[spritzer]

My bizarre sense of humor and view of the world?

Ahh that would explain things.

[faust3d]

Duct tape, is that better than leather?

[spritzer]

It does seal better. Just ask the US Airforce...

[The Monkey]

Who da fuck cares if it's leather or not. The thing I noticed it that Mk1 pads form a tight seal, Mk2 pads don't do (not designed that way) that just as Jade pads do not seal much. So I figure Stax used the material to achieve a specific goal with Mk1 pads. To be hones I could not get a Mk2 to fit the right way so I am not at liberty to disscuss how they sound

I agree about the mk2 seal. I find myself playing with the pads trying to get a good seal. It's not easy. I wonder if some break-in is required so that the foam conforms a little bit better.

[Elephas]

*Reaches through monitor and smacks Michael on the head*

Ouch! Just for that, I'm going to make a scratch on my SR-007.

I'm no leather expert...

I'm not either, but for some reason I feel well-qualified to opine about this subject. Is this normal?

Elephas, the ones at AudioCubes are actually cheaper. Is there a particular reason you went with the ebay vendor?

Er, I just searched "Stax" and saw them, and then click, click. Impulse buy.

I thought that maybe others might also buy them, and I won't feel stupid and lonely.

Who da fuck cares if it's leather or not.

I say, Faust2D would not be so uncouth.

2D is much better than 3D, like the Mk2 pads are better than Mk1 pads.

[spritzer]

I never had any problems with the new pads in terms of seal, even with a brand new set out of the box.

In other Stax news, I did some further testing on the Egmont today and swapped out the ECC83's for some ECC99's with good results. Even running at just +/-260v there is plenty of grunt for Lambda Pro's. The reason for changing the tubes was to make the amp simpler to build since the ECC99 can run on 300v+ like the 6S4A's requiring me to cram only one PSU in the chassis. How high I'll go depends on what transformer I'll use. I have some 265-0-265 transformers on the way that were very cheap but also a large 340-0 transformer which may end up in my new BH. Time will only tell how far I'm willing to push this crappy design.

Ouch! Just for that, I'm going to make a scratch on my SR-007.

*Smacks Michael again* Thanks for reminding me that I scratched my SR-Omega/007 yesterday...

[Elephas]

OK, this time it's going to be a cut on the Mk1 earpads.

*cackles gleefully while taking out the scissors*

[spritzer]

Damn you!!!!

[wrecked_porsche]

OK, this time it's going to be a cut on the Mk1 earpads.

*cackles gleefully while taking out the scissors*

DON'T dew eet.

[Dusty Chalk]

I'm not either, but for some reason I feel well-qualified to opine about this subject. Is this normal?

Oh snap.

[wavoman]

Question on highs:

I have Spritzer-modded (by Spritzer) 007a's driven by a KGSS. I take a good CD, JVC xrcd re-master from 1957 master tape (Dvorak's New World, Reiner, Chicago -- very well known recording). On my dynamic rig (GS-1000s modded by Grado Labs, balanced using Stefan AudioArt Equinox, driven by fully balanced 4-channel Beta 22 built by Ying at YBM Audio with top components) you can clearly hear the tape hiss (in general I don't hear highs so great since I'm 60, but the hiss is clear!). However on the Stax it is gone. Gone! Much better listening.

Do the Grado's incorrectly inflate the highs (why would they at the tape hiss frequency?) or has Stax done something very clever with a deliberate roll-off to enhance the sonic experience?

It gets more confusing. I tried different HPs: HE60's (just re-built by Senn) on the KGSS (thanks Vcoheda for the adaptor!) and my manufaktur 600-ohm beyer 880's, just modded for balanced by Larry at Headphile on the Beta 22. With both I hear just a bit of tape hiss, the same on both, less than Grado, more than 007.

Then I tried the SACD re-master of the same -- forgot I had both, but I found it -- and this re-master drops the overall level of the tape hiss, but the same conclusions hold (although now the HE60 and 880s are enjoyable too, since the hiss is barely there).

But the 007 is the best listen, no question. To mark the contrast -- on modern CDs (pop, vocals) I hear no high freq difference between the GS-1000 and the 007s, and the GS-1000 (balanced, modded) hold their own against the Stax. That's why this experience with the Dvorak CD is so startling (to me, anyway).

Wise head-case folk and Stax fans, what is happening here?

[faust3d]

A picture tells a story. Not sure about SR-007 with KGSS but here is GS-1000 with probably a headroom amp, notice a huge peak at HF that starts at 4K in GS-1000.

[catscratch]

OK, this time it's going to be a cut on the Mk1 earpads.

*cackles gleefully while taking out the scissors*

Pics or it didn't happen.