Just listened to some Fostex T50RPs today... WOW! - Page 312

No, but here is a picture of what I am using. The silver is stiff craft felt from Michael's and the white is some fabric that I cut out of one of these

I have an extra set if one of you want it, just IM me.
 

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Originally Posted by wdahm519 

Did you compare this to Transpore?

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Originally Posted by LFG530 

if what you're saying is true it makes me want to try vintage fostex really bad :P. 

 

I'm just talking about the stock sound, which is at least partly because the T20v2 is damped better in stock form.  It comes with the same or at least similar white paper behind the driver but it also has a thick foam disc in the cups.  That doesn't mean the T20v2 has more potential though, I can't really say because there's too many variables.  So far the T50rp seems to have a flatter response in the upper midrange to treble, but that could be because of the Akasa foam, which I never used in the T20. 

Apparently someone in my city are selling these brand new for $50 http://edmonton.en.craigslist.ca/ele/2635646189.html

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Originally Posted by rhythmdevils 

I don't think it's underpriced for the way it sounds stock.  I think it might be overpriced for how it sounds stock, there's better phones for 75 or less.  I don't think the T50rp sounds any better than Fostex's older orthos in stock form.  In fact it's probably worse, the T20v2 isn't as resonant stock, and niether is the T20v1 (from memory).  Fostex's original T50 made in 1978 sounds way better in stock form. 

 

I haven't played with the T50rp enough yet to really say much about how it compares modded.  So far there's other orthos I like better.  But I haven't tried that many things. 

The original T50 cost more new  in 1978 dollars than the the current model costs now.  Factor in inflation and it cost a lot more.  And they go for a pretty good price used now too, when you can find one.

Here's a possible replacement/enhancement to the white cloth on the back of the driver: interfacing. It's the cloth that tailors use to stiffen shirt collars and jacket lapels. You'll find it at any sewing store. It comes in a range of thicknesses, so you can select the one that lets the right amount of air pass through to meet your tonal preference. One note: there are different types of interfacing (fusible (iron-on) vs sew in; woven vs non-woven) and each will likely have it's own properties that will tailor the sound differently. (Tailor, get it?!  ) The non-woven stuff looks very similar to the stock cloth.

(I haven't removed the stock white cloth myself, so I offer this only as an untried suggestion.) 

Originally Posted by rhythmdevils 

FWIW, in modding other orthos using O2 pads I found that the dust protector fabric that comes with them masks a lot of detail.  So much that I liked a mod without that disk and disliked it when I put the disk in. 

Figures, I was quite sure that the stock felt wouldn't sound good on the T50RP....and ditching it would completely kill its resale value if the mids ended up still too recessed to my taste. I'm not interested in fiddling w/ the cups damping until the end of days in order to overcome FR accidents that would be entirely due to the earpads. I've played the "what if" game and failed doing so too many times in the past, especially when the sa5k's sound so grandiose(once angled and using a thick layer of felt before the drivers). The better is the enemy of the good, huh

Originally Posted by rhythmdevils 

I don't think it's underpriced for the way it sounds stock.  I think it might be overpriced for how it sounds stock, there's better phones for 75 or less.  I don't think the T50rp sounds any better than Fostex's older orthos in stock form.  In fact it's probably worse, the T20v2 isn't as resonant stock, and niether is the T20v1 (from memory).

I found the T20v2 completely unusable, very hard to drive, exhibiting very poor resolution, I mean? I prefer the $15 KM880 by far: http://vr2xmq-stevesblog.blogspot.com/2009/09/full-size-cans-kanen-km-880-wooden.html

We all hear differently, yada yada ^^

Once pimped, off a transparent and beefy rig, the T50RP makes a lot of ppl happy and that's why we're all here. Some ppl have said in the past that it killed the HD650, I would say that it makes the CD3000 laughable(w/ angled earpads).

So far all I have done with mine is tape the stock pads to the cans to give them a proper seal and prevent them from slipping off the cans when I stuff the pads themselves, and I've stuffed a ~1 1/4 inch thick strip of fleece in both pads.  The strip overlaps itself for most of the back side of the ear to angle the cans slightly.

So far with this particular setup I've noted the high end is somewhat muted and the low end is overpowering.  For kicks I messed with the windows controls and putting the treble up ~ +2.5 dB and bass down ~ -5dB puts it approximately where I'd actually like them to be.  Resonance is definitely noticeable (esp with the bass being overpowering as it is atm) but I have yet to do any mods to the cans themselves so I'm ignoring it for now.

I actually didn't spend much time listening to them w/o the fleece in (I hated having my ear resting on the baffle) nor have I tested it yet with the upholstery velvet.  I'll be trying both over the weekend, possibly some other things as well.

First post here.  I've only been tinkering with the T50RP's this week after a 48 hour straight burn-in.  Still not enjoying these phones but tonight will be a new night for mods.

Right now I have...

Baffle loaded with Plasticine (did not fill in "pill" shaped areas around driver)

Kept white felt over driver in place

Stuck thin rubber (~1cm - smallest in pack) reflex dot over center of white felt

Paxmate on bottom of cup (cup side edges remain plastic)

Paxmate top of area above cup center post

Paxmate under cup center post except for 4mm of bass slot directly below center post

Plastic cover over cup center post remains

Ring or donut shape of Paxmate under stock ear pads

Thanks to all the devoted posters in this thread.  Regardless of where this takes me, I still enjoy the experiment.

Quote:

Originally Posted by slidesear 

Maybe after the competition is over?

Oh yeah, competition. What competition? Did I miss something?
 

Here

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Originally Posted by adriKA 

 

 

Oh yeah, competition. What competition? Did I miss something?
 

 

Is there anywhere to buy all of this in one go? I mean the modding materials (paxmate, dynamat, plasticine)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swoosh 

Is there anywhere to buy all of this in one go? I mean the modding materials (paxmate, dynamat, plasticine)

Amazon?

I've been listening to my T50RPs for a week at the office & today I just about had it, the stock pads make your ears get so hot and uncomfortable!  I went most of the day without music.  But today when I got home I had a nice little package waiting for me from Audez'e. 

I ripped it apart, got to the pads, ripped off the Fostex pads and put the Audez'e pads on and while holding them in place, put it on my head -- hit play -- awesome.  No more uncomfortable contact, just nice open space.  Unfortunately they don't seem to isolate as much as the stock pads (I think) but the comfort it provides is worth the asking price.

Oh, and of course sound -- soundstage larger, imaging still not refined though (I'm hoping to do some damping this weekend).

Cheers all.

PS - By the way, how do you guys get the pads on?  I can only think to use velcro somehow?  Is there a better way?  Velcro seems good because I can keep getting into the HPs if I want to tweak something.

Follow up after more listening: WOW! is right.

I had no idea pads make this much of a difference!  Take Five sounds sublime. 

Could you post some pictures of the T50RP with LCD2 pads?  I was under the impression that they were too big....