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Yes thats fine but how do know if what you have bought are the veiled/mis-padded/wonky FR pair unless you have herd all the variations!! There are still extra costs involved and after a while Audeze will want the full cost of replacement. They will not substitute the L2 R2 for R1 drivers without buying new ones even though only few weeks old.

Pity those who are stuck with all the "experimental versions" in between! Reliability and consistency must be at the top of Audeze's priorities otherwise as a buyer how do I know what i'm buying? All this FUD about the LCD 3 must surely sour the second hand market too --- which version are they, veiled, bright, dull, et-alt who the F**k will know this situation IMO is not fair on paying punters!

You mean the "Hands on approach" ?

Yeh often depends how much alcohol we drunk first

If you want a laugh have a read of this! power conditioning power supply etc http://www.rudistor.com/RP030.htm

Not sure why this is an issue because if i'm not mistaken Dr Gilmore also designed AC coupled electrostatic amplifiers using ECC82's (12AU7) ?

Well the PS2 Ergo Amp I've seen uses 4 x RTF ECC82 Valves East German Military spec and was manufactured by K&E in Germany On the front - it has controls for Volume, Balance, left/right, Reverse Phase, Stereo, Phase 180', Mono and Difference Two headphone sockets and peak lights for left an right On the reverse - Pair of balanced inputs, Two pairs of RCA inputs. Also two switches, one marked ground an the other which switches between symmetrical an asymmetrical? This is what it looks like inside

Yes Merry Christmas everyone - not too much food and drink - but you can over indulge in some music #] I sure hope Santa bought me that new set of headphones

I think Australia has quite high GST as well 19% or more?

Accustic arts have a couple of recordings available with uncompressed music http://www.accusticarts.de/audiophile/

Has to be Aioli

In the UK the SR-009 retails @ £3695 which @ current exchange rates is $5719 http://www.custom-cable.co.uk/headphones/stax/stax-sr-009-top-of-the-line-open-air-type-electrostatic-earspeakers.html

One of the main problems of importing into Europe is that you have to pay VAT @20% and Duty 3% and just to add insult to injury they levy these charges on the postage and insurance cost as well !! So you need to factor in an uplift of between 25% to 30%, depending on country, you have to pay to the government before they will release the goods to you Then there are the payment costs as the banks or paypal take their slice by offering you crap exchange rates and make a $30 charge just for processing the payment.

Well as the saying goes ---- Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely

Yes they are good for spares and accessories like new pads, arc assemblies, extension cables etc. If you buy them locally they can be stupid prices. Often its cheaper to buy a secondhand replacement set than the spares to repair your headphone.

Name: Acoustica City: Chester Tel: 01244 344227 www.acoustica.co.uk Name: Analogue Seduction City: Peterborough Tel: 01733 344768 www.analogueseduction.net Name: Audio Destination City: Tiverton Tel: 01884 243584 www.audiodestination.co.uk Name: Audio Images City: Lowestoft Tel: 01502 582853 www.audioimages-hifi.com Name: Cheshire Audio City: Crewe Tel: 01270 589734 www.cheshireaudio.co.uk Name: Custom cable City: New Mailden Tel: 0208 942 9124 www.custom-cable.co.uk Name: Deco Audio City: Aylesbury Tel: 01296 422224 www.decoaudio.com Name: Doug Brady Hi Fi City: Warrington Tel: 01925 828009 www.dougbradyhifi.com Name: Hi Fi Headphones City: Lancing Tel: Phone 01903 768910 www.hifiheadphones.co.uk Name: High End Cable City: Spalding Tel: 01775 761880 www.highendcable.co.uk Name: Infidelity City: Kingston Upon Thames Tel: 0208 943 3530 www.infidelity.co.uk Name: Moorgate Acoustics City: Sheffield Tel: 0114 275 6048 www.moorgate.demon.co.uk Name: Signals UK Ltd City: Ipswich Tel: 01473 655171 www.signals.uk.com Name: Sound Organisation City: York Tel: 01904 627108 www.soundorg.co.uk Name: Unilet Sound and Vision City: New Malden Tel: 0208 942 9567 www.unilet.net Name: Walrus Systems City: London Tel: 0207 724 7224 www.walrus.co.uk List of Stax dealers for the UK The main dealer in the UK SimplyStax (akna StereoNow) stopped selling Stax due to problems with grey imports, reliability issues and with sites such as eBay new and secondhand Stax could easily be obtained from the US, Japan and across Europe. However the retail prices charged and secondhand prices in Germany seem to much higher now than in the UK. Prices in the UK have risen considerably over the past few years but I think this is mostly to do with the exchange rates as the Yen has appreciated with most currencies and the value of the pound has sunk about 20% so even the entry level Stax system equates to $1160.

Well there are many out there that would disagree with you. Perhaps this falls into the same category as cables? For example : http://www.tnt-audio...shplates_e.html QUOTE "Big Bottle Rectifiers For those of you guys out there that aren't aware (this goes without saying to you SET guys), your rectifier tube has just as big an effect on the sound of your system as your driver and output tubes. I'm fortunate, I've got some pretty good sounding rectifier tubes lying around that I can play with. My best sounding one is the Mullard GZ34. It's one of those short stubby jobs that lives up to all of the hype that surrounds a Mullard tube. The GZ34 is warm, detailed and dynamic without sounding overblown at all." Personally I prefer Telefunken or Mullard

I have had them balanced on a Woo WA22 but this did not solve the problem either, perhaps I should have done some more tube rolling. The ZD 2a3 is the current version of the ZDT I believe, but how do they fare on other ZD units like the LE, SE or Balancing Act?

Does it work? I though of trying some of that packaging you get underneath a large Pizza, it seems to come in black or white in the UK and is like compressed polystyrene.

I've tried the HD800 every which way, but they sound artificial, strained, mechanical and very bright. I must have tried several different amps both SS & Tube, aftermarket cables, different interconnects, balanced and single ended. I never listen to them now as they are just too painful and artificial, just aren't enjoyable, I wish I could make them usable given how much the cost but the HE60 is preferable for me every time.

I have to agree as this is what I found myself several months ago, and said at the other place - very similar in overall sound signature to the SR-007Mk1. However; the disappointing part for me is the soundstage, which I find narrower than than the 007 and there does not seem to be the same level of layering. I also managed to brighten up the high end by using a bright solid sate amp and silver interconnects. Overall very pleasing for the price. I think the build quality and design reflects these are products from a very small young company, almost a cottage industry. I personally don't like the headband, but judging by the weight of the drivers it needs to very robust, so I presume that's why its quite a chunk of metal. However; this seems just to add further to the weight and its a pity Audeze didn't get a design engineer to come up with something better.

No no you are wrong. Its a closely guarded secret that Sennheiser specially treat their cables in Switzerland @ the Hedron Collider, they are all bombarded with atomic particles including the Higgs Boson (God Particle) so your headphones sound heavenly .

Yes in future they will be in shocking pink with fur ear pads and the obligatory rhinestones here here and there Something like the Sennheiser HE60/HE90 styling would be nice - Wood, Leather or Burnished Metal always add class to a headphone. The black or brown plastic Stax use isn't the most attractive, but I would guess the current design is for acoustic/weight reasons and to keep prices lower as the yen has risen substantially against most major currencies over the past 5 years.

Another Press Release Cruiser acquired wholly-owned high-end headphone brands STAX Ramblers second at the eleventh meeting of the Board of Directors December 7, 2011 meeting, considered by "the acquisition of Japanese STAXLtd.100% stake in the motion." The Board confirms that its own funds, in cash to acquire Japanese STAXLtd.100% equity, the transaction price of 1.2 billion yen (according to December 6, 2011 Exchange 100 yen exchange 8.1411 yuan exchange rate, equivalent to 9.7693 million yuan) . After the share transfer, STAX will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Cruiser. STAX by the Naotake Hayashi's predecessor company was founded in 1938, Mr., mainly engaged in the vinyl record player design and manufacture of key components of the 1950 condenser microphones involved in the design, manufacture, is the importance of Japan's NHK radio supplier. 1954 design and manufacture of electrostatic loudspeakers, in 1959 a set of design and manufacture the world's first electrostatic headphones, named Earspeaker, 1960 launched the world's first commercial electrostatic headphones SR-1, became the benchmark for high-fidelity equipment, STAX is becoming the world's leading brand of high-end headphones. STAX SR-202 electrostatic headphones & SRM-212 Headphone Amplifier Kits Continues to introduce new electrostatic headphones at the same time, STAX electrostatic speakers and also its support of the amplifier has invested enormous energy, the industry continue to develop new high performance shock, became one of the most high-end audio company. However, in the most high-end product development and manufacturing to invest too much money, making the company's overall business situation STAX huge difficulties. The early 1990s, the company founder Naotake Hayashi's death, his son took over the company, although the immediate termination of the electrostatic speaker business, but also launched a flagship electrostatic headphones and amplifier, won acclaim in the market, but too high makes few sales prices, further deterioration of the company's financial condition, had declared bankruptcy in 1995. STAX SR-404 electrostatic headphones In January 1996, to company executives when he Takahashi Yan Mi, Yang made Meguro and technical Kazuo Suzuki, the chief person responsible for the three promoters, by Mr. Takahashi Mi Yan invested 300 million yen, the re-incorporation STAX Ltd ., concentrate on the development, production and matching electrostatic headphone amplifier by Takahashi Yan Mi chairman. December 1998, Mr. Meguro Yang made the acquisition of three million yen investment Takahashi entire equity interest of Mr. Yan Mi, Mi Yan Takahashi replaced as chairman, the company has been operating well, the introduction of various new products are highly recognized by the market .Although in 2010 as an extension of the key new product market caused losses, but in 2011, with new products to market SR009, the company quickly achieve greater profitability. STAX SR009 electrostatic headphones Currently, STAX electrostatic headphones has become synonymous with the English word Earspeaker Japanese industry has also been widely accepted, its electrostatic headphones over the years of painstaking research into the company's worldwide technology unique core competencies, represents the current headset technology can achieve the highest level.STAX company has 12 employees, approximately 70% of sales achieved in Japan, other countries, about 30%. The investment is the main business development Cruiser, especially the headset key business investment. Yang made the acquisition, Mr. Meguro held STAX 100% of the equity, Edifier immediately have the world's leading electrostatic headphone amplifier and all the design, manufacturing technology and the corresponding market, and can be quickly occupied the commanding heights of the high-end headphones, so that Walkman headphones are able to challenge the industry's high-end brands. Moreover, the Ramblers will use its existing manufacturing capacity, strong electrostatic headphones reduce manufacturing costs, while taking advantage of its own channels to vigorously promote the sale of related products so that all consumers have the opportunity to feel the charm of this high-performance products, efforts to make the product price by more accepted by consumers. In addition, the company also plans to launch a new brand based on electrostatic technology to portable electrostatic headphone-based play, further driving down the price threshold, play the important role of nexus. This acquisition not only get Edifier financial benefits, but also allows the company to have a high-end headphone technology within the industry, combined with its existing strengths Cruiser, not only can make long-term development STAX brand, but the company has been a key based on the relevant business point, a significant development for the future and lay a solid foundation.

Here is the link http://www.edifier.com/sce2009/news/news_list.php?mode=1