Vintage HiFi Audio Forum
Audio Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: SunnyDaze on March 23, 2011, 12:03:45 AM
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Some of you know me, some of you don't. Those of you who are unfortunate enough to be in the former category know that I'm a headphone junkie, and that I've been after Tom's Stax for quite some time now. Every time I'd make him an offer, he'd counter with "Eh." or "Find me a preamp, I need a preamp." If there's a preamp in this area, Tom has had his hands on it. This Saturday, my luck changed drastically.
I jokingly said "Those headphones are going to be a graduation present, right?" Tom replied "YES!" and handed them to me. First, I don't graduate for 5 weeks. Second, I offered cash. He wasn't having it. I'm assuming Tom is acting upon the notion that some day I'll have a proper job like some of yinz, and that I'll return the generosity when I'm able. I really hope he's right.
What they are: In 1975, Stax released the SR-5 and the SRD-6 drive unit as a direct descendent of the legendary SR-1. The targeted audience consisted of educational institutions, audiophiles, and the broadcast industry. They are a 6-pin 230 volt normal bias system. The going rate in '75 was $750, and adjusted for inflation, they'd set you back $3057.39 in today's market.
I apologize for not taking before / after photos, but, they did require some serious TLC. The earpads tears and dings were repaired using super glue, toothpicks, and black shoe polish. The plastic was polished with Plastic X, and the metal was polished with Mothers. I also mink oiled the top leather cushions and used a wet rag with carpet cleaner on the cord.
Now, how do they sound? My initial impression left me both shocked and in pain. I put on my usual test material, The Yes Album, and sat down in my recliner. For a moment, I was almost certain that I was hearing Yours is no Disgrace for the very first time. Details that I never thought possible were not only present, but alive and kicking! In disbelief, I went for my 325is's. Surely enough, the Stax presented detail in a way that left me screaming for more. In fact, that first listening session went on for 5 hours. As it went on, I kept nudging up the volume knob. After a while, I realized just how loud I had made it!
The highs are crisp, effortless, and non-fatiguing. When a drumstick hits a cymbal, you hear it before you hear the "crash" itself. The mids are liquid, they just flow, holy hell are they fun. Percussion, strings, and woodwinds will melt you in the chair. One caveat, they are surely not for the "basshead." They start to roll off around 30hz on the low end, and they don't have that in your face low end punch that some modern cans provide. It's a compromise I'm more than willing to make. Every instrument in an ensemble is represented down to that 30hz mark. Sitting down with these things on is pretty intense. They immerse you. Multitasking while listening to these suckers is just not an option.
Here are a photo of them hanging up on my rack, and a photo of the driver unit.
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y192/rock412dnb/f51f8851.jpg)
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y192/rock412dnb/e6b95860.jpg)
Thanks again, Tom. I am in your debt.
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nice review. I've never gotten into cans, but if I ever do, you'll be the guy I turn to for advice.
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Eh. Scott (bmwr75) has a collection that trumps mine. I guess I might be better for advice because I'm on a students budget! ;D ;D
Thanks for the props!
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Thanks again, Tom
...Another nice gesture by Tom! Doesn't surprise me one bit. Congrats on the phones. 8)
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Great review SD. We need to do a shoot out against my vintage Audio-Technica AT-705 electrostats and new Audeze LCD-2 planar magnetics sometime.
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How do those Audeze stack up against the vintage AT's?
Some vintage cans have surprised me. Specifically the HV-1's. I was impressed to the point where I bought 3 broken sets (albeit for next to nothing) on ePay trying to find a matched set of drivers that didn't have broken or half-assed coil leads.
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No comparison, LCD-2s win hands down. The A-Ts are bass shy I think. Would be interested to hear what you think.
EDIT
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I hooked both up to the Sansui 7000 (traded Pepe/OBG out of it, refurbed by ME) vintage receiver. The LCD-2s to the HP out, the AT-705s to the speaker outs. The AT-705s have better bass than I remembered.....and sound much better than a HP of their age should sound. The LCD-2s still sound better, but not 50x better (the price differential).
By the way Pepe/OBG, I'm tickled with the Sansui.
Regards,
Scott
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Congrats on another set of great cans!!! That Tom guy sure is one of the nicest people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing!!!!!! And I am not just saying that cause I owe him, it is the gods honest truth!
Great review, very well done!
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Sunny: Congratulations on graduating - though you know in your field this is only a first step, grad school is almost a must these days for a math major. I know you a little and do not feel unfortunate at all.
Tom is a class act - kudos to him for giving you these cans. The law of abundance will take care of him - the universe will return the value of the Stax times 10 in some way.
Cheers,
Pepe
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Those are some cool cans. I bet they sound great.
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Pepe: I graduate in 5 weeks. Hold the congrats 'til then. I'm not taking ANYTHING for granted. :) I agree, Tom ain't so bad. Some day I'll be able to help him out. The question is, will I? ;D ;D
Scott: I'd love to hear those AT's. I had no idea that you owned the set. Are you free this Saturday?
Mike: I think most of us owe Tom. That must make him one hell of a guy.
Mikey: Thanks dude. They definitely do not suck! Have you ever thought about picking up a set of cans? If your system sounds as good as it looks, you probably have no interest in headphones. 8)
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Elijah, I'll be around Saturday. Come on over if the power is back on. Otherwise the background on our phones will be jet black, but the signal:ratio not so good.
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Mikey: Thanks dude. They definitely do not suck! Have you ever thought about picking up a set of cans? If your system sounds as good as it looks, you probably have no interest in headphones. 8)
I actually have a nice set of Sennheiser HD-202 headphones. They are great headphones for the price but they do not really get used to much.
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Enjoy!!!!! ;D ;D ;D ;D
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Scott - good to hear you are enjoying the 7000 - I remember you mentioned you were planning to use it as a headphone amp.
Thinking about it, headphones (it feels to me) played a much bigger role with mid-to-high end audio in the 60s and 70s, so I assume the headphone circuitry should have gotten more attention back then, so I would theorize (with no data to back it up) that older vintage receivers have better than average can outputs.
Tom probably knows for sure.
I understand that listening to music through headphones tends to be less dangerous than speakers (reduced to damaged the ears), because one tends to be able to chose lower listening volumes than speakers while still enjoying the full dynamic range of music. Maybe that is a reason to get into cans.
OBG
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Congrats SD! Tom is the best! :-* He has enhanced my audio experiences enormously!
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OBG,
Check out this thread on HeadFi about using vintage receivers/intergrateds as HP amps. If SkyLab praises a HP amp, you know its good. He stated in this thread that a Pioneer SX-1250 is a better HP amp than any standalone amp he has heard for $600 or less (what he paid for the 1250 IIRC).
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/537704/calling-all-vintage-integrated-receiver-owners (http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/537704/calling-all-vintage-integrated-receiver-owners)
Scott
Scott - good to hear you are enjoying the 7000 - I remember you mentioned you were planning to use it as a headphone amp.
Thinking about it, headphones (it feels to me) played a much bigger role with mid-to-high end audio in the 60s and 70s, so I assume the headphone circuitry should have gotten more attention back then, so I would theorize (with no data to back it up) that older vintage receivers have better than average can outputs.
Tom probably knows for sure.
I understand that listening to music through headphones tends to be less dangerous than speakers (reduced to damaged the ears), because one tends to be able to chose lower listening volumes than speakers while still enjoying the full dynamic range of music. Maybe that is a reason to get into cans.
OBG
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This is great, Scott. I always wonder what the output specs are on my Onkyo Integra M-304 preamp. I will say that it drove my 300 ohm HV-1's with less effort than a FUBAR.
Maybe there IS some hope for running 800/600's from my 304! You know I try to avoid Head-Fi, but Skylab is one of the good eggs in that basket. Thanks for the link!
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Many years ago I went into Opus One downtown with $200 and ready to spend more on great sounding headphones.
I listened to all the Sennheisers and ended up buying the $40 HD40's as they had the best balance.
I still have them on my computer and use them everyday.
Anders