STAX Celebrates Its 89th Anniversary Today

The Stax brand celebrates its 89th anniversary today (22), demonstrating that its influence has been able to extend across nearly a century. According to the traditional manufacturer of electrostatic headphones, this achievement has only been possible thanks to the loyalty of its customers. Below, we present a brief overview of the history of this Japanese company.

A History That Began During the Sino-Japanese War

Stax emerged during the Second Sino-Japanese War, a conflict between Japan and China that took place from July 1937 to September 1945. Originally, the company was founded under the name Showa Ko-On Manufacturing, and at that time there is no precise record of which products were released by the company.

Twelve years after its foundation, Stax launched its first products related to audio. In 1950, for example, the Japanese manufacturer introduced a tonearm for turntables called the LA-24.

In 1952, the company changed its name from Showa Ko-On Manufacturing to Stax Industries. In 1954, it released an electrostatic tweeter, and in the 1960s it introduced its first electrostatic headphone, the Stax SR-1.

Interestingly, sixty-four years after the release of the SR-1, Stax launched a new, more affordable electrostatic headphone called the SR-X1. Both models feature circular ear cups with an open-back design.

It is also important to mention that in 2011 Stax was acquired by the Chinese company Edifier. Fortunately, this acquisition essentially represented a capital injection, while all the work developed over decades by Stax’s employees was preserved.

The merger allowed the electrostatic headphone manufacturer to release new products and make them more versatile. One example is the adoption of removable cables in several headphone models, including:

• Stax SR-X1
• Stax SR-L500 MK2
• Stax SR-L700 MK2
• Stax SR-007S
• Stax SR-009D
• Stax SR-X9000

Stax Enthusiast

My friend André Maltase wished to write a short text dedicated to Stax in celebration of the brand’s anniversary. See below:

“I have been a Stax enthusiast for almost 30 years. I collect the brand and can say, with complete sincerity, that none of their equipment or accessories has ever disappointed me.

I regret that they no longer produce cartridges with condenser generators (yes, not MM, not MC, not MI, not optical, not Strain Gauge), and that they have also ceased the production of turntable tonearms, which were true benchmarks for technological advancement in that market.

The acquisition of the company by the Chinese group Edifier was indeed beneficial for Stax, as its essence was not altered in any way. The quality and technology of its products were elevated, as were the level of finishing and customer support. In addition, the injection of capital enabled the production of a new entry-level lineup that delivers the performance of what were once flagship products, but at a very attractive price point.

Naotake Hayashi would be proud to see an SR-X9000 and would understand that the genius and perfection embodied in the SR-Omega of 1995 and the SR-Sigma of 1977 remain alive.

Long live Stax!”