[Thujone]

Quote:

If it's not professionally modded, its <NOT> going to sound much different from a stock headphone. It just won't.

I feel like this is a really silly statement. If you follow BMF's T50RP thread (for example), he has objective measurements for nearly each step on the modding process. He ends up with a mod that measures better (FR wise) than his own Audeze LCD2. If you follow the steps he took (assuming that Fostex has at least SOME driver consistency), you'll end up with a headphone measuring very similar to his. Just because someone else spent hours and hours and hours on different mod configurations does not mean someone else can't reap the benefits in a single try... but then again that's just my opinion. You can go ahead and spend an extra couple hundred dollars on the Mad Dog if it really makes you feel better.

 

[elwappo99]

Quote:

Quote:

If it's not professionally modded, its <NOT> going to sound much different from a stock headphone. It just won't.

I feel like this is a really silly statement. If you follow BMF's T50RP thread (for example), he has objective measurements for nearly each step on the modding process. He ends up with a mod that measures better (FR wise) than his own Audeze LCD2. If you follow the steps he took (assuming that Fostex has at least SOME driver consistency), you'll end up with a headphone measuring very similar to his. Just because someone else spent hours and hours and hours on different mod configurations does not mean someone else can't reap the benefits in a single try... but then again that's just my opinion. You can go ahead and spend an extra couple hundred dollars on the Mad Dog if it really makes you feel better.

 
 
I agree, to some extent here. I think it's pretty unfair to to call all T50rp modding worthless. In many instances people haven't made much progress, but saying you either pay the hundreds in upchage to get a 'professional' mod or it's a worthless endeavor is a little unfair. 

 

[takato14]

Quote:

Quote:

If it's not professionally modded, its <NOT> going to sound much different from a stock headphone. It just won't.

I feel like this is a really silly statement. If you follow BMF's T50RP thread (for example), he has objective measurements for nearly each step on the modding process. He ends up with a mod that measures better (FR wise) than his own Audeze LCD2. If you follow the steps he took (assuming that Fostex has at least SOME driver consistency), you'll end up with a headphone measuring very similar to his. Just because someone else spent hours and hours and hours on different mod configurations does not mean someone else can't reap the benefits in a single try... but then again that's just my opinion. You can go ahead and spend an extra couple hundred dollars on the Mad Dog if it really makes you feel better.

... And BMF is modding professionally. BMF is an extremely well-regarded modder and I trust in his work. His T50RP measures better than the Paradox, the Mad Dog, and the Thunderpants combined. Just because he's not selling it doesn't mean he's not using professional techniques. He uses a pro-grade measuring system and precision-tunes his dampening just like everyone else.
 
Except he's far better at it. The other "professional" T50RP mods pale in comparison.
 
But, um, his T50RP <DOES NOT> measure better than the LCD-2 on the Frequency Response. His is considerably more jagged and has a 10kHz peak, and the treble doesn't extend as far. That being said, it's certainly not far behind.
 
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/FostexT50RPDIYModifiedBlueMonkeyGlider.pdf
 
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/AudezeLCD2Rev2.pdf
 
As for the rest of the sheet, the driver is a bit faster in attack and decay but there's more cup resonation and the square waves wobble and overshoot a bit more. The distortion is also higher (damnit fostex) but not too bad. The headphones are definitely around the same level, but are intended for different things. 

 

[Thujone]

I'm not sure you know the definition of the word "professional". Either way, I get what you are saying now. It's just like the Grado mod thread; you can follow as many mods as you want, but it's not like each mod has perfect synergy with another.

 

[takato14]

Quote:

I'm not sure you know the definition of the word "professional". Either way, I get what you are saying now. It's just like the Grado mod thread; you can follow as many mods as you want, but it's not like each mod has perfect synergy with another.

I know what professional means. Technically, he's not modding professionally. But he IS using professional techniques. 
 
Anyways now that we've gone and hijacked this thread, back to HiFiMAN: Here to stay. For sure. 
 
/threadcap

 

[Taowolf51]

Quote:

If it's not professionally modded, its <NOT> going to sound much different from a stock headphone. It just won't.

 
Does it change the point of my post at all? No.
 
I don't like modded T50RP's (though one mod I did like, but it was designed to be temporary and deteriorated over a few months), and I'm certainly not defending them. I was attempting to remove any radical opinion from my post to prevent people from ignoring the point of my post and focusing on some pointless thing I don't care about. But it seems no matter what you say, someone will find issue with it.

 

[takato14]

If it's not professionally modded, its going to sound much different from a stock headphone. It just won't.

Does it change the point of my post at all? No.

I don't like modded T50RP's (though one mod I did like, but it was designed to be temporary and deteriorated over a few months), and I'm certainly not defending them. I was attempting to remove any radical opinion from my post to prevent people from ignoring the point of my post and focusing on some pointless thing I don't care about. But it seems no matter what you say, someone will find issue with it.

Welcome to the internet.

 

[daerron]

If the HE-500 was a FOTM I would have died from starvation a long time ago. I got mine back in December 2011 and haven't looked back since and every time I listen to it I remain impressed by this headphone. I'm now at the point where I am waiting for an after market cable for mine and looking at going with a balanced setup. My next headphone will in all likelihood be the replacement model of the HE-6 when it is eventually released.

 

[cjc]

I can't even listen to my other cans since obtaining my HE-400's. I will definitely stay a HiFiMAN customer!