This time, both Erlend and Chris review the same headphone. At least almost the same. Both SR-L700’s are mk1, which only differs from the mk2 with a different headband assembly (that has aluminium yokes on mk2) and the lack of a detachable cable.
From Stax’ website: “The MK2 models have adopted the cable-exchangeable structure as well as the case holder made from aluminum aiming at user-friendliness and wearing comfort when listening to music.”
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Sonically, the mk1 and mk2 are the same. However, Erlend’s SR-L700 is totally stock, while Chris has been lent a pair with the so called Blu Tac mod installed.
As you will find out, we are not totally in line with regards to the SR-L700. It might be as simple as the fact that we have reviewed an respectively an unmodded and a modded headphone. Thus, we have practically made two separate reviews and put them together. We agreed to disagree on this one.
PART 1 | ERLEND
SR-L700 STOCK
Another lambda review! They all look the same, but sound very different. The L700 is Stax newest Lambda. Stax always use the term “ear speaker” to describe their creations. I use the term headphones, because that’s what they are. I think that Stax’ “right” to make their own terms ended when the amount of competition on the market became significant. Electrostatic headphones are not a “one company show” anymore. Back in the day, even the cheapest set of Stax with a mediocre amp sounded better that almost everything else to us headphoneers. They were (and certainly still are) that good! The rest of the electrostat niche market is still for the most part figuring out how to catch up with Stax. Lately, however, there has been development of electrostatic headphones that rivals and even sonically surpass a lot of what is coming out of the small factory in Japan. Im a Stax – fan and the brand, culture and way of doing things will always hold a special place in my heart. I hope the new owner, Edifier, will continue the journey in the spirit of Stax. It’s a cool feeling to know that the headphone on my head is put together by four men on the assembly at Stax HQ in Japan. It’s worth the wait when i know that Stax is a small company that do their thing like they have always done. However, when I first saw the wireless Stax by Edifier that had drivers made by Audeze, I felt that Edifier misused the Stax – brand name. This brand has been making some of the best headphones in the world since 1960. It makes me sad, and we hope it’s not a new trend.
Build Quality
The SR-L700 has been updated to a MKII version, which features two changes, namely improvements in the build quality of the headband assembly and a new detachable cable. The most important part, the sound is unchanged from the original.
The main difference is that the original feels like a cheap toy from a happy meal at MacDonald’s. It’s made almost exclusively of plastic that squeals when I turn my head. The headband is the worst part. I don’t know how Stax thought that they could get away with such mediocre build quality on the mk1 .I’m surprised that my set has survived as long as it has. I have been looking at the new MKII assembly which will cost about 220 bucks. The new upgraded MKII assembly is partly aluminium and should last for many years to come. However, there is a nuisance; if I could change one thing about the SR-009, it would be the plastic click-stop size adjustment. It’s the first thing that broke on the SR-009. Unfortunately, Stax chose fit the whole lambda – lineup whit the same fragile mechanism. It’s disappointing that Stax’ can’t make better headbands. That being said, I’m not afraid of the drivers failing, because Stax – drivers never do that.
Stax has always made premium sounding electrostatic headphones. Some of the best, maybe the very best headphones, in the world. They bare hefty price tags, so they shouldn’t need to cheap out on quality. The MKII has fixed most of the issues, besides the click-lock arrangement, so I wouldn’t be afraid of buying that. If you get a MKI for cheap and change the assembly you will be good too. The original will probably break at some point in time, I am afraid.
The drivers of the L700 are based on their old flagship SR-009. Stax calls this diaphragm MLER (multilayer electrodes). The goal was to create a lighter and stronger diaphragm with a more powerful electrode array. The cable is made of 6N (9,999999%) copper and is almost heavier than the actual headphones.
So, is the SR-L700 a rectangular and ugly SR-009? Let’s find out.
Sound
The first thing I see when I read reviews of the SR-L700 is that the bass is somewhat lacking. With my Stax energisers, the SRM-007TII and even the SRM727MKII, they L700 feels a bit dull. It lacks dynamics and presence. The bass is not engaging and the deepest notes are almost gone. To put it bluntly, it has somewhat of a fat and sluggish sound signature with the focus in the mid-bass. The treble is very well-tuned but it lacks the lifelike dynamics of the snare drums and the trumpets are not organic either. I have mentioned the importance of strong amplifiers for electrostatic headphones many times before. The Mjølnir Audio KGSSHV breaths life into the SR-L700 like pure magic. The imaging becomes focused and the bass becomes more nuanced. Still, there is not slam and texture like the Nectar HiveX can produce. Still it’s a pretty impressive upgrade due to the amplifier! The upper mid-base colouration is still there, but not as pronounced. It’s still pretty fat sounding. The tuning is not even in the same ballpark as I remember SR-009. To me, especially with regards to build quality, they are two very different types. The SR-009 feels like the refined Nissan GTR where five craftsmen are working on the engine, deep within the Yokohama clean room. The SR-L700 on the other hand looks like it is made by a Chinese toy company, luckily sounding a lot better than it is built, I must add.
Comparing headphones
Metallica – Unforgiven
STAX SR-L700
I started off my listening session with the Metallica song – Unforgiven. It can be bright as hell and difficult to sound right. It sounds like Lars Ulrich is banging on the drums with a sledgehammer. I want the dynamics of the drums without having my ears burnt to ashes. The L700 is doing a great job. The sound of the snares is bright and natural. The power of the drums hits about right in my ears. But everything else is falling a little back in the mix. The bass guitar is not as forward and the voice of James Hetfield is drowning a bit. Im just sitting here thinking about how hard the compression on the toms and snare drums are. The bass drum is further back with everything else. The L-700 is like the drums are on 12 and the rest of the band are down to 9. It just doesn’t make sense.
SR-L500
It’s bright on the snare, with more even and natural presentation. The vocals are better and not pulled back in the mix. Like it’s bigger brother it actually lacks in real dynamics, it’s just overly bright on this song. But I clearly hear the bass guitar and the rest of the band gets more attention. For the price I would take the SR-L500 every time.
STAX SR-507
The first thing I noticed on the SR-507 was that it tied everything more together. The bass guitar and the bass drum suddenly got body and the snare drum went further back with the others. It’s a more balanced experience. When you see a live band rehearse a bit before everybody plays together and suddenly creates this magic harmony. It doesn’t have the biggest stage, but everything blends in right. This song actually have a bass guitar and the vocal is actually not standing far away from the mike. The proportions is right as they intended it to be.
NECTAR SOUND – THE HIVE X
The stage is better than the previous headphones. Again the treble stands out like a sore thumb, being brighter then I enjoy. But this headphone keeps up on the low notes as well. Every instrument is placed where it should be as the imaging destroys the other two. Every time I put on this headphone I get baffled on how good it is!
Conclusion
Metallica – The Unforgiven is unforgivingly hard to get right in my ears. Even if the HiveX did put up a good fight, the winner is my precious SR-507. that seems to get everything right on this song. SR-L700 was all drama and a lot of brightness. The better balanced SR-L500 was more forgiving and gave me a pleasant surprise.
Jeff Victor – Fisherman’s Sorrow/The Battlecry
SR-L700
I have listened trough the Scottish moors album by Jeff Victor many times. He’s a master on trigger feelings and taking me places in he’s music. But this time around i just wanted more. The dynamics of the drums felt a bit off. The drums image is spot on, but too far away. This song is all about feelings and it just don’t work for me on the SR-L700.
Stax SR-L500
Yeah! I love the sound of this track on the SR-L500. The stage is a bit narrow, but the drums sounds natural with the violin nicely blending in. I love it! I turn up the volume a bit to get the most dynamic experience, but every instrument have nice overtones. Like the SR-L700 is trying to hard being forcefully tuned out of it’s capabilities. I remember my old Meridian DSP7200 active speakers and I do miss them. But they sounded strange when playing too loud with bass heavy music. The dsp on the speakers overcompensated just to make the whole experience sound strangled. The Stax-L700 sound a bit like that, only the opposite. They forcefully make the bass and treble sounds more, just more. When the SR-L500 sounds more right.
Stax SR-507
The first thing I noticed was like I pulled away two heavy curtains in front of the waves that starts the song. The drums have attack and overtones. It feels powerful and mellow when it is supposed to. The stage of the drums are more intimate, but the imaging is better on the SR-L700. I know the drums are mixed as you will hear them down to the right and every good scaling headphone is doing that. SR-L700 is more precise, but it doesn’t work when it got poor dynamics and no real definition of the overtones in the bass. The SR-507 is more organic as well. Another win for the SR-507 over its newer brother.
Nectar The Hive
The stage is better then both the previous headphones. Everything is there at it’s place and the song got lots of room and the bass have texture and sounds tight, but not as dynamic as any of the competition on this kind of music.
Stax 404 Signature
I was a little baffled on what I heard. I liked the SR-507 best against Hive and L700. I needed to make ground my selves a bit on a lambda that I know is truly great. The infamous (for nerds) 404 Signature. So we got three top of the range Lambdas to compare. The classic sound signature, the brighter newer one and the ¨I don’t know where the hell I am¨ New lambda with SR-009 drivers.
The signature is warmer tuned but have an analytic finesse none the less. They have the best presence and imaging of all the headphones in this test. The stage is bigger and more distant on The Hive. Also The Hive have better bass slam and a sense of never infinite dynamics when I turn up loud. There is something about the tuning of 404 Signature that makes them truly great. Dark tuning with lots of details and a true dynamic experience with percussion that sounds real. The violin sounds real and when the female vocal begins they play along with great intensity. Im able to separate each instrument and follow it, but it still blends in without taking too much space.
Conclusion
The winner on this song was initially the SR-507 with the 404 Signature on close second. The SR-L500 was great on this recording! Too bad for Nectar Hive that sounded pretty much dead on this song. Even with the volume compensated. It’s just not The Hive’s cup of tea.
Cashmere Cat – With Me
Stax SR-L700
The SR-L700 have a mid bass hump and i tried to find a song that will suit it well. No cigar! When the bass hits the very bottom, the sound just disappears and rolls off. I can’t believe it! The sound is dull and not engaging at all..This is just sad
Stax-SR-L500
The sound on the SR-L500 is actually less uneven. The bass rolls of early but the timbre of the SR-L500 feels more organic. The dynamics is even worse than the SR-L700 but at least the the mid bass sounds more natural than the overly fat – sounding SR-L700. The fit is better that made it easier to get a good seal around the ears. No, I’m not implying that i went trough the test with a L700 that had poor seal around my ears. It was one of the first things i checked.
Stax SR-507
Very tight and good presentation. They doesn’t roll off like SR-L700 and they have a more even sound. The stage is big enough but not as much room as the L700, but the imaging is spot on and better in every way. The difference from Nectar The Hive is that there is an end to the madness with SR-507. It’s not like sitting in front of two big bass towers, more like having one or two good subwoofers with two smaller high end speakers. The bass is great! Only the Hifiman HE6 can compete with Nectar The Hive on songs like this.
Nectar The Hive
Oh my this headphone has slam. It got the best bass I have ever heard on any electrostatic headphone. This is so much fun! It got better stage and the treble is less peaky. This is what The Hive is made for! The sound is like having two bass towers with insanely fast response and some ribbon tweeters keeping up with everything. You have to spend a lot of dough to get this kind of sound in a speaker setup. It totally destroys the (everything is relative) poor presentation of SR-L700.
Stax 404 Signature
The Stax 404 Signature is an awesome Lambda and one of my favourites of all time. They do a better job than the SR-507 and totally beats the SR-L700 hard plastic ass. The mighty Nectar Hive just have more. More slam, texture, dynamics etc. But i would place SR-404 Signature in a good second with songs like this.
Overall Conclusion | Erlend
When you first hear the Stax SR-L700 it’s pretty easy to be thrilled by its sound. It feels balanced and nicely tuned with some fat and good bass response. But when you dig a little you start to find faults like peaks in the treble that makes them tiresome and outright bright on some songs. The hump in the mid-bass makes some electronica sound awesome, but bass guitars have little definition and sometimes just disappear while the vocals are pulled further away. It’s just weird. I will compare the SR-L700 to an enigma, as I do with the HD700 and HD820. Og they sound good or not is just a matter of what music you listen to. They can sound great but if the track hits one of the strange peaks it will sound unnatural. The SR-L700 is my least used Lambda and I think it’s flawed. It’s an uneven performer. I think Stax should and could have done better. The SR-L500, on the other hand, is a bargain for it’s price and gives a more balanced sound and a very natural timbre. This review is not about the SR-L500 but it is highly recommended none the less!
The review is only my humble opinion and Chris has tested the SR-L700 with the Blu Tac mod thoroughly and compared it to several headphones. We have discussed this headphone a lot. We also have different amps. Im playing on my trusted Mjolnir KGSSHV and he is rocking the KGSSHV Carbon. The reason we disagree can be the Blu Tac mod, it can be difference of amps, unit variation, preferences some of all of them combined. Our goal is, as always, to make the readers even more confused than they were before they read our review.
PART 2 | CHRIS
SR-L700 WITH BLU TAC MOD
My first impression of this headphone was very good. The SR-L700 has got that expansive sound stage that Stax is famous for, effortless detail retrieval and an organic presentation that just drags you into the music.
COMFORT AND BUILD
I have some comments on build and comfort. The all plastic construction feels cheap. Even with the new aluminium yokes on the mk2, the headband is still a plastic construction. However, on the positive side, it’s very light and the pads are lambskin. With regards to comfort, I have an issue which is quite problematic. The headphone is simply too large for my head. The cups are very large, the headband too long. To get the cups high enough to get a proper seal, I had to put something around the headband to make it thicker. I don’t have a very small head, so this is something I would recommend anyone to try out before they buy.
Erlend has compared the stock SR-L700 to other electrostatic headphones. I will, in the following, compare the SR-L700 Blu Tac to a selection of non-electrostatic headphones, as well as the STAX SR-009.
BLU TAC MOD
There are some significant differences to our setups. First, the SR-L700 I am testing is a kind loan from a fellow enthusiast and has (as previously mentioned) the Blu Tac mod installed. It simply is a mod that is to apply Blu Tac between the housing and the pads to create a perfect seal to improve low-bass performance.
Getting a good seal is very important for many headphones, and especially electrostats. Even if they are open back, doesn’t make these headphones “open”. There is the diaphragm and the room/chamber between it and your ear. There is no benefits from having holes in the “chamber”. I find it peculiar that Stax hasn’t made sure there is a good seal out of the box.
AMPLIFIERS
Second, I will use the KGSSHV CARBON amplifier for the SR-L700. It is more powerful than the KGSSHV that Erlend has, although I doubt it makes much of a difference. But you never know.
I have spent some time listening to the SR-L700 with the SRM-007t2 amp/energizer too and really enjoyed it. Although I made all comparisons below with the KGSSHV Carbon I will comment on the SRM-007t2 amp at the end.
COMPARISONS
I have chosen to compare the SR-L700 to headphones in similar price range. They all have their pros and cons. The dynamic and planar magnetic headphones were amped by the fabulous Bryston BHA1, which I never have experienced fails to bring out the best in a headphone. It is powerful and neutral.
STAX L700 VS AUDEZE LCD-X
STAX L700 (with Blu Tac mod) powered by KGSSHV CARBON, the LCD-X (latest version, 2023) powered by Bryston BHA-1.
Ting by IPA
Improvisational jazz. LCD-X has great detail and dynamics. The bass is very good. Precise and not too powerful. Very even response.
The STAX L700 is a lot more open sounding, more detailed while still retaining or even increasing the dynamics. The midrange, especially the saxophone, is more upfront. In direct comparison, the LCD-X feels a little flat sounding. However, I would say that LCD-X is less fatiguing at higher volume. Otherwise, it’s a clear win for the L700.
Morning Bell by Radiohead
Great presentation from the L700, spacious and organic. Thom Yorke’s vocals are full of nuances. It’s a very intense yet effortless presentation. The LCD-X is great too, a little less airy and intense, a bit more intimate and darker. I prefer the LCD-X here, slightly fuller bass and I just like the way it sounds. Even though the L700 feels technically superior, bass excepted.
Compare Manuel by Vincente Amigo
Flamenco guitarist Amigo is always a pleasure to listen to. Stellar performances from the L700. The guitar strings are so organically rendered it feels like they’re inside your head vibrating. The LCD-X is thicker and slower sounding, with more bass quantity. However, the L700 is not objectively lacking in the low regions. To be honest, I’m amazed that they are not more different than they are. L700 feels more organic and natural, and LCD-X is a bit coloured.
Intimate Letters, Martinu by Emerson String Quartet
L700 is delicious. All the overtones from the strings are there. Every little detail is presented effortlessly. Again it feels like the LCD-X has a bit of a flavour, it’s adding something, rather than taking something away. You might prefer it but L700 is truer to reality and for me obviously better here.
Raidho by Enslaved
Progressive metal. Unsurprisingly, this works really well on the LCD-X. It’s not L700’s cup of tea. It sounds thin and fatiguing.
Never forget the good ones by Solveig Slettahjell
First, I thought I was listening to the Stax while I was wearing the LCD-X, thinking how great the Stax sounded. So the LCD-X sounds great. Both are great. Still, the L700 has the upper hand with acoustic music. More air, better treble, midrange is more upfront and tactile.
The Unforgiven by Metallica
The intro is beautiful with the L700. The guitar strings and the vocals are very nicely rendered. The bass guitar and the bass drums, however, sound a bit unnatural and lacking, even with a 6dB bass boost on my RME ADI-2 DAC FS. I’m sure you could get it a lot more right with more targeted EQ tuning. The LCD-X, on the other hand, needs no EQ. It sounds perfect as it is.
The Willie Walk by John Stein
Jazz instrumental. Here the L700 needs no bass boost, the double bass sounds good as it is. Spacious and nice rendering of the guitar and percussion. Moving over to the LCD-X, the double bass gets a lot more dominant in the mix. The guitar and the percussion are not as clear and organic sounding but it is still very enjoyable listening to this track. Basically just two different flavors.
Concluding: Even though the L700 is clearer sounding and has a significantly more airy and organic rendering, the LCD-X holds up quite well. And even though the LCD-X has significantly more bass punch and quantity, the L700 often has a decent bass response and quite good bass detail. However, this varies from song to song. The bass response is very uneven. Sometimes the L700 is fabulous, sometimes it’s almost unlistenable without a 6 dB bass boost to even things out. Probably it’s a lot better with a proper EQ profile.
STAX SR-L700 VS FOCAL CLEAR MG
STAX L700 (with Blu Tac mod) powered by KGSSHV CARBON, the Focal Clear MG powered by Bryston BHA-1. Source ADI-2 DAC FS
Depak Ine by John Talabot
Elektronica with lots of ambient sounds. The Clear MG sounds very good. Open sounding, satisfying bass. Immersive presentation. With the L700, the ambient sounds are just much more detailed and organic sounding. The bass, however, is reduced in quantity. The dynamic punchiness is much more present with the Clear MG.
Mossabacken by IPA
Jazz impro. Lots of acoustic bass and drums in the intro. The Clear MG does again have better bass quantity and general punch, the L700 has more clarity and feels more natural, like you’re actually there on the first row, not listening to a recording. I don’t find lacking bass a problem, but the L700 does respond very well to EQ.
Morning Bell by Radiohead
Again the bass is more prominent with the dynamic headphone than with the electrostatic. However, if I boost the bass with EQ, the L700 is just as enjoyable. Thom Yorke’s voice sounds like it is been recorded with a better microphone when I listen to the L700.
All For Us by Labyrinth
Clear MG has great bass and punch. The bass on the L700 is very textured and present, but not as groovy as the Clear. Vocals are nicer with the L700. More nuance and detail. More organic.
My Voice by Olga Konkova
Nothing feels missing with the Clear. The Cajon drum is punchy and textured. The vocals are delicious and natural. Like she’s singing into your ear. Piano notes are floating effortlessly in the air. However, the L700 is even more effortless and airy. The bass punch is less present, and the presentation is a bit brighter.
Brahms Symphony #3 by Gewandhausorchester
Very different presentations from the two headphones here. The L700 separates everything, it is easier to pick out each instrument. The Clear MG does not sound like it is lacking in detail but in direct comparison, L700 is clearer than the Clear (pun intended). “Effortlessly detailed” I would call it. The Clear is far from incompetent, though, even if the L700 is better. The Clear has a more “holistic” way of presenting the music, creating a nice blend rather than a symphony of separate instruments.
Lovers in The sun by David Guetta
EDM with vocals. The bass drum punches hard with the Clear MG. Everything feels well separated, but the song sounds bright and fatigues me. Moving over to the L700 things actually gets less bright, even though the bass is lacking quite a bit. Everything sounds better on the L700, except for the bass, which is essential with EDM. EQ bass boost helps. I don’t really enjoy this song fully on any of the headphones. I want my LCD-X for this one – so I put it on and everything sounds right.
Hurry up, we’re dreaming by M83
Indie Pop. Everything sounds quite good on the L700 if I give it a 6dB bass boost. The Clear MG doesn’t need a bass boost.
Intimate Letters/Janaceck by Emerson String Quartet
As delicious as the Clear MG is, this is the strong side of the L700. Strings sound so beautiful with the Stax.
Lay it Down by Lee Ritenour
This rock instrumental sounds very groovy with the L700. I do not find the bass lacking. Things are well separated and everything stands out. The electric guitar which is the star of the song stands out the most. Switching to the Clear MG, however, things get really different. It’s like a totally different mix. It sounds much fuller, with a lot more bass and punch. The electric guitar is not standing out as much. I enjoy both versions but they are indeed two versions.
Concluding, as with the LCD-X, the L700 has some clear shortcomings. At its best, it is beautifully organic and natural sounding. However, it can also sound thin and sizzly, mostly caused by a lack of bass quantity in some frequency areas. It’s an uneven performer.
STAX SR-L700 VS HIFIMAN HE1000SE
STAX L700 (with Blu Tac mod) powered by KGSSHV CARBON, the Focal Clear MG powered by Bryston BHA-1 or Woo WA22. Source ADI-2 DAC FS
The HE1000SE is double the price of the L700, but if you see the system as a whole with amplifier costs, it’s not an unfair comparison.
As Before by Olga Konkova
Jazz/female vocals: The L700 is again beautiful with this piece. Punchy percussion and crystal clear vocals and piano. The HE1000SE feels a bit dulled down, the vocals not as clear, percussion not as crisp. Objectively it sounds really good too, but slightly veiled compared to the L700.
Floratone by Floratone
Jazz/dub. Very nice on the HE1000SE. Bass drum kicks, percussion is snappy. However, the L700 also had a snappy bass, and an even more open and detailed sounding presentation. A bit brighter, but very appealing. I prefer the bass presence of the HE1000SE, the rest is better with the L700. With some EQ, the Stax is right there.
Giraffe by BMX
Jazz impro. Sounds great with the HE1000SE. L700 is brighter and faster sounding. Again it lacks a little bit of the bass sometimes, but on this track it’s not massive anyway. All in all, I prefer the STAX here. It is just much more clear and organic sounding. The Hifiman is a bit veiled in direct comparison.
Guilty Party by The National
The vocals are so full of life and nerve with the L700. When I move over to the HE1000SE it’s like someone exchanged the microphone for a lower quality one. It’s not bad by any means but it lacks the extreme intimacy and natural effortlessness of the L700. The Hifiman is enjoyable but feels less natural and a bit muffled in direct comparison. The bass is a bit more present though.
Lovers on the Sun by David Guetta
The HE1000SE wins this one (even though my LCD-X is better on this track by far). EDM is not the strong suit of the L700. Without EQ, that is.
Rockets by Smashing Pumpkins
Without the EQ bass boost, this song basically falls apart with the L700. The HE1000SE is not ideal either. Both are bright and not really making the Smashing Pumpkins sound right. Actually, I prefer the L700 with EQ bass boost to the HE1000SE without. But the HE1000SE with boost is the best of the two. However I don’t find any of them to do justice to one of my favorite bands and I go to pick up my LCD-X, but my hand reach for my balanced (modded) AKG K702 instead, and it totally knocks the socks off both the Stax and the Hifiman. No contest.
The Unforgiven by Metallica
As before, the L700 has great separation and it’s very articulated. However, it’s bright and missing out in the bass. The HE1000SE isn’t ideal either, sounds a bit too bright, shouty and splashy. Not unlistenable, but it’s a hard track to get right.
Bach Trios by Yo-Yo Ma et.al.
All strings, sounding good on the HE1000SE. Better sounding still on the L700. Lots of air around each instrument and everything feels very much alive. Each note is living its own life. I plug the HE1000SE into my WA22 tube amp, and it becomes more alive sounding, but still not reaching the level L700.
Undertow by REM
Keeping the HE1000SE connected to the WA22, things sound great. Moving over to the L700, The separation is better and there is more space around each instrument and more air. The bass is more present with the HE1000SE, though.
Concluding, I again find the L700 to be an uneven performer. Often absolutely stunning, with effortless detail retrieval and a very alive and airy sounding presentation. The uneven bass response is the weak spot. EQ can solve this. The HE1000SE is a quite bright-sounding headphone, like the L700. So they don’t have an extremely different tonality, but the bass performance is a lot sturdier with the Hifiman. Both are great headphones but neither is perfect.
STAX SR-L700 VS SENNHEISER HD800
STAX L700 (with Blu Tac mod) powered by KGSSHV CARBON, the Sennheiser HD800 with SDR mod powered by Bryston BHA-1. Source ADI-2 DAC FS.
My Sennheiser HD800 is modded with an SDR resonator, which dampens the infamous treble peak, making it sound close to an HD800S. My specific mod is officially called “SuperBAF HD800 SuperDupont Resonator mod by Sorrodje” (Google it if curious). My HD800 also has got Dekoni Fenestrated Sheepskin pads on them and an Atlas Zeno cable attached.
It could be sweet by Portishead
Sounds great with the L700. Bass is satisfying, vocals clear as glass, sounds groovy and spacious. The HD800 has a more precise, but less meaty mid-bass. The vocals are a bit drawn back, things feel less clear than with the L700.
Intimate Letters / Janaceck by Emerson String Quartet
Ah, the SR-L700 playing the violin and the viola is just fabulous… The strings sound alive! There is just so much micro detail and so many nuances. The HD800 is good too, but it’s a little bit flatter sounding, the tones are not as lively.
Keith Don’t Go by Nils Lofgren
Live recording. The guitar intro sounds great with the HD800. However, the L700 sound even better, it also has more detail. The vocals stand out more with the L700, the HD800 sounds a bit flatter.
Limit to Your Love by James Blake
Blake’s voice is beautifully rendered by the L700. The sense of space and detail is terrific. The surprisingly demanding bass is handled quite well. The L700 reaches deep. The HD800 sounds good too, but not as airy and detailed. The bass quantity is a tad more than Edith the L700, bass quality quite equal.
Lounge Fly by Stone Temple Pilots
This sounds very different on the two headphones. Going from one to the other makes the song feel strange on both. It’s much better with e.g. the LCD-X. None of these two are made for rendering fuzz guitars, I guess.
With Me by Cashmere Cat
The L700 handles the challenging bass a lot better than I expected. It’s not HE-6 level bass but it reaches deep without distorting, albeit the quantity isn’t gonna impress bass heads. All in all I find this song quite entertaining with the L700. The HD800 has similar bass response in quality and a tad more quantity. It also generally sounds quite similar across the board.
All for Us by Labyrinth
Another bass heavy track. It’s sounding quite good with the L700. Spacious, dynamic and clear. The bass is not planar magnetic level, though. The HD800’s bass sounds similar but slightly stronger in quantity. Vocals are clearer with the L700, and I find it more generally enjoyable.
10:15 Saturday Night by The Cure
I find the L700 more open sounding, more detailed and with a better and clearer rendering of Robert Smith’s vocals.
Concluding, the SR-L700 mostly sounds better to me than the HD800. It’s clearer, more dynamic and organic sounding. They have relatively similar tuning: Both are quite bright and bass light, although both reach low when it is called for.
STAX SR-L700 VS STAX SR-009
The SR-009 needs no introduction. How does the SR-L700 hold up to the former STAX flagship? Let’s find out!
With Me by Cashmere Cat
The SR-009 has great bass here. Deep and powerful. The L700 is not quite at the same level. Otherwise they are surprisingly equal, although tuned a bit differently. I find the L700 more open sounding, more organic, yet the SR-009 feels more detailed. The mid-range is more upfront with the L700, and I like it.
World Town by MIA
Again, the bass is better with the SR-009. The L700 is a bit anemic sounding here.
As Before by Olga Konkova
Both sound great. The mid-range is more present with the L700. Bass is similar, since it doesn’t dig very deep on this track. I like both but prefer the L700.
Bored by Deftones
Hardcore/prog metal. The SR-009 is far better. The bass is fuller. There is a fuller and more textured rendering of the guitars. General presentation is far more enjoyable. This track just doesn’t sound right with the L700.
Brothers by Adam Baldych and Helge Lien Trio
This sounds better with the SR-009. They are not very different, but the presentation is just more appealing with the SR-009. Lots of detail and texture, bass is better defined and feels deeper. The L700 has somewhat more of a “one note bass”, like all bass is the same. The SR-009 not so.
Can’t You See by Susan Wong
Beautiful presentation by the SR-009, but Susan Wong’s vocals are even better with the L700. They are more alive, more natural. Vocals is really the strongest suit of the L700. The differences are very small, though. They are more similar than different.
Floratone by Floratone
The SR-009 wins this one. It’s bass performance is much stronger, with more definition and quantity. The rest of the spectrum also sounds more effortless with the SR-009 here.
Holberg Suite by 1B1
They have slightly different tonality. It’s hard to describe. Both are very good, I enjoy them equally much.
Morning Bell by Radiohead
Surprisingly similar presentations and it’s hard to pick a winner. The bass is similarly rendered, the L700 gives a bit more intensity to Thom’s voice, but it’s not better, just slightly different. The SR-009 has better punch with the drums, and slightly more bass presence.
The Unforgiven by Metallica
The intro is beautiful with the L700, but when the bass and the power riffs set in, the SR-009 shows who’s the boss. Better bass punch and texture.
Concluding, although the L700 has some seriously magical vocal renderings, the SR-009 never lags far behind. At the same time it has superior bass performance and a much more even presentation across songs and genres. To put it another way, the L700 gives you a lot of the good stuff from the SR-009, but it’s lacking bass performance and some occasional odd tunings makes the SR-009 worth the extra money. Not to mention the difference in build quality and comfort.
STAX SRM-007t2 vs KGSSHV CARBON AMPLIFIER COMPARISON
So I’m not going to make an exhaustive comparison but I have done listening with the SRM-007t2 and some A/B-ing. My SRM-007t2 is equipped with RCA Clear Tops tubes.
First I can say that the differences are not night and day. The SR-L700 is still very enjoyable with the SRM-007t2. However, it becomes less dynamic, it sounds a bit flatter. Some of the magic is lost. With the KGSSHV Carbon, the treble and mid-range are extremely dynamic, clear and it presents the music with great separation. With the SRM-007t2, things become more fleshed out, a little bit “out of focus”. Also I noticed I can comfortably play at a higher volume with the KGSSHV Carbon. The SRM-007t2 feels a bit strained, and turning the knob up too much makes it more fatiguing than with the bigger amp.
So, in conclusion the differences are not necessarily immediately apparent when doing a fast A/B swap. The L700 is very good with the SRM-007t2. But the Carbon is even better. Listening long term, every time I move back to the Carbon I feel that things become even more right, there is more magic. Do you need a KGSSHV CARBON for the L700 to sound good? No. Does it sound better? Yes.
MAIN CONCLUSION | CHRIS
First, keep in mind that I have reviewed a modded pair of headphones: SR-L700 with Blu Tac mod. Also, I chose to do most of this review with the KGSSHV CARBON, the best amp I had, to give the SR-L700 the best possible conditions. However, sitting here listening to it with the STAX SRM-007t2 amp, I still find the SR-L700 magical. Most of what I have written in my comparisons will most likely be true even if I had used the SRM-007t2 – albeit sometimes to a lesser extent.
The mid-range and treble is super resolved. The soundstage is airy and precise. The main weak spot is the bass. Even with the Blu Tac mod, which I have good reasons to think helps quite a lot, it’s not very powerful, although it reaches deep.
That being said, the bass quantity issue can be solved with EQ, and even without, it is actually not a big problem for me, unless I compare it directly to other headphones. I gave myself some time just playing through a bunch of my tracks, not listening for weaknesses, not comparing to anything. Just enjoying the music. And I did indeed have no problem enjoying the music, all tracks sounded great. It’s about letting your brain adjust, relax and enjoy.
I can highly recommend the SR-L700 for its sound quality. It is truly remarkable.
Final Thoughts
Usually, Erlend and I tend to agree on sound. Even if we disagree on preferences we always agree on how things sound. This time we did not agree. However we have not reviewed the exact same sample. Further I have only spent real time with the Blu Tac modded SR-L700, he has only heard it unmodded. Maybe it is the Blu Tac that makes all the difference. Maybe it’s also unit variation. I do not think it’s about amplifiers. We live on each side of Norway, so we couldn’t easily meet to solve the puzzle. If we do solve this one, we’ll update this post. Thanks for reading!
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