[{ STAX SR-007 / SR-009 / SR-009s } vs { HiFiMan Susvara } vs { HiFiMan Shangri-La Jr/Sr}]

1 hour ago, Werner42 said:

Hi Ranjan,

thank you very much for your kind posting and your very kind offer that I am allowed to quoting your recommendation when contacting the 'Hifi Lounge' Dealer.

Oh yes, maybe I will do this! Not right now (as being too absorbed by job at the time being, but this might calm down in the future, I hope 😉) but in some months it could really be an excellent approach.

 

Regarding EQ to Harman Target, I really like this approach! As EQ'ing at upscaled 96kHz(or more) and 24 bits can be directly performed on your uncompressed digital music files without any loss of sonic quality, digital EQ is the best way (IMHO) to adapt the frequency response to your favoured characteristic (or to neutral Harman Target).

It has been proven by countless scientific double-blind tests (ABX) that EQ'ing at these uptransformed frequencies and bit resolutions does not have any impact on sound quality for human hearing (so, also no negative impact). This is why all the professional sound engineers do exactly this while mastering and re-mastering the music for compact discs or hi-res datafile publication.

Someone on this forum, who is doing this in a very professional way is "O7_brother".

Please find his EQ posts (also on STAX SR-007, 009, 009s), e.g., at:

www.head-case.org/forums/topic/786-the-headcase-stax-thread/page/542/

But certainly you know about this already.

 

For audiophiles EQ is something like "devil's work" , audiophiles and HiFi enthusiasts often claim that EQ is a "No Go" and ruins the sound quality. IMHO, this is complete nonsense as the ABX tests as well as the projects of professional sound engineers prove the exact opposite.

 

So, if a headphone is too bright or the bass is not strong enough, many people apply another amplifier with another frequency response. I think, using EQ is much better and more efficient, here.

I'm not sure if solid-state amps do really sound different in ABX tests if they are strong enough. Weak amps may distort at certain levels but strong state-of-the-art SS amps should always apply a harmonic distortion that is inaudible for human hearing. So, I believe there is no audible difference.

Especially if you apply EQ to reach the Harman Target, there should not be any audible difference between an SS amp for 500 Euros or 50,000 Euros. My 2 cents, only, of course 😇

 

Which amplifier will you use with your STAX SR-009s ?

I use an SRM-717 (and I also own a SRD-X Pro and a SRM-007t, however the latter is broken, I will try to repair it).

Cheers, 

Werner

 

O7brother was the one who lent me his 009

Yes, EQ has really changed the game for me and to my ears there is no penalty in terms of sound quality. Maybe somebody more qualified may be able to detect some issues and of course not all headphones will handle EQ equally well. 

My amp is a Mjolnir Audio KGSSHV Carbon. I don't have any DIY skills so I just went for Birgir's best amp. It sounds fantastic with the 009. 

 

[{ STAX SR-007 / SR-009 / SR-009s } vs { HiFiMan Susvara } vs { HiFiMan Shangri-La Jr/Sr}]

4 hours ago, Werner42 said:

 

Yes, you are right, listening, testing and comparing oneself is maybe the only real solution. And indeed reading through 500 pages of a huge forum's thread having run over years, costs a lot of time. Partly really interesting and well invested time, but of course not over the entire 500 pages. However, it is partly really good fun to read the comments at head-case or head-fi.

SNIP

By the way, when you have received your STAX SR-009s, I would be very curious and interested to read what your impressions on it are if compared to the SR-009.

 

 

 

I agree with you which is why I always call the dealer and explain that I only intend to audition the headphones at this stage.

I'm not sure how useful my impressions would be as I EQ all my headphones to the Harman Target. From the measurements I've seen the 009 and 009S seem very very close in frequency response. My guess is that once they are EQed to the same target they will sound nearly identical.

Anyway I will post some impressions once I've had them for a few days.

I bought mine from HiFi Lounge in the UK. Got them for around 3300 euros which is considerably cheaper than the EU dealer price. As UK is out of the EU we don't need to pay UK VAT (I'm in Spain) but I will need to pay 21% VAT to get them in Spain. Even then it worked out cheaper than buying them in Spain.

Paul at Hifi Lounge was willing to send me a demo unit so maybe you can give him a call? Tell him that Ranjan Thomas recommended him.

I have no relationship with the dealer other than my recent purchase. He was willing to send me a demo unit and also gave me a 10% discount so I decided to give him my business.  

[{ STAX SR-007 / SR-009 / SR-009s } vs { HiFiMan Susvara } vs { HiFiMan Shangri-La Jr/Sr}]

I'm new the to forum as well but I've bought some of Birgir's amps in the past and have gained from the knowledge here.

I've played this game of asking if A is ''better'' than B on the internet and it is pretty useless.

I have a possible solution for you.

Find a Hifiman dealer in the EU who will lend you the Susvara for a few days. In my experience many dealers are ok with this. Of course you'll need to pay full price as a deposit.

Directly compare the Susvara to the 009 in your system and voila you'll have your answer in a few days. No need to waste time reading 500+ pages of babble on Headfi.

Instead spend more time with your family, watching a movie whatever

 

I've started doing this and it is much better than wasting time on bullshit reviews. 

I borrowed a Raal SR1a from a dealer, found that I liked my Utopia better. Then I borrowed an SR009 from a friend. Found that I liked the 009 a bit better than the Utopia.

Now I have an 009S on order

 

As a matter of principle I have avoided Hifiman's headphones as the founder seems to have zero respect for his customers. I'll probably borrow a Susvara out of curiosity but would never buy them.

He pulls his prices out of thin air as a dick waving exercise nothing more. I guess his home market like high prices as a marker of quality.

All the best.