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It's worth checking the transformer, but that seems like the less likely issue here. Transformer induced noise will generally either increase with volume (if it is being picked up on the input wires) or be constant with volume (if it being picked up past the pot). And you have pretty good distance here. The grounding, however, does not look very good. It is difficult to see exactly what is going on, but what you need is a single ground point that everything connects to directly. I usually put two terminals somewhere, such as in the middle of the case, spaced about an inch apart. Run a thick-ish piece of wire between them, and call that your star. Connect everything - the PCBs, the jacks, the RCAs, the pot, the PS, directly to it. For earth, connect the earth pin on the IEC to the case as close to the IEC as possible. If everything (jack, pot, RCA) is isolated from the case, then you can use a ground loop breaker to connect that point to your ground star, but if you are grounded correctly, it is probably not necessary, or useful. Instead, I'd just connect that point to your star ground, too.

When I first got into serious audio in the late 70s', I eventually narrowed my speaker choice to DQ-10s, Magneplanar (can't remember the model) and DCM Time Windows. After lots of auditioning, I finally settled on the Time Windows. Never regretted that decision.

My Hera with about a year in between. From: To: She likes well biased amps!

Mikhail Pletnev - Edvard Grieg: Lyric Pieces Not exactly the same edition, but same tracks from the original Melodiya recording of 1986, available on several streaming services.

It will have to wait for me to try again, when my neuropathy calms down. You should have bought a pre-moon 144.022-69 5 years ago :). The car I learned to drive in was a '73 Beetle that my dad was constantly "restoring," I don't think he was ever actually going to finish, even when his brother owned a rather famous European auto and body shop, and we would drive down to Atlanta to use those services. The journey, not the destination.

on the dac note, I've had the opportunity to try Mike's Lumin T2 and it is pretty pretty good. So good that I ordered one. For those that like the Brooklyn this is a step up and has a fully realized streamer in the box as well. It also just works, no wonky set up issues and great sound. I would give it a week of play before serious listening though. I really like the Brooklyn and had one at the house for a bit.

This came up on my random shuffle play... well - "Instruments of Darkness" came on - Quickly updated list to play entire album. Still a mastery of its time. And plays so well today..

There is no port because that is an SR 007mk1. I have a modern 007 2.9 and a friend's early serial mk1 and the early serial mk1 is exactly like that. With the little plastic resin piece that goes over the soldering joints. The strain relief is also the same (as in shitty) and you can see its the old brown cable and champagne housing. EDIT: If anyone is curious I can upload photos of the stair solder joint covering on the mk1 tomorrow.

Just for perspective, every time you walk across a carpet on a dry day, and touch your hand to a doorknob getting a little electric shock you are discharging a kilovolt or two of static electricity. .

I don't suppose anyone who tried the 007 with 009 pads experiment has a headphone measurement rig so we could take a look at the resulting FRs? Doesn't have to be perfect, just (moderately) consistent in measurements so the differences are meaningful.

I haven't tried a new one in a few years but I might pickup a fresh set just to try out. Speaking of the 007's just see what Stax dropped on Youtube...

Here you go these are by metal571: Youtube video link: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=p6zHolzGUTw EqualizerAPO EQ Preset: Channel: all Preamp: -7 dB Filter 5: ON PK Fc 30 Hz Gain 7 dB Q 1.41 Filter 6: ON PK Fc 70 Hz Gain -3 dB Q 2 Filter 8: ON PK Fc 1500 Hz Gain -5 dB Q 2 Filter 10: ON PK Fc 3500 Hz Gain 2.5 dB Q 1.41 Filter 11: ON PK Fc 10000 Hz Gain -3 dB Q 2 Filter 12: ON HS Fc 10000 Hz Gain -2 dB MiniDSP EARS HPN Compensated Measurements: https://imgur.com/bus7TCF

Hi all, a new user here. I got my first Stax set about a month ago and I have been really enjoying my L300 Limited + 252S combo. After getting these, all other headphones just don't sound right anymore. I guess this is the downsize of owning Stax? ? If I may, a couple of questions: - I haven't seen any amp measurements yet - are there any? It seems it's much trickier to measure Stax amps compared to normal headphone amps, but one would think it's still doable? - When reading for example this thread, there is suprisingly little discussion about applying EQ to Stax headphones. I applied EQ to my L300 Limited based on oratory1990 measurements and the result is phenomenal compared to no EQ. Is this the case or are you all using EQ with your Stax? - I audiotioned both the 252S and 353XBK amps and decided to buy the 252S since I heard no difference between them. Now after owning it for a while, I might have second thoughts... it looks and feels a bit whimsy. I would like to have a neutral sounding + measuring solid state amp, which would have to be smallish, since I use it on a desktop setup. Ideally it would be 21cm (or more) wide and not very deep like all the Stax amps, so that it would stack nicely with my RME ADI-2 DAC. And it should be black. ? Are there any other choices than the KGSS Klassik? (thanks spritzer for asnwering my email questions!) Thanks for all the help in advance!

The SRM-353X certainly superior to the SRM-1 Mk2 but it all comes down to value. The cost in parts of refurbishing the SRM-1 Mk2 is far lower and the difference between the two isn't all that big. I personally prefer the direct drive amps and with a transformer the cost is really high too due to the stepped attenuator.

A refurbished SRM-1 Mk2 does stand well up against the transformers. For me it is a toss up between the detail and accuracy of the amp vs. the raw power and voltage swing of the transformers.

How would the SRM-1/Mk2 likely compare to the Stax & Moljinir transformer boxes when driven by current Class D amps?

Let's just say I have a personal museum...

Now time for something super rare... a balanced SRM-1 Mk2 PP. I didn't think any of these existed as there was the ATR version for studio use which had a stepped attenuator and balanced inputs but in almost 20 years of searching...none have turned up. Then I came across this one last year in Japan in pretty rough shape with tape all over it. I naturally over payed as usual but then again, how often does one find something like this: So years ago I did this and nice to see Stax did the exact same mod as me. Remove the 100R resistor to ground on the other side of the fet and put two resistors off the board in its place. The amp also arrived with one channel dead, shorted transistors and almost open resistors in the front end. Now for the money shot... This is clearly stock from Stax as all the screws match what they used at the time but one odd thing is that the markings are actually engraved into the back and not simply silk screened.

Thanks, I actually found some later on rakuten by doing a search on kakaku.com... Almost half price of ebay by directly buying in japan.

They are ok and pretty well built. You can easily use them with an adapter though the cable is pretty short as they foresaw some sort of portable usage I suppose. The bass is pretty limited due to the small drivers. If you are keen on one, I have mine for sale on my site with a Stax adapter... Shameless plug but my better half really wants me to have a "sane" number of headphones...what ever that is.

Nope, should never be a problem.

I have just made a prototype of my O1 clone. Now I am working on standardizing the procedure of making this headphone as well as its headphone box so that it doesn't look DIY

That's not something I'd agree with, the 009S is a definite upgrade over the older 009 but it does further expose the inherent limitations of the design. The bass in the 009 sucks, there is no doubt about that so while Stax fixed the off tonality, they didn't fix the bass issues. I have a feeling that it is due to the basic driver design so they'd have to do something drastic to fix it but further experimentation is needed. What I find really fascinating are the discussions with pro users of Stax and what sets they are using. About 1/3 of my amps go to studios and other professional environments, professional musicians and the like and none of them use the 009's, either version. It's always the same line, they don't sound real or some variation of that. Same goes for the new Lx00 series, those not using 007's or 4070's have a stockpile of 207's.

@MASantos Well this dealer its actually one person show as it was the stax dealer before him who actually used his house to show the gear. When the price difference is about 1k or more.. Also there are more stores selling it much cheaper on europe who also pay employees, but I understand where u are coming from.

@Torpedo Yeah always learning. That's exactly how he works.. asked to listen L-700, told me it was too expensive to ask one just to listen unless he needed to make a big order and that could take months, even a year.. also if I were to purchase it I would need the 50% deposit.. and wait.. to arrive This dealer crys that so few people buy stax products but like you said they seem to forget we are in European Union and the market its now global, people will look before buying, no wonder they won't sell with those prices and this kind of service. Rant off..

Well these came in today sent on the 14th Friday, arrived on the 18th.

Indeed, the headphones are setup for constant charge so when you pull the power source the charge is still present. It will then slowly dissipate over 20-30 minutes or so and the sound will become softer and softer.

What kind of stone is it? I kind of like the lava stone table top. It should be cheap there in Iceland.

I don't have them any more but I found them a little laid back and airy. However, they don't have much bass or sense of impact even from better amplifiers such as the BHSE or T2 or the Aristaeus. Still a very good sound, just not to the L700 to my ears.

They aren't bad but I prefer my Lambda Pro and definitely the L700 to it.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/ifi-audio-pro-iesl-the-official-thread.852364/page-7#post-14413330 Ahhh nice of ifi to question my knowledge of electronics. I always feel nice when somebody does that while not addressing any of my major concerns. I guess I have to buy one of these and rip it apart. In other news, I don't like the direction Stax is taking with the made-in-china amps. They have stopped using Japanese caps and instead are using these gems in the D-50: https://www.badcaps.net/forum/showthread.php?t=58678 Might just be my new favorite forum... So we will go from Stax amps needing nothing for 20-30 years to perhaps a 5 year life before the caps give out? That's not really a move forward in my book...

I think what happened here is that "SAMPLE" is referring to the piece of plastic which is the headband arc. Likely from the first batch of headbands made which ended up being the final version, and STAX forgot to remove it from a few headbands

@spritzer Not sure if you've had enough time to evaluate which you prefer out of the the current flagship Stax. SR-007 MK1, SR-009 & SR-009S (Ok two current as MK1 aren't no longer made).

Time for some more musings on the 009S... After a week in NYC I got back to new EP-007's earpads and they are on the phones now. Not the improvement I was looking for to be honest and now the bass issues bother me even more. It's one of those things, when you notice the lack of impact it starts to eat at you. You hear it in every offending track and it really detracts from the listening experience. This is not a seal issue as they are clearly airtight. Over all though, the 009S is an improvement over the 009 but this one part just bothers me a lot.... Interesting to compare the earpads of the 009 to the 009S. The former are about 8mm less tall in the front and much softer. The back is the same height but again, the actual volume of the earpads is clearly different due to how much they compress. Last mod I'm going to try are the 009 earpads on the 009S before they are put away into the collection.

A recent tour thru the STAX HQ posted on a Chinese website: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/L2VLqiNk-a_wE5eA5VbRhA The text is Chinese, not Japanese Kanji. You can translate by copying and pasting the URL at either Google or Bing websites: http://itools.com/tool/google-translate-web-page-translator https://www.bing.com/translator/

Same with the HD800 Ss

From the scrolling pictures on https://stax-international.com/

The HE-1 meaty? Nahh... mosfet flabby sure but that's it... In other news, I just got a care package from Justin...

"In Soviet Russia headphones listen to you!"

forum.doctorhead.ru and a few others.

have you guys check this one? https://www.head-fi.org/threads/perun-electrostatic-headphone-impressions.872273/ turned out it's a one grand headphone

The problem with these newcomer headphones is that they are always the "best" thing... until the next "version" comes along, where that one suddenly becomes so much better than the last one. Just look at how much time it took to progress from the LCD-2 (which was still not the first one from Audeze) to the LCD-4. It was about 6 years I think, and even with the latter there are still sample variations involved. So where does this stop? And I would like to add that our mind is very "clever" in that it can adjust relatively well to any "not-completely-crap" sound signature, so in the long-term there is always a better chance of becoming the "best" as opposed to just auditioning something else. So maybe the real question about the "best" is: "is there actually such a thing" and maybe the "current personal favourite" is a much better description.

They have arrived;

It's an Perun maker's view. Design conseption is very distinctive and pagan as Perun is old slavic 'God of thunder and lightning'. These headphones are totaly handmade of natural materials as ash tree, and natural skin (lambskin) etc. This design is antipode of modern 'eco-sh*t-leather' imitation and plastic parts.

Let's decide a list of parcipients at other topic and with sending route and we will provide a free sapmle to respective community members.

DIY Perun headphone has been around for about 10 years ,a DIY project, and this is the latest incarnation of it.I have followed the development of this phone on the russian forum for years and unfortunately the thread where it was introduced was deleted.This phone has gone through many stages and many prototypes ,even tens of different pads were tested.Every corner of this phone has been investigated to reach best possible performance.In it's latest version wich is the last and final version is comparable to the best stat phones around,many prefer these over Orpheus and SR-009.The driver is about 50% larger than 009 and is very efficient and easy to drive.This DIY project has gone commercial http://perun.prfi.ru/ I have ordered one and will test it soon and compare it to 009 and other Staxes.

Thanks for sharing all those experiences, I really enjoyed reading about e-stat DIY, but somehow didn't get the courage to get into it (and into making drivers in general). I have some background in speaker design, but using off the shelf drivers. There are a lot of people who can do them much better than I could and I have very little time to spare. It's interesting what you say about sensitivity and makes sense. Taking it forward, I would be willing to sacrifice a bit from the 009 sensitivity if that made easier for Stax to achieve a sound signature closer to the 007 Mk1 and original Omega - or even smoother. At the moment I am perfectly satisfied with the Libratum 3 that has nailed the sound signature between the 007 Mk1 and the 009 (well, with modified pads), sounding more musical than both to my ears, but that might change when new contenders arrive. If Stax has that superior knowledge level (and surely they have), I very much wish they would choose to make a smoother/warmer/fleshier/more relaxed sounding version of the 009, even is less sensitive - actually more or less what the Libratum 3 is -, but then with Stax quality and fame .