Article: Review: Stax SR-L300 Electrostatic Headphones

[Musicophile]

Interesting thanks for the review. Any comparison possible to the Sennheiser HD800?
 

I’ve always wanted a Stax since I first heard one back in the 1980s, so I’m tempted to get these to complement my HD800. 

[Musicophile]

24 minutes ago, Sonis said:

Very different headphones. As it happens, I have compared the Stax SR-L300 directly to the Sennheiser HD-800. The 800s are good, but directly compared, are a much cruder presentation. They have more “slam” and are probably better for rock, but the Stax have less distortion, better top-end presentation, and a more natural midrange. On the bottom, because of the dynamic phone’s larger diaphragm area and longer excursion, the bass sounds “bigger” with the HD-800, but the bass is slower and doesn’t go as deep as the Stax. The Stax also images better.

Thanks. I’ll test them out this weekend. 

[Musicophile]

On 2/21/2020 at 8:10 PM, Mercman said:

Thanks for an enjoyable review of the SR-L300. I have always found that Stax headphones provide a special musical experience.

So I just went to my local headphone dealer and tested out the L300 and L500, on a nice chain with my IPhone with Qobuz app and highres material feeding a Chord Hugo 2 into a Stax SRM-727 II. 
 

I agree that both are very good, and in a certain sense “better” than my HD800. But I now know I could never buy them, they are just terribly uncomfortable on my head, even the L500 with the faux leather pads. 
 

I’m sorry but headphones unlike speakers are always a compromise between SQ and comfort. For example, I didn’t buy the Audeze LCD-3 as they are far to heavy. I can wear the HD800 for hours without any fatigue.

 

Slightly OT, while at said Hi-Fi shop I also tested the Focal Clear, the Dan Clark AEON2 and the Hifiman Arya, all Sorgen directly off the Hugo 2.
 

I could see myself buying the Aryas. 

[Musicophile]

35 minutes ago, davide256 said:

 one reviewer concluded the Arya's were like a planar version of the HD800s sound 😉

 

https://www.headphones.com/blogs/news/hifiman-ananda-vs-arya-planar-headphone-review-comparison

 

I suppose that’s why I liked them...