Hi, my name is bigcrunch. I'm an addict.
This is my first post, but I've been a lurker on these forums for some time. I was hoping the fine folks on here could give me some advice. I have to apologize upfront for the long-winded introduction, but I feel that some background is needed to give context to my question.
I began my HiFi journey back when I was in college some ~12 years ago with a pair of Grado SR-125s. I don't much care for the Grado sound anymore, but at the time, they were the shit. I carried them around with me everywhere I went and spent hours upon hours lying in bed, listening to low-quality mp3s that I may or may not have obtained legally.
Then along came upgraditis, and I traded my Grados for some Denon AH-D2000s, which I thought were grand. Surely, headphones couldn't get any better than this! I listened to them for maybe a couple of months before I bought a pair of Beyerdynamic DT-880s (back when they were considered high-end).
It was a long time before I felt the overwhelming allure of a new pair of headphones again. The Beyers were just what the doctor ordered. They had all the detail resolution and sound stage I could possibly want, and the ideal sound signature (for me) to boot. I loved those damn things. Oh sure, I flirted with an AKG-K701 at one point, and some Audio-Technicas at another, and I bought more amps, DACs, and misc junk than you can shake an audiophile-grade cable at, but I always came back to my beloved Beyers. Until I didn't.
A few years back I met my new love affair - the HiFiMAN Sundara - and ended my relationship with the Beyers. The Sundaras reminded me of my treasured Beyers, but better in every way - cleaner, clearer, more dynamic. More comfortable. More everything. Especially with Harman target equalization, these things are sublime. Indulgent, even. I don't find them lacking in any way, and I enjoy listening to everything from Gil Shaham to Explosions in the Sky to Tool through them immensely.
But I still feel an itch that I can't quite seem to scratch. The Sundaras are good - very good, even - but surely they are not the best. There must be something better out there. And there is one headphone that draws me in particular - the Stax SR-009S.
So, my question to you folks on ASR is, do you think this would be a justifiable and worthwhile upgrade? I have the money to spring for them, but it would be a significant purchase for me, and as you can no doubt see, I have a habit of spending money on stupid things. I would love to listen to them in person, but there are no stores in my area that carry them. Does anyone out there have first-hand experience with both the SR-009S and the Sundaras? If so, what are your thoughts on the differences between them?
Any advice, impressions, measurements, or admonitions would be greatly appreciated.
This is my first post, but I've been a lurker on these forums for some time. I was hoping the fine folks on here could give me some advice. I have to apologize upfront for the long-winded introduction, but I feel that some background is needed to give context to my question.
I began my HiFi journey back when I was in college some ~12 years ago with a pair of Grado SR-125s. I don't much care for the Grado sound anymore, but at the time, they were the shit. I carried them around with me everywhere I went and spent hours upon hours lying in bed, listening to low-quality mp3s that I may or may not have obtained legally.
Then along came upgraditis, and I traded my Grados for some Denon AH-D2000s, which I thought were grand. Surely, headphones couldn't get any better than this! I listened to them for maybe a couple of months before I bought a pair of Beyerdynamic DT-880s (back when they were considered high-end).
It was a long time before I felt the overwhelming allure of a new pair of headphones again. The Beyers were just what the doctor ordered. They had all the detail resolution and sound stage I could possibly want, and the ideal sound signature (for me) to boot. I loved those damn things. Oh sure, I flirted with an AKG-K701 at one point, and some Audio-Technicas at another, and I bought more amps, DACs, and misc junk than you can shake an audiophile-grade cable at, but I always came back to my beloved Beyers. Until I didn't.
A few years back I met my new love affair - the HiFiMAN Sundara - and ended my relationship with the Beyers. The Sundaras reminded me of my treasured Beyers, but better in every way - cleaner, clearer, more dynamic. More comfortable. More everything. Especially with Harman target equalization, these things are sublime. Indulgent, even. I don't find them lacking in any way, and I enjoy listening to everything from Gil Shaham to Explosions in the Sky to Tool through them immensely.
But I still feel an itch that I can't quite seem to scratch. The Sundaras are good - very good, even - but surely they are not the best. There must be something better out there. And there is one headphone that draws me in particular - the Stax SR-009S.
So, my question to you folks on ASR is, do you think this would be a justifiable and worthwhile upgrade? I have the money to spring for them, but it would be a significant purchase for me, and as you can no doubt see, I have a habit of spending money on stupid things. I would love to listen to them in person, but there are no stores in my area that carry them. Does anyone out there have first-hand experience with both the SR-009S and the Sundaras? If so, what are your thoughts on the differences between them?
Any advice, impressions, measurements, or admonitions would be greatly appreciated.