Over-Ear
Audio-Technica Awkg
82Great
$4499
Full review dataAudio-Technica Awkg vs STAX SR-X9000: which should you buy?
On aggregated review scores the STAX SR-X9000 comes out ahead with an HearWiki score of 88. The full breakdown - sub-scores, specs and what reviewers actually said - is below.
Our pick: STAX SR-X9000 - Outstanding overall at around $5050.
Over-Ear
STAX SR-X9000
88Outstanding
$5050
Full review dataScore breakdown
Each axis is a 0–10 blend of what reviewers scored, not a lab measurement.
Audio-Technica Awkg
Sound9.0
Value5.0
STAX SR-X9000
Sound9.5
Value5.0
Specifications
| Spec | Audio-Technica Awkg | STAX SR-X9000 |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Over-Ear | Over-Ear |
| Price (USD) | $4499 | $5050 |
| HearWiki score | 82 / 100 · Great | 88 / 100 · Outstanding |
| Released | 2024 | 2021 |
| Audio | ||
| Driver | dynamic | electrostatic |
| Driver size | 53 mm | - |
| Drivers per side | 1 | 2 |
| Frequency response | 5Hz-45kHz | 5Hz-42,000Hz |
| Impedance | 48 Ω | 145000 Ω |
| Sensitivity | 102 dB/mW | - |
| Wireless | ||
| Multipoint pairing | No | No |
| Features | ||
| Active noise cancelling | No | No |
| Design | ||
| Weight | 390 g | 432 g |
| Detachable cable | Yes | - |
| USB-C | No | - |
| Balanced connection | Yes | - |
What reviewers said
Audio-Technica Awkg
The Audio-Technica AWKG is a premium closed-back headphone that excels in high-end audio systems, delivering a refined and musical sound with excellent detail retrieval. Its build quality is top-notch, though its price is steep and its noise isolation is not as strong as typical closed-back designs, giving it a more open feel. The headphone pairs best with balanced, high-quality amplification to unlock its full potential.
- Pro:Exceptional build and premium materials
- Pro:Detailed, balanced sound signature
- Pro:Comfortable updated headband design
- Con:Very high price point
- Con:Weaker isolation than most closed-backs
- Con:Bass is less punchy than some rivals
STAX SR-X9000
The STAX SR-X9000 is a top-tier electrostatic headphone that excels at revealing fine detail, ambient cues, and instrumental nuance, delivering an exceptionally transparent and spacious soundstage. It offers outstanding speed, transient response, and realism, making it ideal for classical and spatially demanding music. However, it requires a dedicated energizer/driver unit, pushing the total system cost far beyond the already steep headphone price.
- Pro:Exceptional detail retrieval and transparency
- Pro:Huge, three-dimensional soundstage with precise imaging
- Pro:Fast transient response and realistic timbre
- Con:Requires separate electrostatic driver unit
- Con:Very high total system cost
- Con:No noise cancellation or wireless convenience
Summaries are AI-condensed and paraphrased from published reviews and specs - not original hands-on testing. More on our method.
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