Audiophilepure

One of the great things that I originally fell in love with STAX for was the ability to deliver a detailed open treble without getting fatiguing so if the 003 couldn’t deliver that, I was going to be royally disappointed.   No worries, they deliver.  There is good energy and percussion snap is phenomenal and about as real as you’re likely to ever hear.  Cymbals are dead on, and there is no metallic click to be heard anywhere. I would not call the 003 bright as it balances extremely well, but it is very detailed in the upper ranges and proves that there is a difference in bright and detailed that often gets lumped together by lesser models.  

The place where the 003 really surprises though is in its stage and imaging.  These have a great stage with plenty of room in all dimensions and the ability to make sounds appear at various depths throughout the stage.  Tracks like the intro to “Who are you” (The Who) or “So Lonesome” (Cowboy Junkies) are great listens as the 003 creates a vivid picture of the space around the performers. Bigger ensembles really show off the layering and imaging as seating the orchestra is a non-event with positions defined tightly in space and dimensions seemingly conforming to the track as the stage shape follows the recording being played. The 003 handled everything I threw at it with no sign of compression and the ability to get loud and still deliver the quietest nuances in the background.