[tjlindle]

It has taken a while but I have at last assembled every "flagship" Lambda or an equivalent variant:

-NB Lambda
-Lambda Pro (not pictured, it is with my partner at the moment)
-Lambda Signature
-Nova Signature
-404LE
-507
-L700mk2 (not pictured, in NYC with the 009BK instead of here in NC)

I have owned these all at various points, but never all at the same time as I don't really consider myself a collector, I tend to stick to 2-3 headphones at a time max.

And on that same note, the purpose of this Lambda parliament is to determine once and for all my two, at most three, favorite models, and I will be selling the rest.

I spent most of today listening to all of them critically, will spend most of the weekend doing the same and hopefully by then I will have my final picks and thoughts on all of them. I will probably make a post discussing them all since I think they're not often discussed all in direct, hands-on comparison to one another at the same time. Also, if anyone has any questions about a specific model e.g. how it compares to another specific model on any given source material, let me know in a DM and I'll be happy to provide my thoughts.

This is the final Lambda hurrah for me. After this shoot-out, I will hunker down with my favorite models and no more Lambda, except maybe the SC-21 on here to compare to the 507 and 404LE. I will be moving on to saving up for an SR-Omega.

 

[Chefguru]

It has taken a while but I have at last assembled every "flagship" Lambda or an equivalent variant:

-NB Lambda
-Lambda Pro (not pictured, it is with my partner at the moment)
-Lambda Signature
-Nova Signature
-404LE
-507
-L700mk2 (not pictured, in NYC with the 009BK instead of here in NC)

I have owned these all at various points, but never all at the same time as I don't really consider myself a collector, I tend to stick to 2-3 headphones at a time max.

And on that same note, the purpose of this Lambda parliament is to determine once and for all my two, at most three, favorite models, and I will be selling the rest.

I spent most of today listening to all of them critically, will spend most of the weekend doing the same and hopefully by then I will have my final picks and thoughts on all of them. I will probably make a post discussing them all since I think they're not often discussed all in direct, hands-on comparison to one another at the same time. Also, if anyone has any questions about a specific model e.g. how it compares to another specific model on any given source material, let me know in a DM and I'll be happy to provide my thoughts.

This is the final Lambda hurrah for me. After this shoot-out, I will hunker down with my favorite models and no more Lambda, except maybe the SC-21 on here to compare to the 507 and 404LE. I will be moving on to saving up for an SR-Omega.

Very cool - please do write up a detailed report. I’ve owned most of these but it’s always great to hear a new take on it especially when all of them are there at the same time.

 

[gammi]

It has taken a while but I have at last assembled every "flagship" Lambda or an equivalent variant:

Congrats and can't wait to hear your impressions. Especially curious where Nova Signature stands.

 

[DougD]

[snip]

I spent most of today listening to all of them critically, will spend most of the weekend doing the same and hopefully by then I will have my final picks and thoughts on all of them. I will probably make a post discussing them all since I think they're not often discussed all in direct, hands-on comparison to one another at the same time. Also, if anyone has any questions about a specific model e.g. how it compares to another specific model on any given source material, let me know in a DM and I'll be happy to provide my thoughts.

Please do put your thoughts to paper. I have some of those, and would appreciate your thoughts on some of the holes in my Lambda collection.

 

[jody2k]

It has taken a while but I have at last assembled every "flagship" Lambda or an equivalent variant:

-NB Lambda
-Lambda Pro (not pictured, it is with my partner at the moment)
-Lambda Signature
-Nova Signature
-404LE
-507
-L700mk2 (not pictured, in NYC with the 009BK instead of here in NC)

I have owned these all at various points, but never all at the same time as I don't really consider myself a collector, I tend to stick to 2-3 headphones at a time max.

And on that same note, the purpose of this Lambda parliament is to determine once and for all my two, at most three, favorite models, and I will be selling the rest.

I spent most of today listening to all of them critically, will spend most of the weekend doing the same and hopefully by then I will have my final picks and thoughts on all of them. I will probably make a post discussing them all since I think they're not often discussed all in direct, hands-on comparison to one another at the same time. Also, if anyone has any questions about a specific model e.g. how it compares to another specific model on any given source material, let me know in a DM and I'll be happy to provide my thoughts.

This is the final Lambda hurrah for me. After this shoot-out, I will hunker down with my favorite models and no more Lambda, except maybe the SC-21 on here to compare to the 507 and 404LE. I will be moving on to saving up for an SR-Omega.

Not sure I should mention this here in this thread but if it's the SR-omega you're after you might also check out the ES Labs ES1a.
It's a 1 guy company I think that designed this headphone inspired from the SR-Omega, I read the ES-1a sounds like a mix between the SR Omega and 009S.

Let me know how did you found the SR-507 compared to the 404LE (i'm currently owning the SR-407 ).

 

[eee1111]

Nevermind

 

[icnaiwhimor1975]

I see STAX SR-X1 is already available for purchase

 

[leManu]

One earpad on my SR-L500 MK2 just stayed on the stand when I picked my headphone. I can put it back into place but it doesn't really hold in place securely. Is it a known issue? How do I fix this without using glue?

 

[oneguy]

Adhesive tape

 

[aokman]

It’s nice to just take a step back and enjoy the versatility of transformers… Everything from lush Sony VFETs, Yamaha’s first active servo amplifier and a freshly serviced Sansui Alpha flagship

 

[bobkatz]

I just finished building my "ultimate" transformer Stat amp. I'm using a 70 WPC Class D amp module from Germany and two high power toroidal transformers originally used in a tube amplifier. The sound is full, marvelous, with excellent headroom. Comparing it to my Mjolnir Direct drive KGSS Carbon I honestly don't have a preference! Both amps sound great, with my custom transformer amp sounding a little "fatter" in the bass and a little warmer in the top but not at all in an objectionable way. To say that the Mjolnir is "cleaner" is not fair to the clear and impacting sound of the transformer amp. So I think it can be done, if you use the right driving amp and VERY good transformers.

Following are measurements with comments.

 

[bobkatz]

I just finished building my "ultimate" transformer Stat amp. I'm using a 70 WPC Class D amp module from Germany and two high power toroidal transformers originally used in a tube amplifier. The sound is full, marvelous, with excellent headroom. Comparing it to my Mjolnir Direct drive KGSS Carbon I honestly don't have a preference! Both amps sound great, with my custom transformer amp sounding a little "fatter" in the bass and a little warmer in the top but not at all in an objectionable way. To say that the Mjolnir is "cleaner" is not fair to the clear and impacting sound of the transformer amp. So I think it can be done, if you use the right driving amp and VERY good transformers.

Following are measurements with comments.

Measurements: First is square waves, 50 Hz, 1k Hz, 10 kHz. These are far from great measurements, ringing, rolloff, etc. But how much do these affect the sonics of this amp? A little non-objectionable, pleasant color, IMNSHO.

 

[bobkatz]

Measurements: First is square waves, 50 Hz, 1k Hz, 10 kHz. These are far from great measurements, ringing, rolloff, etc. But how much do these affect the sonics of this amp? A little non-objectionable, pleasant color, IMNSHO.

Next, freq response. For this measurement I use relative dB with an uncalibrated reference but the voltage is nominally 100 V RMS. Some rolloff at the bottom end, and the rise at the top means something to do with capacitance of the transformer I guess. Does this also mean there's ringing and other objectionable things? I can't say technically, but sonically I'm still happy. 20 Hz is down only 0.25 dB and 20 kHz is up 1 dB. I'm easily able to make up for the slight low end rolloff and slight high end rise with EQ. I use an RME ADI-2 DAC which has exceptional EQ available for all my headphone reproduction.

 

[aokman]

Measurements: First is square waves, 50 Hz, 1k Hz, 10 kHz. These are far from great measurements, ringing, rolloff, etc. But how much do these affect the sonics of this amp? A little non-objectionable, pleasant color, IMNSHO.

Thanks for sharing results, been curious about toroids after someone mentioned it in one of my videos, haven’t really done square wave testing at anything other than 1khz on mine but there is a little overshoot that settles quickly on 1630s. That said if you’re using a DAC etc it could just be amplified from the signal chain also.

I tend to run tests at 150Vrms (seems to reflect loudish listening) with 120pf capacitor and measure manually across the range as I don’t have the gear for it. Some other things worth measuring are a 20hz sinewave and how much voltage swing you can get before the transformer core saturates also

The sharp rise in the FR might be worth looking into and tame it a little to keep the amplifier side happy whats the DC impedance on the primary windings?

 

[bobkatz]

Next, freq response. For this measurement I use relative dB with an uncalibrated reference but the voltage is nominally 100 V RMS. Some rolloff at the bottom end, and the rise at the top means something to do with capacitance of the transformer I guess. Does this also mean there's ringing and other objectionable things? I can't say technically, but sonically I'm still happy. 20 Hz is down 0.5 dB and 20 kHz is up 1 dB. I'm easily able to make up for the slight low end rolloff and slight high end rise with EQ. I use an RME ADI-2 DAC which has exceptional EQ available for all my headphone reproduction.

Next, THD (without noise) at 1 kHz. First a reference THD at 1 kHz at 100 dB SPL. Note that I use 100 V RMS reference = nominal 100 dB SPL for my Y axis. I think that expressing levels and noise in equivalent SPL for the EStat headphone makes a lot of sense. THD is 0.003% at that level at 1kHz, which is exemplary, especially for a transformer-based amp. Then I push the level until I reach 1% THD and back off to just below that. For the 1 kHz, that's a fantastic 119 dB SPL -- excellent headroom, THD at 119 dB SPL is 0.03%. But the FFT looks pretty ugly with new sidebands close to the 1 kHz. But keep in mind this is just for momentary transients, we never play even close to that loud.