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Superex headphones

goraman

goraman

Super Member
Banned
Growing up I spent hours from the 4th grade well into my early 20's listening to a large gray pair of Superex headphones,They where not electrostatics but had a large driver and small tweeter in each ear cup,they where not open ear but fully enclosed.I have offten wanted to get an old pair but don't know the model.I know they where most likley from the 60's and I used them through the 70's and 80's before they where distroyed in a move.:tears:
 
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I got a pair just like the ones I spent 10's of thousends of hours listening to in the 70's and 80's.Anyone know of or about this company or there headphones?
 
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Holy flashback! I had a pair of those that I bought in 1969 when I was in the Army. Walked into a Hi-Fi shop intending to buy some Koss Pro4As but these just sounded so much better to me at the time, more open sounding and a more extended frequency range. I thought they looked a little cheesy but those lightweight materials made them comfortable to wear for extended periods, though the plastic earpads could get a bit "sweaty". They traveled all over with me and lasted through my "psychedelic" years and into the '80s when I bought some Sony MDR-V6 cans. I haven't heard a thing about the company since I bought them.
 
12ax7 said:
Holy flashback! I had a pair of those that I bought in 1969 when I was in the Army. Walked into a Hi-Fi shop intending to buy some Koss Pro4As but these just sounded so much better to me at the time, more open sounding and a more extended frequency range. I thought they looked a little cheesy but those lightweight materials made them comfortable to wear for extended periods, though the plastic earpads could get a bit "sweaty". They traveled all over with me and lasted through my "psychedelic" years and into the '80s when I bought some Sony MDR-V6 cans. I haven't heard a thing about the company since I bought them.
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THe pair I had where pre 1968 and mabey 1966 or so.The ones I had I listened to for 8 to 10 hours a day 7 days a week from 1978 to 1988 when one driver was blown do to cranking up the bass at near max volume.A Very stupid move under the influence of booze.I keeped them for a long time then lost them in a move.I really remember Led Zepplin sounding 3D with these cans, and always wanted another pair just for memorys sake if nothing else.:music:Nice you remembered them sounding great too.can I ask where they expencive then,they belonged to my Dad that just passed away and he never bought cheap gear.I wish he was around to hear these when they come.Ebay $31.00 I have never seen another set so my high bid was $100.00 I didn't want to loose them by missing the bid trying to get them cheap in the last second.
 
As I recall, they cost about $29 (1969 $$), but it wasn't a price issue. As I said, I was going to pay about twice that for the Koss headphones. I dismissed the Superex phones at first because of their appearance, but after comparing the two, the Superexes just blew away the Pro4As.

And yes, they did have an open 3D sound to them (one could even say 4D at times :smoke: ) and I liked to crank them as well. I often wonder what contributed more to my present mild tinnitus. Headphones, front row concert seats, standing/sitting in open doors of C130s/UH-1s/C5As in flight, military weaponry or 1K+ mile weekend commutes on a motorcycle. Ah, youth...

Sorry about your dad.
 
I did a serch on head fi and found comments on the pro B's a unbeliveable sound stage seems to be the norm for these.I guess they don't last long on ebay as enough people know about them to drive bidding up pretty fast.There is even a comment from a former forman of Superex and he still uses them as well.Bass as I remember was very impressive in dark side of the moon it seemed to run down your spine standing the hair up on your neck.I should have my New to me replacement pair in a few days.I am very excited.I have an upgraded Little Dot MK III with Mullard 8100's,I think these togather will be stunning.I might even put the Grado SR325i's on a hook for awhile.
 
Pity the pair I bought off ebay were complete duds :( (They hardly make any sound at all, despite being described as "working") I got a full refund for them, though. I think I'll try to get them repaired when I have the time :)

^I don't know about you, but I can't stand grados. Listening to them can feel like having your ears pierced, repeatedly.
 
Tachikoma said:
Pity the pair I bought off ebay were complete duds :( (They hardly make any sound at all, despite being described as "working") I got a full refund for them, though. I think I'll try to get them repaired when I have the time :)

^I don't know about you, but I can't stand grados. Listening to them can feel like having your ears pierced, repeatedly.
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Grado's will reveal the worst of a solid state amp .They are not bright or brittal when used with tubes not because tubes roll off the top,they don't at all but the 2nd and 3rd order harmonics fill out the upper end to give it body and warmth.Grado labs 325I's are the most flat in response of the whole line and sound awsome with a tube headphone amp.
 
was it superex or supex that had electrostats?

i heard a pair that had tremendous bass detail and extension. you could hear the flex of the skin on the drum heads.
 
hifitommy said:
i heard a pair that had tremendous bass detail and extension. you could hear the flex of the skin on the drum heads.
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Yes,it was superex,the electrostats are rare but sound great after a 40 min warm up.I heard a pair not to long ago while looking for the ones I now have but remember when a panel dies there done forever.No ones selling parts.
 
About the Superex electrostats: keep in mind that the PEP series used Stax SR-3 drivers, which are of course still plentiful.

Supex, by the way, was a Japanese company that sold high-output moving-coil phono cartridges (and the lightened headshells made necessary by their high mass) with user-replaceable styli.
 
Wow. Quite a flashback -- My pair were greenish. Sounded wonderful especially when "baked".

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Of my Grado SR 80's Grado SR325i's and Senn 590's the Superex st pro B still is king.360 degree sound stageand if you close your eyes the hearphones just dissapear.It sounds like a big open room full of insterments,The highs are easy on the ears but all the detail is still there,the midrange is very crisp and energetic.The bass will shake your brain.Why can't we make headphones this good today?
 
wualta said:
About the Superex electrostats: keep in mind that the PEP series used Stax SR-3 drivers, which are of course still plentiful.
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Indeed. They weren't all that well designed so the drivers were held down with metal pins (which is a great way) but they put some cardboard material and the excessive damping layers in between. They can be easily modified though by gluing the drivers in place and securing them with the metal pins and using less damping. Here is a picture of my old set with a Stax adapter cable:

 
spritzer said:
Indeed. They weren't all that well designed so the drivers were held down with metal pins (which is a great way) but they put some cardboard material and the excessive damping layers in between. They can be easily modified though by gluing the drivers in place and securing them with the metal pins and using less damping. Here is a picture of my old set with a Stax adapter cable:

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very nice example! they even have the ol curley cable,I always change those old ma bell phone cords out for something less stupid and it's always a sonic improvement.:music:
 
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