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Can a much-loved electrostatic headphone be improved?

STAX SR-007S Earspeaker System Resting Angle View

Let’s see how the STAX SR-007S carries on the traditions of the original STAX SR-007 electrostatic earspeaker, STAX’s name for their headphones.

The Basics:

STAX electrostatic headphones and the specialized energizers that drive them, are a complete system that provides audiophiles a world of sound that is sublime. There are now several manufacturers who make electrostatic systems, but the first, and certainly still one of the best companies to venture into the “E-stat” world, is STAX. And in the STAX lineup is the SR-007 series. First introduced in 1998, the SR-007 was an immediate success with audiophiles who loved the warm, lush sound. Around 2007 STAX introduced the SR- 007A/MKll, which built upon the warm sound and brought in more refinement and a slightly more neutral sound. And now, in 2025 STAX has brought the third evolution; the SR-007S.

The Run Down:

The SR-007S has newly designed rotating earcups, a redesigned inner earpad, and updated diaphragms and fixed electrodes, which elevate sound clarity while retaining the rich warmth the SR-007 series is known for. They are lightweight and supremely comfortable. The cushy earpads have sheepskin leather on the ear-facing portion with artificial leather surrounding the rest of the earpad. The self-adjusting headband is a thick rubberized material that looks like leather. The metal headband support is elegant and minimalist in design, giving the SR-007 a classy, retro feel.

STAX SR-007S Earspeaker System Specifications
Type:

push-pull electrostatic transducer, open-air headphones.

Frequency response:

6 Hz – 41 kHz.

Impedance:

145KΩ.

Sound pressure sensitivity:

101 dB.

Bias Voltage:

580V DC.

Cable:

parallel 6-strand, low-capacity wide cable.

Cable length:

2.5m.

Weight:

430g without the cable.

MSRP:

$2,390.00

Website:

STAX SR-007S Earspeakers

Company:

STAX

STAX etch logo signature mark imprinted on the SR-007S Earspeaker System

The Follow-Up:

At SECRETS, we have reviewed a few STAX headphones in the recent past including the SR-009S Signature, the SRS-X1000, and the SR-X9000. The SR-007S is my first listen to the SR-007 series. I am familiar with the airy, atmospheric sound of “E-stats,” but I was surprised at the sense of depth and fullness to the SR-007S. I was hooked within moments of listening. Velvety, yet crystalline; talk about the yin/yang of opposing qualities. It is not often I hear a headphone that has both in balance. However, I’m still talking in electrostatic terms when I mention depth and warmth. These are the opposite of dynamic driver, closed-back headphones. The bass in a dynamic driver headphone can punch hard. The bass on the SR-007 is refined, not polite exactly, but punches with a velvet fist. This is a special headphone with a lush and addictive sound that makes rediscovering a music collection a joy.

Watch for my complete review of the STAX SR-007S Earspeaker System which will be coming soon to the SECRETS website.

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I was born to love audio. My grandfather was awarded a patent for a “METHOD OF PRODUCING TALKING-MACHINE RECORDS” in 1912. He also sang opera. He passed his passion for music and the early days of recording on to my mother, who then passed it on to my sisters and me. My father, a professor of electrical engineering, was also an amateur jazz guitarist. He loved Heathkit’s home-built electronics, and as a little girl I was his “assistant builder”. He always talked to me about what he was building, and we always had the biggest T.V. and the most advanced HiFi gear. Music was always on in our house, and my folks really listened to and discussed what was playing on the turntable, and later the reel-to-reel deck. I grew up with jazz, the classics, and my father’s goofy and extensive collection of comedy albums and sound effects records. He always made sure I had the latest transistor radios, which were my prized possessions; I could be found late at night, trying to listen in on the faraway stations that magically appeared through the static between my local stations. In the early 70s, I discovered the remarkable world of Japanese audio on my layovers in Japan as a flight attendant. I remember lugging home a huge, very heavy wood-clad Kenwood receiver back from Japan, thanks to a kind captain that made space for my treasure in the cockpit. That receiver powered my two Bose 901s that I had hung from the ceiling in the living room. I also fell in love with the early Sennheiser open-back headphones that had come on the scene in 1968 and which sparked my passion for headphones that continues to this day. After traveling the world as a flight attendant my work led me to the restaurant world of the San Francisco Bay Area, where I spent several years working in a “farm to table” restaurant. I developed a passion for photography while co- writing a cookbook with the chef. My skills as a food and garden photographer grew and I added working as a photojournalist with assignments that usually included the food scene in the Bay Area. A year ago, I joined the San Francisco Audiophile Foundation (https://audiophilefoundation.org), where I discovered my tribe. It was humbling to find out that compared to almost everyone I met, I actually have a long way to go to call myself an audiophile! I was also shocked to find out that out of over 300 members, there were only three women (including me). It was a source of pride, however, to know that the president and a founding member is a woman. Yay, team! You can find me outdoors hiking and photographing landscapes and wildlife and trying my hand at nighttime landscape photography.

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