STAX SR-Λ (Lambda) Nova

 The Lambda Nova Series were designed for the person who loves the sound of the recent SR-Lambda Series but needs more modern sofisticated design. We put new shaped head-spring together with new sound units. As a result, the frequency responce was flattened and the wear confort was refined. The Lambda Nova Series carry the superiority of the former SR-Lambda Series and further more add special merit of new sound unit and head spring.

 The Lambda-Nova Series earspeaker is the fruit of the most up-to-date technology and many-years of experience of Stax that first developed and manufactured the electrostatic headphone, that is the first "earspeaker", in the world.

Differently from ordinary headphones, this earspeaker is equipped with neither magnet nor coil, but utilizes electrostatic force to generate sophisticated sound. In detail, the core of an earspeaker is composed of a thin diaphragm (oscillatory film) to which a DC voltage of 580 V is supplied. When audio signal is supplied to the electrodes, an electrostatic force is generated that drives the diaphragm to reproduce the sound. Thanks to this operation principle, the earspeaker reproduces sound very naturally and delicately in all nuances.

 Features

The Lambda-Nova Series earspeakers are advanced products of the SR-Λ series that has continuously been improved for more than 15-years.

For upgrading the electrostatic transducer, Stax improved not only the processing precision  of the thin diaphragm that has had an established reputation but also the structure of the electrodes to receive the audio signal. This, with the first rate technology cultivated through the manufacturing experience of the SR-Ω series.  As a result, Stax offers this earspeaker equipped with high quality transducers that are superior to others in sound clarity and excellent reproduction in detail at all levels.

 Most earspeakers made by Stax are designed to operate with the pro bias voltage (580 V/DC). The lambda-Nova series earspeakers also work with the pro bias voltage, however, Stax's old type earspeakers such as the model SR-1 that was put on the market in 1960 for the first time were designed to operate with the Normal bias voltage (230 V/DC). These two types of earspeakers can be discriminated from each other by the number of pins on the connector cord plug.  Namely, earspeakers whose connector plug has 6-pins are designed to use with the Normal bias voltage, while earspeakers whose connector plug has 5-pins are designed to use with the pro bias voltage.needless to say, the 5-pin connector of the Lambda-Nova series earspeakers should be plugged into a connector jack that has 5 pinholes and is usually identified with the indication of "Pro Only". If the lambda-Nova earspeakers is connected to a 6-pinhole jack for Normal bias, the result will be low volume and soft sound.

 

Specifications

Type:  Push-pull Electrostatic Oval Shaped Units, Open Back Enclosure

Frequency Response:  7 - 41,000 Hz

Electrostatic Capacity (including cable provided respectively):

Lambda-Nova Basic, lambda-Nova Classic : 120 pF

Lambda-Nova Signature :  110 pF

Impedance (10 kHz including cable provided respectively)

Lambda-Nova Basic, Lambda-Nova Classic :  133 k Ω

Lambda-Nova Signature :  145 k Ω

Sensitivity:  100 dB / 100 V RMS, Input 1 kHz

Maximum Output Sound Level:  118 dB / 400 Hz

Standard Bias Voltage:  580 V/DC

Left/Right Indication:  L & R indicators are provided on the Head Spring (Arc) and the left channel cable is marked with a solid line while the right channel cable is marked with a dotted line

Ear pads:  High quality synthetic leather

Cable:  6-core parallel low capacitance wire. 2,5 m (98-inch). Special low capacitance Cable; Lambda-Nova Signature

Cable Conductor:

Lambda-Nova Basic :  OFC

Lambda-Nova Classic, Lambda-Nova Signature :  PC-OCC (Pure Crystal  Ohno Continuous Casting)

Weight:

Lambda-Nova Basic, Lambda-Nova Classic :  440 g

Lambda-Nova Signature :  472 g

Body Only (without cable):  295 g