Reviews
Underrated and Overlooked
"In my opinion the Stax SR - L700 is one of the most underrated headphones on today's market, they may look cheap and nasty because of their look and build but dismiss them at your peril, I agree they look bland and are made of plastic yet sound impressive for their price tag, to me whats most important in a headphone is sound, comfort, value for money and looks in that order, people put far to much emphasis on looks which is irrelevant when your listening to them, sound and comfort however is important and the L700 excel in this department, they sound impressive and are extremely lightweight and comfortable, I've heard people complain about there plasticity build but if you treat these gently they should last you a lifetime, I use the plastic yokes from the mark 1s because the clamp force isn't so severe as the mark 2s metal yokes and drive the SR - L700 with Stax top of the line energizer the T 8000, with the right synergy the energizer and DAC or CD player seem to disappear leaving just you and the music if that makes sence, regarding the L 700s lack of bass presence I've always found their bass adequate when needed, if the music has deep powerful bass or slam the L 700s will produce it so theirs no need to use EQ, on the subject of EQ I don't beleive in in because you shouldn't change the sound of the original recording in my opinion?, so overall the Stax SR - L 700 is in my opinion one of the finest sounding headphones on the market today regardless of price and perhaps that's their greatest strength 'value for money', I have no hesitation recommending the Stax - L 700 which I actually prefer to Stax flag ship X 9000 which I listened to back to back at home alongside the L 700s, the L 700 are lighter and therefore more comfortable than the heavier X 9000 and the L 700 have a bigger sound stage due to the shape of the ear cups, L 700 begin rectangular and X 9000 begin round and detail retrieval was about the same through both Stax, so to sum up the L 700 are extremely underrated and the X 9000 are extremely overrated in my experience, I know us Stax fans should stick together but I'm just begin bruntely honest and impartial, get over the build and look of the Stax SR - L700 and your have yourself one of the best headphones on the market regardless of price, why pay more when you don't need too?, highly recommended"
— Andy L. (5/5)
A unique pair of "earspeakers"
"I bought these brand new, and the 1 day shipping was amazing. These are my first electrostats and I have never heard anything like them. I paired them with the new D10MkII energizer. The detail and separation of the different sounds is insane, but what is interesting is they do not come across as bright. I have a Hifiman Arya V2 that comes close to the detail but is way too bright for a wide range of music. The L700's are more detailed yet I can comfortably listen to pretty much anything for hours. My next move will be to get a bigger energizer, I feel like these have more tricks up their sleeve."
— James C. (5/5)
Now I know the definition of endgame
"Disclaimer: this is my first set of electrostatic headphones; and I don't see any reason to invest more. I got the SRM-400S with the SR-L700 MK2, and they are simply amazing. Every detail on every music is just there, ready to be picked. Also, I got them both open box, with absolutely no difference from brand new ones, except for the packaging. 100% worth it."
— Luciano R. (5/5)
Stax SR-L700 Mk2 – The Lambda Legacy Continues!
"This is my third Stax earspeaker. Like my two companion Stax earspeakers (1982 SR-Lambda Pro, 2015 SR-507), the SR-L700 Mk2 puts a smile on my face to hear the familial Stax electrostatic sound. I am pleased to note they continue their “Made in Japan” quality workmanship. Significant improvements are in the ES driver unit design, detachable cable, non-adhesive snap-on earpads, better earcup swivel/clamping force, symmetric uniform thickness earpads, and metal earcup yokes. The most significant change is the greater earcup swivel that produces a more uniform clamping force around the ears for better comfort and seal. Likewise, the uniform thickness earpads are more comfortable compared to the previous designs with tapered padding/least padding at the front edge. No surprises, the SR-L700 Mk2 sound is electrostatic quick and detailed with no discernible distortion. Driven by the Stax SRM-400S, I have compared the Stax SR-L700 Mk2 to the SR-Lambda Pro, SR-507, Hifiman Jade II, and with its own energizer amp the Drop/Koss ESP95X. I liked the tuning of the SR-507 the most, followed by the SR-L700 Mk2, Jade II, SR-Lambda Pro, and lastly the ESP95X. The SR-507 has a V-shaped frequency response giving it a fun to listen character. The L700 Mk2 is the most comfortable, neutral and least fatiguing for extended listening. The Jade II has an airier brighter sound, with a softer presentation reminiscent of Hifiman’s planar magnetics. The SR-Lambda Pro is treble-centric but does have some low bass extension. It is not as fast and transparent sounding as the current generation thin-diaphragm electrostatic drivers. However, the Lambda Pro remains a working testament of Stax’s legacy. The ESP95X is too flawed in quality in comparison to Stax and Hifiman products. The ESP95X are mid-centric and thin sounding. They are an inexpensive listen, but need EQ. Some nitpicks: The attachment ends of the L700 Mk2 leather headstrap lack reinforcements/stiffeners to prevent the strap from flopping around and turning an annoying concave down direction after use. The asymmetric mesh dust cover is not well secured inside the earcup and its plastic frame may become a resonant source. Mine were not installed properly; I had to re-orient the frame so the wide edge was facing the front and not obstructing sound from the ES driver. Another big smile on my face as I enjoy the SR-L700 Mk2. It is yet another refinement in the Lambda legacy. Well done again Stax!"
— Thomas C. (5/5)
International Purchase
"Great product! Astonishing resolution. Besides all the accurate reviews and praise what impressed me the most is that you get to listen the characteristics from the source gear used in the recordings such as compressors. Paired with a borrowed 353, I'm definetely investing in a new solid state from their newest line. I extremely recommend it for somebody who's looking for analytical listening. Great service from Headamp. Package was really well protected and arrived after two days of purchase."
— FERNANDO M. (5/5)
I have a lot of
"I have a lot of headphones including planars, ribbons, dynamic and everything in between but I’ve always had a soft spot for e-stats. The L700 MK2 is super comfortable (after a break-in period to loosen the head clamping force) and combined with the D-10, is an amazing “portable” system. Perfect for late-night listening sessions in bed and especially with classics or jazz music."
— Yumin C. (5/5)
Detail, air/space . . . chills
"After roughly 20 years, I felt it was time to upgrade from my 404 headphones (or earspeakers as per Stax) + SRM 006t amp (the SRS-4040 system) to the new L700 MKII (headphones) + SRM 700t (amp). This brief review will focus on the L700. There is a substantial price differential between the original models and my new purchases. The new equipment represents a step up cost-wise plus the benefits of two decades worth of technological advancements. The 404's are excellent headphones. That said, the L700 revealed more detail, air/space around instruments, and deeper bass, and gave even more chills than the older headphones when listening to vocals. I enjoy following scores while listening to orchestral works. If you like to differentiate between say an oboe and clarinet, first and second violin sections, or different sections of a choir then the L700 (or any Stax headphone for that matter) is for you. I first A/B'ed the 404/L700 with the old 006t amp and the sonic improvements of the new model were obvious. Replacing the 006t with the 700t benefitted both headphones, but the L700 remains clearly leaps and bounds ahead of the 404. I would never reach for the 404 if the L700 was available. But please note that the 404 is still amazing and is better than 99% of the (portable) stuff out there today, IMO. Thank you, Headamp, for a quick and easy transaction."
— Eric (5/5)
Headphone & Amp purchase
"Just received my SRM-D50 amp & L700 MK2 headphones. Sound absolutely fantastic! Headphones are also remarkably comfortable after long periods of listening. Music lovers of the world, you can't go wrong with this combination for pure listening pleasure."
— Glenn M. (5/5)
Perfect Headset for the Perfect Amp
"I bought a Scorpio headphones amp from HeadAmp and needed a new headphones. These SR-L700 MK2 are awesome! Not too bright (I was worried about that), very detailed and sweet, just a perfect match."
— Alex K. (5/5)
Excellent Electrostats. Good deal with the opened-box variant
"Saved a good $200 or so due to open-box. Headphones themselves looked new. Of course, as expected, these have the Stax sound; soundstage and clarity of treble is such that I often cannot distinguish between sounds being made from actual real-life events around me and sound effects in my music."
— Isaac (5/5)
