Founded in Japan in 1938, Stax has been the dominant force in the electrostatic headphone market for decades. With their iconic headphone design, it’s almost impossible for any audiophile to not have heard of the company or seen one before.

Douglas Ip, Head of Sales and Marketing, Stax International told StereoNET:

We are proud to be celebrating our 85th year anniversary this year. As a company, we are most proud of the very high standards of listening that Stax represents. The company’s commitment to perfection and its pursuit of advancing our work through advanced technology has been truly down to the Japanese culture and its deep sense of responsibility, respect, and authenticity. The feeling of bringing something to life with emotion and hard work is the fundamental principle that underpins Stax, the brand. We will continue to create products that bring pleasure to our listeners and look very much forward to another 85 years.

For the company’s 80th anniversary celebration, Stax released a pair of limited edition headphones and driver that came finished differently and boasted an 80th-anniversary gold plaque. This time around, there’s no unique finishing or plaque, but the Stax jumper is certainly something that we can see a lot of audiophiles wanting to get their hands on.

Talking about the products chosen in this bundle, the SR-003MKII is the only pair of earphones on offer, and it’s clear that the bundle is aimed more towards portable listening on the go, rather than the usual sit-down session that people might associate with Stax.

Audrey Anne Felix, Marketing Director of Stax International, added:

In Japan, young audiophiles begin their Stax journey with the simplest of products, but more importantly, this bundle still allows consumers to experience the Stax sound while being on the go. Stax was not designed for that purpose but through the years and in today’s context, it is the perfect combination of a portable electrostatic system and we’d like and encourage more youth to experience the uniqueness and bliss of an electrostatic audio system.

Electrostatic earphones are definitely a rarity in the market, so the SR-003MKII is an interesting proposition. They are push-pull electrostatic, in-ears with a 5-pin Stax PRO Bias cord. However, electrostatics do require special amps, and Stax has conveniently bundled their SRM-D10 in.

The SRM-D10 is the world’s first battery-powered, portable electrostatic DAC/driver amp, and it looks absolutely beautiful. It supports up to DSD128 signal playback, a high-voltage amplifier and weighs in at 450g, making it possible to throw into a bag when heading out without too much worry. And of course, it comes equipped with the standard Stax 5-pin connector for compatibility with all of Stax’s earspeakers.

A commemorative e-book has also been published, with firsthand accounts documenting the company’s history and staff. It can be read on Stax’s website here.

A very small number of the 85th-anniversary bundles will be available, so you'll need to register your interest with a dealer quickly. Pricing is the same as the usual recommended retail price, but you will get the additional bundled bonus items.

For more information visit STAX