STAX 009 Static Headphones + Linn CD Machine Experience

Are you also like me: half or more of the day spends in the office, even if you have a good sound system at home, you may not bother to listen after you go home, boring brushing Weibo or WeChat, then Sleeping... I have a good listening plan in my heart. I haven’t had the time and energy to listen to a bunch of CDs that I have bought for a long time. This is one of the “tragedies” of modern workplace people. The best time period is often I can't help myself, I can't do what I like... After considering it for a long time, I decided to set up a headset system with excellent sound quality but relatively small size in the office to make up for the shortcomings of not listening to music during the day! The headset is STAX's current flagship: SR-009, the headphone amplifier is: STAX SRM-007TII, the sound source is the flagship that Linn has been discontinued for a long time: CD12.

Desk list

Local gold and gathering silver

Lifting the electrostatic earphones, non-players may be a bit strange. In simple terms, electrostatic headphones are another way of transducing relative to our common dynamic headphones. The diaphragm is in a changing electric field, and the diaphragm is extremely thin. (Micron), suspended in an electrostatic field formed by two fixed metal plates (stators), when the audio signal is applied to the stator, the electrostatic field changes, driving the diaphragm to vibrate and sound. Static headphones have low distortion, no split vibration characteristics, better transient and resolution, and the famous Sennheiser flagship: ORPHEUS is the electrostatic earphone. The history of STAX making electrostatic headphones is much longer than Sennheiser. The company established in Japan in 1938 was originally a headphone-independent product such as a condenser microphone/speaker. In 1960, STAX introduced the world's first electrostatic system (composed of SR-1 electrostatic headphones and SRD-1 headphone drivers). Both work style and sound quality were shocking at the time! In the years since then, STAX has been insisting on the production of electrostatic headphones, including SR-Ω, SR-507, SR-007 and other classics familiar to enthusiasts.

At the end of 2011, STAX was acquired by the domestic multimedia speaker manufacturer Edder and became a wholly-owned subsidiary of the rambler. Many enthusiasts were surprised and surprised that the rambler spent only 120 million yen. More than 9 million yuan), it can be seen that the painstaking technical drilling camp, under the impact of the mainstream market, can not escape the fate of being marginalized and even sold. 009 is the flagship product launched by STAX in the previous year. The price is equivalent to RMB 3W. However, STAX officially did not launch a headphone amplifier that specifically drives 009, so many players now choose STAX for SRM-007TII or SRM-727II designed for the former flagship 007. (Prices are all around 1W RMB), or choose third-party amp brand products, such as: Headamp's BHSE, Woo Audio's WES, etc., but the prices of these products are a bit "injurious", so the amp I am currently using is SRM-007TII, wait for the temperament of 009 to see if there is any chance to upgrade.

009 is a metal texture with a strong shape and super comfortable

STAX 007TII is a tube amplifier that can drive two electrostatic headphones at the same time.

The back input of the STAX 007TII includes two sets of RCA and a set of XLR balances.

Introduce the earphones and amps, and then introduce the source: Linn has a very artistic Chinese translation: "Lian", interesting things, this translation name and its sound characteristics are very close in temperament, there is a kind of beautiful and refined characteristics ( Limited to mid- to high-end products, the low-end Linn sound performance is very general). In the history of the brand's development, Linn has both a “traditional” side and a “radical” side. This is reflected in his reputation as LP vinyl disc and started (representative: LP12), but it stopped in 2008. At that time, the CD player, which was still a good sales player, focused on developing the DS digital streaming player and became one of the top labels in the field. This is in stark contrast to many Hi-Fi manufacturers who still insist on the production of high-end CD players. In addition to the manufacture of audio equipment, Linn is also involved in the recording and distribution of the album, including artists such as the famous jazz singer: Carol Kidd.

The CD12 was born in 1998. At that time, the price was about 15W RMB. It is one of the masterpieces of the high-end single CD player. The second-hand price is about 6W after the production is stopped. Its shape is elegant and simple, like a modern art piece. The whole machine shell is made of two solid aluminum alloy blocks milled on a metal lathe, so don't look at this CD machine is very small, but the weight is up to 12 kg, and at work No vibration is felt at all, ensuring the purity and stability of the sound.

Linn CD12 does not see any control buttons on the front panel. However, when you gently press the metal tray on the display screen, it will slide out silently, and the “action” will be very dazzling. ! The speed of entry and exit is very fast, but when the last one third of the disc compartment enters and exits, it will suddenly slow down, and then slowly enter, so that the control of each disc change is very good! Of course, the CD12 is also equipped with a large learning-type remote control with very rich control.

On the output terminals, this CD player is also very rich, two sets of RCA unbalanced output, a set of XLR balanced output, fiber / coaxial / AES digital output, clock and central control interface are readily available.

The sound characteristics of the electrostatic headphones have been said before, which is excellent analytical power and transients, but if it is only this feature, it is not enough to make the electrostatic headphones become "poisonous". The killer of the electrostatic headphones is that the sound is elegant and smooth, and the whole frequency is maintained. A highly natural and fluent trait. Listening to all kinds of music is rarely "irritating", but a very elegant and elegant expression. The excellent hearing tolerance makes many people can't bear to take off the electrostatic headphones.

Listen to the chamber music Rossini string sonata

The sound of CD12 is based on the commentary of Liu Hansheng, editor-in-chief of Taiwan's "Audio Forum", which is "silk-like beauty and fruityness". It is a very professional CD player, and the sound can maintain high density (especially the intermediate frequency). There is also excellent transparency, and the gentle and lively texture has no digital flavor. Many players think that this CD is one of the digital sources closest to LP, so the result of the combination of the two tunings is the music. "It's really great, you can't help but stop the work at hand, close your eyes and immerse yourself in the music, let go of all the chores, give a feeling of calm, relax, especially listening to some excellent recordings. Vocal and chamber music can be said to make people want to stop.

The low frequency and dynamic performance of 009 can completely change the prejudice that many people can't express low frequency on electrostatic headphones. Whether it is dive, volume or impact, it can definitely compare with the top dynamic headphones. With the advancement of electro-acoustic technology, STAX has completely changed the impression that the electrostatic headphones were only suitable for listening to high-frequency, and the performance has been very versatile! The next step is to try to change the amp. The current SRM-007TII is not completely satisfactory in terms of the depth of the sound field, but even so, the system has made the sound natural and audible. People feel satisfied!