Stax SRS-2050II

By John Groom

April 2008

Stax SRS-2050II Ear Speaker System. $1250.



Stax SRS-2050II

It has been a great week for me for hi-fi. Specifically, it has been a great week for electrostatic speakers. Most headphones and loudspeakers are driven by magnets and coils; an electrostatic however uses an electrostatic force to move a thin diaphragm. This approach is claimed to produce a very pure sound.

Soundline Audio in Auckland’s Newmarket, invited me into their inner sanctuary to hear the Quad ESL 2905 electrostatic loudspeakers. The English/American reviewer Ken Kessler in his usually understated way has described the Quad as “the finest speaker on the planet”. Certainly there was an amazing level of detail and insight provided into the nature of recordings and into the contribution of accompanying equipment. The word that encapsulates the experience for me is ‘honest’.

The stretch

Stax headphones are an attempt to bring to headphone listening the same electrostatic qualities that the Quad evokes. The question is: can they do it? It should be noted firstly however that Stax describes the 2050II as a ‘basic system’. Both words are important.

The warm up

The 2050II system includes a little box, which runs mostly in ‘class A’. This box combines some amplification with the electrical voltage required for any electrostatic device. This hardworking unit runs warm and seems very capable, but as it cannot be used with non Stax headphones, is difficult to evaluate separately.

Wearing the right gear

An electrostatic panel is rectangular so the headphones look different. Please don’t leave the privacy of your office or bedroom wearing these: it just confirms what a bunch of sad and odd people we audiophiles are. The equipment is comfortable in the sense of being well padded, which is important for something weighing around 300grams. The ear pads are large and fit well around the ear. This is a mixed blessing, as while outside sound is suitably insulated, after as little as an hour’s listening the outer ear becomes hot. There was no evidence of a ‘creaking’ in the plastic headpiece as reported in a review of the earlier 2020 system.

In the swim

To the sound. I love the violinist Dumay’s interpretation of Mozart. The third violin concerto is reproduced with spaciousness outside and beyond the ear. The violin is sweet and moving. The orchestra is fully present, but perhaps not with the weight that I am used to with my Perreaux/Sennheiser mix.

In ultimate terms, the sound in complex passages was slightly ‘smeared’: even when teamed with the competent combination of a Quad CD player and Chord Signature interconnects.

After switching to Sweet Honey in the Rock I found the Stax was certainly in its element with the simple recordings of female voices and separated the singers admirably. Diction was excellent. Tonal accuracy was very good with percussion reproduced in way that left no doubt as to what instrument was being used.

Working up a sweat

Switching to something more recent and mainstream: Joss Stone’s voice on the Soul Sessions is reproduced with an immediacy that comes close to my Perreaux/Sennheisser system, though again in complex passages can have a tendency to ‘shout’. The top end is detailed and airy giving good insight into some of the recording techniques.

The problem is in the bottom end. I would not describe this system as ‘light weight’ however it does approach the lower octaves differently. The emphasis is on tonal accuracy rather than weight. There is not much evidence of the leading edge that would satisfy a serious rock or punk music listeners. The end result of this tendency is system low on the PRAT factor (Pace Rhythm And Timing). It is important to note however that these qualities are not given the same emphasis by all listeners or with all music.

The cool down

With a good quality recording from the Spanish Renaissance, this system really came into its own. Camerata Iberia is an audiophile quality recording of voice and traditional instruments set in a resonant church acoustic, that I have used for several years now as a test piece. I was not at all surprised to note that the recording engineer used Stax Lambda Signature Pro Earspeakers. The Stax rendition of the music would certainly be among the best that I have heard on a “bang for your buck” basis. This system really comes alive with well recorded acoustic music.

Feeling the benefit

If you don’t mind your ears getting a bit warm however and listen to a lot of acoustic music then I can’t think of a better headphone and amplifier combination in this price range. It will certainly resolve music in a detailed, gentle and natural way. Be sure to include it in your short list.

John is an executive coach and mentor who lives on the North Shore of Auckland

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