Topic: Stax: i pirati saccheggiano la nostra cosa (Read 1471 times)

Mr.Sneis · « **Reply #30 on:** May 21, 2014, 10:51:31 PM »

Admittedly I've never heard the KGSSHV but I've heard the HV can exaggerate the brightness a little bit more than the standard KGSS of certain phones - take the 009 for example. If this is specific to the HV or maybe it's down to source or rest of the chain I can't know for certain.

Prices for standard KGSS have been creeping down towards $1800 based on recent experiences - in fact I think there's one on HF listed for that much right now. This could be thanks to the popularity of the HV which seems to command a premium upwards of $3000 based on some recent listings. I know some have snagged HV's for much less but for mere mortals such as myself seems to be a challenge.

n3rdling · « **Reply #31 on:** May 21, 2014, 11:27:43 PM »

Quote from: mechgamer123 on May 21, 2014, 10:17:59 PM

Quote from: n3rdling on May 21, 2014, 03:43:41 PM
Oops, I didn't clarify...he didn't 3D print his sigma cups, he made them from chicken wire and some other stuff I think.
Hmm, okay. I'm wondering if some 3D printed cups wouldn't actually be better than the material STAX used for the sigma!

3D printed plastic is usually pretty garbage so in terms of materials I really doubt it. The advantage would be the ability to alter/improve the cups by changing the dimensions easily. Again, I think there's lots of room for improvement here.

Quote from: ultrabike on May 21, 2014, 10:29:55 PM

From what I've gathered, the main difference in the Lambdas line (besides the cable) is the pads. I think the closer the drivers are to the ears, the better the low end extension and presence based on what I heard and seen. What are the differences in pad thickness and shape between them (Lambdas)?

The shape of the pads are all the same (internal oval/external rectangle). There are differences in pad material, thickness, and some have the bottom corners puffed up a bit.

Quote from: Anaxilus on May 21, 2014, 10:49:44 PM

Quote from: n3rdling on May 21, 2014, 09:58:14 PM
the relative lack of 'stat talk on CS makes me think others quietly feel the same way.

I agree that stats will always be a niche within a niche

I think the relative lack of stats on this forum has more to do with your second point than anything else one might read into it. It all seems relatively proportional to the market share of dynamics, orthos and stats to me. Not to mention the sonic characteristics that some of us mentioned having issues with, so some went through the Stax phase and ended up leaving.

Since you brought up names, I can guarantee you won't get improved market share and product proliferation when one rabid group continues to slander competitors that aren't made by Justin or designed by fake 'Doctor' Gilmore, who apparently inspired all of Stax's amp designs, lol. It would also be refreshing for once to not see people parroting uncorrected lies, slander and hypocritical comments from some of those you mentioned who feel the need to mark their territory like dogs peeing on a tree because of petty ego problems. Don't ya think? I never said anything about Sachu and Alex so that's you bringing that up, not me. But I'm happy to leave it lay for sure.

My original point was about a DHT SET amp and that there are some very well know amp designers that have expressly stated they will never go to the trouble of making a stat amp largely because of said group and their disproportional influence over suc h a small segment of the market. IMHO, such environment does nothing to benefit the proliferation of stats if that's the concern.

I really don't think high voltage is too much of a problem. Yeah, you can't plug in a 009 to your iPhone but consider that every desktop amp in every house around the world could have been a stat amp for a stat phone if people wanted it to be. In those cases, someone choosing to put a box on their desk to listen to headphones is not worried about high voltage as an impediment. So I think it's a bit more complex than that like poor marketing, poor support, cost and other issues.

Sorry, I wasn't specific when I said 'relative' but I was referring to talk of stats here relative to HF/HC, not in terms of sales.

I only put Alex/sachu in there because they end up getting thrown in the mix eventually as well.

Speaking of DHT stat amps, I think Frank Cooter is working on a new one for the next meet IIRC. I think my fav design of his was at CJ 2010...I remember being hooked to his system driving the SR-007.

Just needing an amp already limits the market significantly though. Portability is a huge deal for headphones. I'm pretty sure this is why Oppo seemed so focused on making the PM-1 super efficient, possibly at the expense of some tradeoffs. Now you can have a swanky planar magnetic in your carry on and drive it directly from your phone.

Marvey · « **Reply #32 on:** May 22, 2014, 01:34:51 AM »

Leaving Alex and Craig out out of it...

There have been several manufacturers who have voiced concerns to me regarding the mafia defamation against "outsiders". The decision to make an electrostatic amp based on engineering difficulties is already one tough engineering hurdle. The potential STAX mafia BS they perceive they have to deal with pretty much makes the decision not to bother rather easy.

Ultimately, I don't give a sh1t because I went down the STAX road and decided it wasn't for me. Even now, I'm still more into speakers and will probably build a vintage Altec horn system next. I may go back to STAX, but honestly, I'd rather apply those funds to a Porsche Cayman, since as I age, my eyesight is turning to sh1t and reactions are slowing down. I have no plans to be like the middle aged fat slob type driving a Corvette in the left lane at 53mph. (Gawd, I hate those fuckers.)

Finally, I understand why these conversations may involve the STAX mafia as they really were the pioneers and we have to acknowledge the contributions they have made.

However I have never understood WHY THE fvck SACHU ALWAYS GETS RANDOMLY DRAGGED INTO IT. I mean WTF does Sachu have to do with STAX other than once owning an 007mk1? I mean Sachu wasn't even part of the LL debacle on HC. Yes, Sachu did get his ass bounced from HC like half a decade ago; but again, what does this have to do with STAX? I mean gawd fucking damn it.

BTW, the reasons there isn't much STAX talk here compared to HF:

Too niche, cost too much. Poeple here are not going to think about it, not going to talk about unfamiliar stuff. (People here tend to be smarter, make more rational decisions, do more research, don't reach, etc. compared to the typical HF poster.)
People here have already heard almost everything STAX (the stat universe and its permutations is seriously limited), and decided its not for them. (More experienced people, many of us know each other and have heard some TOTL stat rigs.)
Went down that road, happy at current spot with KGSS/BHSE/LL2 or whatever setup.
Similar to #2 above, but actually went down that road and decided it wasn't the right path.
Going down that road, commissioning building T2DIY or other DIY amp silently / secretly.

Finally, the STAX talk on HF is mostly a rehash of the same old crap most of us already know or just don't care about. You dont see us talking about TH900, RS-1, Abyss, HE-6 all that much anymore.

But you never know. We didn't talk about DACs much until Anathallo started the "Not a lot of DAC talk thread in here". Now that DAC thread is the largest on this site. So maybe, just maybe 'tode had something in mind when he started this thread.

Stapsy · « **Reply #33 on:** May 22, 2014, 01:50:18 AM »

I think the mafia has done damage to the commercial appeal of e-stats. If you believe the forums then the only option for high end performance is the BHSE, which means waiting 1+ years for Justin to fill your order. It certainly can't help with sales if the recommended amplifier is not easily accessible.

I agree with Marv about the 009 being the clarity king. From the 717 it was really something to behold in that regard and it still sticks with me as the ultimate reference. I couldn't get over the lack of microdynamics and soundstage though. I could be very happy with that combination in a relaxed non-critical listening way. It lacked that musical engagement or realism that I ultimately desire. I am not sure the KGSS/KGSSHV could improve on those things enough over the 717 to make it a worthwhile investment over going to the BHSE/LL/Electra.

Mr.Sneis · « **Reply #34 on:** May 22, 2014, 02:53:29 AM »

Marv -- Porsche Cayman -- deux it!!! Now to get the wife to go for a Panamera...

I like and appreciate Changstar - a lot - it provides me a healthy alternative to the other forums without fear of ridicule or circle jerk and it's great to see all the different takes and experiences on Stax gear. I've been trying to slow down/cut back some in the hobby for other things in life and it seems my recent run ins with the Stax underworld could very well be the straw that finally breaks the camel's back... we'll see. I've said similar things in the past and look where I've ended up, heh!

ultrabike · « **Reply #35 on:** May 22, 2014, 03:50:57 AM »

Quote from: marvey on May 22, 2014, 01:34:51 AM

I have no plans to be like the middle aged fat slob type driving a Corvette in the left lane at 53mph. (Gawd, I hate those fuckers.)

I know a coworker that fits the description. Walks out into the parking lot and into his orange Corvette. Checks if there's people around. If so floors the gas hard and skids around 1 or 2 secs. Then drives home old-lady style...

gurubhai · « **Reply #36 on:** May 22, 2014, 04:23:55 AM »

Quote (selected)

It all seems relatively proportional to the market share of dynamics, orthos and stats to me.

I am curious how many pirates own a stat rig and are actually using it?

Out Of Your Head · « **Reply #37 on:** May 22, 2014, 04:44:00 AM »

Great thread, especially for me since I am certainly a Stax fan. There's something about them that I just fell in love with when I first heard them.

The only "high end" headphones I had for the last 15 years was the Ety ER-4S.

Then a couple years ago, I bought a Smyth Realiser so they said I need to get Stax to go with it. Without ever hearing Stax, I bought a used pair of 407's and a 323A amp from Japan. When I finally received them, I could not believe how good they sounded bearing in mind that I had never heard any high end headphones before.

But somehow, even after listening to many more headphones since then, I always seem to come back to the SR-009's. I just love the Stax sound, good or bad. I own HD800's, ESP-950's, Noble K10, N6 and soon Enigma's and Paradox Slants. I have also spent a lot of time with the LCD-3's and LCD-X's. But I find myself comparing everything to the 009's as my reference. Only now am I realizing that the SR-009's are not without problems, but I still like them the best.

With regard to other amps, hopefully the Vostok Sound electrostatic amps will find a few buyers once the final version is available. Based on all the "Stax Mafia" comments, maybe it's foolish to try to build, market, and sell a new electrostatic amp. We'll see what happens. But realizing that building an electrostatic amp is a very niche product, I strongly suggested to them that they include a high end dynamic headphone amp too. At least this way they may stand a chance of surviving. I guess "the proof is in the pudding" hoping that the Vostok Sound products are any good. I think they are, but I'll leave that up to the experts here.

Anaxilus · « **Reply #38 on:** May 22, 2014, 06:57:51 AM »

Quote from: Stapsy on May 22, 2014, 01:50:18 AM

I agree with Marv about the 009 being the clarity king. From the 717 it was really something to behold in that regard and it still sticks with me as the ultimate reference. I couldn't get over the lack of microdynamics and soundstage though. I could be very happy with that combination in a relaxed non-critical listening way. It lacked that musical engagement or realism that I ultimately desire. I am not sure the KGSS/KGSSHV could improve on those things enough over the 717 to make it a worthwhile investment over going to the BHSE/LL/Electra.

Lol, I had actually entertained the idea of a synergized 009 rig for backup non critical listening. But seeing how little time my HE5, HP1, ESP950, SRXs and SA5000 get, probably not the wisest decision to make. Maybe someday unless Sennheiser or Fang do something special.

I'm sure there will be more Stax/Stat talk here once their new flagship amp comes out and/or other phones too. Supposedly the latest Kingsound iteration is possibly decent sounding. I'll find out next Friday.

I know ship is a big 009 fan but he may have had to abandon it while working on the road. I think Tari still has/likes the 007 but uses the HP1 the most. Romy might have a couple dozen Stax buried in a closet somewhere?

n3rdling · « **Reply #39 on:** May 22, 2014, 07:54:58 AM »

I got the new KS at the last meet but it's been in my trunk ever since haha. I heard they sound a little better than the first version.

Author Topic: Stax: i pirati saccheggiano la nostra cosa (Read 1471 times)

Mr.Sneis

Re: Stax: i pirati saccheggiano la nostra cosa

n3rdling

Re: Stax: i pirati saccheggiano la nostra cosa

Marvey

Re: Stax: i pirati saccheggiano la nostra cosa

Stapsy

Re: Stax: i pirati saccheggiano la nostra cosa

Mr.Sneis

Re: Stax: i pirati saccheggiano la nostra cosa

ultrabike

Re: Stax: i pirati saccheggiano la nostra cosa

gurubhai

Re: Stax: i pirati saccheggiano la nostra cosa

Out Of Your Head

Re: Stax: i pirati saccheggiano la nostra cosa

Anaxilus

Re: Stax: i pirati saccheggiano la nostra cosa

n3rdling

Re: Stax: i pirati saccheggiano la nostra cosa

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Author Topic: Stax: i pirati saccheggiano la nostra cosa (Read 1471 times)