[gelocks]

Hello guys/gals.
 
I was just wondering earlier today if I should pick one of these guys and TRY to mod them as per some members here have done, or maybe buy a modded pair or something...
 
I haven't heard a stock pair and it seems that their sound is not so great stock which is probably why there are so many mods out there. Looking at my headphone preference and knowing that my favorites right now are the D5000, are there any mods that actually take the Thunderpants to D5000-like levels?
What/which are the mods?
Is there already a post with organized links or something to follow? (because the original 8000+ thread, ugh, too extensive! lol)
Are there custom builders that actually work on modded T50RPs and sell them?
 
Any success stories you want to share with me?
 
Just wondering if this should be the next way to go,...
 
 
Thanks.

 

[soundstige]

They are $60-75 value headphones stock.
They are ~$200-250 value headphones with about $30 in modding material and a few hours time.
It's definitely a great way to go. Can't help you with any guides atm though, I had the 'pleasure' of reading through most of that thread to learn how to mod mine

 

[gelocks]

I don't want to have the 'pleasure' of reading thousand of posts!! Come on!!! LOL!
 
How do you compare your final results? I just hear all these people saying that they best many of the mid-to-upper tier headphones and I find that hard to believe...

 

[soundstige]

I just compared them to some other good-sounding IEM and headphones that I had throughout the process. Like right now, I traded a pair I modded for a Grado 225i. I'm listening to the Grado, and they don't sound as good as the Fostex I modded. But I love Grado and I'm a sucker for their headphones, for whatever reason!
 
Quote:

I don't want to have the 'pleasure' of reading thousand of posts!! Come on!!! LOL!
 
How do you compare your final results? I just hear all these people saying that they best many of the mid-to-upper tier headphones and I find that hard to believe...

 

[gelocks]

I'm not much into the 'Grado' sound though, so hopefully they don't sound as ear-piercing as those (but maybe retain their fast response?)
 
How is their bass response? Again, I'm just not sure they actually achieve what people keep saying (which is also why I would like to get one and either mod them or buy-em modded...)

 

[OperatorPerry]

Yes.  T50RP's are sweet.

 

[jgray91]

@gelocks, here's the T50RP mod wiki article on Head-fi. This has most of the mods there. Recently devouringone and micmacmo did another discovery with newer material/methods so its still not in the wiki article. Here's a better search tool for the massive thread (and other massive thread). It's made by a HF-er too.
 
For me, stock sounds mids forward and the highs and lows are rolled off, just like what people said mostly about them. I like the forward mids so I was quite okay with it stock, but after started modding, I know I can make it better. I don't have any >$200 audio gear; soon though, in the form of the Sony MDR7550; so I don't know how much the claims hold water. My goal is to make a mids forward can but with deep bass and smooth highs. I'm still discovering what materials are best for what, but not shooting in the dark and just throwing stuff into it though.
 
For measurements and comparisons, from what I read back then, most goes on with ears, but recently, BMF, micmacmo and a few others (sorry guys, I didn't remember your names. Forgive me) have made a simple dual-mic FR test kit. Pretty simple to make by the looks of it. So there's starting to have a more comparable, measurable constant. Of course it's not as accurate as any bigger test kit e.g. Tyll's setup or HeadRoom's, but it's better than nothing and just depending on subjective listening.
 
So there's that. Personally, getting into modding the T50RP have had me discover a lot of things faster than just collecting slowly and purchasing different headphones to find what I like and, for personal ease of mind, how sound works and change and react.
 
Although, if you like the thrill of discovery, modding can get expensive in the long run probably. But IMO if you consider what material to try next using physics theories and science, you can save some money than just throwing things on the wall to see what sticks.
 
As far as I know, LFF sells modified T50RP.

 

[gelocks]

Awesome post jgray91.
I didn't know a link like that existed! Seems pretty much complete.!
 
And yep, that's what I've read (regarding the stock mid-forward presentation). I don't have a problem with that actually. Also, have you tried some Audio Technica cans? They probably offer what you are looking for ("My goal is to make a mids forward can but with deep bass and smooth highs")... I personally know that their A900X is somewhat like that! (sounds very good, just crappy earpads...)
 
Thanks for your reply! Extremely helpful.!

 

[jgray91]

Quote:

Awesome post jgray91.
I didn't know a link like that existed! Seems pretty much complete.!
 
And yep, that's what I've read (regarding the stock mid-forward presentation). I don't have a problem with that actually. Also, have you tried some Audio Technica cans? They probably offer what you are looking for ("My goal is to make a mids forward can but with deep bass and smooth highs")... I personally know that their A900X is somewhat like that! (sounds very good, just crappy earpads...)
 
Thanks for your reply! Extremely helpful.!

How I wish so hard... Although in the beginning, I was attracted to the AT cans just because it looks so weird and different. And that 3D wing system is so unique that my next goal for my T50RP is to emulate that. I just need to get one of the AT cans that have them as reference. I'll either get the A900X some time in the future, or if it is too long and I have an income, probably jump straight to A1kX or A2kX, probably maybe.
 
No worries. Glad I can be helpful. I have a Headphoneus Supremus tag to uphold! jk

 

[KneelJung]

Pick up a pair and have some fun. Personally I dont think the stock housings need to be replaced with wood to get a great sounding headphone. I had a pair of T50's with custom lathed Claro Walnut cups, and the Stax 02 pads. They sounded good, and they looked awesome. Marty of Martin Custom Audio does amazing work, but IMO you can dampen and modify a stock pair to sound just as good. I prefer the sound of my stock pair to the woodied ones I had sound wise. I could have opened up the wood ones and messed with the dampening to configure the sound more to my liking I'm sure, but ultimately I knew I could dial in the stock pair. I think you can get better bass and mids out of a T50 than what I remember from my d2000, and they are nowhere near as laid back as the Denon d2000 I had, the T50's definitely know how to boogie.