[Time Out]

Hi all,

I am in the market for a new set of headphones. I am pretty interested in the Fostex t40rp mk3. Reviews on the sound, durability, and mod options make them look like a great option for the price.

I would be using them at home via my meridian 201 preamp but I also need them to be portable.

My question is: would my Shanling M2S be powerful enough to drive them to a reasonable volume?

I have read conflicting reports on how hard they are to drive. If anyone has the Shanling M2S and the Fostex t40rp mk3 I would love to hear your experience.

Many thanks in advance.

 

[D Rob]

I don't have the M2s, I have the T50RP's. My Fiio E18 drove them easily with low gain. I don't know what the low gain cut off is though but for your consideration, the max output of my Fiio at 32ohm is 300mW, the M2s' max is 150mW at 32ohm. I would assume it will drive them but it may not drive them well. At best it will drive them nicely at 3/4 volume, how good that player will sound with the volume that high or higher is another matter. I could be wrong but I doubt my Fiios low gain is less than say 200mW but, it could be as low as 150mW.

 

[kukkurovaca]

I also have a couple pairs of T50RPs (a MK3 and a Massdrop TX0 Argon modded), and I have a Shanling M3s, which has the same rated max power output as the M2s for single-ended.

I was surprised at how well the M3s/T50RP combo worked; it's a pretty good pairing. (Note: M2s sound signature is supposed to be different, so this may not be generalizable.) High gain is required though, and for quiet recordings, I've still go the volume pretty well cranked. Not much headroom in terms of power output, so dynamic range may suffer a little bit. Totally usable though.

That being said, most of the time when I'm listening to the Argon, I use a Walnut F1 rather than just the M3s on its own. That combination is still pocketable, and the F1 is quite cheap ($30). (A Fiio A5 or Cayin C5 would probably be a better choice specs-wise, $100-150 range)

Some folks insist that for the Fostex planars to sound their best, you absolutely must have a multi-watt headphone amp or run them off speaker taps, etc. I haven't used this kind of setup myself, so I dunno how much better that might or might not be.

 

[Time Out]

Thank you both for your replies. You have both confirmed my suspicions, which is very useful. The Shanling m3s comparison is great, thanks D Rob.

I was thinking about getting the fiio a3. I have read that people have used that amp with the t40rp mk3 successfully. But it may be smarter to hold off and get something like the a5 or c5 like you suggested kukkurovaca. Some more research needed.

The Walnut f1 is an interesting proposition. It's more powerful than the a3 and very cheap. But the battery life could be an issue, especially when compared to that of the other amps mentioned. How do you find the battery life kukkurovaca?

 

[George Taylor]

I'm not sure about how much power they need, but I can tell you my experience. I recently got a pair of the T40RPs and love their sound signature. I use the iFi Micro Black Label and think they match up very well together. I can tell you I also tried putting ZMF Ori pads on and didn't care for the changes they made in the sound. If I were to change the pads I'd go with a slight change in depth, because I think that's what changed the sound. The distance of the drivers from my ears. Anyway, good luck and hope you enjoy them too.

 

[Time Out]

Thanks for that. Yeah, I have read about the replacement pad issues alright. I wonder if the mad dog comfort strap would improve things without needing to change the pads. I might order one and see.

 

[kukkurovaca]

The Walnut f1 is an interesting proposition. It's more powerful than the a3 and very cheap. But the battery life could be an issue, especially when compared to that of the other amps mentioned. How do you find the battery life kukkurovaca?

Battery life with the F1 is not great. A few hours, I'd say? Fine for use at home or for a commute, but not for all-day on the go.

Thanks for that. Yeah, I have read about the replacement pad issues alright. I wonder if the mad dog comfort strap would improve things without needing to change the pads. I might order one and see.

You will FOR SURE want to replace the pads. The stock pads suck. I do recommend adding a comfort strap too, though.

I can tell you I also tried putting ZMF Ori pads on and didn't care for the changes they made in the sound. If I were to change the pads I'd go with a slight change in depth, because I think that's what changed the sound. The distance of the drivers from my ears.

I use the Shure HPAEC1540 with my stock T50MK3, which works great. But I don't know offhand if those work as well with the T40, because they're relatively open pads. They're very comfortable, though, and they're not too thick.

The Brianwavz hybrid pads would also be a good option. I think these are the pads that come with the Massdrop TX0, and they're surprisingly good.

Might also consider the ZMF Universe pads, which are thinner than their other pads, or Dekoni's pads. I have the protein leather version of the Dekoni pads, and they're good, but I don't like them as much as the Shure pads, at least on the T50.

Also, another thing you might want to consider after pricing various pad and strap options is just going ahead and getting something like a MK3 Argon or ZMF Classic. At that point you're spending $300 or so, but you're getting pad+strap upgrades plus the internal modifications.

 

[Time Out]

I would love one of those modded pairs but I live in Ireland so it would cost a lot in taxes to order them. I'm not sure there are companies in Europe offering anything similar.

I will order the t40rp mk3 anyway and research amp and pad requirements a bit more. Thanks for all the replies, it was a big help.

 

[Time Out]

Never mind, silly question.