Even if you keep two there will always be one that is played less than the other. There is always a favorite except for the outlier audio file that needs the ‘something’ that can only be added by the less used headphone.
I really enjoy my 009s and am wondering whether or not Stax will stay with that sound or deviate towards the warm side which I would never adhere to.
Looking forward to your audio observations…
Sure.
But then if I only keep two electrostatics, I will still have ten other sets of flagship headphones, so that’s going to be a factor for a good while yet.
I will be very surprised if the SR-X9000 doesn’t bring the sub/bass level up some vs. the SR-009S. Absent tuning tricks to avoid that, which I don’t think would be generally well received (the biggest and most consistent complaint I hear about the SR-009S is that it could use a bit more low-end oomph), simple physics means that the larger driver should result in more low-end energy.
I have yet to experience a lack of bass - not that it is the equal to my HE-6 but certainly sufficient. The appeal, to me, of the 009s is the extreme neutral character especially in the 200-500hz range. A well recorded piano can become very annoying if a headphone has peaks in that range. I would assume that Stax will carry over that neutrality with the X9000. It’s the treble range that I am concerned about. Time will tell.
I think a lot of the “lacks bass” is dependant on what you listen to, how loud you listen, and what amps you are using.
TBH the first time I heard stax my impression (009 on BHSE) was just “lifeless” but I gave 009S an extended demo yesterday (on BHSE & WES) and my music choice (Neo-Soul and alt were my main two yesterday) combined with listening level (I usually listen sub 70 dB) and the bass impact was honestly perfectly fine on BHSE (though on WES it was fairly lacking tbh).
Audeze CRBN - Page 2 - Headphones - www.Head-Case.org Interesting teardown from spritzer. Hopefully folks do start getting their units in this week.
The saga continues. Got an email from Audeze and 2 voice messages from the same guy at Audeze leaving his number. Said that QC discovered a problem with the yoke on Monday and has held up some or all of the first delivery to get this fixed which he said would be done by tomorrow with shipment Thursday. And so it goes. Makes me wonder if the supply chain issues are hitting them hard but at least they have been very attentive to me. Which baffles me no end.
A poster on Head Fi said that he had received his LCD-5, which, if true, is way faster than the October estimate. I hope this means the people who have been waiting for their CRBNs get shipping notifications soon 
Of course, I realize they are different headphones etc…but you never know. Hope springs eternal and whatnot.
I do not believe that unit is a retail purchased unit. No units have gone out to vendors and Audeze hasn’t started shipping orders from their website yet or the Head-Fi thread would have been littered with people talking about receiving their tracking (along with those who did not).
Just wanted to throw that out there before the storm of ETA questions arise.
Thanks for clarifying, thats what I figured it must be. Must be a special case/review unit sort of thing, or just untrue.
Bizarre.
The “yoke issue” is supposedly what pushed the delivery from about 4 weeks to the current 6-8. It resulted in “spritzer” getting an early unit (with the issue), and then a second one shortly after with it corrected. He got his “correct” set around 9/10 (so nearly two weeks ago). So that should be a thing of the past … unless they had to wait for more “fixed” yokes.
Anyway, since Audeze certainly aren’t proactively notifying me of anything, I gave them a follow-up call last night just to see what was what.
I was told “hopefully next week” for shipping, which is not the story I was told last week. I was also told that Audeze sales are informing new customers that the order time will be 6-8 weeks (web site still says 4+).
And I am apparently the first direct order that was placed, with orders supposed to ship in the order received.
This sort of thing is precisely why I almost never do pre-orders. The only reason I did here is due to the “built-to-order” nature of the CRBN … there’s no option to “buy from stock”. And it is one of two reasons that I’ll be waiting to place my LCD-5 order until they’re available from stock (or at least shipping regularly).
…
If I had realized that headphones.com were going to carry the CRBN, I would have ordered via them rather than direct from Audeze (though that would have put my order back by a day and pushed me further down the queue). That’s certainly where I will be getting my LCD-5* if/when the time comes.
Having built to order on top of pre-order is a rough. Glad you’re holding in there and sure it will be worth it.
I was browsing the headphones.com specials this past weekend and was surprised to see open box discounts for Susvara and Stealth and was very tempted. When the pricing was announced for the LCD5 and the specs, I went for a blind buy and went with here because of the crazy return policy even though I hope to not ever have to use it. Why not? I like what they’re doing to help the community and wanted to support the site, even if it meant waiting a bit longer not going direct. But, it’s to be expected.
I hope not much longer for you and looking forward to your comparisons.
Unfortunately if you were to order the CRBN from us the 8 week lead time would be extremely, extremely optimistic at best. We’re also shipping our CRBN on a first come first serve basis but we would have to receive them first.
Well my Carbon just arrived after being “misplaced” by UPS on Friday. WIll post pictures once I get a chance hopefully tonight. @Torq the rep told me they had shipped first batch and if you don’t have yours it should be in the next few days. Hope you get it soon given all the prep you did for listening analysis.
I don’t have mine.
Nor has it been shipped.
Which is rather odd, given that last week Audeze told me I was the first order in the system and they were shipping in order. They also said they weren’t going to be shipping until this week, which is at odds with what at least one rep was telling people at CanJam.
So, something is up somewhere …
So sorry. Oddly these were sent expedited overnight on Thursday. MIsplaced by UPS (UPS acknowledged) and showed up about an hour ago. Audeze told me on the phone on Wednesday this was the first shipment. Boy that got more stories than Sheharazaad.
Pictures of newly arrived Audeze Carbon attached to prove their deliver is not purely mythical. Sorry for the fact that I may be the worst photo taker in the world.
Maybe you should take this to private message? Just posting this is painful for Torq at this point.
Heh I was thinking the same (in jest)
Good to know the unicorn exists though, hope you enjoy and let us know some impressions if you’re up to it (:
Not my intention. Just wanted to let people know the shipping has started even if it very slow. Nothing but respect for Torq and I view him as a master of the art while I am not even an apprentice. Sorry if I overstepped. It was inadvertent.
@JTAustin You posted some pictures of your new headphones in a headphone forum. This is encouraged, not frowned upon.
I hope you post your impressions as soon as you can.
