juansan

ok guys im logging off, thanks again to everyone for the input and the help so far!!!

LOL thanks for the imput, so basically provided I buy some back-up valves with the amp (if that is possible from headamp) I may even go the valve route. now abut those O2 s I can't find anywhere.....

How do the biasing controls work? like are the simple to use or do I need separate equipment? to give you an idea I saw instructions on Conrad Johnson site that said u turn a screw til a red LED goes "just on" and thats it. is the KGBH that easy to bias or do I need to have various metres to do it?

this is one of the things i worry about with valves, I dont even know hot to measure DC V (ok maybe i do a bit LOL) but thats about it. the idea of buying something and then having to tweak it (knowing what i am like) worries me . This is why i prefer the SS way. as far as i know, if it aint broke, there is no need to touch anything!

Ok so how does someone bias them? (say on the KGBH?) also how about replacing them? another thing I hear is that different brands of valves change the sound, how easy is it to buy replacement valves of high quality?

I agree with you about that, what I am saying is this: if you listen to something once, then you stop for a bit and time passes, then you go back to it it may sound better because you have no other reference point at that moment in time. If I listen to one thing and then, after a long while, I listen to something else, I agree totally that your memory cannot really help in comparing one to the other. if, on the other hand, you compare two headphones at the same time and at that time you realise that one is better than the other (or you prefer it, whatever) you will not likely forget this over time. Spritzer posted a comparison between two headphones which at the time he compared them together made him choose the O2s over the 007 mk2s. He may not remember why one sounded better (although he does) but he remembered which he prefered. I'm saying that this is reasonable use of memory. Do I make sense or am I just spouting off again?

Hi elephas, I agree with you that memory may not serve to give a definitive description of the sound or a suitable comparison to something you are listening to now, but surely if you compare two different products together (as Spritzer appears to have done) and one sounds "better" than the other at that time, you will surely remember that (even though after a while you might not rememebr exactly why).

Hi again Spriter and thanks for the feed back! is it possible that this could have been caused by the mk2s not being burnt in yet compared to the original O2s you listen to? the truth is I am now seriously considering not upgrading at all or finding (good) second hand O2s

According to the reporter from StereoMojo on canjam 08, when he asked the Stax rep about a new earspeaker to fit "above" the 007 mk2s apparently he was told that "something" is in the works. If this were true it would explain the drop in price on the new 007 mk2s. Does anyone have anything more about this or does anyone know whether Stax is developing a new "top of the range" model?

Gentlemen, I'm logging off now as its getting late here, but I wanted to than you all for the great pointers and information you have given me over the past two days, I've learnt more than a weeks worth of surfing and reading elsewhere! Cheers and good night

So I gather from what I have read. I meant the O3 chronologially speaking though, not in order of greatness. I have read (espcially from you Spritzer, but also from a great many others) that the mk2 sound "tonally darker". I'm wondering whether Stax is planning a new amp to match them to that contrasts this, who knows:confused: Personally I'm going to try and see whether I can get my grubby little hands on the mark 1s!

OK I get it, I think I will just buy mine from Justin (providing he has them) and be done with it...... until the valve bug gets me!!!! (mmmmmmm, valves....) LOL personally i prefer SS, but there you go!

Hi Dusty, Your right, frankly I'm just splitting hairs now (splitting I said, not spitting! ) and I shouldn't be so impatient (I know, I know! ). So, if the KGSS is a "starter" amp for the 007s, does this mean that people are adapting it to improve or does it mean that they are then going on to the valve amps (KGBH, Woos, HA-02's etc?). if the 007 mk1 is known as the O2, do I take it that the 007 Mk2 should now be considered a O3?

Hi grawk, so it can get better as a SS design? how so? changing internal components?

LOL trust me, I have been out of ths game for a long time and I really do appreciae the info. Posted at a "similar" forum to this and NO ONE bothered to even answer, but i do guess people are busy and frankly they owe me nothing.! I really wish i had the inclination to learn more about the DIY aspects of electronics but frankly its all magic to me! I will definitely be contacting Justin, actually I already have sent him an e-mail! Anyone know anything about changing the mains leads to decent stuff like nordost etc? is this a worthwhile step? what does changing the lead actually do? is it also worth getting mains "cleaners" or whatever they are called? last time I followed up on this (10 years ago) lots of reviiews said to avoid the mains "cleaner" (or conditioners or whatever they are called). To think I used to sell top end stuff in London, I sound like a no nothing kid now!!!

LOL, thanks aardvark baguette. If anyone can let me know whether Headamp is the place to go to order the KGSS (or viable alternatives) I will be forever grateful !!!!

Dusty Chalk: thanks for the reply!! I know lots and lots of you prefer the KGSS to the standard Stax amps. I have heard of ES-1 and several other amps but I assume they are no longer available from new, right? Is HeadAmp the best place to get the KGSS from? I know NOTHING about DIY electronics so I need to buy rather than build. Does anyone else make them or are there any "special" versions out there than can be bought? Thanks, sorry if I seem a bit "out of it", the technical stuff is beyond me but if I'm going to spend the money I really do want the best I can get for the price

My love for stax started many a year ago, well before I could even think of affording a pair! (I was 16 at the time and already headphones were my top consideration). My first foray into stax was with the SR-84 Pro Electret headphones which I found second hand in a great shop in italy were I now live. I was really enthusiastic about the sound but compared to the Sennheisers I used before (HD-580s of 600s, I can't rememeber the exact model () I found them a little bass shy. by scrimping and saving I managed to get my hands on an ex-demo Marantz SA-1 SACD player (in mint condition for less than half the price of a new one) and the original Stax sr-303 classic system (SR-303 and SRM 313). These were connected using Nordost Blue heaven unbalanced (RCA, 1 metre). I really was in (blue?!) Heaven!!!! Yes they are still a little bass shy but the mid-range and the treble! oh so sweet, beguiling, liquid sounding almost!!! What really gets me isnt so much the reproduction of acoustic (which is phenomenal) but rather the way they handle "electronic" music. Listening to something like Ray of Light by Madonna with all the William Orbit trickery in the background is just sublime, I mean the real, 3D wall of sound that is created is mind blowing to me! I am thinking of upping the ante and going for the O2s, I have heard that they have all the mid/high beauty of the 303s (actually, better!) but with real bass "slam" (albeit controlled). My real problem is what do i partner them to? I am not a great lover of valves and I have heard that the SRM-727mk2 is not the best available for the O2s. Is the KGSS really that different/Special? (No disrespect to Kevin or Justin but I havet heard either of them and I doubt I will be able to do a comparison here where I live!). any Ideas? )