The package came with the lambda professional ear speakers – very comfortable, if somewhat fragile-looking, the SRM-1/MK-2 amplifier – long, heavy, sturdy, with separate volume controls for the left and right channels (variable voltage adjustment is a godsend!), and a bonus extension cable.
The black and matte finish is a plus, as it blends well with my desktop. the amp has inputs for normal and pro bias, but the ear speakers can only plug in the pro bias slot so nothing else to tweak here. the back panel of the amp accepts two pairs of RCA inputs.
The voltage selector is also located at the back, as well as the power plug socket. the ear speakers are surprisingly light, lighter than the Beyers actually, and the circumaural pads are comfortable. my only gripe is the feeling that I am balancing a bridge-like contraption on top of my head.
I have always wondered how the “effortless” Stax sound really was. My experience with the dynamic headphones had conditioned my hearing, and detail resolution, bass slam, and highs extension were the usual things I attempt to extract for any audio gear I get to listen to. But I was not prepared for the lambda pro.
The airy soundstage was disconcerting: the sound had the feeling of drifting towards my ears instead of being pushed inside. this plus the open design contributes to a very wide soundstage. I am reminded of my brief audition of the K701 and this is beyond the Beyer soundstage easily
Instrument separation is on a whole new level. I have always loved how the Beyer DT880 600Ω gives a separate space for each instrument.
The lambda pro ups the volume of those instruments in the background, bringing them closer to the volume of the vocal, without smearing them against each other, or bringing them forward all at once. Instrument positioning is preserved, and this is so brilliantly done, to an extent past the Beyer or the HD650 separation.
Speed is a new concept I have just recently appreciated with the lambda pros. Musical passages played fast sound really sound just as fast, in contrast to the sometimes congested feeling when listening to guitar runs on the hd650. Detail resolution is simply the best I have heard so far amongst my gearInstrument separation is on a whole new level. I have always loved how the Beyer DT880 600Ω gives a separate space for each instrument.
The lambda pro ups the volume of those instruments in the background, bringing them closer to the volume of the vocal, without smearing them against each other, or bringing them forward all at once. Instrument positioning is preserved, and this is so brilliantly done, to an extent past the Beyer or the HD650 separation.
Speed is a new concept I have just recently appreciated with the lambda pros. Musical passages played fast sound really sound just as fast, in contrast to the sometimes congested feeling when listening to guitar runs on the hd650. Detail resolution is simply the best I have heard so far amongst my gear
As for the bass, I initially thought the bass was the sacrificial lamb or the weak point of vintage low-end Stax. Well, the bass was initially lacking slam and intensity, and I even felt the dt880 have more bass.
But turning up the volume increased the bass output and now I have the bass level at a more than ample enough level. Also, these cans respond to EQ easily. A simple bass boost using EQ gave me the DT990 bass quantity.
Mids and highs extension is excellent. At times, the highs can be irritating at higher than usual volumes, especially when using the Xonar as a source. The uDAC is a far smoother and more forgiving DAC. The drums are crisper, the guitar is most melodic, and the vocals are more alluring.
love these pros for everything! Alternative music, R’n’B b, and classical sound awesome. rock and metal seem to be less enjoyable using these compared to the dt990. but overall, the jump in SQ warrants a thorough listen to all of my music!
Audio Gold opened in Crouch End, North London in the early 1990s and we’ve been operating a busy, independent, hifi shop since then. Recommended by musicians, producers, DJs and many of London's record shops as the place to find the right stereo and turntable, we specialise in analogue vinyl systems and combining them with modern digital sources (be they high res or Spotify etc), exploiting wifi streamers and so on as appropriate - our aim is to have a wider range of good quality new and fully guaranteed used decks and stereo equipment than anywhere else in the country
What we like most is to help build the right system for you, based on your requirements in terms of sound, space and budget. With unparalleled stock of guaranteed, classic and vintage amps, speakers and turntables alongside new kit, we're also better placed than anywhere else to help you put together a hifi with the right look to sit happily in your home - a stereo that you can love, and use every day. We’re open 7 days a week for you to collect eBay purchases, to inspect, browse, and to listen before you buy. Alongside the Aladdin's Cave of the best of hifi from the last 50 odd years, our record shop stocks 1000s of new and secondhand vinyl LPs
If you have any queries, you can contact us via eBay, email, or by phone on 020 8341 9007. Or make an appointment to pop in to the shop at 308-310 Park Rd, N8 8LA
We use our eBay store to make lovely surplus stock available to a wider audience and to re-home items where the economies of time, money and space don't quite add up for us; we preach 'Extended Life Audio' and hate throwing things away, but London retail space comes at a premium and our engineers have only so much time!
Please check out our other eBay listings for lots more new, used and vintage audio equipment and associated ephemera!