Наушники — Stax SR-L500MK2

The SR-L500 MK2 is the middle model of the Advanced Lambda series from Stax of Japan, a line that traces its lineage to the original SR-Λ introduced in 1979. It is a minor revision of the earlier SR-L500, carried out in step with the SR-L700 MK2, and it keeps the oval, ear-shaped sound element that marks the Lambda concept. The suggested retail price in Japan is JPY 88,000 including tax.

Key specs that matter

This is a push-pull electrostatic earspeaker with a rear open enclosure. Stax lists a range of 7 to 41,000 Hz, a capacitance of 110 pF including the supplied cable and an impedance of 145 kilohm at 10 kHz, also with the cable. Sensitivity is 101 dB at 1 kHz for 100 V rms input, and the bias voltage is 580 V DC. The fixed electrodes are made by high-precision etching. Weight is about 351 g for the headphone body and 479 g with the supplied lead fitted. Production is in Japan.

Engineering and use context

The MK2 revision had two aims, to strengthen the moving parts and to make the headphone easier to live with. The cable became detachable, so a broken lead can be replaced without a factory repair and a different cable can be fitted later. The case holders that carry the ear cups changed from plastic to aluminium and gained a gently curved shape in place of the former straight form, which lets the pads settle more naturally against the side of the head and reduces twisting and distortion of the frame when worn. The diaphragm is made of an ultra-thin film, and the newly developed stainless steel electrodes are etched to raise the proportion of sound that passes through their openings while keeping them flat and low in resonance. While the sound unit differs from that of the SR-L700 MK2, the two share a low-resonance housing and a headpad arc that clicks through 10 positions and then holds its setting. The supplied cable is a wide, flat, parallel 6-core design 2.5 m long, with conductors of HiFC, a copper to which a trace of titanium is added for better transmission and greater flexibility, and its terminals are gold coated. The artificial leather ear pads were developed for this model and are finished by hand. Stax advises against removing the pads routinely, as their locating pins are rated only for occasional replacement.

Pairing

Its electrostatic design means the SR-L500 MK2 must be run from a Stax electrostatic driver unit, and the current range includes the SRM-400S, SRM-500T, SRM-700S, SRM-700T, SRM-D10 MK2 and SRM-T8000.

Alternatives

The Stax SR-L700 MK2 sits above it in the Advanced Lambda series, adding MLER multi-layer fixed electrodes and a 6N OFC cable with silver-plated copper strands.