
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.
Score breakdown
Each axis is a 0–10 blend of what reviewers scored, not a lab measurement.
Specifications
| Spec | Dan Clark Audio CORINA | STAX SR-X9000 |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Over-Ear | Over-Ear |
| Price (USD) | $4,500 | $5,050 |
| HearWiki score | 87 / 100 · Outstanding | 88 / 100 · Outstanding |
| Released | 2023 | 2021 |
| Audio | ||
| Driver | Electrostatic 88mm | electrostatic |
| Driver size | 88 mm | - |
| Drivers per side | - | 2 |
| Frequency response | flat to 6Hz | 5Hz-42,000Hz |
| Impedance | - | 145000 Ω |
| Wireless | ||
| Multipoint pairing | - | No |
| Features | ||
| Active noise cancelling | - | No |
| Design | ||
| Weight | 465 g | 432 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.
Compare something else
Swap either side out, or start again from the picker.
