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At £395, this is fair to slightly keen rather than a steal: recent used examples cluster around roughly £350-£400 for decent private-sale pieces, with some listings higher in Europe and warranty-backed examples around this level. That puts this asking price close to the middle of the market, so it’s reasonable if the unit is clean and ready to use, but not cheap enough to be an automatic grab.
The appeal is straightforward: the 323II is a well-liked Stax solid-state energiser with the speed, clarity, and drive electrostat owners want, and it’s a dependable step up from entry-level Stax amps. If it’s well cared for, this is the sort of box that can disappear into a system and just do its job for years. At this price, the key upside is a tidy, proven unit with original packaging, leads, or recent servicing; if those are missing, I’d want a bit more discount.
Independent perspective — not a price guarantee. Always verify condition, accessories and provenance before purchase.
Stax traces its origins to 1938 in Tokyo, Japan, when Naotake Hayashi founded Showa Kouon Co., Ltd. in Chiyoda-ku. Initially focused on wax disc recording, metal master production, and audio equipment for film soundtracks, the company evolved through the postwar era. In 1950, it launched its first high-frequency condenser microphone, adopted by NHK, and renamed itself STAX Co., Ltd. in 1963, honoring its pioneering Stax-1 mic. A brief suspension in 1995 due to economic pressures gave way to revival, preserving its legacy under family leadership.
The brand specializes in electrostatic headphones, known as "EARSPEAKERS," debuting with the world-first SR-1 in 1960. This innovation spawned enduring lines like the SR series, produced for decades with incremental refinements for superior resolution and staging. Stax complements these with dedicated electrostatic amplifiers and select accessories, eschewing conventional speakers, turntables, DACs, or cables to hone its transducer expertise.
Stax commands a niche high-end position among audiophiles and professionals, revered for unmatched transparency and fidelity that rivals cost-no-object loudspeakers. Its 85-year heritage cements it as a boutique icon in electrostatic technology, far from mass-market fare, appealing to discerning buyers seeking pinnacle sonic transduction.
See all Stax listings on RADAR.
