The Stax SR-404 Limited ranks #187 out of 479 total Over-Ear Headphones for sound quality. See all Headphones rankings for every top pick.
Brand: Stax
Prices on this page were last checked October 16, 2026 at 5:46 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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#187 Stax SR-404 Limited: $760 Discontinued eBay
Older model: the Stax SR-404 (ranked lower, rated 3.7/5). See every Stax SR-404 generation.
Pros: A broadly balanced tuning with a preference score of 76 against the Harman target.
Cons: An uneven response, 2.9 dB standard deviation from target. Discontinued.
Is the Stax SR-404 Limited right for you?
Buy it if
- you want the tuning most listeners prefer in blind tests out of the box (Harman score 76).
Skip it if
- you need isolation or will use it in public: open-back headphones leak sound both ways.
- you want to buy it new: it is discontinued.
| Back | Open |
|---|---|
| Connection | Wired (Stax Pro bias 580V 5-pin) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.87 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Electrostatic |
| Drivers | 1 Electrostatic push-pull |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 76 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Tonal Tilt | +0.17 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
EQ Presets
Harman target
Set a preamp of -5.4 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +5.4 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 1,786 Hz | -6.4 dB | 0.91 |
| Peak | 9,498 Hz | +4.1 dB | 1.78 |
| Peak | 2,379 Hz | +7.3 dB | 2.61 |
| Peak | 4,445 Hz | +4.1 dB | 4.49 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -3.0 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 208 Hz | -0.9 dB | 0.88 |
| Peak | 442 Hz | +0.6 dB | 1.02 |
| Peak | 5,929 Hz | -2.8 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 7,130 Hz | +2.7 dB | 5.55 |
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