After experiencing the Audeze iSINE 20 IEM, I started thinking about STAX SR-003. I heard the 001’s when they came out. Looked at reviews of the amps, and things didn’t look good. Apparently the only difference between the 002 and 003 is the cable and the 002 comes with the SRM-002 to power it. The SRM-002 looks very plastic, and operates on 2 AA cells so I’m pretty certain it won’t be overwhelming.
The SR-003 uses a standard amp, and there is the SRM-D10 DAC/AMP for $900. I contacted Birgir and he says that the D10 is worse in most ways than the SRM-002, and has very high failure/return rates - reportedly over 30%.
Birger (Spritzer) isn’t interested in building any portable e-stat amps. Says the market is tiny, which makes sense. He’s also not aware of any.
So it looks like STAX IEMs are not something I will be buying. But I thought I’d post here in case anybody knows of an alternative portable amp or DAC/AMP.
The only thing I can think of is the Shure KSE1200/1500. You could take a look into that. I believe its supposed to be very good. Though of course its all subjective.
Well that is interesting. I wonder if anybody here has heard them, and if the AMP or DAC/AMP has a Stax compatible bias voltage and if an adapter could be made.
I looked up the specs on the Shure website. Bias voltage is only 200 volts, so there is no way to adapt the amp to also work for the STAX IEM, which use the usual STAX pro bias of 580 volts. I think I’m going to pass. Searching here, a few people have heard them. @Torq seems to rate them in the middle of his top 10.
That looks interesting. Curious that the specs seem to suggest a bias voltage of ±300V
but they pair it with headphones that have a 550V bias. I wonder if it simply fails to get loud.
I have SR 009s and Voce and I’m at the point to get another. Is there a Stax that is considered bassier model? I’m use to the 1266 bass would love if one of the other Stax has something anything somewhat close.
I would ask Spritzer at Mjolnir-audio. Many say the SR-007 is a bit bassier, I don’t know. Spritzer prefers the original to the Mark II model. I’m not in a place where I have been able to hear newer STAX.
I’m quite pleased with the Nectar Hive, although I have not yet posted a review. The more it is burned in, the better the bass sounds. My first listen when brand new did not impress on bass, but now it certainly does. In fact, I had set an EQ in ROON with a +6db low bass shelf, that I later reduced to +3, and later to +1.5 and I’m not sure it’s needed. About 100 hours of burn in. Others have commented on the same. At the price, it’s worth consideration. @DEXCOM7 did a video review comparing the Hive to the SR-L700.
I’ve also read about the 007 MKii slam but not heard it, Hive sounds nice a shame they aren’t sending out any demo’s don’t quite need to spend $700 on an eStat atm not when 009 is suiting my needs
I have the SR007mk1 and it is bassier and more laid back than my 009. I have the 1266tc as well, and the 007 is not as bass impactful but is about bassy I think as it gets in Stax.
I will say this about the SR-009. It is like a laser. It will reveal everything in your music. It almost made it hard to listen to my favorite music with them, because when you thought you knew how things should sound in a track, the SR-009 would pick up things you had never heard before and serve them up almost giddy: “Hey you never noticed this detail before? Right? Well, how about this nuance in the music that your other headphones just can’t pick up on”.
I owned the SR-009 between july 2018 and july 2020. I eventually decided to go all in on dynamic headphones instead. The cost of upgrading my electrostatic rig was becoming ridiculous. I also came to the conclusion that I enjoy the ZMF house sound more. But the SR-009 are still the best headphones I have heard from a technical standpoint.
Okay after having moved into Stax I’m for sure that estats are better. I was comparing what I noticed as the biggest attribute being clarity. My planar and dynamics sound veiled in comparison.
don’t quite need to spend $700 on an eStat atm not when 009 is suiting my needs