I lied to my wife about the cost of Stax 009S headphone

[thomask]

My wife is the youngest of my mom in law who is 88 years old.

Recently my wife is staying with her mom to take care expecting her mom can live just one more year or so.

Thus I am having happy life playing music loud even during midnight.

My house is seated on 2 acre lot so that my neighbors does not get bothered unless windows open wide.



My wife dropped at home yesterday ( She drop once a week to clean the messy kitchen while she is away. She is an angel Ha ha).

She happened to see my new headphone of Stax 009S headphone and asked its price.

I could tell her the real value ( new price 4,300$ and I got 4 months used one for 3,200$).

I did not mean to deceive her but answered it costs me 1,500$ by chance.


Then she had listened to K-Pop using both Stax 009S headphone driven by Carbon amplifier and Massdrop Empire Zeus IEM( I told her the real value as 1,000$ No lie here Hehe).

The source was Cocktail Audio X30 music server feeding Chord Dave and Mscaler ( I did not tell her how much Chord Dave and Mscaler cost, if she find out, I may have to buy her diamond necklace)

On first few songs, she prefer Empire Zeus IEM to Stax 009S headphone on lively sound of the former.

But after listening few more songs, she expressed that Stax 009S headphone sounds more natural than Empire Zeus IEM .


Whew if I had told her that I had spent 3200$ on headphone, I may have to go out to buy her something like expensive bag or clothing.

Reality is I had also spent additional 3300$ on KGSSHV Carbon headphone amplifier.

How many of you audiophile had lied to your wife or girlfriend about the cost of audio components?

I guess 98% from my 41 years of audio history.

 

[Steve Williams]

I enjoyed reading your post. It reminds me of several of the Woofer and Tweet toons that have been posted here by our toon master. If he sees this he might just make it a topic for one of his toons.

 

[WLVCA]

I think we've all fibbed to our spouses about audio gear purchases from time to time........

 

[Joe P]

You should buy your wife something special.

She is an angel.

Being a caregiver for a loved one is probably the most difficult thing a person will ever do.

 

[thomask]

You should buy your wife something special.

She is an angel.

Being a caregiver for a loved one is probably the most difficult thing a person will ever do.

I will spend some money for my angel wife

in the future.


I had planned on Cruise trip to Mediterranean. next year

But I may have to wait until my mom in law goes to heaven in peace.
​

 

[dbeau]

I will spend some money for my angel wife

in the future.​

​

​

I had planned on Cruise trip to Mediterranean. next year​

​

But I may have to wait until my mom in law goes to heaven in peace.​

​

I will spend some money for my angel wife

in the future.​

​

​

I had planned on Cruise trip to Mediterranean. next year​

​

But I may have to wait until my mom in law goes to heaven in peace.​

​

CAUTION: Do not put off waiting for the unknown!
We have been worried about my Mother in Law since she was 90 and now is 97 and looking/feeling good - may out-live us all.

 

[thomask]

I think we've all fibbed to our spouses about audio gear purchases from time to time........

Reminds me of the story of the husband who misinformed his partner about the true cost of an audio something. When the husband came home from a business trip, his wife informed him with a big smile on her face, that she sold the audio item on agon for more than he paid for it!

This is from the quote of someone but with costly lesson.​

 

[Billygxx]

I own the Stax 009s. When I first purchased them, I thought they were a little on the bright side. After a while they broke in and WOW. Some of the audiophile standard recordings like Hey Now(London Decca) had layers and texture that I just never heard before. I know, that sounds totally cliche but its true. One of my favorite things about them is that mediocre recordings can sound pretty good. Right now I am streaming the Monkeys, I Am A Believer through the phones and its totally listenable-no way on my loudspeakers! Great recordings are so beautiful that I am reminded of what a miracle music really is. Lets see AI write a song with passionate and meaningful lyrics, stirring rhythm and then perform it in a way that sounds like the voices of angels themselves.
Caring for a parent who is dying is truly a heroic deed. Sadly, though, the experience can be overwhelming. I got a painful reality check when i was caring for my father as his son and not a physician. If the phones help you to support your wife they are more than worth the financial pain.

 

[cjfrbw]

I tell her it's like plastic surgery for the auditory cortex, and she understands.

 

[thomask]

I own the Stax 009s. When I first purchased them, I thought they were a little on the bright side. After a while they broke in and WOW. Some of the audiophile standard recordings like Hey Now(London Decca) had layers and texture that I just never heard before. I know, that sounds totally cliche but its true. One of my favorite things about them is that mediocre recordings can sound pretty good. Right now I am streaming the Monkeys, I Am A Believer through the phones and its totally listenable-no way on my loudspeakers! Great recordings are so beautiful that I am reminded of what a miracle music really is. Lets see AI write a song with passionate and meaningful lyrics, stirring rhythm and then perform it in a way that sounds like the voices of angels themselves.
Caring for a parent who is dying is truly a heroic deed. Sadly, though, the experience can be overwhelming. I got a painful reality check when i was caring for my father as his son and not a physician. If the phones help you to support your wife they are more than worth the financial pain.

I agree with you that 009S sounds musical even with slightly bright recordings.
But even with those nice things, I could not tell my wife that it costs more than 3K$, since she has never experienced such headphone before.

Somehow she has prejudice that all headphone and earphone shall be less than 500$.

It may be because that I had never used expensive ones until last year.

She even urged me to return 1k$ earphone.

How come earphone can cost ik$?

That is what she said to me.

 

[NorthStar]

If you have to lie to an angel there's something not clear, I think.
If you have to lie to anyone there's something not clear, I think.

Enjoy life without any lies. ...I think.

 

[morricab]

My wife is the youngest of my mom in law who is 88 years old.

Recently my wife is staying with her mom to take care expecting her mom can live just one more year or so.

Thus I am having happy life playing music loud even during midnight.

My house is seated on 2 acre lot so that my neighbors does not get bothered unless windows open wide.

View attachment 54944

My wife dropped at home yesterday ( She drop once a week to clean the messy kitchen while she is away. She is an angel Ha ha).

She happened to see my new headphone of Stax 009S headphone and asked its price.

I could tell her the real value ( new price 4,300$ and I got 4 months used one for 3,200$).

I did not mean to deceive her but answered it costs me 1,500$ by chance.


Then she had listened to K-Pop using both Stax 009S headphone driven by Carbon amplifier and Massdrop Empire Zeus IEM( I told her the real value as 1,000$ No lie here Hehe).

The source was Cocktail Audio X30 music server feeding Chord Dave and Mscaler ( I did not tell her how much Chord Dave and Mscaler cost, if she find out, I may have to buy her diamond necklace)

On first few songs, she prefer Empire Zeus IEM to Stax 009S headphone on lively sound of the former.

But after listening few more songs, she expressed that Stax 009S headphone sounds more natural than Empire Zeus IEM .


Whew if I had told her that I had spent 3200$ on headphone, I may have to go out to buy her something like expensive bag or clothing.

Reality is I had also spent additional 3300$ on KGSSHV Carbon headphone amplifier.

How many of you audiophile had lied to your wife or girlfriend about the cost of audio components?

I guess 98% from my 41 years of audio history.

I guess it is easy because no one believes what the stuff really costs anyhow!!

 

[analogsa]

Somehow she has prejudice that all headphone and earphone shall be less than 500$.

It is not prejudice, just common sense. Surprisingly, women are sometimes better at this

 

[the sound of Tao]

I’m not sure too many non-audiophiles understand the essential difference between $500 headphones and sota headphones... if we were willing to accept acceptable then there wouldn’t be a difference.

Just point me to an audiophile that ever thinks that just acceptable is good enough.

 

[Legolas]

Interesting subject. I think there is a male dominated hobby thing going on, which is a crying shame. That is how I see it. If we had 50/50 split in high end audio, we wouldn't need to say anything about the price.

On the Stax 009s, I used to own the 009 with a nice Carbon KGSShv. I now have planers, with the LCD4, Abyss, and enjoying the Genus as a perfect headphone amplifier. It never sounded better.

 

[thomask]

I used to tell her the true value of audio gear since we have separate accounts.

She knows that my Lansche 4.1 speaker cost me more than 50k$.



Somehow she has prejudice that all headphone and earphone shall be less than 500$.

It may be because that I had never used expensive ones before this year.


Usually she does not ask the price since we have separate accounts to use money for leisure.

 

[Legolas]

I am maybe an oddball. I like speakers as much as (high end) headphones. Both get 50/50 usage in my room.

And I have no problem justifying spending 4K+ on a headphone TBH, in fact even though the abundance of high end HPs is fairly recent, it is now at a really high level of realism and enjoyment. Some folk don't get it, and I respect that. The 'head stage' maybe?

My passion started when I was a teen and had limited space and ability to use speakers. It has to me a personal secret space kind of presentation, where you have no idea what is going on around you. Hope the house isn't burning down LOL...... maybe I am getting robbed while I pleasantly chill out to my favourite tune?

But it is escapism, just like loosing yourself in a great movie?

 

[thomask]

I am maybe an oddball. I like speakers as much as (high end) headphones. Both get 50/50 usage in my room.

And I have no problem justifying spending 4K+ on a headphone TBH, in fact even though the abundance of high end HPs is fairly recent, it is now at a really high level of realism and enjoyment. Some folk don't get it, and I respect that. The 'head stage' maybe?

My passion started when I was a teen and had limited space and ability to use speakers. It has to me a personal secret space kind of presentation, where you have no idea what is going on around you. Hope the house isn't burning down LOL...... maybe I am getting robbed while I pleasantly chill out to my favourite tune?

But it is escapism, just like loosing yourself in a great movie?

Nice to have your experience.

I used to listen to 2 channel only for 40 years.

Then I got interest in earphone and headphone this year.

Out of curiosity, I had pulled almost top end headphone combination of Stax 009S and Carbon amp.

I am pretty happy with the sound.

It sound natural with good details and decent dynamics.

But I will listen to my 2 channel system more than headphone by 60:40.

 

[Legolas]

Who built your Carbon? Got a photo?

 

[Woofer and Tweet]

I enjoyed reading your post. It reminds me of several of the Woofer and Tweet toons that have been posted here by our toon master. If he sees this he might just make it a topic for one of his toons.

I'm already on it.