The Headcase Stax thread

[mirumu]

Originally Posted by thrice

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.

[Carl]

That's what I get for not checking Larry's site for a few days.

[thrice]

Originally Posted by Carl

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

[thrice]

My new toy

[philodox]

I'm surprised Larry didn't recable them... Still, that wood looks hott!

[Carl]

Originally Posted by philodox

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]

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]

Originally Posted by thrice

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.

[TheSloth]

Originally Posted by thrice

My new toy

Any comments on the sound?

[CD44hi]

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]

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.

[Nanoha]

We need a DC meet during the summer. :P

[thrice]

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]

Originally Posted by thrice

Feel free to aks more pointed questions though.

Yeah, I have a question: can you put me in your will?

[mirumu]

Originally Posted by thrice

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.

[hYdrociTy]

yay i got a SR001-mk2

[postjack]

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.

[postjack]

nevermind, I just bought some Lambdas and an SRD-7. I'll finally get my first listen to some stats.

[NotoriousBIG_PJ]

Originally Posted by postjack

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.

Go Omega or go home.

Biggie.

[philodox]

Originally Posted by NotoriousBIG_PJ

Go Omega or go home.

Biggie.

Bah! I prefer the Lambdas myself...