iPaintCode
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Mar 18, 2012
- Posts
- 222
- Likes
- 291
First off, "thanks" Todd (TTVJAudio), quality service, I wanted to get these next day air and was pulled into a client meeting and forgot to get my web order in and he was nice enough to call me back to remind me =). Will definitely be my first option buying new toys. OK back to the goods.
After reading a lot of review (here, and other random reviews) I decided that the PS500's would really suit me, far as work I picked up a brand new pair of m50s recently and have my AIAIAI (for my drum n bass moments) that will be my close-can options for privacy. Far as amplification I wanted something that was compact (traveling and taking to the office) and had a good built in DAC. I wanted something that was cosmetically appealing (OCD at its finest) and really wanted to switch my source to my iPhone 4s and taking advantaged of iTunes Match (never being at a desk anymore so portable is king). All of the features the Fostex had fit exactly what I was looking for plus all the reviews were pretty stellar.
First thoughts on the amp, it has top notch construction with a solid feel and looks really gorgeous stacked with the iPhone and black silicone bands holding it together. Far as the accessories the carrying case that comes with it will be hidden far far away. Now onto the sound, first off this is defiantly subjective so take it with a grain of salt but the Fostex does an amazing job so far, it has well more then enough juice to power the PS500s and it really adds a whole other level of goodness over the iPhone's stock output. I'm not technically versed as some of the awesome people on head-fi but to my ears the amp drove the PS500s lovely, felt very clean, didn't color the music I tested and also felt it had a good tonal balance (pretty much was head-fi youtube review said). For the PS500s I kept the gain to the lowest setting and did more then enough for my listening volumes. Far as the filter setting (1 | 2) I'm going to need more time to really test it out. All in all I'm 110% thrilled with the Fostex, have no problem is spending the extra money for it.
Now onto the PS500s, I've briefly tested a friends RS1s and the little time I spend listening to them I wanted to shelf my HD600's and pick up some higher end Grados. The construction is standard Grado so not much to comment in that department. While ordering I decided to pick up a few extra pads for the sake of it and to test out. I prefer the stock ones but from a review I read with an amp behind the PS500's the G Cush "may" give a more preferred sound. From my short testing, the G Cush made listening to live and classical music interesting in a different way (more airy and bigger soundstage, but less bass and mids lowered), will need to do more A/B testing. I also bought the smaller pads TTVJ stocks, they seem to add more lower end bass and toned down the highs, so I could see where they are more suited for certain genres of music or more suited for people that are sensitive to hot treble. But as always your milage my vary, but for now I'm staying with the stock pads but will keep the other 2 pads for a rainy day. The PS500s were very dynamic and had great detail and very nice midbass, defiantly the best cans I've listened to for my musical taste.
So far I'm completely thrilled with the new setup and can't wait for them to break in. On a side note, I forgot to add an adapter to connect the Grados to the Fostex, on my ravage search to find a connect to save a 30 minute one way drive I found an adapter AND my lost HD600s with mashed in grilles from boxes sitting on boxes.... But with that said these PS500s are my new guilty pleasure.
I will get some pictures up soon just in case anyone is wanting to see some high quality of the combo, until then I'm having too much fun with the new setup.
Added: Blew my budget x 3. Gotta love that. But well worth the investment.
//rant
After reading a lot of review (here, and other random reviews) I decided that the PS500's would really suit me, far as work I picked up a brand new pair of m50s recently and have my AIAIAI (for my drum n bass moments) that will be my close-can options for privacy. Far as amplification I wanted something that was compact (traveling and taking to the office) and had a good built in DAC. I wanted something that was cosmetically appealing (OCD at its finest) and really wanted to switch my source to my iPhone 4s and taking advantaged of iTunes Match (never being at a desk anymore so portable is king). All of the features the Fostex had fit exactly what I was looking for plus all the reviews were pretty stellar.
First thoughts on the amp, it has top notch construction with a solid feel and looks really gorgeous stacked with the iPhone and black silicone bands holding it together. Far as the accessories the carrying case that comes with it will be hidden far far away. Now onto the sound, first off this is defiantly subjective so take it with a grain of salt but the Fostex does an amazing job so far, it has well more then enough juice to power the PS500s and it really adds a whole other level of goodness over the iPhone's stock output. I'm not technically versed as some of the awesome people on head-fi but to my ears the amp drove the PS500s lovely, felt very clean, didn't color the music I tested and also felt it had a good tonal balance (pretty much was head-fi youtube review said). For the PS500s I kept the gain to the lowest setting and did more then enough for my listening volumes. Far as the filter setting (1 | 2) I'm going to need more time to really test it out. All in all I'm 110% thrilled with the Fostex, have no problem is spending the extra money for it.
Now onto the PS500s, I've briefly tested a friends RS1s and the little time I spend listening to them I wanted to shelf my HD600's and pick up some higher end Grados. The construction is standard Grado so not much to comment in that department. While ordering I decided to pick up a few extra pads for the sake of it and to test out. I prefer the stock ones but from a review I read with an amp behind the PS500's the G Cush "may" give a more preferred sound. From my short testing, the G Cush made listening to live and classical music interesting in a different way (more airy and bigger soundstage, but less bass and mids lowered), will need to do more A/B testing. I also bought the smaller pads TTVJ stocks, they seem to add more lower end bass and toned down the highs, so I could see where they are more suited for certain genres of music or more suited for people that are sensitive to hot treble. But as always your milage my vary, but for now I'm staying with the stock pads but will keep the other 2 pads for a rainy day. The PS500s were very dynamic and had great detail and very nice midbass, defiantly the best cans I've listened to for my musical taste.
So far I'm completely thrilled with the new setup and can't wait for them to break in. On a side note, I forgot to add an adapter to connect the Grados to the Fostex, on my ravage search to find a connect to save a 30 minute one way drive I found an adapter AND my lost HD600s with mashed in grilles from boxes sitting on boxes.... But with that said these PS500s are my new guilty pleasure.
I will get some pictures up soon just in case anyone is wanting to see some high quality of the combo, until then I'm having too much fun with the new setup.
Added: Blew my budget x 3. Gotta love that. But well worth the investment.
//rant
