[DavidA]

@SleepingLesson, I think the statement there is just to protect himself in case a customer does not specify what connector they want.  This is just my theory, if you want to know the real reason you can just send him a PM.

 

[SleepingLesson]

And remove all the mystery? Never!
 
In any case, I can't wait to get mine back from him (any day now I hope). I have some ebony cups ready to put on, but now it sounds like I might need to modify them slightly. What's the best way to do that, anybody know?

 

[DavidA]

  And remove all the mystery? Never!
 
In any case, I can't wait to get mine back from him (any day now I hope). I have some ebony cups ready to put on, but now it sounds like I might need to modify them slightly. What's the best way to do that, anybody know?

Easiest way is to use a Dremel with a cutting bit, I would look at the cup that he modified and do the same to the ebony cup, do it a little at a time and check the fit often so you don't over cut.

 

[SleepingLesson]

  Easiest way is to use a Dremel with a cutting bit, I would look at the cup that he modified and do the same to the ebony cup, do it a little at a time and check the fit often so you don't over cut.

Haha, of course! I actually didn't even think about the fact that I'd have some cups I could emulate exactly. I'll be careful and report back when I ruin everything.

 

[DavidA]

  Haha, of course! I actually didn't even think about the fact that I'd have some cups I could emulate exactly. I'll be careful and report back when I ruin everything.

Very optimistic point of view

, good luck.
 
PS: take some pictures, just curious how much work is involved to use the 2.5mm jack versus the SMC

 

[betula]

"Fostex TH-X00 is based on the TH-900 but tuned for a more balanced sound, with mahogany earcups inspired by the Denon AH-D7000. The result is a pair of headphones that's easily worth twice its price."

Just read this somewhere, and kinda agree...

 

[PopZeus]

  "Fostex TH-X00 is based on the TH-900 but tuned for a more balanced sound, with mahogany earcups inspired by the Denon AH-D7000. The result is a pair of headphones that's easily worth twice its price."

Just read this somewhere, and kinda agree...

 
I thought it was the 600 not the 900. If it's the 900, then that makes the X00 the biggest value in all of head-fi-dom!

 

[fjrabon]

I thought it was the 600 not the 900. If it's the 900, then that makes the X00 the biggest value in all of head-fi-dom!

Neither is really right. The TH600, TH900, THX00, EMU Teak and formerly the Denon D2000, D5000 and D7000 were all based on the same platform. They all have different tweaks. The big reason the TH900 costs more isn't anything to do with the platform, but rather that it uses more expensive wood and is hand finished and tested to exacting specifications in Japan. There is much higher quality control in the TH900. Each headphone has a few tuning differences as well. The THX00 isn't just a wood cupped TH600 with different pads, though that is a lot of the difference it's not all.

 

[Eudis]

"Fostex TH-X00 is based on the TH-900 but tuned for a more balanced sound, with mahogany earcups inspired by the Denon AH-D7000. The result is a pair of headphones that's easily worth twice its price."


Just read this somewhere, and kinda agree...

Source?

Th600 drivers are about 105 per piece and th900 are 110 per piece. Much less to dealers. So while th600 drivers arent much cheaper would make more sense to use I doubt massdrop could obtain a large amount of th900 drivers due to the tougher tolerances on th900 drivers (heavily limiting stocks).

One poster here further back said thx00 had driver tolerances of 1-1.35 teslas. It would be impossible for the thx00 to utilize th900 drivers since they would need to be between 1.45-1.50 tesla to be even considered th900 drivers.

So design wise, the cups maybe similar to the Japanese cherry birch the th900 uses but I believe there is more differences that attributes to the sound of thx00 and thats includes the pads and potentially cup chamber depth.

Lastly, EMU Teaks measure cleaner than thx00s, especially with distortion. Their sound sig is similar as well. I assume this is because of the teak cups and cup dimensions. They must be using th600 drivers or lesser, highly leaning with something wuth less tolerances. Look at the th600 and th900. They both have similar sound sig, but the distortion on the th600 look like the distortion in the thx00 but the thx00 has much worse bass distortion. They maybe b-stock th600 drivers considering the price or thenlow end distortion can be caused by the pad and plastic insert inside the pads and the cups (it can be all three since the teaks have this too). One can even further speculate that thx00 and teak drivers are thebolder drivers found in the denons because they too all have bass distortion similar to the thx00 and teak this is worth considering even though all we can do is speculate

http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/FostexTHX00sn1927.pdf

http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/EMuTeak2016.pdf

http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/FostexTH600.pdf

http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/FostexTH900.pdf

 

[tjdub]

Very optimistic point of view , good luck.

PS: take some pictures, just curious how much work is involved to use the 2.5mm jack versus the SMC

Very different endeavour the SMC require hardly any modifications wile the 2.5 need you to cut the cups and driver, I went with 3.5mm

 

[thekorsen]

Source?

Th600 drivers are about 105 per piece and th900 are 110 per piece. Much less to dealers. So while th600 drivers arent much cheaper would make more sense to use I doubt massdrop could obtain a large amount of th900 drivers due to the tougher tolerances on th900 drivers (heavily limiting stocks).

One poster here further back said thx00 had driver tolerances of 1-1.35 teslas. It would be impossible for the thx00 to utilize th900 drivers since they would need to be between 1.45-1.50 tesla to be even considered th900 drivers.

So design wise, the cups maybe similar to the Japanese cherry birch the th900 uses but I believe there is more differences that attributes to the sound of thx00 and thats includes the pads and potentially cup chamber depth.

Lastly, EMU Teaks measure cleaner than thx00s, especially with distortion. Their sound sig is similar as well. I assume this is because of the teak cups and cup dimensions. They must be using th600 drivers or lesser, highly leaning with something wuth less tolerances. Look at the th600 and th900. They both have similar sound sig, but the distortion on the th600 look like the distortion in the thx00 but the thx00 has much worse bass distortion. They maybe b-stock th600 drivers considering the price or thenlow end distortion can be caused by the pad and plastic insert inside the pads and the cups (it can be all three since the teaks have this too). One can even further speculate that thx00 and teak drivers are thebolder drivers found in the denons because they too all have bass distortion similar to the thx00 and teak this is worth considering even though all we can do is speculate

http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/FostexTHX00sn1927.pdf

http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/EMuTeak2016.pdf

http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/FostexTH600.pdf

http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/FostexTH900.pdf

Wait... I found the drivers on full compass, its $220 for a pair I think. And teardowns show the entire TH line these to be nearly identical internally. So for $220 and some careful soldering I could have a th-900?... Or is there more involved, like drivers potentially not being paired, cups playing a larger than expected role, ect? From what I hear in comparisons of the X00 vs the 900 (concert hall-like soundstage on the 900s vs intimate staging on the X00s), I might seriously consider trying it.

 

[Tadamn]

Source?

Th600 drivers are about 105 per piece and th900 are 110 per piece. Much less to dealers. So while th600 drivers arent much cheaper would make more sense to use I doubt massdrop could obtain a large amount of th900 drivers due to the tougher tolerances on th900 drivers (heavily limiting stocks).

One poster here further back said thx00 had driver tolerances of 1-1.35 teslas. It would be impossible for the thx00 to utilize th900 drivers since they would need to be between 1.45-1.50 tesla to be even considered th900 drivers.

So design wise, the cups maybe similar to the Japanese cherry birch the th900 uses but I believe there is more differences that attributes to the sound of thx00 and thats includes the pads and potentially cup chamber depth.

Lastly, EMU Teaks measure cleaner than thx00s, especially with distortion. Their sound sig is similar as well. I assume this is because of the teak cups and cup dimensions. They must be using th600 drivers or lesser, highly leaning with something wuth less tolerances. Look at the th600 and th900. They both have similar sound sig, but the distortion on the th600 look like the distortion in the thx00 but the thx00 has much worse bass distortion. They maybe b-stock th600 drivers considering the price or thenlow end distortion can be caused by the pad and plastic insert inside the pads and the cups (it can be all three since the teaks have this too). One can even further speculate that thx00 and teak drivers are thebolder drivers found in the denons because they too all have bass distortion similar to the thx00 and teak this is worth considering even though all we can do is speculate

http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/FostexTHX00sn1927.pdf

http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/EMuTeak2016.pdf

http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/FostexTH600.pdf

http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/FostexTH900.pdf

The files are full of valuable information.

 

[PopZeus]

Neither is really right. The TH600, TH900, THX00, EMU Teak and formerly the Denon D2000, D5000 and D7000 were all based on the same platform. They all have different tweaks. The big reason the TH900 costs more isn't anything to do with the platform, but rather that it uses more expensive wood and is hand finished and tested to exacting specifications in Japan. There is much higher quality control in the TH900. Each headphone has a few tuning differences as well. The THX00 isn't just a wood cupped TH600 with different pads, though that is a lot of the difference it's not all.

 
Just to be clear, I know I don't know much. So I'm the last one to try to school anybody (including bestula). I read something about the 600's drivers being repurposed for the X00. Drivers are the "speaker" part of the phone, right? I know a whole bunch of other stuff goes into the sound, but that's the thing that is generating the waves, so that's the detail I happen to remember.

 

[DavidA]

Very different endeavour the SMC require hardly any modifications wile the 2.5 need you to cut the cups and driver, I went with 3.5mm

do you have any pictures of the work you had to do on the inside of the cups, frame and baffle?

 

[fjrabon]

Source?

Th600 drivers are about 105 per piece and th900 are 110 per piece. Much less to dealers. So while th600 drivers arent much cheaper would make more sense to use I doubt massdrop could obtain a large amount of th900 drivers due to the tougher tolerances on th900 drivers (heavily limiting stocks).

One poster here further back said thx00 had driver tolerances of 1-1.35 teslas. It would be impossible for the thx00 to utilize th900 drivers since they would need to be between 1.45-1.50 tesla to be even considered th900 drivers.

So design wise, the cups maybe similar to the Japanese cherry birch the th900 uses but I believe there is more differences that attributes to the sound of thx00 and thats includes the pads and potentially cup chamber depth.

Lastly, EMU Teaks measure cleaner than thx00s, especially with distortion. Their sound sig is similar as well. I assume this is because of the teak cups and cup dimensions. They must be using th600 drivers or lesser, highly leaning with something wuth less tolerances. Look at the th600 and th900. They both have similar sound sig, but the distortion on the th600 look like the distortion in the thx00 but the thx00 has much worse bass distortion. They maybe b-stock th600 drivers considering the price or thenlow end distortion can be caused by the pad and plastic insert inside the pads and the cups (it can be all three since the teaks have this too). One can even further speculate that thx00 and teak drivers are thebolder drivers found in the denons because they too all have bass distortion similar to the thx00 and teak this is worth considering even though all we can do is speculate

http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/FostexTHX00sn1927.pdf

http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/EMuTeak2016.pdf

http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/FostexTH600.pdf

http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/FostexTH900.pdf

I disagree with most of this based on conversations I've had with people from Massdrop and EMU. I can't go point by point because some involves information I'm not supposed to really give out. You guys also make way too big of a deal about driver specs. The drivers themselves are by far the least important aspect. The differences in the teak measurements (both distortion and frequency response) almost entirely comes from the teaks having a larger interior chamber and thinner wood cup. The teaks actually are thin enough to dissipate energy out of the back of the wood. The TH900 has a larger cup interior and is dampened with a foam block (that's the big reason it has so little measured bass distortion). This is also nothing that dynamat applied to the inside of the THX00 won't solve. Finally, the measured bass distortion of the stock THX00 is almost entirely euphonic 2nd harmonic distortion, and this can give a very nice sounding full bass to a lot of ears. It's very important to remember that not all distortion is created equally.

The only headphone in this line that has measurably different drivers are the TH900, which are slightly stronger and more precision matched in Japan. All the others work off the Foster OEM design template and are now made to the same specs. Some early production EMU teak units used TH900 drivers but that is no longer the case. Also there just isn't a large difference between the TH900 and other drivers in the series. The differences are almost entirely due to other aspects.