Stax SR-L700 Mk2 / SRM-700T

␯Electrostatic headphones/energiser

␯£1195 headphones

␯£2895 energiser

Ask any seasoned audiophile about high-end headphones and it won’t be long before the name Stax is mentioned. The company launched the world’s first electrostatic headphones in 1960, laying the foundation for a richly deserved and glittering reputation that continues to this day.

We’re talking about headphone royalty here, and having spent some considerable time in the company of the SR-L700 Mk2/SRM-700T, we can understand why.

There are two parts to these headphones – the SR-L700 Mk2 headphones and the partnering SRM-700T energiser that drives them. Stax makes a range of energisers, so there’s a choice of partner for any of the company’s headphones. You can’t use a conventional headphone amplifier with electrostatic headphones, though, as the voltages required are