[mrtim6]

Funny thing about Headfonia, I disagree with almost everything they write, but they got it spot-on with their opinion of the Bakoon-Fostex pairing. Auditioned the Bakoon HPA-21 (the international version of the HDA-5210 they paired with the TH series headphones) with my TH900 and had one of those "mind = blown" moments.

My main beef with the HP-A8 is that it's amp section tries to flatline the TH900's sound. It's like Fostex made this ballsy sounding headphone, and then decided to neuter it with their amp. I like the DAC section though. Coupled with my Burson Soloist, I prefer the HP-A8's output to the Lavry DA11 and Benchmark HGC. May not be as hyper-detailed or "accurate", but it's airier, meatier and not as strident with the highs compared to the other two.
....

+1

Agree 100% with Headfonia on this one

I own the Janpeese version Bakoon HDA-5210 - seriously mind blowing with TH900

 

[bmichels]

Funny thing about Headfonia, I disagree with almost everything they write, but they got it spot-on with their opinion of the Bakoon-Fostex pairing. Auditioned the Bakoon HPA-21 (the international version of the HDA-5210 they paired with the TH series headphones) with my TH900 and had one of those "mind = blown" moments.

My main beef with the HP-A8 is that it's amp section tries to flatline the TH900's sound. It's like Fostex made this ballsy sounding headphone, and then decided to neuter it with their amp. I like the DAC section though. Coupled with my Burson Soloist, I prefer the HP-A8's output to the Lavry DA11 and Benchmark HGC. May not be as hyper-detailed or "accurate", but it's airier, meatier and not as strident with the highs compared to the other two.
....

Also, TU-05 (transportable Tube Amp) with TH-900 has an increadible synergy.  I own booth and now, with the TH900... I don't use anymore my $3000 RedWineAudio desktop DAC/headphone balanced amp !   Always use the TU-05 and I use the RWA only as DAC to feed the TU-05 !  Plus...tube rolling is FUN ! And I added an XLR headphone (NON-balanced) plus since.
 
Here headphonia also is right  when they says " Ultimately though, it’s a pairing game as I find that the TU-05 works magic with the Japanese wood headphones like the Audio Technica W2002 or the Fostex TH-900. Special note with the TH-900: it’s easily the best amp I’ve have heard it with, rivaling the Bakoon HDA-5210mk3 and easily better than the ALO Studio Six".
 
So, is the TU-05 even better than the HPA-21 ??  we need to test !  
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[paulchiu]

This is a fabulous portable setup!
 
Quote:

  Also, TU-05 (transportable Tube Amp) with TH-900 has an increadible synergy.  I own booth and now, with the TH900... I don't use anymore my $3000 RedWineAudio desktop DAC/headphone balanced amp !   Always use the TU-05 and I use the RWA only as DAC to feed the TU-05 !  Plus...tube rolling is FUN ! And I added an XLR headphone (NON-balanced) plus since.
 
Here headphonia also is right  when they says " Ultimately though, it’s a pairing game as I find that the TU-05 works magic with the Japanese wood headphones like the Audio Technica W2002 or the Fostex TH-900. Special note with the TH-900: it’s easily the best amp I’ve have heard it with, rivaling the Bakoon HDA-5210mk3 and easily better than the ALO Studio Six".
 
So, is the TU-05 even better than the HPA-21 ??  we need to test !  
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[up late]

the th900 is a really impressive can but after spending quality time with it, the highs are still edgy and it's kinda fatiguing for me.

 

[kurochin]

Originally Posted by bmichels /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
Here headphonia also is right  when they says " Ultimately though, it’s a pairing game as I find that the TU-05 works magic with the Japanese wood headphones like the Audio Technica W2002 or the Fostex TH-900. Special note with the TH-900: it’s easily the best amp I’ve have heard it with, rivaling the Bakoon HDA-5210mk3 and easily better than the ALO Studio Six".
 

 
That's one hell of a claim. Can anyone here who's tried the amps mentioned back that up?
I know AnakChan has experienced both the TU-05 and Alo Studio Six (though I don't think he's tried the Bakoon yet), so maybe he can share his opinion. AnakChan?

 

[paulchiu]

   
That's one hell of a claim. Can anyone here who's tried the amps mentioned back that up?
I know AnakChan has experienced both the TU-05 and Alo Studio Six (though I don't think he's tried the Bakoon yet), so maybe he can share his opinion. AnakChan?

 
I heard that at a show. Still love my Cary 300 SEI with my dynamics more.  I guess it must be the 300b rectifiers.
 

 

[AnakChan]

   
That's one hell of a claim. Can anyone here who's tried the amps mentioned back that up?
I know AnakChan has experienced both the TU-05 and Alo Studio Six (though I don't think he's tried the Bakoon yet), so maybe he can share his opinion. AnakChan?

 
Sadly I don't have the TU-05b as it was a 1 week loaner from Shikada-san. However I did have the TU-05b & my Zana Deux (pre-modded at that time) and felt the Zana Deux, despite a ZOut of 12 ohm, had a fuller sound than the TU-05b - this is one of the reasons why I bought the TUR-06 instead.
 
Since then I had modded my Zana Deux specifically for the TH-900 and it obviously is an improvement to the original Zana Deux. I managed to compare the modded Zana Deux to the Studio Six and aside from the low vibration hum, the Studio Six to me felt had a bigger sound with the TH-900 than the modded Zana Deux.
 
By deduction (and assuming I trust my findings when I made them months ago) :-
 
Studio Six -> Modded Zana Deux -> Original Zana Deux -> TU-05b

 

[bmichels]

Thanks. So question now becomes : With the TH900, is Bakoon HPA-21 > studio 6 ?

 

[AnakChan]

Thanks. So question now becomes : With the TH900, is Bakoon HPA-21 > studio 6 ?

 
If you can convince @Currawong to borrow a Bakoon to compare against his S6, I'll be happy to ship him my TH-900 for this review. Will foot you the bill for the shipping . Currawong lives close to the Bakoon chaps.

 

[kurochin]

   
Sadly I don't have the TU-05b as it was a 1 week loaner from Shikada-san. However I did have the TU-05b & my Zana Deux (pre-modded at that time) and felt the Zana Deux, despite a ZOut of 12 ohm, had a fuller sound than the TU-05b - this is one of the reasons why I bought the TUR-06 instead.
 
Since then I had modded my Zana Deux specifically for the TH-900 and it obviously is an improvement to the original Zana Deux. I managed to compare the modded Zana Deux to the Studio Six and aside from the low vibration hum, the Studio Six to me felt had a bigger sound with the TH-900 than the modded Zana Deux.
 
By deduction (and assuming I trust my findings when I made them months ago) :-
 
Studio Six -> Modded Zana Deux -> Original Zana Deux -> TU-05b

 
Thanks for the input, AnakChan.
 
One question;
When you say "bigger sound", do you just mean bigger soundstage, or bigger and better in every (extension, layering, musicality, etc) category?

 

[AnakChan]

   
Thanks for the input, AnakChan.
 
One question;
When you say "bigger sound", do you just mean bigger soundstage, or bigger and better in every (extension, layering, musicality, etc) category?

 
Maybe I should have called it "fuller sound" instead. So at least in my terminology, some design/component combination may give a huge hall stage but feels "void" whilst those combinations that give the "bigger sound" fill that large space nicely. Also such amps that can produce that fuller sound effortlessly without sounding "strained".

 

[kurochin]

   
Maybe I should have called it "fuller sound" instead. So at least in my terminology, some design/component combination may give a huge hall stage but feels "void" whilst those combinations that give the "bigger sound" fill that large space nicely. Also such amps that can produce that fuller sound effortlessly without sounding "strained".

Ah, okay. Much thanks for clarifying.

 

[Clemmaster]

@AnakChan: you now have the TUR-06. Did you test it with the TH-900 yet? (http://www.head-fi.org/t/676095/mrspeakers-alpha-dog-revealed-the-worlds-first-production-3d-printed-headphones/4815#post_10113567)

 

[azureaura]

The headphone has a bizarre, rare collection of traits. It's moderately warm, but insanely revealing. I A-B this against an LCD-X and will make my mind up soon. I listened to the Deftones Saturday night Wrist, and in Pink Cellphone I could hear a door closing 3x, under the woman speaking. Frikking amazing. There is a small hotspot in the treble at about 18000Hz, but it's minor and rarely becomes offensive. The bass is NOT bloated and sluggish, whoever feels that has heard it out of the wrong source or is on somthing IMO. There is "driller bass" on some tracks, but fortunately rare. I believe the mids are slightly recessed, NOT very. Strings are totally sublime on the TH-900 and male vocals which are alto or higher, or female vocals are stunning. It is a fast headphone imo. PRAT Pacing, rhythm, accuracy, timing. The only thing that was fatiguing is "listening" to the layers. Some WTH moments, where there is a scratchy noise in the mix that is there, and the engineer dosn't want it to be. It dosn't sound like resonance. This could not be more different than the D-7000, it's ridiculous, they are worlds apart, IMO. The D-7000 was too warm and wallowy, and in my face. It felt fatiguing the D-7000 before too long. The Naim V1 Dac fed from a Bryston 01 CD player sounds like a good combo to be.

 

[azureaura]

TH-900 good for prog rock and metal, as well as EDM IMO.