The Headcase Stax thread

[spritzer]

The issue with any Omega is that they are not that well built so you never know what you are going to get.  Some are just fine while others have issues, you can see that with the discussion about different serial ranges sounding different.  Now I've owned 30+ units over the years and when they work as they should... they all sound the same.  If the "grounding resistors" have broken down internally, internal frame issues, micro cracks in the stator supports and other issues... they will sound different but that's because they are slowly failing and need to be fixed.  It's similar to tube rolling while not actually using tubes with similar specs... true shock that they sound different.  

Those are some nice Omega clones.  Where are those from?  

[Omega_ELS]

On 8/24/2025 at 12:46 AM, spritzer said:

Those are some nice Omega clones.  Where are those from?  

I tried to buy them but without success
same story with Chinsettawong Omega or Orpheus or JF
I was looking for them for several years and everyone I talked to didn't want to sell them

https://www.head-case.org/forums/topic/21643-a-diy-shangri-la-headphone-for-hifi-xmen/

same story with any of these headphones
they are simply impossible to buy anywhere

 

[Michelag]

On 8/24/2025 at 6:02 PM, Omega_ELS said:

I tried to buy them but without success
same story with Chinsettawong Omega or Orpheus or JF
I was looking for them for several years and everyone I talked to didn't want to sell them

https://www.head-case.org/forums/topic/21643-a-diy-shangri-la-headphone-for-hifi-xmen/

same story with any of these headphones
they are simply impossible to buy anywhere

 

Wow, they've made replicas also for Stax... What a life's today's life!

[Pars]

I know these aren't Stax, but have any of you tried Audeze CRBN2 in lieu of the 007s? Bob Katz seems quite enamored with them using one of Birgir's Carbons as the amp. Kinda expensive, but not sure what 007s are running these days either.

https://positive-feedback.com/reviews/hardware-reviews/imersiv-d1-dac/

[skullguise]

I like the DAC discussed in the P-F article!  Looks like it'll be about $12K USD though......

[Pars]

41 minutes ago, skullguise said:

I like the DAC discussed in the P-F article!  Looks like it'll be about $12K USD though......

Nelson Pass apparently mentioned it at Burning Amp last weekend. I wasn't there so don't know what he said about it, but the insinuation was that he was favorably impressed by it.

[spritzer]

I like them a lot and they are technically proficient but lately I've been a bit off on ported designs as they lack involvement to me.  Not enough engagement compared to the greats but, not nearly as bad as the Hifiman Shangri-la mini where the sound just hangs there.  I've been meaning to make a proper review of them but this year as a whole has just sucked.  

[spritzer]

This has to be the week of stupid mods, cue this 727 in for full surgery and mods.  Nothing abnormal on top but below I find this:

Hmmm not quite stock that input wiring

In and output wires from the volume pot were simply cut and this new monstrosity was sliced into ends.  The plan was clearly to bypass the volume control but this is a 727... which has a switch to turn off the volume control and bypass it!!  Just flip the switch the volume control does nothing...  fucking hell...  

One more thing, can anybody make heads or tales of this monstrosity?

That's two three conductor cables, basic mic cable would do the job but why set it up like this?  Each conductor is screened and they are bridging it ever 10cm or so for moar cancellation?  Ground for your ground... for your ground?  

Also, I'm not truly prepared for the 727 to be almost 20 years old at this point.  The caps in this one had a date code from early 2007.  

[Oneguy]

3 hours ago, spritzer said:

Also, I'm not truly prepared for the 727 to be almost 20 years old at this point.  The caps in this one had a date code from early 2007.  

Time is sneaky. 

[TammerDown]

On 10/11/2025 at 4:38 PM, spritzer said:

This has to be the week of stupid mods, cue this 727 in for full surgery and mods.  Nothing abnormal on top but below I find this:

Hmmm not quite stock that input wiring

In and output wires from the volume pot were simply cut and this new monstrosity was sliced into ends.  The plan was clearly to bypass the volume control but this is a 727... which has a switch to turn off the volume control and bypass it!!  Just flip the switch the volume control does nothing...  fucking hell...  

One more thing, can anybody make heads or tales of this monstrosity?

That's two three conductor cables, basic mic cable would do the job but why set it up like this?  Each conductor is screened and they are bridging it ever 10cm or so for moar cancellation?  Ground for your ground... for your ground?  

Also, I'm not truly prepared for the 727 to be almost 20 years old at this point.  The caps in this one had a date code from early 2007.  

sorry this is my fault, we were using it as a prop for a Cronenberg film....

[Kabeer]

Great video for all you Stax fans. Very rare insight which actually shows proper parts of the factory 

[greenpips]

Need a bit of help

Are there any alternative earpad replacements for the SR-007?

For example (not sure if this works):
https://dekoniaudio.com/product/elite-fenestrated-sheepskin-ear-pads-for-audeze-lcd-headphones/

The original pads are a bit pricey.

[spritzer]

I'm slowly working on replacements but nothing that is ready for release yet.  

The Dekoni pads are well made but I wouldn't pick those as they are too big and I'd never use fenestrated pads due to the air leaks.  You'd ideally want 105mm pads with a fairly large opening and there aren't all that many out there off the shelf.  

[Kabeer]

On 6/20/2025 at 1:11 PM, bwck2000 said:

It is interesting that the SR-007S is sharing the same OFC cable as the entry-level SR-X1, rather than the HiFC cable from Hitachi used in L300 / L500 let alone the silver plated ones. 

So, after doing some experiments with a friend. I don't believe the 007S cable is the same OFC cable that the X1 has...
It has different colour paint lines on it now. And it sounds BRIGHTER than the L500 HiFC cable. Whereas the X1 OFC cable sounded a little warmer than the L500 cable.

With some other anecdotes: it is likely a SPC cable either the same or similar to the L700 cable.
It is also contributing to the 007S brightness up top. The L500 cable makes the 007S better.

[spritzer]

Did the color change on the cables from the first release?  My first batch sets (X1, two of them and 007S) have identical cables in every way.  

[Kabeer]

39 minutes ago, spritzer said:

Did the color change on the cables from the first release?  My first batch sets (X1, two of them and 007S) have identical cables in every way.  

https://staxaudio.com/earspeaker/srs-x1

Maybe im wrong on the colour thing, this site shows a blue lined cable at the bottom. but that could just be an error. 
My X1 also had the bronze painted cable.

But the strange thing is the sound....Unfortunately i sold my X1 so i cant compare to the 007S now. 
If you have both, are you able to switch the cables and try?

I am going by the following:

1) I swapped X1 and L500mk2 cables and it was 100% sure , the L500 cable brought out a bit more in the upper trebles, and was a hint less bright

2) X1 is not present. but swapped 007S and L500mk2 cables onto the 007S, and the L500 cable was significantly less bright up top. Anecdotally there was an 007S X9000 owner in USA who swapped their cables and found they sounded the same.

[spritzer]

I have both in front of me and they have identical cables.  The L500Mk2 has the old cable with the white line (the blue was just on the SR-L300) so that should be pure copper.  

On that note, I've compared all the cables and there is no difference at all to my ears.  They all have the same specs that actually matter (capacitance) so they should all perform the same.