May 7, 200917 yr I just wonder if the SR-Omega is easier to drive than O2? Anyone tried the SR-O with the 007t?
May 7, 200917 yr They are a little bit easier to drive but also present their own challenges since the top end can be a bit OTT on some recordings, similar to the He90.
May 7, 200917 yr How about the bass? I feel the MK1's bass is quite adequate for my taste but in some songs, it's not really tight enough. And oh, the soundstage on the O1 is definitely wider, right?
May 7, 200917 yr Well the bass out of the 007t sucks and if the fit of the headphone is off then it only makes matters worse. The bass on the SR-Omega is more rounded as it lacks the control and precision of the Mk1. This is a housing issue which is also somewhat present on my SR-Omega/007 hybrid. The soundstage is wider but the imaging is also more vague. It's not HE90 "I'm lost in fog" blurry but just a tad "off" compared to the Mk1. Again this is tied to the enclosure so this is transferred over to my hybrid. They also lack some of the depth that the Mk1 can pull off so the stage is flatter.
May 7, 200917 yr Looks like I'll be happy forever with the MK1 I haven't tried other amps for the MK1 but personally I don't think the 007t is that bad. It can push up the MK1 with great authority.
May 7, 200917 yr Looks like I'll be happy forever with the MK1 I haven't tried other amps for the MK1 but personally I don't think the 007t is that bad. It can push up the MK1 with great authority. I've heard that combination and there's nothing wrong with it as far as I'm concerned. Some Stax extremists make it sound like it's a total mismatch, but I thought the sound was very pleasant. Sure, there are better amps out there, but one could stop his quest with this combo and be totally happy.
May 8, 200917 yr I've heard that combination and there's nothing wrong with it as far as I'm concerned. Some Stax extremists make it sound like it's a total mismatch, but I thought the sound was very pleasant. Sure, there are better amps out there, but one could stop his quest with this combo and be totally happy. What did you like more T1S or 007t?
May 8, 200917 yr What did you like more T1S or 007t? It's hard to say really, I heard the 007t in a small meet at Larryminator's place a couple of months after I sold you the T1S . The only thing I could say is that both drove the SR-007 more on the polite and light side of things, while the KGSS DX added more body and weight to the sound and gave more punch to the bass.
May 8, 200917 yr It's hard to say really, I heard the 007t in a small meet at Larryminator's place a couple of months after I sold you the T1S . The only thing I could say is that both drove the SR-007 more on the polite and light side of things, while the KGSS DX added more body and weight to the sound and gave more punch to the bass. The thing is I heard 007t and liked T1S and W better. I never heard KGSS but sounds like it's a nice amp. I did have a chance to listen to SRM-717 and it very good, especial with O2, too bad they don't make them with normal bias. I need normal bias for my SR-Sigmas so any amp without is out of the question for me. How was the sound stage on KGSS?
May 8, 200917 yr The thing is I heard 007t and liked T1S and W better. I never heard KGSS but sounds like it's a nice amp. I did have a chance to listen to SRM-717 and it very good, especial with O2, too bad they don't make them with normal bias. I need normal bias for my SR-Sigmas so any amp without is out of the question for me. How was the sound stage on KGSS? I didn't notice a huge difference in soundstage between Stax amps and KGSS, but the soundstage of the SR-007 never really impressed me to begin with. I wish I could have tried the KGSS with any of the Lambda phones, those are probably my favorites when it comes to airy and large presentation (never heard the Sigmas). On the other hand, the KGSS offered substantial improvements in instrument placement and in creating a realistic presentation. The presentation with Stax amps was less focused from what I remember. O2/KGSS with symphonic music was godly.
May 8, 200917 yr An SRM-717 may be hitting the market soon, wish I could afford. I did have a chance to listen to SRM-717 and it very good, especial with O2, too bad they don't make them with normal bias. I need normal bias for my SR-Sigmas so any amp without is out of the question for me. Sounds like Spritzer knows a way to make a cable that leaches bias so that you can use them with the Sigma.
May 8, 200917 yr Ok, so I now have the trifecta in the house, getting the SR-Omega today. Wow, the bass on the SR-Omega is unreal, it actually thumps the head a bit. With a short listening session, I can vouch for the comparisons made by spritzer on these three phones: HE90 - Pleasant but diffuse sound, like there is some haziness around the notes, but not a game-killer for me. You just have to be in the right mood. I would call them romantic. O2 MK1 - If comparing soundstage to a room, the HE90 is orchestral, and the O2 is a nice cozy jazz bar. This is a nice thing to have at times, depending on music and mood (i'm a moody guy ). SR-Omega - These impressions will take time to solidify but I can say that I agree with spritzer that this is a cross between the HE90 and the O2. Soundstage is closer to HE90 but without diffusion. Instrument placement remains fixed and clear like the O2. One good thing about the ES-2 is that I can have all three plugged in at once with no sound degradation that I can discern. Need to do some volume matching but it makes it easy to compare the 3. Does that mean the ES-2 has lots of power? I can only have one headphone on the SDS-XLR at a time. Two sounds awful.
May 8, 200917 yr Glad you like them Andy. The bass can even be a bit overwhelming at times but that's not surprising given the size of the drivers.
May 9, 200917 yr Yay Andy, you acquired the SR-Omega finally! Enjoy them, I've never heard the SR-Omega but I hope to hear one at Canjam if given the opportunity.
May 9, 200917 yr I swear this thread is gonna be the end of me... I have gone from curiosity to slight consideration to full-blown "what should I start with"... ...and I have no money. I need to ask for a raise...
May 9, 200917 yr How come I hardly hear of anyone using the actual Stax amps? Are they bad? I was considering O2 + srm007ta combo.
May 9, 200917 yr It has been discussed before. Stax amps are not necessarily bad, but they are built to a price, otherwise they couldn't make any profit on them. O2 is hard to drive, so a 717 is at least recommended.
May 9, 200917 yr We aren't really the normal Stax customers but many of us have a SRM-717 which is the best amp Stax has made in quite a while. The others aren't bad, just underwhelming.
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