Inspired by Amir's review of the Stax SR-009 headphones, I recently added a SR-X9000 and Mjölnir Carbon CC amp to the headphone station in my den. I haven't owned or worn a pair of electrostatic headphones since 2001 when I sold my SRS4040ii combination. My recollection of the SRS is that it sounded very good - if you sat absolutely motionless. But even the most minute shift in listening orientation would result in creaking plastic, which was exceedingly distracting.
I wanted to see how much things may have improved in Stax-land.
I used the auto eq feature at Squiglink to generate 10-band Kemar DF and Harman 2018 PEQ correction profiles, which were then transferred into rephase, to allow creation of convolution impulse files suitable for Roon and Logitech Squeezecenter. A similar procedure was used to generate convolution files for the Senn HD800s headphones (also depicted). The PEQ feature of the RME ADI-2 DAC fs was disabled, but loudness compensation was enabled.
I typically listen to classical guitar, lute, theorbo and chamber music but I also enjoy jazz and ambient.
I was delighted to discover that the X9000 - similar to the 800s - can be readily corrected to the Harmon 2018 target curve and driven to even uncomfortably-loud listening levels without any discernable audible distortion. The X9000 delivers plenty of clean bass. As to be expected with convolution correction enabled, the sonic profiles of the two headphones are similar. However, their "sound stage"/portrayal differ sufficiently that they can be readily identified.
Of course, I did not strive to perfectly-match their frequency responses. I presume that achieving such a match would require a suitable headphone test rig, much iteration and much more patience than I possess. Consequently, each pair of cans exhibit small post-correction nulls and peaks that may account for the sonic differences.
Both headphones are extremely comfortable. Importantly, due to good material selection and build quality, neither generates spurious mechanical noise whatsoever. Nor can I detect any microphonic cable pickup when shifting position in my listening chair. Both get plenty loud, but I typically listen at relatively low-levels and rely on loudness compensation.
They're huge and overpriced, but still less preposterous than my long-time favorite AKG K1000s. Overall, I like them.
I wanted to see how much things may have improved in Stax-land.
I used the auto eq feature at Squiglink to generate 10-band Kemar DF and Harman 2018 PEQ correction profiles, which were then transferred into rephase, to allow creation of convolution impulse files suitable for Roon and Logitech Squeezecenter. A similar procedure was used to generate convolution files for the Senn HD800s headphones (also depicted). The PEQ feature of the RME ADI-2 DAC fs was disabled, but loudness compensation was enabled.
I typically listen to classical guitar, lute, theorbo and chamber music but I also enjoy jazz and ambient.
I was delighted to discover that the X9000 - similar to the 800s - can be readily corrected to the Harmon 2018 target curve and driven to even uncomfortably-loud listening levels without any discernable audible distortion. The X9000 delivers plenty of clean bass. As to be expected with convolution correction enabled, the sonic profiles of the two headphones are similar. However, their "sound stage"/portrayal differ sufficiently that they can be readily identified.
Of course, I did not strive to perfectly-match their frequency responses. I presume that achieving such a match would require a suitable headphone test rig, much iteration and much more patience than I possess. Consequently, each pair of cans exhibit small post-correction nulls and peaks that may account for the sonic differences.
Both headphones are extremely comfortable. Importantly, due to good material selection and build quality, neither generates spurious mechanical noise whatsoever. Nor can I detect any microphonic cable pickup when shifting position in my listening chair. Both get plenty loud, but I typically listen at relatively low-levels and rely on loudness compensation.
They're huge and overpriced, but still less preposterous than my long-time favorite AKG K1000s. Overall, I like them.
