[Gammon2004]

  I didn't find them similar really. At least not the larger over ears. The Momentum's have a bigger sound and bigger bass...and I did think the bass was overdone and general signature was more v-shaped than the FSP, which I found way more balanced, clearer and more detailed. But just my view. I sent the Momentums back.

Fair enough - I think the bigger bass ended up translating as 'about the same amount of bass' given that I was listening to the momentums in louder public areas.  And definitely the FSP is more clear and detailed.  But I guess I sort of got the same 'feeling' listening to both of them.  Out of curiosity, can you recommend other portable-ish cans that you think sound more similar to the FSP?  I also tried the Spirit One S, and it sounded basically like the FSP but with more bass and possibly a bit less resolution.  It was also more comfortable because the ear pads were bigger, and it seemed like it would definitely hold up better to abuse...but ironically the bigger earpads/construction made it *less* portable than the FSP.

 

[dakanao]

The Spirit Pros sound clearer than the Momentums, but at the expense of very annoying harshness in the uppermids.
 
The Creative Aurvana Live sounds like a brighter momentum, but with more and boomier bass, and slightly less forward mids. And before I modded the CAL, they never sounded too harsh (only if a recording was badly mastered, but that's the recordings fault, not the headphone) unlike the Spirit Pro which sounds harsh on almost any song I listen to.

 

[ozziecook]

 
Fair enough - I think the bigger bass ended up translating as 'about the same amount of bass' given that I was listening to the momentums in louder public areas.  And definitely the FSP is more clear and detailed.  But I guess I sort of got the same 'feeling' listening to both of them.  Out of curiosity, can you recommend other portable-ish cans that you think sound more similar to the FSP?  I also tried the Spirit One S, and it sounded basically like the FSP but with more bass and possibly a bit less resolution.  It was also more comfortable because the ear pads were bigger, and it seemed like it would definitely hold up better to abuse...but ironically the bigger earpads/construction made it *less* portable than the FSP.

I can't recommend anything that I've tried that sounds like the FSP except perhaps the HD600. But that's open backed and not portable.

 

[dakanao]

How can somebody know if the drivers of the Spirit Pros are damaged?

 

[Music Alchemist]

  How can somebody know if the drivers of the Spirit Pros are damaged?

 
Listen to another unit and see if it sounds very different or have it examined professionally. Aside from that, I'm not sure.

 

[Stuff Jones]

  The Spirit Pros sound clearer than the Momentums, but at the expense of very annoying harshness in the uppermids.
 
The Creative Aurvana Live sounds like a brighter momentum, but with more and boomier bass, and slightly less forward mids. And before I modded the CAL, they never sounded too harsh (only if a recording was badly mastered, but that's the recordings fault, not the headphone) unlike the Spirit Pro which sounds harsh on almost any song I listen to.

 
I hear no harshness whatsoever.

 

[dakanao]

   
I hear no harshness whatsoever.

What amp/DAC do you have?

 

[Music Alchemist]

  I hear no harshness whatsoever.

 
Yeah, I didn't think it was harsh at all, except perhaps for that resonance, which is more shouty than harsh.
 

  What amp/DAC do you have?

 
For your reference, I listened to the FSP on a Schiit Magni 2 Uber and Modi 2, and also from my laptop's headphone jacks. I heard little to no difference between the two setups.

 

[Stuff Jones]

  What amp/DAC do you have?

 
Geek out 450. Also Shozy Alien. 
 
My two SQ small negatives with the FSP is that its a touch dark/lacks air and that the mids, while they have the best tonality I've heard, sometimes get a bit muddled up with music a lot going on in the midrange. Maybe its the resonance issue MA is talking about. 
 
Harshness is not a word I would use to describe the FSP SQ at all.
 
Edit: It could just be a matter of comparison with the CAL which I've never tried but which I've heard are a very warm, smoothed over signature.

 

[Music Alchemist]

  Geek out 450. Also Shozy Alien. 
 
My two SQ small negatives with the FSP is that its a touch dark/lacks air and that the mids, while they have the best tonality I've heard, sometimes get a bit muddled up with music a lot going on in the midrange. Maybe its the resonance issue MA is talking about. 
 
Harshness is not a word I would use to describe the FSP SQ at all.

 
It's funny how I decided to get rid of the FSP to try out more expensive headphones, and they ended up not sounding as good to me, even though they were better in some ways. I might buy an HD 650 soon from the same person I got an HD 700 from, so I'll have even more perspectives to offer next month, though I can't compare directly at the moment.

 

[Stuff Jones]

   
It's funny how I decided to get rid of the FSP to try out more expensive headphones, and they ended up not sounding as good to me, even though they were better in some ways. I might buy an HD 650 soon from the same person I got an HD 700 from, so I'll have even more perspectives to offer next month, though I can't compare directly at the moment.

 
I love the sound but the build quality and to a lesser extent fit issues may be a deal breaker for me. I'm thinking long and hard about selling them. It takes the joy out of listening to music to have constant paranoia that the headband is going to crack at any moment.
 
The build quality is seriously that of a 50 dollar headphone. 
 
Edit again: I'm not someone who wants to have like 5 HPs in rotation and so can justify a poorly built one because its going to last 5 times as long. I want something I can use every day for several years without breaking.

 

[Music Alchemist]

  I love the sound but the build quality and to a lesser extent fit issues may be a deal breaker for me. I'm thinking long and hard about selling them. It takes the joy out of listening to music to have constant paranoia that the headband is going to crack at any moment.
 
The build quality is seriously that of a 50 dollar headphone. 
 
Edit again: I'm not someone who wants to have like 5 HPs in rotation and so can justify a poorly built one because its going to last 5 times as long. I want something I can use every day for several years without breaking.

 
If you do decide to sell it, PM me just in case I would be interested.
 
I was very careful with it when I owned it and had no comfort issues, so it's all good for me.
 
...Though @M-13 and I would love for Focal to come out with an open-back version with ideal comfort that is built like a tank!

 

[Gammon2004]

.  
...Though @M-13 and I would love for Focal to come out with an open-back version with ideal comfort that is built like a tank!

 
Yeah that would be amazing.  I don't even need it to be open-backed.  Just *way* more comfortable and durable, and I'd be set.

 

[Stuff Jones]

   
Yeah that would be amazing.  I don't even need it to be open-backed.  Just *way* more comfortable and durable, and I'd be set.

 
Yup. They're 99 percentile SQ, 40 percentile comfort and like 10 percentile build quality. 
 
I don't understand how you can screw up build quality so badly. It doesn't seem like it would be that tricky to design and manufacturer a much better BQ HP.

 

[Music Alchemist]

  Yup. They're 99 percentile SQ, 40 percentile comfort and like 10 percentile build quality. 
 
I don't understand how you can screw up build quality so badly. It doesn't seem like it would be that tricky to design and manufacturer a much better BQ HP.

 
Only the Spirit Pro can be a 149% headphone.

 
I think the main problem is those non-detachable ear cups.