Carl Posted February 14, 2007 Report Posted February 14, 2007 Can you elaborate on the sound sig. or have you done so elsewhere? I'm most curious. Which stats are they most similar to, tonally? Ooopsy, I seem to have missed this first time 'round. They're very smooth and subtle. Lots of attention gets given to the little nuances in the music, but they're beaten by the other good 'stats when it comes to dynamic contrasts and crescendos. The lower-key the music is, the better they sound. Jazz is awesome. Romantic-era classical would be their greatest weakness (not to say they sound worse than a Triport with such music, as they of course don't). They share family resemblances with the Lambdas and Sigmas, naturally so as they all share the same drivers. In terms of tonal body, they're about halfway between Lambda and Sigma. Well, I've been living with an SRM-T1 amp and the ED-1 equalizer for the Lambda Pros recently and it's an interesting experience. We had a little electrostatic get-together here in MD last weekend at Hirsch's and the general consensus was that the ED-1 causes a loss of detail. While it didn't scale well with the Sigma Pros or even the Lambda Signatures I do think it does better with the Lambda Pros. There are some trade-offs when using it. I'll write up more after I've had a little more time with it. Try to track down an original 230v bias lambda to try out with it.
thrice Posted February 21, 2007 Author Report Posted February 21, 2007 So I've spent more time with the SRM-T1/ED-1 combo lately. I must say that I'm a bit at a loss to really make a decision. On the one hand, the ED-1 processes information out, so you miss micro-detail and lose some dynamic "umph". But on the other hand it does snap things into focus. It's like there's a slight haze on the sound without it, and then you turn it on and BAM, clarity. Overall i'm not sure if it's something I want to keep and use long term. I like the depth it adds to the headstage and image, but at times it can sound a bit thin and anemic. It's certainly an interesting device. It works best with the Lambda Pro (since it was designed for that headphone) and not very well with the Sigma Pro...not at all. It's good with the Lambda Signature too although less so, but not by much. I also got a pair of SR-X/MKIII headphones and these are little firecrackers! Clear and snappy. It's amazing how good these things sound....lots of fun with electronica and pop/rock. 1
thrice Posted March 26, 2007 Author Report Posted March 26, 2007 Well, just pulled the trigger on another Stax headphone...I guess a variation on a theme if you will. Like Tom Petty said, "The waiting is the hardest part."
thrice Posted March 26, 2007 Author Report Posted March 26, 2007 Indeed. http://headphile.com/hd14.jpg
Nanoha Posted March 26, 2007 Report Posted March 26, 2007 Indeed. http://headphile.com/hd14.jpg So that's what you got. Very nice!
thrice Posted March 26, 2007 Author Report Posted March 26, 2007 I'm looking forward to it. There may be a stock Lambda Pro up for sale soon.
Nanoha Posted March 26, 2007 Report Posted March 26, 2007 I'm looking forward to it. There may be a stock Lambda Pro up for sale soon. *Excited*
mirumu Posted March 26, 2007 Report Posted March 26, 2007 I'm looking forward to it. There may be a stock Lambda Pro up for sale soon. Good time to sell it seems given the current demand. I'll be interested to see what your thoughts on the sound of your new purchases are. I'd been thinking of making some wooden cups for 404 drivers at some point. 1
Carl Posted March 27, 2007 Report Posted March 27, 2007 That's what I get for not checking Larry's site for a few days.
thrice Posted March 27, 2007 Author Report Posted March 27, 2007 That's what I get for not checking Larry's site for a few days. Funny thing is, I haven't checked it in weeks. I got a feeling this morning...I was about to leave for work and I thought about the Headphones Deals page. I thought I'd check at work, but just figured it would take a few seconds. It was only up on the page for an hour or so at that point. Considering home many great deals I've missed on eBay and Audiogon, I wasn't going to let this one pass...it was worth being a little late for work
philodox Posted March 30, 2007 Report Posted March 30, 2007 I'm surprised Larry didn't recable them... Still, that wood looks hott!
Carl Posted March 30, 2007 Report Posted March 30, 2007 I'm surprised Larry didn't recable them... Still, that wood looks hott! Now that you mention it, yeah that is odd. Well then, off to Alex!
thrice Posted March 30, 2007 Author Report Posted March 30, 2007 Is there a good source for the plugs? I've been contemplating recabling a Stax 'phone, but everytime I think about it I hesitate due to the plug and also cracking open the phones. Do Lambda Series headphone come apart easily? I haven't even removed the pads on any of my pairs so I haven't seen how they're held together.
Carl Posted March 31, 2007 Report Posted March 31, 2007 Is there a good source for the plugs? I've been contemplating recabling a Stax 'phone, but everytime I think about it I hesitate due to the plug and also cracking open the phones. Mouser sell a compatible plug, but it's pretty basic. No teflon and high purity silver contacts in there, that's for sure. Do Lambda Series headphone come apart easily? I haven't even removed the pads on any of my pairs so I haven't seen how they're held together. They're easy as to pull appart and get access to the cable and drivers. Just be careful when you solder as hot solder doesn't like mylar much. The quest though, is finding a suitable cable. Most cable manufacturers seem to tailor their cables for use with inductive speakers.
CD44hi Posted March 31, 2007 Report Posted March 31, 2007 Wife- Hum, those look different... wait... did you just get a new pair of headphones!!!??? You said you were done with those square funky looking thiiiings..... S- Eh, no...., I just got them a stax-bra. Just like the car ad-on thingy.... IT prevents unwanted air currents from messing up the sound. IT is called prevention of spurious frequency range distortion I swear it's just an add on. NO, no new headphones honey..... Wife- Dunno, sounds bogus.... I got to keep a closer eye on ya. Let me take a look in the closet, any new "boxes" in there..... S- No dear, check it out. (Phew good thing I flattened those boxes earlier) yikes. And so it goes on, and on and on..... [end of story] -------------- OK, I'll lay off the glue now. Congrats!!! they look awesome. Look forward to give them a listen Me things you are hanging out with big H too much, heh! JQ
Dusty Chalk Posted April 1, 2007 Report Posted April 1, 2007 Just got back from hearing these -- they are awesome, nice neutral sound, a very mild swale in the midrange, but not noticeable with most recordings. Bass is tight and extended, nice air in the upper frequencies. And comfy as heck.
thrice Posted April 2, 2007 Author Report Posted April 2, 2007 So I've spent enough time with the Lambda Woody Pro to offer some more detailed impressions: All comments are between the Lambda Pro Woody and a stock pair. When I first heard the Lambda Pro I was in heaven. I spent some time with the 202, 303 and 404 at meets and through loans from friends, but none of those headphones caught my attention like the Lambda Pro. It reaches out and grabs you. I finally got my hands on a NOS pair last Fall and I have never looked back. I have a hard time going back to dynamic cans now. If I do go back it will be for a high-end setup (K1000/F1, R10/Singlepower...etc.) and nothng less So yeah I like the Lambda Pro and the Lambda Signature. A lot. So after weeks of neglecting Headphile's Headphone Deals page I thought, "I wonder if Larry has anything special?" BAM! There they were, a pair of Lambda Pros with open back woodies. I jumped at the chance. Normally I hem and haw about these things and end up acting too late (well we all do, but I've missed some great stuff repeatedly, so I wasn't going to miss this). Not this time. I quickly checked my Paypal account and sent an e-mail off to Larry hoping I wasn't too late. Four days later I rushed home from work to get the package and fire up my amp. Two hours later I was deeply involved with A/B testing. My wife knows this mode...he's evaluating cans....let him play. So enough build-up, what's the skinny? Equipment: Wadia 23 (balanced out)>Stax SRM-T1S>Lambda Pro/Lambda Woody Overall the woodies retain the general charater of the stock Lambda Pro, but there are a few key differenes: Impact: Overall the woodies present a faster, tighter and more textured articulation. Drum hits, cymbals, acostic bass all have more snap and texture to the initial attack. This led to the resulting tones having greater texture and depth. There's a new layer of detail with the woodies. Dynamics: Dynamic differences are more prevalent with the woodies as well. Miles Davis's ghosted notes aren't completely lost with the woodies. If only I had these cans when I was playing and transcribing. Man, I could have knocked out solo transcriptions much faster. Sometimes you have to strain to hear the subtle nuances with the stock pair; the woodies lay them out for you. It is not overdone either, the woodies just offer a finer focus. Group and/or solo dynamics are better as well. Background and forefront dyanmics retain their space, but nothing covers anything else. The differences are less striking on this level between the two pairs. Detail and texture: I've covered these two items in the other two categories so I will be brief. The woodies have more detail and texture to the sound than the stock pair. You can hear the twang and texture of a string bass. The hammer quality of the piano. Drums are still a bit lacking in this department, but the woodies are an improvement over the stock pair. So there they are, my impressions. Feel free to aks more pointed questions though. I like the new woodies. A lot. So much that there will be a big FS thread soon. I need to raise some cash for a pair of Omega II. Between the OII and the woodies...well that'll take care of me for awhile. Cheers, thrice
Dusty Chalk Posted April 2, 2007 Report Posted April 2, 2007 Feel free to aks more pointed questions though.Yeah, I have a question: can you put me in your will?
mirumu Posted April 2, 2007 Report Posted April 2, 2007 So there they are, my impressions. Feel free to aks more pointed questions though. I like the new woodies. A lot. So much that there will be a big FS thread soon. I need to raise some cash for a pair of Omega II. Between the OII and the woodies...well that'll take care of me for awhile. I like what you're impressions suggest. Definitely makes me keen on trying out some experiences with wooden cups myself. It also makes me wonder what woodied Omega IIs would sound like as well.
postjack Posted October 30, 2007 Report Posted October 30, 2007 Anyone have any thoughts they'd like to share on the SRS-2050A system? Is it a decent enough introduction to the world of Stax? I'd like to hear a Stax in my system without spending thousands of dollars to do so.
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