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In Reply to: RE: Can someone sketch out a nice Stax system... posted by SE on August 05, 2021 at 05:46:04
This is a tough ask with that budget and audiophile standards.
I would first of all establish exactly which Stax earspeakers you would be happy with. IMO there is a lot of difference between the lower priced Lambda range (SR-Lx) and the more costly SR-00x range - which is where much of Stax' reputation lies. The same consideration applies to their amps ( I am ruling out specialist electrostatic headphone amps from companies like Woo Audio as being too costly).
So I would start by listening to some Stax headphones and amps and then deciding where your budget needs to be. Yes you could simply buy the cheapest that they make but is that really what you want?
The other difficulty with your specification is that it effectively requires a streaming DAC with onboard storage. Most Streaming DACs require external storage and most streamers with storage (e.g. Melco, Innuos) require an external DAC. I can think of few that do it all. You would want something like an Aurender A100 but that alone will set you back $4K.
"We need less, but better" - Dieter Rams
Follow Ups:
That is helping me to clarify what can actually work, and what I actually WANT. The Aurender A100 does look to be exactly what I want. For now, however, I will keep that idea on the side and work specifically with the Stax setup (headphones + amp) while limiting my source to ONLY my CD player (Bryston BCD-1). So, the $5K will be for headphone + amp only.
Thank you for your kind remark.With that budget for the Stax items only you can head towards the top of the range with, say, the new SR007Mk2 tube amp and the SRM 700T earspeakers.
I suggest tubes rather than one of the SS amps as IMO (and I believe of the majority with relevant experience) there is a special magic between tubes and 'stats. The new amps are also , I understand, quite an upgrade from their predecessors.
That just about gives you enough to go for the second from top pair of 'phones, the SR007 Mk2.
Altogether that should come to around $5.5K. I am assuming that you already have suitable interconnects but if not look at Audio Envy from Colorado. I have replaced virtually all cables in my rather large system with them even though I needed to self import them from the US to the UK. Unique and amazing cables at realistic prices.
"We need less, but better" - Dieter Rams
Edits: 08/06/21
The package saves some $$$.
No I am afraid that it isn't. You will see from Elusive Disc's page that they are referring to "New for 2008". Well we are somewhere later then that now (or so I am told).
The amp on the ED offer is the SRM-007T II which is now discontinued and is the old design. The current one is called the SRM-700T and is more expensive. I apologise as I seem to have got my 007 and 700 mixed up in my earlier post. I meant 700T which is why the price I estimated was round about correct.
Just out of interest the earlier SR-007T II was widely sold over here with what was termed the "Kimik" modification which featured NOS tubes and maybe more. Like ED several dealers over here still seem to have NOS stock of that headphone/amp pairing with the flight case.
As I mentioned the new amps are reckoned to be better so I wouldn't necessarily advise buying NOS unless the saving was the prime driver.
"We need less, but better" - Dieter Rams
Fortunately, the pre-amp in my open-air system uses 6SN7's, and I already have some good quality NOS that can be used in the SRM-700T. In the U.S., I'll need a 120V version (everything I look at online shows 220V).
I'll have to audition everything and determine a dealer for all of this here in the U.S.
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