Introduction

Hi All,

Today, we are taking a look at a fairly recent release from Stax Headphones of Japan, the SR-007S. The 007 platform has a long history, having been available previously in the Mk1, Mk2, and now 007S forms. I’ve been fortunate enough to spend time with a lot of Stax’s high-end offerings over the years, and the 007 has always struck a really good balance of price to performance in their lineup. The new 007S is actually a more radical change in design than the move from the mk1 to mk2 version was, in that it has an entirely new headband assembly, new ear pads, updated drivers, and also now comes with a removable cable. The 007 model I have the most experience with is the mk2 version, so it was interesting to get to know the 007S and see what the changes in overall design have brought to the table in comparison to the former model.

The 007 platform has never been the absolute best on the market when it comes to ergonomics and fit. The mk1 and mk2 were passable, workable, and fully usable, but never excelled in this area. I was really hoping that with the entirely new headband structure, Stax had managed to solve the issues and bring their comfort levels more in line with the 009 and X9000 series. Sadly, they have regressed in this area rather than improved. The headphones are still entirely workable and usable, but it does really feel like a missed opportunity to improve in this area when they were already doing a full redesign of the headband and earcup assembly. The actual leather headband still adjusts via elactic like the Mk1 and Mk2 did, so nothing has changed here and it still works entirely fine. However, the 007S now has front-to-back adjustment for the earcups, unlike the older models, which didn’t have this but simply used the headband’s flexibility to shape properly to your head. The earcups do not feature top to bottom adjustment. Stax has attempted to work around this issue by having pads that can rotate(like the mk1 and mk2 versions) and are thicker in one area and thinner in another. You spin the pad to close the gap between the ear cup and your head. However, even with the absolute thickest part of the ear pads behind the top of my ear, I barely managed to get a full seal. The reason for this is the metal headband’s shape. Instead of causing the ear cups to be shaped more similarly to the lines following, | | (not exactly obviously, I’m just using slashes to try and illustrate my point )the ear cups come in at an angle which goes inwards towards the bottom like this, \ / which ends up making the bottom of the ear cup too tight to the point of biting into your neck, and the top of the ear cup far to loose (to the point of almost not making a seal in my case.) Sadly, the issue is made worse by the incredibly light clamp force of the new headband. This is a tough area to get right, as everyone’s head is different, but the clamp was loose to the point of making the headphones less comfortable, as they just never really sat correctly on my head with a proper secure fit. It was ok, sure, but slightly more clamp force provided by my hands really made the headphones fit feel much better and secure. The entire headband situation and the decisions Stax have made here really left me scratching my head as to what they were thinking. The 009 series is very comfortable, so is the X9000, and they both feature all the adjustments that I have mentioned the 007S not having above. If Stax had not been doing any redesign work and had stuck with the original headband assembly of the 007 series, it would make more sense to me, but due to the fact that they were already going to the trouble of doing a completely new redesign anyway, it just seems like such a missed opportunity. I would definitely recommend trying to find a local shop with a pair of 007S for demo if possible, to make sure you can get comfortable with them prior to buying. Everyone is different and has different head shapes, so you might be totally fine, but for me, I struggled.

With that ergonomics gripe out of the way, let’s talk about the sonics of the 007S. I was a big of a fan of the Mk2s that I owned for a good period of time. They were a real departure from the more typical electrostatic sound signature, being warmer, with more robust bass, but still very technically accomplished and detailed, especially in their price range. The 007S has retained some of that character with a few changes here and there. All of my impressions and listening were done with the stock pads with the 007S, but I will speak a bit more about pads later on in the review.

Bass: The bass of the 007 series has always been a standout point of their performance, and that continues here. Unusually full and robust low end, with more impact than the 009 (non-S or D) has. I do think that there is slightly less impact with the 007S than there was with the Mk2, but I think that may be due to the pad changes between the models, more so than the driver and tuning. There is a solid extension into the sub-bass region, which is really nice to have with an electrostatic headphone. The overall speed and dynamics of the low end are very good and absolutely what you would expect from a high-end electrostatic headphone, but due to the warmer upper bass and mids tuning, it could definitely come across as being a bit slower and less quick than headphones with leaner, less warm tunings.

Midrange: The midrange of the 007S is very warm. There is a bit too much in terms of the low and middle midrange for my personal preferences, which I was thankfully easily able to adjust with EQ. If you are someone who likes warmer, cozier-sounding headphones, this is definitely a headphone to try out. The upper mid-range, interestingly enough, is actually somewhat more recessed than some of the other headphones I’ve reviewed recently, which was a nice change of pace. I don’t mind less energy in this area, so it was no issue for me. If you prefer really forward upper mids, you may need to do a bit of tweaking with EQ. The midrange’s technical performance comes across in the same way as the rest of the technical performance does, very well detailed, typically electrostatic in its presentation, just much warmer and thicker than usual.

Treble: The treble of the 007S is interesting. I wouldn’t say it’s dark, but I wouldn’t say it’s bright either. It’s a strange combination of being overall fairly relaxed-sounding, but with a couple of peaks throughout that can be a bit sharp and overbearing. In an ideal world for my ears and preferences, I would choose a bit less in terms of peaks and a bit more in terms of overall treble energy. The 007mk2 always came across as being a bit less peaky in the treble, though it was similarly relaxed in terms of level. Perhaps this has to do with pads, or tuning, or driver changes, I’m really not too sure. Thankfully, again with a bit of EQ, I was able to get the treble very much in line with my preferences, and again, the technical performance was a standout feature throughout the treble, as it is across the entire frequency response.

Technical Performance

The technical performance of the 007S is great. I honestly wouldn’t have expected anything less from Stax and their omega lineup (007,009.X9000). The 007S are very detailed, quick, and dynamic, and actually also have a fairly good amount of low-end impact and slam.  I should mention the new ear pads here, as I think they might be holding the 007S’s presentation of detail back slightly. The 007mk2 has fully non-perforated leather ear pads. The 007S has non-perforated leather on the part of the pad that contacts the head, but the interior of the pad is a breathable cloth. The new pads are also slightly thicker than the old pads overall. Based entirely on my experience with pad swapping in the past, I can’t help but think the new pads might be holding the 007S back slightly in terms of its detail and dynamic presentation. The issue is that one never knows exactly how pads will affect a headphone’s tuning and presentation until they try them, as every headphone responds differently. Perhaps other pads might entirely ruin the 007S’s frequency response, I’m not sure, and can’t say until I’m able to try the experiment myself. Perhaps Stax could consider including a pair of the 007mk2 style pads with the 007S (if they don’t ruin the 007S’s FR)  in addition to the stock pads. If you are out there and have a pair of 007mk2 or 007mk1 and have bought a pair of 007S, I’d recommend trying out a pad swap. It can’t hurt to try, and might bring even more technical performance out of the new headphones.

Build Quality

The build quality of the 007S is absolutely what you would expect from the flagship lineup from Stax. It uses nice materials all around, choosing much more metal and less plastic than the mk2 did. It feels well built, and also comes in a nice black carbon fibre-clad flight case for safekeeping. The only issue that I had in this area is related to the ergonomics problems that I mentioned at the beginning of this review, but that thankfully has nothing to do with the actual materials used, the craftsmanship, and overall build quality. The 007S feels high quality, and Stax has done itself justice in this area.

Comparisons

SR007 mk2: There are definitely similarities between the two headphones. Both are very warm tunings, with big bass and more mid-range than most electrostatic headphones. The treble of the mk2 is slightly less peaky, but similar in terms of overall level. Due to comfort issues, I would choose the mk2 personally, and I also prefer the original pads. That said, the 007S is slightly more detailed and technically accomplished than the 007mk2 is.

SR009 (non S/D): These are incredibly different headphones. The 007S is warm, with robust bass and a much more easy-going tuning. The SR009 has much less impact and slam in the low end, but comes across as being more detailed and technically proficient. These two headphones definitely represent the yin and yang of Stax, and I hope I can get my ears on a pair of SR009D at some point, as they are the new current-day 007S counterpart. The 009 is much more comfortable, at least for me and my head shape.

ES-Lab ES2a: A very fair comparison due to the incredibly similar pricing at MSRP. Honestly, I prefer everything about the ES2a. The tuning of the ES2a is better in its stock form, slightly less warm with a bit more treble extension. The ES2a is also more detailed and technically accomplished across the board. The ES2a is also my preference in terms of build quality and comfort. The person I would recommend the 007S to in this case would be a person who really enjoys warmer, darker headphones, whilst still wanting a very solid level of detail and technical performance for around the $2000USD mark.

SR-X9000: Perhaps not fair to compare the $2390USD SR007S to the $6299USD X9000, but I think it makes sense given they both come from the same company. The X9000 is the better headphone. Better build quality, much more technically accomplished sounding especially in terms of both macro and micro detail. That said, the 007S is the winner in terms of low end presence, slam and impact. If money is no object in your decision and you value detail and wide open airy sound, the X9000 is a no brainer. However, if you actually prefer a warmer, more robust and concentrated sound, with more low end, the 007S would actually be the better choice, regardless of price.

The SRM700S

Stax asked if I would like to check out their SRM700S amplifier along with the 007S, which I agreed to. The last Stax-branded amp that I was able to spend some time with was their 500T, a tube-based amplifier that has less power output than the 700S, and is more suitable for things like their Lambda lineup of headphones. The 700S is fully solid state vs being tube-based, and I think that if you are simply looking for a simple, Stax-branded amplifier vs something from the DIY side of the hobby (Kevin Gilmore designs, etc), this is the one to choose. It is much more affordable than their T8000 flagship, and performs in the way that a good, neutral solid-state amplifier should do. It’s fairly detailed, it doesn’t have any strange tonal abnormalities or technical quirks, and just presents music in a clean, clear, and neutral manner. I do personally prefer other options at the $3400USD price point. I would personally choose something like a KGSSHV build as an equivalent solid-state amplifier in this price range, as that will have a more solid low end, with better overall speed and detail performance. However, I know that some people simply want to buy a Stax Branded amplifier to match their headphones and keep things simple, and in my opinion, this is the one to go for in terms of the company’s current day line-up.

Conclusion

Overall, I like the new SR007S. I don’t love them, but I’m far from disliking them either. They are a good pair of headphones, and I’m glad Stax hasn’t massively increased their MSRP, keeping it in the $2000USD range. Their ergonomics are a miss for my head shape, sadly, and I feel the new headband design is a real missed opportunity to create something that will work for a much wider range of people. If you like warm headphones or darker headphones and are looking for an electrostatic pair of headphones to fill that need, the 007S is one of the best options to consider that is currently available. The technical performance here is of a high level, and very typical of Stax and their higher-end offerings. I’m curious if the pads of the 007S might be holding them back somewhat, and would love to see someone try the old version on the mk2 on the 007S to see what sort of results it brings. That could be a neat thing Stax could offer in the bundle with the 007S, as a tuning option for differences in people’s sonic preferences. The build quality and materials being used are all high quality with the 007S, and I have no criticism in this area. Overall, I’d say good job, Stax, but I would love to see a different headband solution if there is ever a new version of the 007 in the future.