The Headcase Stax thread

[Omega_ELS]

7 hours ago, spritzer said:

Looks to be 350KYen... 

Funny they are going back to the silver electrodes and they look identical to the first ones I have sitting on my desk.  The plastic housing has been changed though

I'm more interested in the difference between the MLER 3 and the MLER2, since the stator shape, judging by the photo, is the same.

[spritzer]

I'm calling BS on it being any different, at least from the pics I've seen so far.  The housing clearly is but that has minimal effect on the sound.  

[Omega_ELS]

3 hours ago, spritzer said:

I'm calling BS on it being any different, at least from the pics I've seen so far.  The housing clearly is but that has minimal effect on the sound.  

Yes, but they say in the ad that the sound is different.
Maybe the membrane is different?

The 007 mk1 and mk2 are almost identical in appearance.
But the sound is very different.
Maybe it's the same story here.

[spritzer]

Could very well be but the MLER points specifically to the stators, multi layer electrode rigid, if I remember correctly.  

[spritzer]

They have been officially released now:

https://stax.co.jp/product/sr-009d/

List price is 385KYen with the 10% tax so likely in the 340kYen range for street price.  

[Omega_ELS]

On 11/27/2025 at 3:21 AM, spritzer said:

They have been officially released now:

https://stax.co.jp/product/sr-009d/

List price is 385KYen with the 10% tax so likely in the 340kYen range for street price.  

already on sale for 350k

[Omega_ELS]

On 11/27/2025 at 3:21 AM, spritzer said:

They have been officially released now:

https://stax.co.jp/product/sr-009d/

List price is 385KYen with the 10% tax so likely in the 340kYen range for street price.  

 

[spritzer]

Same OFC cable I can see and rather underwhelming overall.  I didn't bother ordering one but I might if there are any discounts to be had.  

I have my SR-009 with new diaphragms up and running and it is quite interesting just how badly designed those stators are.  Even with new diaphragms tuned to be anything but bright... they are still far too bright.  Still far better than the stock unit and tolerable for most tracks... ohhh and they actually have bass now.  Odd for the 009's...   

[Omega_ELS]

On 12/4/2025 at 7:27 PM, spritzer said:

Same OFC cable I can see and rather underwhelming overall.  I didn't bother ordering one but I might if there are any discounts to be had.  

I have my SR-009 with new diaphragms up and running and it is quite interesting just how badly designed those stators are.  Even with new diaphragms tuned to be anything but bright... they are still far too bright.  Still far better than the stock unit and tolerable for most tracks... ohhh and they actually have bass now.  Odd for the 009's...   

The main problem with the 009 is the driver size.
They're simply smaller than the ES Lab or x9000.
And the detail isn't as good as the x9000.
If the 009D is the same as the 009, only for 2k+, then what's the point of buying it now? It's better to wait.

[spritzer]

Driver size has nothing to do with performance over a certain threshold (say 60mm), I'd even say it makes a lot of parameters much worse.  It's more down to the structure design, stator design and diaphragm properties.   Stax are failing at all of these BTW... it's all bad.  

It seems there is very little interest in the 009D, goes to show with the stupid promotion they have running with them.  Buy a set in December, mail them a registration paper (as in by post) and they will send you a 1.5m cable.  They say it is the silver plated one so why include that and not the OFC as is stock with the phones.  Makes no sense.