Jump to content

John Buchanan

High Rollers
  • Posts

    142
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by John Buchanan

  1. I think it's the same as a standard Lambda plate
  2. Even with the transformer driver, the dynamics and speed of this phone were shockingly good. No deep bass at all - Tony Levin's downward stick run in a track on Projekct One literally disappeared with the Float Electrostatics/PS2 transformers, whereas with the Sigmas (not known for their low frequency response), he was present and well accounted for. From memory, the bias voltage is +/- 1200 volts isn't it? I always suspected a well driven set could be giant slayers. They were oddly shaped - I agree - but my head managed to just fit in there.
  3. Is it any wonder that Australians import something like the SR-007 themselves? You can buy two of them for the Australian price (taking into account customs charges), so who cares about a warranty?
  4. Interesting, as I contacted Yamasinc/Accutech recently and couldn't have asked for a more rapid response to a part availability. It was despatched immediately also. They also did the modification of the Sigma to Sigma/404 rapidly and carefully. No complaints here.
  5. That was what was mentioned at the time. It was Mercedes-Benz.
  6. Regarding IAG, I'm just about to get the 989 speaker back from service. Glue failure, same as the other speaker. Not uncommon since the move from Quad in the UK, apparently. Very glad it's still under warranty. Apparently, internally, the 989 and the 2809 are exactly the same. Externally is a different story. At least I got the wooden tops for my pair, rather than ugly plastic. They sure sound great when they're working properly. Hopefully, the buy out won't mean a compromise in the legendary Stax reliability and quality. Time will tell I guess.
  7. Here is a copy of the original Stax Sigma frequency response chart.
  8. ....and what do you think of their sound, Eggil?
  9. OMG - the Sigma response looks like a roller coaster ride and the 30 Hz square wave isn't. Not sure if this is the Sigma normal bias or the Sigma/404. Measurements bad, sound good.
  10. It doesn't deteriorate. Made of mineral wool (I'm guessing that the stuff is fibreglass insulation), it appears to be forever. I've left it alone, as the person experimenting with building his own Sigmas mentioned that it was quite difficult to get the correct amount of insulation soundwise. I've let Stax decide that for me. The netting that forms part of the Sigma earpads tends to fall to bits, much like the penultimate Lambda pads' netting did. Ear pads are still available new. The original Lambda and Lambda Pro (IIRC) also had mineral wool behind the drivers, as well as earpad netting and the netting on the inside of the lateral wall of the headphones. It's the netting that deteriorates.
  11. The Sigma normal bias was just too rolled off in the high end for my liking. The Professional drivers (both the 404 and the Lambda Signature) added just the right amount of treble response for my liking (and IIRC, that's exactly what you said it would do - you were right). The Sigma Pro is an excellent phone as is the Sigma/404. I don't know whether MOAR treble here would be a good thing, and I'm sure that if a 307/407/507 implant was doable without lots of dramas, Birgir would have had a crack at it with his latest (instead, he used a 303 driver). I know it's not what everybody agrees on, but the Spritzer modded SRD-7 with the Sigma high bias sounds fantastic. They also sound terrific through the SRM-Monitor. Thoughts on the SR-007Mk1 - the earpads had too small a listening cavity and because they were well sealed also, my ears started to sweat very quickly. They were a nice sounding phone and did all the "parts" of the sound picture (apart from that magic midrange) better than the Sigma/404. But the Sigma/404 did the whole picture better and I found that I was keener to listen to music through the Sigma series than the SR-007s. Therefore, the SR-007s were the first to go. PS Ed, if you ever have a spare excellent condition Lambda arc assembly (the early thin armed version used before the Lambda Nova series), let me know, please.
  12. Interesting 30Hz square wave on the Mk 2.5 SR-007s. Nothing like any other headphone measurement. Something not right there.
  13. Hmmmmm interesting thought - might try another IEC cable and see if that makes a difference.
  14. I thought it may be a mains related problem, as the hum was not consistent.
  15. DC on the mains? How does that get sorted out?
  16. I've got a Studer amp to keep my Stax menagerie under control via the SRD-7 Spritzer. It has always had quite marked mechanical hum when run at 240V (Australia's mains voltage). I have a 240 -> 110V transformer and the Studer is able to be configured to almost any possible mains voltage via a rotary switch and with a change of fuse. Did that. NO FREAKIN' HUM! $2.50 for 2 new fuses! Love it.
  17. Birgir, we need the review AND photos of the Sigma/303 (which should be exactly the same as the Sigma/404).
  18. Still loving the Sigma Pros through the SRD-7 Spritzer. The bass has a kick to it that I'm not used to in the lambdas - it's more of a physical "whack" to the ear drums, without sounding boomy. The new Jimi Hendrix Experience "Winterland" set is sounding fabulous here. Mitch Mitchell's bass drum has the sharp dynamic thump it should.
  19. Beautiful work, Birgir. If the SRA-10S runs as hot as the SRA-12S, everything in there will get mighty hot.Mine never sounded as good as the SRA-3S however. Is the SRA-3S circuit the same as an SRM-T1?
  20. Agreed, Ed. The transformer solution is very very good. The bottom end seems a bit better for some reason and the sound dynamics are great. Do you get any hum at all with your transformer based setup? The Studer amp is dead silent, the Audio Research valve amp hums a bit.
  21. The new one http://www.amazon.com/Winterland-Box-Set-Amazon-com-Exclusive/dp/B0055PL5KO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1315867488&sr=8-1
  22. The SRM 1 Mk 2 is an excellent amp (and comes recommended by no less then Birgir), but if you ever get a chance to snap up an SRD-7 professional or SRD-7 Mk 2, do so. If you have a reasonable power amp. Listening now to the Sigma Pro through one and it sounds very powerful. With the Sigma series, the sound is smooth enough to avoid picking at bits of the frequency spectrum as sounding wrong. It just sounds good. Can't wait for the 2 new Jimi Hendrix CD sets, "Winterland" and "In The West" to arrive. Am listening now to the old RYKO Winterland single CD and I suspect the latest Eddie Kramer remix will be tremendous.
  23. Ed, I put the sculptured Lambda 404 pads on the Sigma/404 (instead of the non-sculptured Sigma pads) when the original mesh started falling to bits, thinking that although they altered the angle of incidence, they also sealed around my noggin a little better. Another shoot out is planned when the new Sigma pads arrive for the Sigma/404, so all will then be the same for the 2, except the drivers and the cords. The Sigmas really need the mesh - that mineral wool touching the pinnae isn't a great idea. The Pros had no mesh at all when they arrived and were a bit itchy with the mineral wool. Fixed now with some spare Sigma pads I had lying around. Ed, regarding disagreeing with your opinions, that hasn't happened often. Have you ever said any Sigma was bright? $2050 - holey moley - deduct say $500 for a Lambda 404 donor and another $200 for the Frankenstein transplant, and you have him paying $1350 for the Sigma Pros. I hope they were NOS! Mine were $700 and were as close to NOS (apart from the ear pads - easily fixed and cheaply) as is humanly possible in phones that are at least 15 years old. PS, what are the serial #s of your Sigmas? Mine are 05331 (the Sigma body) and 08813 for the Sigma Pro. PPS, A Sigma body with Lambda Pro drivers would be yet another version. PPPS, edited the original post.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.