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Dan Clark Audio CORINA 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.

Score breakdown

Each axis is a 0–10 blend of what reviewers scored, not a lab measurement.

Dan Clark Audio CORINA
Sound9.2
Value6.5
STAX SR-X9000
Sound9.5
Value5.0

Specifications

Specification comparison of Dan Clark Audio CORINA vs STAX SR-X9000
SpecDan Clark Audio CORINASTAX SR-X9000
TypeOver-EarOver-Ear
Price (USD)$4,500$5,050
HearWiki score87 / 100 · Outstanding88 / 100 · Outstanding
Released20232021
Audio
DriverElectrostatic 88mmelectrostatic
Driver size88 mm-
Drivers per side-2
Frequency responseflat to 6Hz5Hz-42,000Hz
Impedance-145000 Ω
Wireless
Multipoint pairing-No
Features
Active noise cancelling-No
Design
Weight465 g432 g

What reviewers said

Dan Clark Audio CORINA

The Dan Clark Audio CORINA is a premium electrostatic headphone that delivers a smooth, natural, and highly resolving sound, standing out for its musicality and full-bodied character rather than the bright treble often associated with this technology. Its comfortable design and precise imaging make it a top-tier choice for critical listening, though it demands a powerful amplifier and represents a significant investment.

  • Pro:Rich, engaging mids with excellent vocal clarity
  • Pro:Smooth, non-fatiguing treble for extended listening
  • Pro:Superb imaging and instrument separation
  • Con:Very high price point
  • Con:Requires a powerful, high-quality electrostatic amplifier
  • Con:Inefficient design limits portability and pairing options

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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