Over-Ear
STAX SR-009S
88Outstanding
$3,290
Full review dataSTAX SR-009S vs STAX SR-X9000: which should you buy?
On aggregated review scores the STAX SR-009S 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-009S - Outstanding overall at around $3290.
Over-Ear
STAX SR-X9000
88Outstanding
$5,050
Full review dataScore breakdown
Each axis is a 0–10 blend of what reviewers scored, not a lab measurement.
STAX SR-009S
Sound9.5
Value6.0
STAX SR-X9000
Sound9.5
Value5.0
Specifications
| Spec | STAX SR-009S | STAX SR-X9000 |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Over-Ear | Over-Ear |
| Price (USD) | $3,290 | $5,050 |
| HearWiki score | 88 / 100 · Outstanding | 88 / 100 · Outstanding |
| Released | 2018 | 2021 |
| Audio | ||
| Driver | electrostatic | electrostatic |
| Drivers per side | 1 | 2 |
| Frequency response | 5Hz-42kHz | 5Hz-42,000Hz |
| Impedance | 145000 Ω | 145000 Ω |
| Sensitivity | 101 dB/mW | - |
| Wireless | ||
| Multipoint pairing | No | No |
| Features | ||
| Active noise cancelling | No | No |
| Design | ||
| Weight | 589.67 g | 432 g |
What reviewers said
STAX SR-009S
The STAX SR-009S is a premium electrostatic headphone that refines the original SR-009 formula with a slightly smoother, less bright tuning while retaining exceptional speed, detail, and openness. It offers a wide, precisely imaged soundstage and a very comfortable fit, making it a top-tier choice for critical listening, though it demands high-quality recordings and a dedicated amplifier system to shine. Its performance places it among the very best headphones available, with only the newer X9000 potentially edging it out in some respects.
- Pro:Extremely fast and detailed electrostatic sound
- Pro:Wide, immersive soundstage with precise imaging
- Pro:Comfortable fit despite large earcups
- Con:Very revealing of poor-quality recordings
- Con:Requires specialized electrostatic amplifier, adding cost and complexity
- Con:High price point limits accessibility
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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