Please find the excuses for me not to buy Stax 009S headphone

Wow ESS 422H appears to be good value.

https://headfonics.com/2018/08/ess-422h-headphones-review/

The problem is that I wish to get the end game product and be done with looking around it.

I sincerely want to have a break from hardware swapping binge and enjoy the music.

Bass Texture - Other than being a little less hefty than I'd like (just a little), the extension was very, very good, and the texture was simply breathtaking. Felt like I heard the spit on the lips of the tuba player. Spectacularly clear.

Bass Slam - Holy moly! These hit amazingly hard. Yes, the lowest two octaves are a bit shelved down, but my goodness they rock!

Midrange - Hey! How did these people get into my house! The realism with the SR-009 is incredible! (Hang on a sec, I've got to write a sentence without and exclamation point.) The seamless coherence between mids and highs deliver a stunningly realistic presentation I've simply not heard a voice so convincingly real on headphones before. Stunning! Simply stunning!

Treble - Damn! I'm running out of superlatives. I'm super sensitive to trouble in the treble, and I'm floored by being able to hear a strong sense of speed and treble energy without it sounding strident in the least. The sense of coherent high frequency sound is extraordinary; everything is more than natural and organic, it's simply sounds like you're there. Wow again!

Dynamics - Come on! When are these cans going to show a weakness? On the other headphones the Flamenco guitar strums are punchy, but here it's as if you can hear each string of the strum individually hit, and then add their voices together with a musicality of impact I've heard on no other can.

Imaging - Finally! (Still using exclamation marks, though.) The 009 is bested handily with regard to imaging by the HD 800. However, these are no slouch, and great depth and width are realized; separation and depth are very good. Without the HD 800 within arms reach for comparison, I would find these a spectacularly immersive listening experience.

Read more at https://www.innerfidelity.com/content/comparing-world-class-headphones-stax-sr-009#wWQHmp0tmTOc0gyQ....


I had got a fever after reading above article.

I pulled the trigger. It will be my end game headphone.

But I expect to receive it only after July 8th.

 
Carbon Amp Spec.

Notes about the build in no particular order: 450V supply, 20mA output current, TKD 4CP-601 volume pot, no servo, F&T 680uF PSU capacitors, german & japanese capacitors used throughout, XLR input & loopout, two pro bias stax outputs, same chassis as the DIYT2, dual primary toroid, heat blued steel knob. Weight is approx. 25lbs, LWH is about 16.5"x15.5"x4.5" (including the height of the caps).




 

I feel the need for headphone during summertime.

With headphone, I could play music with windows open during daytime.

Here in Pacific NW, If I open the window, I do not need air conditioning even during daytime.

But I do not floor whole village with loud sound of my 2 channel system.



Also I can enjoy music with headphone while my wife is sleeping.

Thus I may split 60/40 between main 2 channel system and headphone.

I am getting old and deserve nice sound out of Stax 009S if I can afford.


Although Massdrop Zeus Iem is excellent, it has some limitation of transparency compared with my 2 channel system.

I hope Stax 009S will match the transparency of my main system.

@ don_c55  

Thanks a lot for your kind word.

I have a lot of expectation about if after going through thread.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/stax-sr-009s-new-flagship-electrostatic-earspeakers-released-with-impressions.877870/page-25

But I have to wait until July 9th for delivery.

I will give my impression of it.

Let me clarify why I had pulled the trigger for Stax 009S.

I had marveled at the clarity of electrostatic speaker since 1989.

After listening to Martin Logan CLS, I had almost pulled the trigger, but the balance skewed to bright treble stopped me.

Stax 009 also got reputation of being bright.

But Stax 009S coupled with Carbon amplifier had got reputation of neutrality, transparency and bass slam.

Thus instead of buying electrostatic speakers, I had opted for electrostatic headphone.

I expect to receive them after July 9th.

After listening to it for 12 hours, I will leave brief impression.

@ mulveling 

 I had read your excellent posts in Head Fi.

It helped me to trigger Stax009S and Carbon amp.

After I receive them, I will leave impression here.

I am getting 2 month used one.

Thus it must had been burn in.

Usually amp take 200 hours of burn in.

Stax 009S take less than 100 hour’s burn in since it had been already burnt in in factory.

I had been happy with my dynamic speaker Lansche 4.1 since 2007.

But I wish to try electrostatic one.

Stax 009S will not be played so loud as to hurt my hearing.

As former Apogee user, I am also attracted to  Raal Requisite SR1a ribbon headphone.

https://www.superbestaudiofriends.org/index.php?threads/raal-requisite-sr-1a.7283/page-4

I guess that Rall SR1a has tighter bass than Stax 009S.

But I am not sure whether SR1a has refined mid range as latter.

I have not got Stax yet.

Probably I will give Stax and Carbon amp more than one month to tune the sound using different power cable and interconnect.

After fully tuning 009S, I will order SR1a to compare with 009S.

Since I have excellent 2 channel system with powerful bass up to 20hz, refined midrange out of headphone is more important to me.

In the meantime I would like to collect information how to get the best sound of Stax 009S and Rall SR1a .

If I find Rall not to have as refined midrange as Stax, then I may return it in within 14 day's of grace period.

Empire Zeus IEM(earphone) sound pretty nice overall with nice dynamics and details.

Out of curiosity I pulled the trigger for Stax009s and Carbon amp last Saturday.

But the statement below got me a little bit upset.

Shall I have had tried Rall Sr1a instead of Stax on 14 days return guarantee?

I have to wait until July 9th to find out how Stax009s and Carbon amp will sound with Dave and Mscaler.



MrCypruz
1
2d

I got the SR1a on Friday along with the Vidar and the Performer s800 but did not have a lot of time to do a proper evaluation other than quickly running through @Torq‘s suggested songs. In a nutshell, the SR1a provide the very best sound that I’ve heard to date coming from headphones, period.

The bass response is the most detailed and well textured I’ve ever heard to date. None of the HPs that I own (009S, Utopia & Empyrean) can match its speed, attack, decay. As @Torq stated, the SR1a takes no prisoners, it reveals everything upstream as it is with unparalleled realism and accuracy without any coloration. Neutrality is one of its main personality traits, I guess that’s why it’s very highly regarded in the professional realm for music production.

In less than 2hrs of listening time, the SR1a made me reach a state of audio nirvana for the very first time, therefore I don’t want to go back to anything less than this. I’ll spare my other 3 headphones because I like the looks, comfort and still enjoy their capabilities.
I’m officially done with headphones for now…until the release of the SR2a!!!

https://forum.headphones.com/t/raal...ld-monitor-headphone-official-thread/3220/265


https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipMtNSB4H5MbCvLRW_yUOEOl3WRBxcf--Jdo_iBJFwEeTH1i-rg4WsWWn5tp03-W1Q/photo/AF1QipO_LtxteP3OFSd1YopAtfSuuDWFPWgEEsTI_Ubh?key=VjN1SHRiUWYxUGd0dk5qWTVQOEJNNXdMaEZ0RGZB

@ richopp

Hi Richard

I agree with your opinion that it is not easy to listen to headphone or earphone for long time.

Out of curiosity I had pulled trigger for Stax 009S but I do not want to go into rabbit hole.

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/sennheiser-he-1.21120/reviews

Oh my god, this headphone and amplifier combination cost 70K$.

I have to stop pretty soon.

Thomas

Thanks Richard for your kind word.

After trying out Rall Sr1a, if I like it I may keep it in addition to Stax 009S.

But that is going to be the end of it.

I will not go into  Sennheiser He 1.

I also had been happy with Lansche 4.1 with plasma tweeter since 2007.

It will be speaker for my life.

Headphone is kind of side attraction and I will not spend too much money on it.

@ mulveling

Thanks for sharing your opinion on this.

Although I am also interested in Rall Sr1a, I will not be in a rush.

I will give enough time to tune Stax 009S and Carbon amplifier using different combination of Power cables and interconnects.

I had got delivery of Stax 009S and

KGSSHV Carbon made by loligagger.

I am using Jays Audio CDT2 MK2 to connect to Lyngdorf 2170 for digital equalization and then to Mscaler and Dave.

I am using Sablon Panatella BNC digital cables between Mscaler and Dave and Zenwave D4 from transport to Lyngdorf and Silnote Morpheus II from Lyngdorf to Mscaler.

From Dave to Carbon, I use Analysis Plus XLR cable.

After just 5 minute warmup, it sound dynamic with nuanced treble.

With orchestral music by Heitor Villa Lobos, I had tried soft eq set which lowers 1 db around 7khz and 2db around 15khz.

With Eva Cassidy's "Autumn Leaves", I use neutral setting(no eq) to get her full voice upwards.

It does not sound bright or closed in either.

It is perfect.

I had also tried "Time Warp" by Telarc.

With excellent dynamics and wide soundstage, it sounds surreal.

I am really happy to get this combination.

From other people's review, I had also considered Raal Sr1a.

But with this speed and full bloom out of Stax009s, I do not need to look around.

I will just enjoy music

@mulveling 

Thanks a lot for your kind word.

I also wish you to get better source in the future.

I had decided to have two years of break from changing major audio equipment.

If I pay too much attention to the sound, it is hard to enjoy music.

The sound out of Stax and Carbon amp is much better than my expectation with clarity and nuanced details.

The only missing thing is the bottom bass out of organ.

But I can live without it.

After playing Stax009S and Carbon amp for 6 hours with various music genre, I am convinced that I can live with it until it stop working.

It sounds musical with clarity, nuanced details and decent dynamics.

I am listening to "As time goes by" sung by "Julie London".

Her voice sounds so natural and snappy that I would like to toss the drink to her.

I do not want to be greedy.

This is going to be my endgame on headphone.

Hi Geoff

Congratulation.

Your patience pay off.

Impression after spending 30 hours on tax 009S and KGSSHV Carbon made by loligagger.


I am using Jays Audio CDT2 MK2 to connect to Lyngdorf 2170 for digital equalization and then to Mscaler and Dave.


I am using Sablon Panatella BNC digital cables between Mscaler and Dave and Zenwave D4 from transport to Lyngdorf and Silnote Morpheus II from Lyngdorf to Mscaler.


From Dave to Carbon, I use Analysis Plus XLR cable.


After 20 hours of use and I had Stax009S and Carbon amp compared with my 2 channel system Lansche 4.1(plasma tweeter) driven by Line Magnetic 508 SET (Amperex 6SL7, 1944 Sylvania vt231 Nos tubes, Psavne Acme 805 and 300B tubes).


My 2 channel system go deeper to 20Hz with better dynamics and deeper soundstage.
Also my 2 channel system presents slightly more transparency and details.

Stax and Carbon sounds more intimate but with more realistic focus while the soundstage width are comparable.

With no eq, Stax and Carbon sounds very dynamic and no weakness of bass except sub 30Hz bass of organ.
It has a round texture with nuanced details neither hot or bright.
It is very musical and enjoyable.


I had done some experiment on equalization with Lyngdorf 2170.
With gradual eq of 2db up at 7khz and 3 db at 15khz, Stax and Carbon sounds more open and transparent.

I had paid 60K$ for my speaker and SET amplifier including the cost of tube rolling.

Stax009S and Carbon costs me 6500$ used ( Stax009S were 4 months old and Carbon amp is less than one month old, they looks like new one 9-10 condition).


I prefer my 2 channel system to Stax009S and Carbon on overall dynamics and more 3 D holographic soundstage.

But Stax009S and Carbon sounds so musical and nuanced with decent dynamics that I can enjoy music with windows open during summer time not to disturb my neighbors.

If I had got KGSSHV Carbon Ground Grid amplifier, there would be more room to tune the sound through tube rolling, but I am happy as is.
I expect to spend 60/40 time  between my 2 channel and headphone system.

Thus after equalization using Lyngdorf 2170, Stax009S and KGSSHV Carbon headphone system perfectly fit my needs.
Thomas

Although I had enjoyed the sound from Stax 009S and Carbon amplifier with Dave and Mscaler for five days,

it is much better to use Empire Zeus IEM during hot summer days.

I am listening to "Come Away with me" by Norah Jones.

It reached 80 degree today in Pacific Northwest, maybe not so bad compared with other parts of US.

Stax 009S driven by Carbon amp sounds neutral with more deeper bass than Empire Zeus IEM.

But Empire Zeus IEM sounds lively going well with Pop music.

I used to use Analysis Plus power cables on Carbon headphone amp.

Also Analysis Plus XLR cable between Dave and Carbon amp.

I had been happy with balanced sound with good bass and dynamics.

The only thing missing was some air, although it did not sound closed in but too polite to my taste.

On Friday, I had replaced Analysis Plus power cables with Synergistic Blue and then the it sound slightly more detailed and nuanced with tighter bass.

Then I replaced Analysis Plus XLR cable with Synergistic Foundation cable.

Now it sounds faster with more air.

Although it sounds pretty good with Analysis Plus cables, I am happy with the improvement brought by Synergistic cables.

I think Dave and Mscaler, Carbon amp, Stax 009S is really end game combination. 

I do not want more out of headphone.