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Brit Picnic @ https://nativeplants.org/

I put that in my queue yesterday. Looking forward to listening.   

Had some free time so on went the 007Mk1 pads: These are the 71xxx type but fitted with new foam so not stock, not that a 20+ year old stock set would be fine now.  First impressions are okey, the sound has a tad more space around it and the top end might be a bit better but a particular frequency range has that "sheen" to it that is not natural.  I'll spend some more time with this setup  Comparison of the stock pads on the right and 007Mk1's on the left (with new foam so a bit puffier than normal).   Now the Kennerton pads vs. the stock ones.  This is with 007 mesh installed but much smaller opening area.  Thicker leather too.  Finally I wanted to try and show just how shit the stock pads are: The red line on the right hand pad, that's the edge of the foam and where the leather should start.  It's off by some 5mm or so in the middle and the same on the other side.  I'm not sure if the foam is simply rotated out of alignment or if it is cut incorrectly but the pads are sealed so no way to simply peel them open like the older pads.  Both pads are also crooked and just cheap crap.  Stax you can do so much better...          

I felt a bit hopeful after the X1 release as it was a large step up from the L300 but the first one failing like that did sour it for me bit.  Still they are nice enough for the price even if the ES-1x does the same idea much better.  Granted at twice the price but more comfortable and far better build quality.   As an update on the 007S, I've used them a lot over the last couple of days and they are not "gelling" for me at all.  On some material they are just fine but not so much on other songs.  I always have this feeling it is a superficial look into the music, it lacks the depth of the older units and the SR-Omega.  Voices have this 2D feeling to them and not 3D as they should be.  It is subtle thing but apparent after a few hours.  Detail is also simply not there that is readily apparent on a Mk1 or 007A.  Transients have an edge to them that is just annoying with some material, loud crescendos bite way too hard for no reason.  I'm still on the Kennerton pads as the stock pads still smell awful after letting them sit with air blowing over them.  I might try some refurbished 007Mk1 pads or have something custom made....