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Is it true that modded T50RP's (specifically LFF's Paradox mod) is comparable to high end... - Page 10

post #136 of 282
9/24/12 at 5:19am
Quote:
Originally Posted by MuppetFace View Post

The Paradox is, to me, an entirely different headphone than the stock T50RP and the other mods I've tried. Not sure what kind of forbidden magicks LFF used to conjure up that kind of sound, but it's a profound change. As someone who approaches this hobby from a collector's mindset, owning some 200+ pairs of headphones and earphones, I try to keep my perspective on things baseline: I can acknowledge when a pair of headphones I like isn't necessarily a good pair of headphones, and I try to refrain from hyperbole and needlessly hyping things.

If someone told me the Paradox was an $1200 headphone, I wouldn't bat an eyelash. Not sure if that says more about the Paradox or the current state of the headphone industry, but there you go.

The other T50RP mods I've heard were good, but not impressive to me. I honestly don't hear what the fuss is about with the various clay mass loaded, filled cup, and felt based mods. All these mods, despite offering different flavors, have similarities to my ears. They all use the same underlying approaches. I'm guessing that whatever LFF did is fundamentally different in key respects from all the other approaches "discovered" thus far, and is ahead of the curve compared to the rest of the mods. I'm not knocking those other efforts---many of them are better than anything I came up with modding my own T50RP. However to my ears they (including my own) don't come close to the Paradox. Of course, that is also dependent on what one is looking for. If you don't want something ruler-flat, then it's not going to be for you.

I can also fully understand the reluctance to buy them blindly. If the chance to give them an audition comes up however, I whole heartedly encourage people give it a try and hear for themselves.


Thanks for the information and maybe I will even get to try it in a meet (never went to one before), should be fun smily_headphones1.gif
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post #137 of 282
9/24/12 at 9:32am
Originally Posted by MuppetFace View Post

The Paradox is, to me, an entirely different headphone than the stock T50RP and the other mods I've tried. Not sure what kind of forbidden magicks LFF used to conjure up that kind of sound, but it's a profound change. As someone who approaches this hobby from a collector's mindset, owning some 200+ pairs of headphones and earphones, I try to keep my perspective on things baseline: I can acknowledge when a pair of headphones I like isn't necessarily a good pair of headphones, and I try to refrain from hyperbole and needlessly hyping things.

 

If someone told me the Paradox was an $1200 headphone, I wouldn't bat an eyelash. Not sure if that says more about the Paradox or the current state of the headphone industry, but there you go.

 

The other T50RP mods I've heard were good, but not impressive to me. I honestly don't hear what the fuss is about with the various clay mass loaded, filled cup, and felt based mods. All these mods, despite offering different flavors, have similarities to my ears. They all use the same underlying approaches. I'm guessing that whatever LFF did is fundamentally different in key respects from all the other approaches "discovered" thus far, and is ahead of the curve compared to the rest of the mods. I'm not knocking those other efforts---many of them are better than anything I came up with modding my own T50RP. However to my ears they (including my own) don't come close to the Paradox. Of course, that is also dependent on what one is looking for. If you don't want something ruler-flat, then it's not going to be for you.

 

I can also fully understand the reluctance to buy them blindly. If the chance to give them an audition comes up however, I whole heartedly encourage people give it a try and hear for themselves.

 

That's a big big endorsement.. and having owned the paradox now for the better part of this year.. I wholeheartedly agree.  You've heard far more headphones than me, MF.. but I knew the Paradox was something special them moment I put them on.  A lot of headphones have come on gone.. I anticipate the Paradox to steadfastly remain by my side for the long run.. though I've got a feeling LFF might have some other interesting things up his sleeve wink_face.gif ph34r.gif..

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post #138 of 282
9/24/12 at 12:09pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by FlySweep View Post

That's a big big endorsement.. and having owned the paradox now for the better part of this year.. I wholeheartedly agree.  You've heard far more headphones than me, MF.. but I knew the Paradox was something special them moment I put them on.  A lot of headphones have come on gone.. I anticipate the Paradox to steadfastly remain by my side for the long run.. though I've got a feeling LFF might have some other interesting things up his sleeve wink_face.gif  ph34r.gif ..


Changes to his paradox mod you mean?
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post #139 of 282
9/24/12 at 12:33pm
Originally Posted by reddragon View Post

Changes to his paradox mod you mean?

Only LFF would know.. I'm just blindly stirring the rumor mill & being generally mischievous tongue_smile.gif.

 

I don't think LFF is going to (or needs to) make any changes to the Paradox.  IMO, he more than fulfilled what he set out to do.. to transform the T50RP into a neutral headphone bearing reference grade sound and a phone that can effectively be used for professional mastering.  I've passed the Paradox around to a few musician friends and audio nuts.. they've all been very impressed.. and I've had a hard time getting it back on more than a few occasions.


Edited by FlySweep - 9/24/12 at 12:34pm
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post #140 of 282
9/24/12 at 1:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by pp312 View Post

If someone wanted to demo me a Paradox I'd certainly be in it. I'm just saying that the stock unit sounded such a sow's ear I couldn't believe I could ever make it into a silk purse. If others can, I'm more than happy to sample the fruits of their labour.

 

Buy another one, send it to LFF and get a Paradox lol. Some people for whatever reason like the stock T50RP. I don't. I was surprised that they do have some deep bass considering the "all mid" measurements, but the mids sound like they are bouncing around inside a cave. You DO get a faint sense that there's a good driver in there somewhere, but stock enclosure and pads strangle it to death.

 

The Paradox is on a different planet. I know it's hard to imagine that some mods can do that, especially without even replacing the enclosures ala Thunderpants, but it's the truth. The Paradox beats every closed headphone under $1,000, and depending on your listening preference, pretty much every closed headphone period, or at least every closed headphone that actually isolates. If you're looking for coloration or some type of built in EQ you won't find it - they're not bass heavy or light, the mids aren't forward or recessed, the treble is neutral and very good overall, not estat good but you'll never get that from an ortho. What you don't get is some awful 10Khz spike that's supposed to make the headphones "sparkle".

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post #141 of 282
9/24/12 at 3:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveBSC View Post

 

Buy another one, send it to LFF and get a Paradox lol. Some people for whatever reason like the stock T50RP. I don't. I was surprised that they do have some deep bass considering the "all mid" measurements, but the mids sound like they are bouncing around inside a cave. You DO get a faint sense that there's a good driver in there somewhere, but stock enclosure and pads strangle it to death.

 

The Paradox is on a different planet. I know it's hard to imagine that some mods can do that, especially without even replacing the enclosures ala Thunderpants, but it's the truth. The Paradox beats every closed headphone under $1,000, and depending on your listening preference, pretty much every closed headphone period, or at least every closed headphone that actually isolates. If you're looking for coloration or some type of built in EQ you won't find it - they're not bass heavy or light, the mids aren't forward or recessed, the treble is neutral and very good overall, not estat good but you'll never get that from an ortho. What you don't get is some awful 10Khz spike that's supposed to make the headphones "sparkle".

 

 

 

thank you for the impression and what other closed headphones do you have experience with?

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post #142 of 282
9/24/12 at 5:40pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveBSC View Post

 

Buy another one, send it to LFF and get a Paradox lol. Some people for whatever reason like the stock T50RP. I don't. I was surprised that they do have some deep bass considering the "all mid" measurements, but the mids sound like they are bouncing around inside a cave. You DO get a faint sense that there's a good driver in there somewhere, but stock enclosure and pads strangle it to death.

 

The Paradox is on a different planet. I know it's hard to imagine that some mods can do that, especially without even replacing the enclosures ala Thunderpants, but it's the truth. The Paradox beats every closed headphone under $1,000, and depending on your listening preference, pretty much every closed headphone period, or at least every closed headphone that actually isolates. If you're looking for coloration or some type of built in EQ you won't find it - they're not bass heavy or light, the mids aren't forward or recessed, the treble is neutral and very good overall, not estat good but you'll never get that from an ortho. What you don't get is some awful 10Khz spike that's supposed to make the headphones "sparkle".

 

Certainly agree with your assessment of the stock unit. To me everything sounded like it was bouncing around in a cave, except the treble which appeared to have gone outside for a leak. As hard as I tried to envision it, I simply could not see this aural ugly duckling turning into a beautiful swan, but then my belief in fairy tales always was a bit shaky.

 

Sounds like LFF ought to be marketing the Paradox as a finished product, en masse (and I'm sure I'm not the first person to think of that). As happy as I am with the LCD-2, I would very much appreciate a closed phone with as good sound but half the weight.

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post #143 of 282
9/24/12 at 6:14pm

This thread makes me want to try out the Paradox but I don't really want to buy one to try it :T

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post #144 of 282
9/24/12 at 7:08pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by pp312 View Post

 

Certainly agree with your assessment of the stock unit. To me everything sounded like it was bouncing around in a cave, except the treble which appeared to have gone outside for a leak. As hard as I tried to envision it, I simply could not see this aural ugly duckling turning into a beautiful swan, but then my belief in fairy tales always was a bit shaky.

 

Sounds like LFF ought to be marketing the Paradox as a finished product, en masse (and I'm sure I'm not the first person to think of that). As happy as I am with the LCD-2, I would very much appreciate a closed phone with as good sound but half the weight.

 

 

i havent listened to stock t50rp for a long time but saying the sound bouncing around in a cave is a good way to put it, i dont remember bass depth but my vague impression is the bass also lacks body.

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post #145 of 282
9/24/12 at 7:49pm

The Paradox and the Mad Dogs are the best modified Fostex, er, any modded headphone.

 

Both are very good headphones, with different engineering. I believe them to be the best values in the headphone pool and equal in performance.

It takes some time getting use to the Paradox as it may come off as boring, after time you begin to appreciate it though.

 

It's more of a matter of preference, mine is for MD. But I've been planning to buy the Paradox for months. Poor wallet ain't giving in.

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post #146 of 282
9/24/12 at 9:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by reddragon View Post

thank you for the impression and what other closed headphones do you have experience with?

K550, W1000X, DT1350, D2000, D5000, SRH-840, MDR-7509, Pro900, KH-K1000, ES-10. I also have a pretty good idea of what the D7000, 7100, T5P, and ED8 sound like based on impressions from people whose ears I trust.

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post #147 of 282
9/24/12 at 9:06pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by pp312 View Post

Sounds like LFF ought to be marketing the Paradox as a finished product, en masse (and I'm sure I'm not the first person to think of that). As happy as I am with the LCD-2, I would very much appreciate a closed phone with as good sound but half the weight.

 

That's exactly what Dan did with his Mad Dog. The Paradox is a different animal, so to speak. Dan's turn around time is a few days, Luis takes about 3 weeks. Each one is fine tuned by ear until perfect. I don't think he has the time, and I don't think he wants the Paradox to become his day job either.

 

I will say this, somebody like Denon or Beyer could produce a headphone that sounds just like the Paradox and charge $1500, and they would sell all day. It's that good.

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post #148 of 282
9/24/12 at 9:43pm

I'm sorta curious, how does the Paradox do compared to SRH940s and T70s?

 

Music genre: rock, electronica, classical, epic music and jazz
 

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post #149 of 282
9/24/12 at 9:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveBSC View Post

K550, W1000X, DT1350, D2000, D5000, SRH-840, MDR-7509, Pro900, KH-K1000, ES-10. I also have a pretty good idea of what the D7000, 7100, T5P, and ED8 sound like based on impressions from people whose ears I trust.

 

 

thanks, btw i asked because i wanted references, wasnt questioning your ears or knowledge.

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post #150 of 282
9/24/12 at 9:48pm

alright, who is gonna send around a pair of paradox to trusted head fi'ers/modders so we can start an impressions thread?

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Head-Fi.org › Forums › Summit-Fi (High-End Audio) › High-end Audio Forum › Is it true that modded T50RP's (specifically LFF's Paradox mod) is comparable to high end headphones such as the LCD2?