Stax ED-1 Equalizer. Comments?

If naturally recorded, I have found the ED1 to make a huge improvement! The best of German and Japanese thinking.

I use an ED-1 with my Stax Omega earspeakers(vintage '94) and and SRM-T1 tube amplifier. As you may know, the ED-1 was designed for the Lambda series espkrs, but I find that they do balance out the midrange and clarify the base characteristics of the Omegas. It is easy to switch in and out of the circuit, and with some music I switch it out of the signal path, but not often and not for long. I am looking for an SRM-T2. Let me know if you run across one.

Thanks for the comments guys. I am looking for one, if you happen to know of one for sale. What would you say is a good price for a used unit in good shape? Also, aside from the spatial improvements, is there any obvious hardening of the sound? I always hesitate to put more electronics in the signal path. Thanks.

FWIW, I think anyone expecting the best out of their Stax system would be better served by moving up the Stax line than adding the ED-1 to the mix. I can say this with confidence, as I have owned the ED-1 and used it with my Lambda Pro and SRM-1, Mark 2. I moved up the Stax line to the 009s (with SRM-T1S)  and the difference is not subtle. Also, I agree with frogman's comment that adding more electronics (not to mention extra cost) to the signal path is a bad idea.

Hi Frogman,

I’ve used Stax Lambda Pro headphones ever since I purchased them in the 1980s. Until 2014 I was driving them with the SRM-1 Mk2 solid state amplifier together with an ED-1. I found that on the majority of recordings it was necessary to switch in the equalization provided by the ED-1, especially to eliminate or mostly compensate for a thinness in the mid-range and lower treble. With that amplifier I would not have wanted to be without the ED-1.

However in 2014 I purchased a used tube-based SRM-T1 amplifier. With that amp and my Lambda Pros the equalization provided by the ED-1 was totally unnecessary, and the resulting sonics were far superior to the SRM-1 Mk2/ED-1 combo regardless of whether the ED-1’s equalization was switched in or out. Frankly I was amazed at the difference; it was as if I had purchased different and much better headphones.

In 2014 I sold the ED-1 for a bit more than $600, and I sold the SRM-1 Mk2 for a bit under $400.

Best regards,
-- Al

Edit:  I just noticed that the original post is from 2004!  Oh well, perhaps the recent responses will be helpful to someone else.

Hi Al,

I just noticed the revival of this old thread.  Thank you and tonykay for your comments.

Some time after the OP I did come across and purchased an ED-1 which I still use with my SRM-T1S/Lambda Pro Sig combo.  I am quite happy with the sound.   While shopping for amps I did compare the SRM-T1S to the SRM-1 MK2 (prior to acquiring the ED-1) and as you mention, Al the T1S was much better sounding.  However, I still do find an improvement when using the ED-1 with the T1S.  Interestingly, not so much in the areas of "in the head sundstaging" and ambience as purported (there is some), but in extension and clarity of bass frequencies as well as overall sense of purity of sound.  In fact, it is probably the only time in my experience that I have put anything, active or passive, in the signal path as an add-on that has not resulted in enough negatives to make it an overall backward step.  Can't explain why, but the improvement is there in spite of my admitted bias and skepticism toward anything additional in the signal path.  Perhaps a fortuitous choice of cables (Nordost)?

Regards.

frogman,

Thanks for chiming in. Just a few comments. Like Al, I sold my ED-1 for $600 several years ago. As a longtime headphone guy, I'll reiterate my comment from 4-11 that moving up the Stax line is an eye opener. I loved my Lambda Pro headphones, then moved up to the Lambda Signatures and finally to the 009s. The same with the Stax amplifiers; started with the SRM-1 MK2, then to the T-1, finally to the T1S, which I'm now enjoying. You won't mistake the differences as you move up the Stax line. Those upgrades are truly worth the money!