Edited 8/23/18:
I have 150 hours active listening and another 150 passive/occasional on these.
Equipment: see sig
Low bass: reticent, lacking drive when unmodified.
Mid/upper bass: flabby, not much impact either.
Highs: starts to drop at 7-8k, clearly down at 12k (2-3 db), 14k just not there
Soundstage: can be wide, and change size depending on recording, but never gets tall (an issue with this technology)
These remind me Maggie SMG's. If you never listened to live or other better equipment you might conclude that they are very good indeed.
IMO, the Senn HD-600's, MD 4xx, and by a massive margin the HFM HE-500 are better. I mean really, what do the Fostex do better? A little fuzzy romantic gauze in the mids?
I have gotten nowhere with pad changes. The stock are the best. Making them balanced didn't help much.
However the modifications I've done have changed things. I cut out the plastic grid with the mesh, and added batting between the driver and the outer mesh (very. subtle changes), but the big one is putting white tack on the outer screens. Too much, and the they start to sound boomy and ridiculous. But with 8 pieces cut into 1/4" x 1/2" pieces and oriented somewhat around the middle with spacing the bass is easily better than the HD-600's (quantity but also maintaining a sense of being lithe and quick) Might be a bit less energy then the MD 4xx, but I'd say quicker. I've tried about 15 layouts of the tack before I found this combo. I'd like to test it to see if I can improve it.
I have never been irritated by these, but, the politeness comes from lack of detail and high end that falls off at 9k and is essentially done by 13k. A stronger bass foundation helps the treble sound a bit more pronounced. at times, but, its just sense of more, it still lacks air, sparkle, and subtle definitions.
They are now on my keeper list which is a step up for me.
I have 150 hours active listening and another 150 passive/occasional on these.
Equipment: see sig
Low bass: reticent, lacking drive when unmodified.
Mid/upper bass: flabby, not much impact either.
Highs: starts to drop at 7-8k, clearly down at 12k (2-3 db), 14k just not there
Soundstage: can be wide, and change size depending on recording, but never gets tall (an issue with this technology)
These remind me Maggie SMG's. If you never listened to live or other better equipment you might conclude that they are very good indeed.
IMO, the Senn HD-600's, MD 4xx, and by a massive margin the HFM HE-500 are better. I mean really, what do the Fostex do better? A little fuzzy romantic gauze in the mids?
I have gotten nowhere with pad changes. The stock are the best. Making them balanced didn't help much.
However the modifications I've done have changed things. I cut out the plastic grid with the mesh, and added batting between the driver and the outer mesh (very. subtle changes), but the big one is putting white tack on the outer screens. Too much, and the they start to sound boomy and ridiculous. But with 8 pieces cut into 1/4" x 1/2" pieces and oriented somewhat around the middle with spacing the bass is easily better than the HD-600's (quantity but also maintaining a sense of being lithe and quick) Might be a bit less energy then the MD 4xx, but I'd say quicker. I've tried about 15 layouts of the tack before I found this combo. I'd like to test it to see if I can improve it.
I have never been irritated by these, but, the politeness comes from lack of detail and high end that falls off at 9k and is essentially done by 13k. A stronger bass foundation helps the treble sound a bit more pronounced. at times, but, its just sense of more, it still lacks air, sparkle, and subtle definitions.
They are now on my keeper list which is a step up for me.
