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I don't think this is heat related as they've gone on at least 5 flights to get here and that cools anything right down. They are also factory fresh as they can be so no... this is from the earpads. The smell is bad enough that I've stopped listening to them.

We had that problem in Mark Levinson occasionally*; given STAX's attention to detail (even if it's directed to areas you disapprove of or resulting in outcomes not to your liking), i'd call it heat related. Maybe not where you're located, but shipping transit's a big factor, we do have a heat wave all over right now. * Polymers we were using for multiple years, no issue, would give off odors during heat waves, or when shipping companies fucked up and entire crates were left sitting in harbor a day or two, smack in direct sunlight. You may have a slight depolymerization ongoing. Once initiated.. too many factors to list here, plus folks like Kevin know their chemistry better than i do. Things to do: 1) Never unseal immediately, ideally give it 24hrs in your home's natural environment, so things can settle (too late for that now [oxygen can be a wonderful catalyst!]) 2) Headphone stand, 007s with the CPC-1 on, leave them somewhere airy for a day or two? Small fan would do. Regarding the burn-in, have some news for you, but statistically speaking, those that think it's placebo never get to change their minds, so shall refrain Would welcome further thoughts on the sound. Pension+wive overseeing the finances is a bit disallowing for some folks. Not me of course; nope. And some pad attaching pics please! May one tinker safely or not!

Well, they have arrived: First off, they smell terrible. I don't know what they are using in those new earpads but it smells awful, deep and nasty chemical smell. Might be the foam but yeah... this isn't great. Now for the new arc... ehhh it's alright. The fitment is similar to the old one and it does the job. I have the same problem as with all other 007's though, it's too wide for my rather gigantic head so I'll need to bend it bit to make it taller. Small thing and I'll get to check out how it is to manhandle it a bit. Now for the sound... I'm only a few tracks in but initial impressions were not great. Way too boomy but it settled down when I pressed the top of the drivers towards the head, hence the arc issue I always have. The port is gone though so get the fitment right and the bass should be just fine. In terms of tone they are not as bad as the X9000 or 009S, more forward than the 007A with a port mod though and the excellent depth perception of the older models might be lacking here. Not sure, need to do some listening but the sound is certainly more "in your face" than the older ones. They don't seem to have the resolution of the older one either, this is on my usual Denafrips Terminator and Carbon CC setup, and I have this distinct feeling that something is lacking. Now I know how all of the 007's sound like the back of my hand and detail that should be there... just isn't. It's subtle though. Sound stage is just fine but I have this nagging sensation that it isn't as precise as a nice 007Mk1 or Mk2/A. The sound is also not as smooth and balanced as the older ones. Push it with something demanding (now I'm playing Knopfler - Going Home) and this isn't brilliant. The whole fun bit about this song is to crank it a bit in volume once it gets going and it kinda falls apart, becomes harsh and grading while loosing cohesion. A good 007Mk1 can play this at stupid volume levels on this setup and no problems at all. Sorry for the stream of consciousness but I just wrote what came to mind. Overall... this is a much better effort than the X9000 though and time will tell how I get on with them. Not talking about burn in... that shit doesn't exist. Finally I grabbed the nearest 007 which just happened to be a Mk2.9 007A for comparison: The structure is clearly very different but I'll have to investigate further later on. Finally, that stench from the earpads is driving me fucking nuts!!

Chad Kassem of Acoustic Sounds is on Marc Maron’s winding down WTF podcast today. https://www.wtfpod.com/podcast/episode-1657-chad-kassem

(laughs in Clockwork Orange animated gif) LOLnope

tldw

I sold both of my X9000's (there is no reason to keep them when they are already plummeting in price so I'll pick up a cheap one in 5 years) and the L500 and L700Mk2's are also gone. I might pickup either of the other two if they show up at a nice price but the cables have never changed much for me

File under: Exceeding the attention span of nearly everyone. Five hours of Gamers Nexus explaining why chaotic tariffs are a dumb idea and how they ruin everything. I watched the first installment over a couple evenings while grinding loot in an RPG. I haven't watched the second one yet.

The audience wonders now if you're perhaps feeling not yourself? A cunning plot in the script alternatively? The hoarder of all things e-stat, does not have everything? Goddamn, lol (are jokes allowed here, or do we throw stones at newbies out of sheer principle?) Regardless and as privately mentioned yesterday, looking forward to your impressions. Am getting.. way too old; not many more releases for me. Would like this to end with one i enjoy. Fingers crossed

I don't have any of the other cables here so I can't test that.

Birgir when you get them -on top of the usual- could you also share: - if the 700mk2/9000 silver-plated cable makes an audible difference (of all the products they make, this is the only one where it'd make sense, so naturally they opted not to, genuine STAX through and through) - if the pad attaches in ways not reminiscent of the original version. So old fart doesn't start emailing you again, you know..

It is a strange decision. Would have been much better to use the HiFC cable. The X1 cable sounded very slightly duller vs the L500 cable. At first I thought the 007S uses a different connector, but upon inspection, the connector is the same. So I would suspect upgrading to the L500 cable would be worthwhile.

True, hopefully I'll know tomorrow.

The flight case is cool indeed, and the shock of the Frankenstein impression seems to have faded. But who cares. Now how about those drivers...

Deck 🦃 🍔 's

This is lovely. And even I can hear what a clear recording this is.

^^ Started listening to this the other night, thought the same (nice, nothing special) and didn't finish it....

In the parlance of our times, RIP Bozo. Televangelist Jimmy Swaggart, whose ministry was toppled by prostitution scandals, dies at 90.

My 007's might be here by Thursday but in the meantime I found these pics: Same cable as the SR-X1 and I really like the all black flight case...

The Secret Of Life: Partners, Volume 2 by Barbra Streisand (2025) https://album.link/vjjdhqmm20qzk Example: So I thought I would give the new Barbara drop a listen. Mainly because the Album cover photo scared me a little bit (creepy no?). I am not mad at it, but there isn't anything really there as well. A series of 'nice' tunes and 'nice' production. Along with creepy love songs with Sam Smith and the like. What I didn't expect was the Credits --- This for ONE song! And the entire album is like this. Crazy: One Heart, One Voice -- Barbra Streisand/Walter Afanasieff Charlie Midnight, Composer, Lyricist Peter Asher, Producer Bruce Dukov, Concert Master Jay Landers, Composer, Lyricist, Executive Producer Steve Orchard, Recording Engineer Everton Nelson, Orchestra WALTER AFANASIEFF, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Keyboards, Piano, AssociatedPerformer Simon Rhodes, Recording Engineer Jochem Van Der Saag, Mastering Engineer, Programmer, Mixing Engineer, Recording Engineer William Ross, Conductor, AssociatedPerformer Erik Lutkins, Recording Engineer Gina Zimmitti, Contractor Brian Garten, Recording Engineer Wesley Seidman, Recording Engineer Mariah Carey, Vocal, with Steve Genewick, Recording Engineer Shawn Murphy, Recording Engineer Michael Aarvold, Recording Engineer Ivy Skoff, Contractor, Coordinator Nathaniel Kunkel, Recording Engineer Barbra Streisand, Executive Producer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, Vocal Ariana Grande, Vocal, with Andrew Synowiec, Electric Guitar Adrian Bradford, Recording Engineer Erik Swanson, Engineer Whitney Martin, Contractor Daniel Cullen, Engineer Paul Blakemore, Mastering Engineer George Oulton, Recording Engineer Dmytro Gordon, Engineer Greg Foeller, Engineer Lou Carrao, Recording Engineer Alisse Laymac, Engineer Colby Donaldson, Engineer Dylan Waterhouse, Engineer Josh Kay, Engineer Mirza Sheriff, Engineer Nick Hodges, Engineer Marta DiNozzi, Engineer Kristina Fisk, Engineer Nolan Bacardi, Engineer Barbra Streisand with Mariah Carey & Ariana Grande, AssociatedPerformer (P) 2025 Columbia Records, a Division of Sony Music Entertainment

I first heard this almost exactly 45 years ago in 1980, and it blew my tiny mind!

Tire rack dot com also a good source to check. Thankfully there is so much price transparency in tires that it’s hard to rip people off anymore, at least on price. The rip off would be up-selling on features you don’t need.

I love Piazzolla, and was just starting to listen to some Nuevo Tango (or Tango Nuevo, I don't know which is more correct) the other day, but not familiar with that recording. Thanks for the rec.

No, but now that I'm safe again, I'm going to compare cost. $395 at Cain's. I believe Costco was $700 for 4 tires.