[Confispect]

Wow.

 

[benjaminsiwcy7]

/img/forum/go_quote.gif

Apparently nobody's as excited about these as I am. Granted, the customization is purely superficial, and some other companies have similar build to order systems (but for far more money). But if this proves successful, I can envision Fostex incorporating different drivers and housings depending on the type of sound the customer wants. Perhaps unlikely, but a man can dream.

Why I cannot open the link here? Is the link expired?

 

[Frank I]

 
Quote:

Quote:

/img/forum/go_quote.gif

Apparently nobody's as excited about these as I am. Granted, the customization is purely superficial, and some other companies have similar build to order systems (but for far more money). But if this proves successful, I can envision Fostex incorporating different drivers and housings depending on the type of sound the customer wants. Perhaps unlikely, but a man can dream.

Why I cannot open the link here? Is the link expired?

is your keyboard broke

 

[Confispect]

Quote:

 
Quote:

Quote:

/img/forum/go_quote.gif

Apparently nobody's as excited about these as I am. Granted, the customization is purely superficial, and some other companies have similar build to order systems (but for far more money). But if this proves successful, I can envision Fostex incorporating different drivers and housings depending on the type of sound the customer wants. Perhaps unlikely, but a man can dream.

Why I cannot open the link here? Is the link expired?

is your keyboard broke

 
Naw it's his brain and he hasn't found the repair shop.
 

 

[kjk1281]

Apparently Fostex has introduced a customizable headphone to the KOTORI line, the KOTORI 201:
 

 
KOTORI 201について (Specifications in Japanese)
 
They seem to utilize Foster's 40mm biocellulose transducers.  A bit pricier than I expected at ¥14000, but it is customizable and comes with a hard case.
 
DESIGN YOUR HEADPHONES | KOTORI たのしいほうの、ヘッドフォン。

 

[devouringone3]

They don't ship outside Japan no.
 
You need to you parcel forwarding service, or ask someone from Japan to do the same.
 
I plan on using tenso.com (forward service), because I want the Kotori 201 as my first portable headphone.
 
 
*It's done, purchased with my credit card on Fostex.jp, shipping to my Tenso virtual Japanese postal address, and then to me (with very decent fees actually!). Pm me if you would like to have hints and guidance on how to do this by yourself, didn't take me long at all.
 
I will probably post pictures of the headphones here, when I'll arrive... I can try to make a review also. Definitely give some impressions. Might make a new topic too.

 

[devouringone3]

Okay the transaction from my credit card of the Kotori 201 has disappeared and it's like nothing happened. I guess I will have to try and make use of Tenso's Japanese Buying Service.

 

[devouringone3]

So far so good, using Tenso Japanese buying service.
 
You can also choose to pay even more to place a US and Canadian (at least) order on one of the two meager color schemes offered there http://www.gizmine.com/gztm/kotori+201+headphones/kotori-201-headphones.shtml
 
You loose the customization part, overall I still recommend anyone using Tenso.com, it will cost them less in the end plus they will get to choose their own color scheme.

 

[devouringone3]

I received it! And I like it a lot!
 
Sounding great, more extended than Grados.

 

[DTKZ]

Pictures and more details on the sound if you would be so kind! And how's the build quality?

 

[devouringone3]

Tomorrow morning I'm going to make you guys a photo album.
 (this applet shows a very representative image of how your headphone is going to look, trust me my headphone looks just like that but a bit better, more shiny and more translucent)
 
I have made a video review but it's too long and a bit unfocused. I have too much trouble with "speaking" English. I will eventually re-do it completely, lol.
 
But I have made an unboxing video!

 
 
Solidity/built quality is very much like a Creative Aurvana Live! so for that I suggest you go watch or read the Innerfidelity review. I think it's very well built but it's the kind of headphone that can snap in two if you do not carry it in its headphone case. It's not a headphone to throw in your backpack with heavy books. It's Japanese-ish in that regards, it has a small headband, fairly weak gimbals, so you need not to drop it. It's made from nice looking (kind of polished, but not finger prints or dust magnet-type of finish) plastic, and I picked translucent colors at the customization phase. It's cool to be able to see all the inner workings of the headband adjusting mechanism (which itself clicks very strongly into one setting and holds very well during use, and is durable) and the back of the driver. The headband has the perfect size and padding (180g fullsize headphone is the lightest closed headphone I can think of; "Kotori" means something like "Small birds", just like on their website) is more than sufficient, it's made of pleather of the color that you chose (black, white or brown) and it's the high quality type of pleather (like the Fostex T50RP pads) that you can wash a lot of time and that won't flake away with time. Same can be said about the pads, they have the right thickness, the right size (just enough to be circumaural to my tall ears) and shape, and are angled to fit your ears better... again this headphone was made under the Denon AH-D1001 and Creative Aurvana Live, so Fostex had the time to perfect this headphones through time.
 
It's their second headphone after their TH900 to use newly developed plant derived natural biocellulose microfiber for their diaphragm, to my ears it sounds awesome and perfect, but if I was to be nitpicky I'd say that it doesn't handle very (very) high volumes as well as my HP-1000. The highs becomes out of control. So it's made for casual listening and not critical or concert-like levels listening.
 
I really have problems finding flaws in this headphone's sound, it's frequency response is more extended than most of my Grados (rated 8 to 37,500 kHz) and the trebles are smoother. Bass goes deeper and is very good. Again, very well balanced closed headphone that sounds like an open one... just not has top-performing as my HP-1000 (flagship) headphone but that's to be expected!
 
I call it an ear-hugging headphones because even though the cups cups stay clamped together in resting position (unlike the picture of the black Kotoris above):

the pressure they put on your head is minimal they feel very light and comfortable. You do not feel attacked by the headphone, you feel hugged by it, lol. Comfort is amazing, and they don't get hot (!) when compared to other same pads using the same material (it's not like my T50RP where I really feel the sweat accumulating between me and the headphone, I need to carry around a damp cloth to wash it away in the summer). Seal takes a hint though, it also minimal. They isolate very little, about 8 dB broadband (Creative Aurvana Live on Innerfidelity.net) but I found that it was enough for most daily situations in my town... but I'd pick something else for trains, planes, metros, streets of big cities. Bleed is barely audible, you will not bother anyone, not even in a silent library, so there's that.
 
Very pleased with my purchase, I needed a non-discontinued non-rare headphone to go out in the sun... so that I can re-buy it if something happens to it. I went towards Fostex because the TH900 is my dream headphone and they use the same material for their diaphragms (but it's not the same drivers! 40 vs 50 mm, 32 vs 25 ohms impedance rating, etc.)
 
Alright if you want to know more about it's sound just tell me I will do some A/Bing and critical listening with the use of my amps. Right now I've only enjoyed it "very casually" with my mp3 player, which suffice to drive it to full potential in my opinion, it's the most straight-out-of-the-portable-device -friendly headphone I have (more so than my Grados)... very easy to drive, and sounds very loud for a give volume setting.
 
I repeat they costed me 14 000 yens (about 175 USDs) + 35 dollars shipping from using Tenso.com Japanese Parcel Forwarding Services (they can also buy it for you on the Japanese website for 15% of the cost of the item, so about 30 dollars). You have to have a Japanese address and phone number, so it's mandatory that you use a service like Tenso. In my case Fostex accepted my credit card. It took a month to receive the headphone though . They cost more than the Creative Aurvana Live but you get a VERY NICE and protective carrying case, the choice to pick the colors for every single parts used in the headphone (including the pads, headband and cable), and the latest version of the drivers for their "443741" OEM design:

 
Pictures I've found(not mine):
-- Presentation (once you've took them out of their Kotori branded thick cardboard fitted box [that I was so glad to see arriving at my door] + bubble wrap bag)
  
The case has the height of the horizontal diameter of the cups, so the headphone doesn't move at all when the case is zipped.
 
-- Basically if your headphone looks like this once you've customized it in the applet (www.fostex.kotori.jp.com):

 
it is VERY MUCH going to look this way in real life too.
(a poor example of a similar design/choice of colors

 
Cable is 1.5 meter, half way between a fully portable or a studio cable length, and Y splitter is at belly-button level, quite low, but I like it. Cable quality is great too, the thing will not tangle no matter how hard you try, and the golden tip-ring-sleeve is elevated from the plug body in a way to fit through your iPhone case and such.
 
Miscellaneous facts:
-- Ten levels of adjustment the headband, my medium head use 5 but 5.5 would be the best D:
-- "made in china"
-- fits nicely and looks cool around your neck
-- doesn't flex behind your ears for a DJ (like the Sennheiser HD-25) nor it transforms to be stored
-- you can remove the headphone shaped insert of the case (it's held by velcro) to be able to store more things in it along with the headphones

 

[Dyaems]

now punch 4 holes behind the drivers and hear the awesomeness of the treble it gives =D

 

[psygeist]

I was stuck in time loop reading first page.

 

[devouringone3]

Alright I took some very random pictures:
 
 
 
 
I don't want to punch holes in it it sounds good already, lol
 
 
Left (that looks like a boy's headphone, lol)                             Right (girl, I guess, lol)

 

[tattare]

Very nice looking.  I like the headband padding it looks wider then the CAL's or the D1100's.    Does the headband make any creaking noises when the cups swivel?  That's my biggest complaint with the d1100.  If I yawn or move my jaw I can hear a creaking noise from the plastic.  I don't remember the CAL having that problem.