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There has only ever been one MRI designed electrostatic that I know of, the Koss ESP900 which is just a 950 with a closed housing. I've heard that HE60's were used for this but never seen anything in the flesh, plus the HE60 headband is magnetic (plus the screws) so something had to be done about that. The MRI's I've been in all had sound pipes for the audio, simple tubes with the transducers elsewhere and sounded terrible. The Voce and the Hifiman units were indeed unfortunate. The Voce is well built but sounds like crap (electrostatics are all about that vague sound and loose, uncontrolled bass... ) plus that stupid case they insisted on shipping with them. Now the Hifiman Shangr-la jr. sounded good but that build quality and silly price makes it a solid miss.

The PSU's are shared so that shouldn't be the issue but it can be anything, a marginal resistor, marginal transistor etc. etc.

The other planar-specialising brands that had their go at estats (Dan Clarke, HFM) have placed the bar rather low... and the prices of some headphones seem to be almost random at this point. Looking forward to spritzer's review. Also, I'm not sure what's the medical enginuity part - aren't all headsets used in MRI essentially estats, because of the magnets involved? isn't that a decades old tech by now?

It’s funny that the size of the transducer is exactly the same as my DIY headphones - 120mm x 90mm.

Yeah, but who brings the nestalgia more 😛

Oh, I think you could make the argument that the electrostatic market has gone backwards. Meanwhile, absolutely, there's a ton of movement and hype everywhere else. So if someone hasn't heard a top 'stat system, and has been keeping up with developments in planars and dynamics, then it's clear where the perception comes from. But then you hear a good 'stat system and you understand. This is why I'm moderately hyped about this - the 'stat market needs a good shakeup - but we'll see how it pans out. Looking forward to Spritzer's teardown! And if it's good, who knows... (looks at wallet) (wallet: why are you looking at me like that)

Sun Bear Concerts by Keith Jarrett. He’s even better than Don Henley.

Okay bring on the Henley hate. I can take it. Building The Perfect Beast Don Henley 1984 But that super fat 80s synth!?! dang!

Wait! Does this mean Audeze finally managed to make a headphone that doesn't make violins sound like violas?! @Beefy: Re: “electrostats seem to have stood completely still, while planars and dynamics have come forward in leaps and bounds” — my observations from attending numerous (large) meets for several years before covid have been that no TOTL planar or dynamic beats my SR-007 (v2.5 I guess?) and Carbon combo. Not the Utopia, not the LCD-4, not the piece of shit Abyss, nothing Hifiman (haven't heard their $6k thing though), not the Meze Empyrean (though that thing is pure catnip for bassheads). They're nice, sure, and most have the advantage of not needing much of a specialized amp. But they're not nicer than the current-production 007 or the 1993 SR-Omega (which I don't have, alas, but have had the fortune to try once). This opinion is unpopular on other forums. 🤷🏻‍♂️ Maybe this means there's a (local?) maximum in headphone quality, and various manufacturers are slowly reaching it. @spritzer: What amps do you think the measurements are coming from?

Glad you escaped Steve. Also for those that remember this from last year, Lukas Gage may be able to now move into a larger apartment.

That is pretty much the same way that I see her as well. As far as the rest of the cast... I find it quite refreshing not to need to build a sympathetic feeling for them. It's not that they're horrible people, but they're severely flawed in the most appetizing way. The manager for example is a complete train wreck, and I get to go along for the ride without actually derailing myself. Besides, he is almost a montage of several creepy guys from my past. Of which I'm still thankful I was able to dodge and weave.

Support is also needed for the heavy magnets, adding yet more weight, explained here: https://www.audeze.com/blogs/technology-and-innovation/notes-about-weight-clamping-force-and-earpad-materials Considering the 4000$ price tag on a pair of LCD-4s, 4500$ doesn't seem to be far-fetched, considering there was probably a lot more development involved, but they might be gaining that back rather quickly. Unless they start to loose ground on their home soil, I don't foresee Stax changing their approach and while other people have made stats, they haven't gotten that big on the field itself. A new flagship will be coming eventually, but I'm not sure what they are going to do with the rest, since the SR-007 Mk2 is by far the oldest (and arguably the best) product they make. With the amps, they just don't care too much since making nearly the same thing for more money seems to be the only way to make any form of profit on it unless they start getting those parts from elsewhere. I wonder if it is actually worth it for Audeze to make a cheaper electrostat and start competing with their own products. Probably not worth the hassle and they will keep this line in this price category.

I'll do it, alongside checking all the electrolytics again for any faults. What confuses me is that the humming is only in one channel... any other components that should be replaced?

I think that was one of the things that struck me when coming back from a long absence, that electrostats seem to have stood completely still, while planars and dynamics have come forward in leaps and bounds. I don't have enough experience to judge whether they have yet reached the heights of the best stats, but the different rates of progress are quite stark. In any case, yeah, the more options and competition, the better.

I should be getting one of these to try out soon and can't wait. It wasn't fun sitting out the press embargo... 😉 I would take those measurements with bags of salt given the amps used and the people doing the testing.

I would definitely swap out the rectifiers, they are really a wear item on anything this old.

No, you make some great points. I completely agree with most of what you have to say. Besides, I've always had a soft spot for pricks.

And I'm being a pedantic prick so ignore me 😀 Regarding "progress..." If electrostats were really old these days, maybe some of these new planars and dynamics that came around as a result of this progress would actually sound better than the old electrostats. But that hasn't been the case in my experience. IMO this progress malarkey is just another FOTM, with the big revelation being - drumroll please - that "neutral" doesn't mean "bright as fuck!" Wow, we've come so far! But, seeing more electrostatics, or cool new things like RAAL - and they've got a new circumaural headphone announced too - is actually interesting, and the more good headphones out there, the better. Besides somebody needs to light a fire under Stax's ass and what better way than actual competition. Maybe this way they'll stop making headphones with headbands that crack, ergonomics not designed for human heads, amps that are defective by design, or tuning that's best served as an advertisement for EQ plugins. And if not, well other people will make stats too.

Oh totally, I was mostly being facetious. But even then, a couple dB across several kHz is definitely in the audible range. Indeed! What struck me is that the specs claim these only weigh 300g. That's half the weight of the other mainstream Audeze. Do the magnets account for that much weight loss, or have they been able to trim a whole heap of fat from the frame and housing?

Looks like they've gotten so big, that people are considering getting into stats just because they are making one, while in the past years the trend looked like this: "electrostats are getting old these days, ribbon transducers, planars etc. are evolving and steaming ahead..." I wonder if their next model is going to be cheaper or more expensive, I would have expected a heavier SR-009 tank-like build at this price (even though that is still plagued by issues)

I know I should let this go, but I find this stuff fun and think it's cool this show is spawning conversation, so if you don't mind using the honeymoon wife... 😉 . . . . [spoiler](spoiler){spoiler}What do we know about her? She's got rose-colored glasses and wants to make a difference. She may be coming to the conclusion she may not be very good at her job. He comes from big money and she comes from a family that can't afford flying to Hawaii. She's surprised by his seemingly new lack of caring about her work (may have been naive here) and interrelated he's surprised she wants to keep her own identity now that they're married. Finally, after he's flirting with others, she questions his feelings for the future after she loses her physical beauty and he responds, not with all the other reasons he loves her, but that he would never lose that attraction to her physical beauty. She's smiles satisfied. Do I have that list right? If so, clearly not completely innocent, but an understandable participant in the possible disaster? I dunno. What do you think? {/spoiler}(/spoiler)[/spoiler]

HD650 has a slight resonance around 5k together with a very small peak. But we're talking a few db at most. Definitely interested, but don't know if $4500 interested.

Not of sound mind? What gives you that idea? 😋

I guess I just have a cold heart 😉. Even with those two I'd think the wife would have had to have some sense of what she was getting herself in to and the masseuse is trying to forming a business with someone not of sound mind. 🤷‍♂️