The Headcase Stax thread

[thrice]

Well, with my newfound love of Stax headphones I thought I'd start a Stax thread. So talk about your Stax cans/energizers/amps...etc.

I've got a pair of SR-Lambda Pro headphones recently and I love them. Right nw I've got them hooked up as follows:

Wadia 23 RCA>Denon AVR-100>SRD-7 Pro>SR-Lambda Pro

I've also heard these out of Hirsch's ES-1 and the 007t amp. The ES-1 trumps all of them of course.

Overall they're the clearest sounding headphones I've heard. Vocals are warm but well articulated, the highs are sparkling and fast. The bass is full and rich but does lack the speed of a dynamic headphone at times...but it can go quite deep on some recordings (Thievery Corporation).

I don't think I've ever been sucked into Paul Galbraith's recording of the Bach Sonatas and Partitas for violin before like these cans suck me in. It's magical....I felt like I was back in music school sitting a few feet away from a buddy playing classical guitar at his recital. I closed my eyes and I was there.

I realize that I'm in the honeymoon phase, but I've never had a hard time putting cans down to go to work, do housework, go to slepp..etc. like I do with these. I don't want to stop listening to them. I' listening to them right now as I type.

I also picked up the SR-84 combo; called the Lambda Jr. by Stax (SR-4 electret energiser and SR-80 Electret headphones). These are a nice little find as well. Good office rig. Set up as follows:

iPod>Sonic Impact T-amp>SR-4>SR-80

Good little combo. Overall retains the same house sound, clear and crisp with more muted bass and less speed overall. But in a pinch they would make a neat little portable rig...can be battery powered since the SR-4 doesn't plug into the wall.


So what's your Stax?

[thrice]

anyone?

[Post]

can i agree with all of the above and leave it at that?

[thrice]

Originally Posted by Jahn

can i agree with all of the above and leave it at that?

NO! We must argue, debate and eventually descend into calling each other rude and childish names. That's what high-end audio discussion boards are all about!

[humanflyz]

I'm torn at the moment as to whether I should get a balanced HD650 setup for my complementary rig or an O2 rig? Any comments? My main setup is in my sig, I'm just looking for something different.

[thrice]

A few folks over at Head-Fi have had good results with the Aleph 3>SRD_7 Pro to Lambda pro combo. Not sure about the O2 though. Might be an interesting combo

[humanflyz]

http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=200501

Well, someone is wondering the same thing I'm wondering.

[thrice]

He's one of the folks I was thinking about.

[aerius]

Originally Posted by thrice

NO! We must argue, debate and eventually descend into calling each other rude and childish names. That's what high-end audio discussion boards are all about!

Stax have no bass, and therefore suck.

[Dusty Chalk]

No, you suck.

Have you ever heard a 4070? Has anyone ever heard a 4070? One of these days, I'm going to get one. In the meantime, I'll have to settle for my 310 system.

Sorry, I've got nothing (useful to contribute to this thread).

[thrice]

One dude on Head-Fi has a 4070. Here's the thread:

http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showt...ight=stax+4070

[thrice]

Originally Posted by aerius

Stax have no bass, and therefore suck.

Kinda like your mom!?!?!

[Dusty Chalk]

Originally Posted by thrice

One dude on Head-Fi has a 4070. Here's the thread:

http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showt...ight=stax+4070

Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck. Fuckity fuck. Now I've got G.A.S.

[thrice]

G.A.S.? What's that stand for?

[Yikes]

Back in the late 80?s I owned a set of Lambda Pros, really loved them. I have a pretty good memory for things audio, but from memory; The difference between the 02?s and the Lambdas is that the Lambdas have sort of this whitish sheen (Very slight) over everything and the 02?s don?t.

I lament selling them. The store that I was working at burned down, and while I was on unemployment I was forced to sell them to keep myself in Beer.

[Dusty Chalk]

Originally Posted by thrice

G.A.S.? What's that stand for?

Gear Acquisition Syndrome. Not that I didn't have it before -- I did. It's just that, I was going to get the Quad 22L first. Now, I'm not so sure. My world is topsy-turvy!

[hirsch]

Originally Posted by Yikes

Back in the late 80?s I owned a set of Lambda Pros, really loved them. I have a pretty good memory for things audio, but from memory; The difference between the 02?s and the Lambdas is that the Lambdas have sort of this whitish sheen (Very slight) over everything and the 02?s don?t.

I lament selling them. The store that I was working at burned down, and while I was on unemployment I was forced to sell them to keep myself in Beer.

In direct comparison, the OII is just a bit smoother than the Lambda Pro. There's a sense of refinement that the Lambda Pro lacks. However, that sense of refinement can remain in some music that simply isn't refined. Particularly out of the Stax SRM-007t, the Lambda Pro is a more dynamic headphone, that has great punch for an electrostatic can. ES1 drives the OII better than the Stax amp (but by then there was an HE90 in the mix). I can admire the OII in an intellectual sense, but once I heard a Lambda Pro I went out and found one. I've never really had a serious urge to buy an OII, despite hearing it many times.

[Dusty Chalk]

Originally Posted by hirsch

...that sense of refinement can remain in some music that simply isn't refined...

Sort of like a redneck drinking a fine wine with a cheeseburger at a backyard barbecue? Or not that bad?

I just found out the MSB DAC actually has jumpers for "smooth" and "detailed". Cracks me up. I might have to play with it.

[thrice]

Just picked up a second Lambda Pro and SRM-1/MK2 driver unit. Now I've got a proper amp for the work rig

[thrice]

Ok. So I've been spending some time with Dusty's 202 and my Lambda Pro. I can say that the Lambda pro is more detailed with better extension on the top and bottom. They're both fast and have good tonal accuracy. The big difference is weight...of sound.

The 202 just sounds fuller, but at some loss of detail and speed vs. the Lambda Pro. I'll have a better review in the coming weeks. The 202 is no slouch though and I like it, but the Lambda Pro is a toe tapper for sure....it pulls me in more than the 202.