Thank-you. Your review is dead on, IMO. You have the same thoughts as I about my loved W5LE, as it shruggs off all the character of tubes that non-tube people complain about. Just like you pointed out, it brings the clarity and dynamics of solid state, with just a slight harmonic complexity of tube warmth. The warmth is so very smooth and in the rear of the presentation, your just left with the best of both worlds. The only other amp I have heard that does it is the Eddie Current amps. Mixing the Fostex in works because the 300bs tend to smooth out the treble a little. Many folks end up with an issue with the Fostex line just due to that slightly hot treble character, but with the right amp that treble detail ends up being warm and as detailed as looking out onto a seascape. Pure heaven and TOTL end game stuff. The stuff of dreams. Mix some more cables choices in and you may become shocked how much your rig responds to cable change-outs. It's just at this level of detail retrieving, small things like power conditioning and cables start to make dramatic changes. IMO
The fact that many try to mod the Fostex line for midrange is, as you say un-needed as the headphone is just so good, it's playing back the artifacts as they are given upstream. Hand the Fostex headphones a quality signal and the midrange expansion is completely there, as an entire alternate world unto itself.
I have not heard everything but it still surprises me that there is not more talk about the Fostex/W5LE combo. With your genre tastes in vocals, I can completely see why you like the signature. At the same time I also found the combination to be world-class at reproducing any music genre created by man.
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The fact that many try to mod the Fostex line for midrange is, as you say un-needed as the headphone is just so good, it's playing back the artifacts as they are given upstream. Hand the Fostex headphones a quality signal and the midrange expansion is completely there, as an entire alternate world unto itself.
I have not heard everything but it still surprises me that there is not more talk about the Fostex/W5LE combo. With your genre tastes in vocals, I can completely see why you like the signature. At the same time I also found the combination to be world-class at reproducing any music genre created by man.