[GU1DO]

Thank you.

I am sure you have heard that Tyll from Innerfidelity doesn't really like the TH900. Was he drunk or is his criticism a matter of personal taste?

i think he don't like bright headphones ..
TH900 is very awesome headphone ,, just provide it more then the dragonfly amp ,, i have the 1.2 and it doesn't give its best performance
and dont forget pad rolling ,, it make a lot of deference with fostex headphones ,, personally i use the Lawton pads most of the time ..

 

[jmills8]

Thank you.

I am sure you have heard that Tyll from Innerfidelity doesn't really like the TH900. Was he drunk or is his criticism a matter of personal taste?

It can be his set up. One amp can be bright si the TH900 will seem bright. My amps and daps are slightly warm. Plus a tad of EQ can help.

 

[AudioThief]

i think he don't like bright headphones ..
TH900 is very awesome headphone ,, just provide it more then the dragonfly amp ,, i have the 1.2 and it doesn't give its best performance
and dont forget pad rolling ,, it make a lot of deference with fostex headphones ,, personally i use the Lawton pads most of the time ..

Thanks for the reply. I see you have a lot of experience, how would you compare the th900 vs say ether C, LCD-X and the th-x00 and 400i? Doesn't need to be any kind of in depth, I just kinda want to know what kind of upgrade I will be doing going from D5K to TH900.

I currently only have the Dragonfly, and I am a bit worried about "just" getting an amp with sufficient power as I lose the DAC from the dragonfly. The DFR is probably a somewhat bright dacamp. I am not however overly sensitive to treble.

 

[omniweltall]

Thanks for the reply. I see you have a lot of experience, how would you compare the th900 vs say ether C, LCD-X and the th-x00 and 400i? Doesn't need to be any kind of in depth, I just kinda want to know what kind of upgrade I will be doing going from D5K to TH900.

I currently only have the Dragonfly, and I am a bit worried about "just" getting an amp with sufficient power as I lose the DAC from the dragonfly. The DFR is probably a somewhat bright dacamp. I am not however overly sensitive to treble.

It depends on what you're looking for. I have tried all those cans, except D5K. But I heard that TH900 has D5K/D7K DNA; if it is, then TH900 would be the natural upgrade.

I tried these cans a while ago, so take it with a grain of salt:
LCD-X: Very heavy. It has good bass and certain nice warmth in vocal, but soundstage/imaging don't stand out. I didn't like its treble too.
Ether C: I did A/B-ing with TH900 before. Ether C felt a little plain to me. It was a good can. But nothing really stood out. I also felt I needed more bass.
TH-X00: I felt it was quite close to TH900, except in soundstage size and imaging. Sub-bass also is better in TH900. This is a fun can. I enjoyed it.
HE-400i/HE560: I thought they were good cans, but different from TH900. Their bass were also pretty OK, being planars. Soundstage/imaging were OK. Felt like they were kinda all-rounder, but I wasn't really impressed.
TH900: Best sub-bass I ever tried. Good soundstage size with excellent imaging. Very clean mid that I love with vocals. To summarize, it is a really fun can, BUT also with good technicalities, unlike say, M50X.

TH900 and TH-X00 don't really much amping to sound great.
I feel that most planars need good amping.

My 2c. Hope it helps.

 

[AudioThief]

It depends on what you're looking for. I have tried all those cans, except D5K. But I heard that TH900 has D5K/D7K DNA; if it is, then TH900 would be the natural upgrade.

I tried these cans a while ago, so take it with a grain of salt:
LCD-X: Very heavy. It has good bass and certain nice warmth in vocal, but soundstage/imaging don't stand out. I didn't like its treble too.
Ether C: I did A/B-ing with TH900 before. Ether C felt a little plain to me. It was a good can. But nothing really stood out. I also felt I needed more bass.
TH-X00: I felt it was quite close to TH900, except in soundstage size and imaging. Sub-bass also is better in TH900. This is a fun can. I enjoyed it.
HE-400i/HE560: I thought they were good cans, but different from TH900. Their bass were also pretty OK, being planars. Soundstage/imaging were OK. Felt like they were kinda all-rounder, but I wasn't really impressed.
TH900: Best sub-bass I ever tried. Good soundstage size with excellent imaging. Very clean mid that I love with vocals. To summarize, it is a really fun can, BUT also with good technicalities, unlike say, M50X.

TH900 and TH-X00 don't really much amping to sound great.
I feel that most planars need good amping.

My 2c. Hope it helps.

Thank you very much for your impressions.

I am a bit torn right now. Basically, I currently have the dragonfly red paired with the denon AH-D5000. My "issues" with the D5K is really only the recessed mids and hot highs, which to my understanding the th900 will have those same issues. But I really love the D5K and if TH900 is an even more engaging listen with higher overall sound quality, I think they are headphones for me. But my budget allows for buying a pair of used TH900, nothing more. If I were to go for a more reasonably priced headphone I am looking at buying a better amp (dedicated desktop amp) to power said cans. At which point I am looking for something a bit different than my current cans.

So it basically comes down to, is the TH900 a big enough upgrade for me to purchase them, or am I better off buying a complimentary pair of headphone to my D5K and a better amp ? Or do you consider the TH900 a *must own* for someone like me with an eclectic music taste who also values bass/sub bass a lot ?

 

[omniweltall]

Hhmm...problem is I never tried D5K. But I read that D3K/D5K are in a different league than TH900. It was more often compared to D7K. Both share similar DNA though. Hope someone who has can give you his 2c.

Regarding TH900, it is somewhat a U-shaped can. But in my personal experience, I never really felt it much. Perhaps, its recess region is quite limited that I don't notice much. Vocals are still very much present for me. A good example of V-shaped can for me is the Fidelio X2. I like the X2, but its V-shape is really apparent. Vocals feel pushed back, compared to bass and treble.

As for its hot high, I have heard people not liking it. But I guess it really depends individually. I think it is very smooth and clear up top. Maybe it can get somewhat a little hot, only on certain tracks. But I seldom face that issue with my music.

To me personally, TH900 is above those cans you compared. To me, it is more in the league with modded HD800 and HEK. All these 3 cans have different strengths that I love. TH900 is the most fun one. Not only for music, but It's really good watching movies or playing games with it too. That soundstage and bass! I think we should all at least have ONE can like TH900.

My suggestion is to go with the can that you like first, instead of going for a mediocre can and an amp. Don't sidegrade unless that new can offer a different flavour (like HD800 vs HEK) . Coz in the end, you will spend more money. Aim for a can that you like. Then work your way to building the system around it. TH900 is quite easygoing with amps. You can live with it without upgrading your amp for a while.

If you like sub-bass/bass, you will love TH900. But measuring audio upgrade is really tricky. Everyone has different benchmarks. I do think that TH900 should offer a noticeable upgrade from your D5K (But again, I haven't tried the Denons).

Audio is very subjective. I suggest you give them all a try, and decide with your ear. Go with the can that you love. And work out the whole chain around it.

Again, just my 2c.

 

[GU1DO]

It depends on what you're looking for. I have tried all those cans, except D5K. But I heard that TH900 has D5K/D7K DNA; if it is, then TH900 would be the natural upgrade.

I tried these cans a while ago, so take it with a grain of salt:
LCD-X: Very heavy. It has good bass and certain nice warmth in vocal, but soundstage/imaging don't stand out. I didn't like its treble too.
Ether C: I did A/B-ing with TH900 before. Ether C felt a little plain to me. It was a good can. But nothing really stood out. I also felt I needed more bass.
TH-X00: I felt it was quite close to TH900, except in soundstage size and imaging. Sub-bass also is better in TH900. This is a fun can. I enjoyed it.
HE-400i/HE560: I thought they were good cans, but different from TH900. Their bass were also pretty OK, being planars. Soundstage/imaging were OK. Felt like they were kinda all-rounder, but I wasn't really impressed.
TH900: Best sub-bass I ever tried. Good soundstage size with excellent imaging. Very clean mid that I love with vocals. To summarize, it is a really fun can, BUT also with good technicalities, unlike say, M50X.

TH900 and TH-X00 don't really much amping to sound great.
I feel that most planars need good amping.

My 2c. Hope it helps.

Man i could not describe it better ,, you have a golden ear

i would like to add one thing ,the X00 (because of less capable driver)
don't have the clarity & sound control like the 900 ,
but still it is a good starter , just that the pads change is a must with it.

any chance you tried the TH-610 ? if yes ,
how do you rate them against the X00 and the 900.

Thanks

 

[GU1DO]

Thank you very much for your impressions.

I am a bit torn right now. Basically, I currently have the dragonfly red paired with the denon AH-D5000. My "issues" with the D5K is really only the recessed mids and hot highs, which to my understanding the th900 will have those same issues. But I really love the D5K and if TH900 is an even more engaging listen with higher overall sound quality, I think they are headphones for me. But my budget allows for buying a pair of used TH900, nothing more. If I were to go for a more reasonably priced headphone I am looking at buying a better amp (dedicated desktop amp) to power said cans. At which point I am looking for something a bit different than my current cans.

So it basically comes down to, is the TH900 a big enough upgrade for me to purchase them, or am I better off buying a complimentary pair of headphone to my D5K and a better amp ? Or do you consider the TH900 a *must own* for someone like me with an eclectic music taste who also values bass/sub bass a lot ?

i just saw this video

and it look like the D5K is good headphone that sound better then the X00 and have better sound stage and imaging ..

i think ..

if you are upgrading the amp soon ,, its better to go for the 900 and build up around it as omniweltall said ,

but if you will take long time to upgrade the amp , then i suggest upgrading the amp first to juice out the most of your D5K,

later you will benefit from the same amp with any higher headphone ..

i hope the best for you ..

 

[AudioThief]

Thanks guys. I am leaning towards getting the TH900 now and upgrading my amp in a couple of months. TH900 works with all genres, right?

As GU1DO, I am also interested in knowing how the th610 fare.

 

[omniweltall]

Man i could not describe it better ,, you have a golden ear

i would like to add one thing ,the X00 (because of less capable driver)
don't have the clarity & sound control like the 900 ,
but still it is a good starter , just that the pads change is a must with it.

any chance you tried the TH-610 ? if yes ,
how do you rate them against the X00 and the 900.

Thanks

Thank you, kind sir

No, unfortunately I haven't tried TH-610. What a looker though.

if you are upgrading the amp soon ,, its better to go for the 900 and build up around it as omniweltall said ,

but if you will take long time to upgrade the amp , then i suggest upgrading the amp first to juice out the most of your D5K,

later you will benefit from the same amp with any higher headphone ..

Agreed. This is another possible route.

Thanks guys. I am leaning towards getting the TH900 now and upgrading my amp in a couple of months. TH900 works with all genres, right?

As GU1DO, I am also interested in knowing how the th610 fare.

I think TH900 works with most genres, but it won't be a master of all genres (no headphone will). I think it works best with hiphop/dance/electro, anything with upbeat music (think Pitbull, 2Pac). I personally love it with rock too, and anything with vocals. Give it a try; it is a wonderful can.

 

[omniweltall]

Thank you.

I am sure you have heard that Tyll from Innerfidelity doesn't really like the TH900. Was he drunk or is his criticism a matter of personal taste?

Don't worry about Tyll's comments. He is an awesome guy and has contributed a lot to this hobby. But everyone's taste is different. For example, he likes the Elear, while I find it to be somewhat shouty and dull at the same time.

Can you somehow find a way to try the TH900 before buying? Cans are not cheap, even used ones.

 

[AudioThief]

Don't worry about Tyll's comments. He is an awesome guy and has contributed a lot to this hobby. But everyone's taste is different. For example, he likes the Elear, while I find it to be somewhat shouty and dull at the same time.

Can you somehow find a way to try the TH900 before buying? Cans are not cheap, even used ones.

I live in an incredibly remote location, there really is no way of me to try before I buy unfortunately. I've been looking at the Elear, but yes I have honestly feared I would find them boring. The D5K has pretty solid bass but I still could do with even more rumble down low and I would love even more higher resolution sound and detail retrieval. If the th900 gives me that, and gives up no advantages to the d5k (imaging etc) then I know for a fact I will love those cans.

 

[ctaxxxx]

Thank you very much for your impressions.

I am a bit torn right now. Basically, I currently have the dragonfly red paired with the denon AH-D5000. My "issues" with the D5K is really only the recessed mids and hot highs, which to my understanding the th900 will have those same issues. But I really love the D5K and if TH900 is an even more engaging listen with higher overall sound quality, I think they are headphones for me. But my budget allows for buying a pair of used TH900, nothing more. If I were to go for a more reasonably priced headphone I am looking at buying a better amp (dedicated desktop amp) to power said cans. At which point I am looking for something a bit different than my current cans.

So it basically comes down to, is the TH900 a big enough upgrade for me to purchase them, or am I better off buying a complimentary pair of headphone to my D5K and a better amp ? Or do you consider the TH900 a *must own* for someone like me with an eclectic music taste who also values bass/sub bass a lot ?

Have you looked into ZMF headphones? Particularly the Atticus and Eikon? That might solve your issue with the recessed mids and hot highs, while keeping quality bass. I found this LINK helpful.

IMO, I wouldn't suggest the TH-900 to you unless you upgrade to a warmer DAC and AMP first. I'm running my TH-900 mk2 from the DX200 with an AMP2 (warm module) into a Liquid Carbon (warm amp), which tames the highs and brings the mids forward somewhat. I also purchased some pads to further tame the highs (which actually don't bother me that much, was just curious of the pads).

I use to own the EMU Teaks and the TH-X00 purplehearts, and found the TH-900's to be a pleasant improvement. They had more of an upper mid peak that annoyed me, while the T-900 is more of a peak in the highs. +the pads are much more comfortable with glasses!

 

[AudioThief]

Have you looked into ZMF headphones? Particularly the Atticus and Eikon? That might solve your issue with the recessed mids and hot highs, while keeping quality bass. I found this LINK helpful.

IMO, I wouldn't suggest the TH-900 to you unless you upgrade to a warmer DAC and AMP first. I'm running my TH-900 mk2 from the DX200 with an AMP2 (warm module) into a Liquid Carbon (warm amp), which tames the highs and brings the mids forward somewhat. I also purchased some pads to further tame the highs (which actually don't bother me that much, was just curious of the pads).

I use to own the EMU Teaks and the TH-X00 purplehearts, and found the TH-900's to be a pleasant improvement. They had more of an upper mid peak that annoyed me, while the T-900 is more of a peak in the highs. +the pads are much more comfortable with glasses!

Thanks for the reply. The highs and mids are only "issues" in that I recognize them as errors. The D5K has a wonderful sound signature to my ears, but of course it would be interesting to hear some high quality "balanced" headphones as well.

The issue with the ZMF cans for me are mainly that I live in a remote place (Northern Norway) and the country is very small so not a lot of people sell those kind of cans used. The only things that are out now are elear, th900 and LCD 2 basically. I can get a hold of a lot of high grade cans new, including the ZMFs - but thats outside my price range!

Right now I'm looking at getting th900 and then upgrading to a warmer amp next paycheck. I have a good deal in my sights already, but I think unless I manage to haggle the th900s considerably, they will have to wait until next month. The DFR is what I would classify as a bright amp so the th900 pairing might be terrible, lol.

 

[ctaxxxx]

Thanks for the reply. The highs and mids are only "issues" in that I recognize them as errors. The D5K has a wonderful sound signature to my ears, but of course it would be interesting to hear some high quality "balanced" headphones as well.

The issue with the ZMF cans for me are mainly that I live in a remote place (Northern Norway) and the country is very small so not a lot of people sell those kind of cans used. The only things that are out now are elear, th900 and LCD 2 basically. I can get a hold of a lot of high grade cans new, including the ZMFs - but thats outside my price range!

Right now I'm looking at getting th900 and then upgrading to a warmer amp next paycheck. I have a good deal in my sights already, but I think unless I manage to haggle the th900s considerably, they will have to wait until next month. The DFR is what I would classify as a bright amp so the th900 pairing might be terrible, lol.

Another option, that I forgot to mention is buying Ebony cups for the EMU / TH-X00 (or even TH-900) headphones. Ebony actually softens the highs, making the overall signature much smoother. This option would also be much cheaper. Even more so, if your existing headphones are compatible. Then you would just need to buy the cups and install them. No need for a warm amp either.

Then again, that would be more of a side-grade, not an upgrade.