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Fostex TH900 Impressions & Discussion Thread - Page 196

post #2926 of 4413
1/9/13 at 10:41am

I had 3 Cambridge model CD player / DAC combos in over the past 2 years with the Cambridge 851C CDP being the last.  I couldn't see myself ever buying one.  All the other DACs I've heard beat it very handily.  This includes the D2, NAD m51 and the PWD2.  The 851c is pretty good but IMO no where near the PWD2.

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post #2927 of 4413
1/9/13 at 10:53am
Quote:
Originally Posted by preproman View Post

I had 3 Cambridge model CD player / DAC combos in over the past 2 years with the Cambridge 851C CDP being the last.  I couldn't see myself ever buying one.  All the other DACs I've heard beat it very handily.  This includes the D2, NAD m51 and the PWD2.  The 851c is pretty good but IMO no where near the PWD2.

It was really nothing special to my ears. I know a lot of people love it and think it's amazing but myself and a few others I know just weren't wowed at all. It performs well at 2.5k ish. Certainly better than some DACs in the price range, but at 4k it holds no weight and it's anything but a giant killer. It was easily bested by the Cantana I had for a few weeks. Which can be had used right around it's (PWD) new price range.
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post #2928 of 4413
1/9/13 at 11:04am
Quote:
Originally Posted by MorbidToaster View Post


It was really nothing special to my ears. I know a lot of people love it and think it's amazing but myself and a few others I know just weren't wowed at all. It performs well at 2.5k ish. Certainly better than some DACs in the price range, but at 4k it holds no weight and it's anything but a giant killer. It was easily bested by the Cantana I had for a few weeks. Which can be had used right around it's (PWD) new price range.

 

In that price range maybe so.  But like you said $2K - $2.5K I found it better than most offerings out there.  I also have the NAD m51 and a souped up Buffalo III that goes around $2K as well.  My Buffalo III with AN caps went toe to toe with the D2 and the m51 but came up a little short of the PWD2.  They are at $2K - $2.5K in like new condition all day long and sometime new in box on AudioGon.  For that mush off the MSRP it's a steal.

 

But yes if you pay full MSRP for it - you can find better.

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post #2929 of 4413
1/9/13 at 3:59pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MacedonianHero View Post

Well, my pair should be here by Friday. Ordered from Headroom and great customer service as usual. smile.gif

I knew you could cave in after lurkin in here for so long.. who could resist such beautiful urushi apples. stay in here long enuff and you will take a bite like I did.. Cheers & congrats.

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post #2930 of 4413
1/9/13 at 6:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Audiowood View Post

I knew you could cave in after lurkin in here for so long.. who could resist such beautiful urushi apples. stay in here long enuff and you will take a bite like I did.. Cheers & congrats.

 

I hope I can accumulate enough money before Fostex discontinues it. 

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post #2931 of 4413
1/9/13 at 6:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by LinkPro View Post

 

I hope I can accumulate enough money before Fostex discontinues it. 


Why should they? I think the TH900s are selling really well and with the TH600 coming it will only attract more attention and demand.

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post #2932 of 4413
1/9/13 at 7:17pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MorbidToaster View Post

It's talked about a lot...I found it very underwhelming. Didn't compete very well in it's 4k asking price range. Used? Yeah it's okay then, but the differences between it and my Cambridge 851C CDP were very small. 

 

On a side note...have anyone compared the Eximus to the Invicta?

 

The 6Moons review compares the two-with the reviewer prefering the DP1. Basically he says it's a tossup, with the Eximus being a litter sweeter and more musical, while the Invicta is slightly more analytical. It also happens to be a great review from them for once-pretty straight forward and thoughtful.

 

-Daniel

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post #2933 of 4413
1/9/13 at 7:23pm

I'll read the whole thing. With all the features being added to the Invicta via software updates (i.e. Balanced operation) it's very enticing, and with my recent speaker buy a more analytical DAC might serve me well...

 

But I'd still love to hear the Eximus.

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by BournePerfect View Post

The 6Moons review compares the two-with the reviewer prefering the DP1. Basically he says it's a tossup, with the Eximus being a litter sweeter and more musical, while the Invicta is slightly more analytical. It also happens to be a great review from them for once-pretty straight forward and thoughtful.

 

-Daniel

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post #2934 of 4413
1/9/13 at 8:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Audiowood View Post

I knew you could cave in after lurkin in here for so long.. who could resist such beautiful urushi apples. stay in here long enuff and you will take a bite like I did.. Cheers & congrats.

LoL, my problem was that I gave them a listen and then got an itch that needed to be scratched. Thought about the lack of isolation with them, but heck, I've got my Westone 4s if I need that. tongue.gif

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post #2935 of 4413
1/9/13 at 8:23pm

Basically hoping for a decent tax return in a few months to pick these up. I need another closed headphone, as long as they isolate as good (actually as bad) as the D7000 then I'm ok. My gf can't stand the Audeze after a little while I crank those suckers up and basically turn into highly refined computer speakers. Also hoping the TH 600 comes into play soon to see how much of a drop off in price and SQ it is from the 900's.

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post #2936 of 4413
1/9/13 at 8:50pm

This is why I no longer have my 009s and have recently ordered speakers. Wife(ish) couldn't take it anymore.

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by jronan2 View Post

Basically hoping for a decent tax return in a few months to pick these up. I need another closed headphone, as long as they isolate as good (actually as bad) as the D7000 then I'm ok. My gf can't stand the Audeze after a little while I crank those suckers up and basically turn into highly refined computer speakers. Also hoping the TH 600 comes into play soon to see how much of a drop off in price and SQ it is from the 900's.

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post #2937 of 4413
1/10/13 at 3:32am
Quote:
Originally Posted by MuppetFace View Post

 

FWIW, I don't think spending $4000 or even $7000 on a pair of headphones is too crazy (considering some people spend six figures on speaker setups). The questionable aspect for me is the fact that the R10 isn't aging very well and can't be repaired easily. Even with pairs that have been well cared for and coddled all their lives, the foam rings surrounding the drivers simply deteriorate over time. It's inevitable. For most people, it's just not a viable option to spend $7000 on a pair of deteriorating headphones, no matter how amazing they sound.

 

If Sony started manufacturing the R10 again and offering maintenance on older sets, then I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them. They're a thing of pure, unadulterated aural beauty.

The solution is simple, replace the foam rings. As for the aging diaphragm, it's size is 50 mm, the same as one in TH900. All that is needed is for a few MDR R10 owners to unite and ask ' Foster Electric ', via head-fi, to sell them the diaphragms. A good headphone repairman could fit the new part in. If this legend of a headphone has been kept in a dry and clean environment there is no reason that it could not keep doing what it was made to do for at least a hundred years.

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post #2938 of 4413
1/10/13 at 5:54am
Quote:
Originally Posted by MuppetFace View Post

I think impressions have been pretty upfront about the nature of these headphones: ie. they're not something you should pursue if you're adverse to a U-shaped sound signature. Granted that U-shape is fairly subtle to these ears (especially compared to the Denons), but it's a definitely U-shape none-the-less. If you go into this knowing what to expect, you're less likely to be disappointed with what you get.

 

That being said, the TH900 is quite simply one of the most refined, well-balanced, and well-executed headphones currently on the market in my humble opinion. Obviously it's not perfect however, and I think this thread has done a fairly good job of documenting those issues, which may be a bigger deal for some people. For me, it manages to tightrope walk between being a sophisticated reference listen and letting its hair down. Its highs are gorgeous and clear without being overly bright. Its spatial presentation is superbly open and instruments are well-separated without being too 'airy' and losing a sense of grounding. Its midrange is gorgeously rendered, but the biggest issue some have noted is that there's a scooped effect that may be bothersome in certain instances. The bass is the most overtly colored aspect of these headphones; it's definitely full-bodied, but looking at the measurements I think these may look bassier than they actually sound. The bass is very clean and seems to vary more on a track-by-track basis, so it's not a constant intrusive presence for me. In comparison the Denons have more distortion in their bass, and so I find they sound bassier most of the time.

These headphones should had been made with 3 dB less of bass, with +7 instead of +10 dB boost in the bass region, and they should had been made with a much higher impedance, of at least 250 to 300 Ohms and ideally 500 Ohms or even 600. It would have helped to smooth out a bit the frequency response line, to bring the mid frequencies a little forward. I do not understand the reasoning of Foster Electric headphone division regarding the manufacture of 2000+ dollars headphones with such a low impedance. Do the executives of Foster E. think that the headphones of this quality should be listened to unamplified  and plugged in to the crappy headphone out instead of the dedicated line out ? Those who pay this kind of money for a headphone care about the audio-quality of music, for them the impedance of 25 Ohms is not much of a use. Foster E. clearly targeted the generation on the constant move, those who have at their disposal many of the new portable sound sources. In that case then why the 6.5 mm plug ?  

Beyerdynamic made an error of T5p not  having an impedance of 250 Ohms, their trademark mid-impedance calibration. Now Fostex repeats the error.

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post #2939 of 4413
1/10/13 at 10:20am
Quote:
Originally Posted by MacedonianHero View Post

LoL, my problem was that I gave them a listen and then got an itch that needed to be scratched.

 

Excited for you, Peter. I think you'll enjoy them quite a bit. As great as the 009 is, the TH900 fills a sweet spot that undeniably begs to be filled. 

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post #2940 of 4413
1/10/13 at 10:54am

In the house! But I'm at work. :( Currently burning in through my DP1-can't wait to listen through my ZDSE tonight! Does someone have the link for that beautiful headphone stand someone posted in this thread? The stained one that kinda matched the Fostex?

 

-Daniel

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