[kintsaki]

Guys, before I return my squeaky T60 in a few days, I also got a T40 (Mark 3) yesterday and so far I prefer the T40 (which is the closed back version).

I have had a look inside both and the T40 is the only one that has an attempt at some baffle dampening inside. The T40 seems to have the same baffle foam ring as the T20 photo taken by Kintsaki.

I will experiment more in the next few days by changing pads and rings and see if my view changes.

I paid £114 for the T40 and £280 (now £299) for the T60 on Amazon UK.

I am new to the Fostex RP series so any advice or opinion is welcome.

Overall I think that the T60 is decent but its sound is more on the closed back side for me and the T40 is a little more closed in but sounds more engaging, natural and intimate. I also like the benefits of closed backs on many occasions and that is why I am still searching.

If I keep the T40, I would probably change the pads (which are not as bad as I have read) and put real leather pads on it as well as some foam on the headband and possibly some blue tack dampening on the inside of the cups.

Also, does anyone know if the T60 pads are real leather as I am a little doubtful?

I am also a bit skeptical that the wood cups on the T60 make an audible difference other than having natural dampening built it?

Controversial indeed!!!

Thank you for this extremely important post. My wife agrees with your observations on the t40 vs t60. Her IQ exceeds mine by 50 points.
I went back and listen to the t60 and t20 again and I can only say I agree with your initial impressions and her. To make things more interesting
I have two t20's my second one was purchased a week ago and it is this second one that really shines even though the other the 12 month old
is also close to your description. Am I to conclude that the new t20/t40/t50 has moved to the "mk4" driver??? And it does not need the XTI to
bring out those differences although the XTI truly illustrates them especially the ones on the extreme ends.

Bass is layered better and treble is refined airy but not crashing at the very top thus presenting finer detail in a romantic way. The t60 hot treble is easily solved with placing some foam inside the pads but layering of the bass does not even with the t20 baffle ring. Yes said more engaging and that is exactly what my wife said and what I felt myself.

I have always been of the opinion that open back is not the right solution hence the failure of Stax to beat the ESp-9.. Larger closed enclosure is the answer. I am working with a 3d printer shop to make a ring to enlarge the enclosure. On the issue of wood it is not quite there because of the plastic baffle. The Smeggy with the ring and the mk2 driver is very very woody and engaging but it badly needs the back wave reinforcement on which I am working on. It is completely closed but the soundstage is literally double that of the t60 and most important of all each note each instrument has twice the body the duration and the layers. It is so extreme that I have some ideas to make it sound like a speaker. Mind you I have owned the Stax Sigma, , the Stax O2, the AKG K-1000 and the Sennheiser 800s for years and they were all just an elegant concept that failed to deliver and you know I was using proper source and amp.

Pads are not real if you buy a piece of real leather you will see what I mean. Most pads are plastic painted leather. I am making my own pads from
true leather and NASA foam, just the leather material costs me wholesale 50$. And leather in Greece is cheap.

Good luck and take your time "We Have All The Time On The World".

 

[omegaorgun]

Thank you for this extremely important post. My wife agrees with your observations on the t40 vs t60. Her IQ exceeds mine by 50 points.
I went back and listen to the t60 and t20 again and I can only say I agree with your initial impressions and her. To make things more interesting
I have two t20's my second one was purchased a week ago and it is this second one that really shines even though the other the 12 month old
is also close to your description. Am I to conclude that the new t20/t40/t50 has moved to the "mk4" driver??? And it does not need the XTI to
bring out those differences although the XTI truly illustrates them especially the ones on the extreme ends.

Bass is layered better and treble is refined airy but not crashing at the very top thus presenting finer detail in a romantic way. The t60 hot treble is easily solved with placing some foam inside the pads but layering of the bass does not even with the t20 baffle ring. Yes said more engaging and that is exactly what my wife said and what I felt myself.

I have always been of the opinion that open back is not the right solution hence the failure of Stax to beat the ESp-9.. Larger closed enclosure is the answer. I am working with a 3d printer shop to make a ring to enlarge the enclosure. On the issue of wood it is not quite there because of the plastic baffle. The Smeggy with the ring and the mk2 driver is very very woody and engaging but it badly needs the back wave reinforcement on which I am working on. It is completely closed but the soundstage is literally double that of the t60 and most important of all each note each instrument has twice the body the duration and the layers. It is so extreme that I have some ideas to make it sound like a speaker. Mind you I have owned the Stax Sigma, , the Stax O2, the AKG K-1000 and the Sennheiser 800s for years and they were all just an elegant concept that failed to deliver and you know I was using proper source and amp.

Pads are not real if you buy a piece of real leather you will see what I mean. Most pads are plastic painted leather. I am making my own pads from
true leather and NASA foam, just the leather material costs me wholesale 50$. And leather in Greece is cheap.

Good luck and take your time "We Have All The Time On The World".

I just got the protein leather ZMF's not sure how they will sound.

1. Oh crap...wait are you saying the "possibly" newer T20RP is better than a T60RP?
   
2. Is the treble really hot or just detailed?
   
3. So is the T60RP a revised driver over the MK3?
4. I have amazon Prime if I get disappointed.

 

[Zimtron]

I'm not sure this is entirely true in regards to the baffle, you can see in Tyl's comparison of the MK2/MK3 that it does have a full baffle design around the driver.

I'm not sure if the differences are within the material itself.

https://www.innerfidelity.com/content/diyers-delight-fostex-t50rp-mk3

 

[Artyouth]

Guys, before I return my squeaky T60 in a few days, I also got a T40 (Mark 3) yesterday and so far I prefer the T40 (which is the closed back version).

I have had a look inside both and the T40 is the only one that has an attempt at some baffle dampening inside. The T40 seems to have the same baffle foam ring as the T20 photo taken by Kintsaki.

I will experiment more in the next few days by changing pads and rings and see if my view changes.

I paid £114 for the T40 and £280 (now £299) for the T60 on Amazon UK.

I am new to the Fostex RP series so any advice or opinion is welcome.

Overall I think that the T60 is decent but its sound is more on the closed back side for me and the T40 is a little more closed in but sounds more engaging, natural and intimate. I also like the benefits of closed backs on many occasions and that is why I am still searching.

If I keep the T40, I would probably change the pads (which are not as bad as I have read) and put real leather pads on it as well as some foam on the headband and possibly some blu tack dampening on the inside of the cups.

Also, does anyone know if the T60 pads are real leather as I am a little doubtful?

I am also a bit skeptical that the wood cups on the T60 make an audible difference other than having natural dampening built it?

Controversial indeed!!!

Hi first post here and sorry for my English.

I didn't have the Mk3 but got two T20 Mk2 and a T60. I modded one of the T20 and keep the other untouch for comparsion.

I'm also not quite impressed by the original sound of T60. I think it tuned too "commical", too fun and lost the natural of planar. However I'm still enjoy the T60 for pop and funk.

I tried to swap pad between the Mk2 and T60. The Mk2 original pad tame the T60 to natural and intimate quite a lot. But the T60 pad didn't help the T20 sound to a good way. But I can't explain well (sorry for my English again).

 

[omegaorgun]

Hi first post here and sorry for my English.

I didn't have the Mk3 but got two T20 Mk2 and a T60. I modded one of the T20 and keep the other untouch for comparsion.

I'm also not quite impressed by the original sound of T60. I think it tuned too "commical", too fun and lost the natural of planar. However I'm still enjoy the T60 for pop and funk.

I tried to swap pad between the Mk2 and T60. The Mk2 original pad tame the T60 to natural and intimate quite a lot. But the T60 pad didn't help the T20 sound to a good way. But I can't explain well (sorry for my English again).

The Eikon lambskin style I am using is very impressive and between the protein and lambskin zmf oval the lambskin is my favorite on the MK2.
Will report back on the Eikon lambskin,pleather and oval pleather hopefully later today.

When 1:30 hits on the Argon I am like fuarrrkkkk! will T60 do the same?

 

[Zimtron]

The Eikon lambskin style I am using is very impressive and between the protein and lambskin zmf oval the lambskin is my favorite on the MK2.
Will report back on the Eikon lambskin,pleather and oval pleather hopefully later today.

When 1:30 hits on the Argon I am like fuarrrkkkk! will T60 do the same?

Sounds pretty damn good, I dont even like this type of music lol

 

[HungryPanda]

Great tune sounded great but I only had my DQSM Z&W Panda PK2s in

 

[omegaorgun]

Well Sh!t these sound nice..not even funny. I'll put the baffle on but not sure about doing anything else.




I will recommend the modhouse audio deerskin strap. Should be MK3 I'll find out for sure.
https://www.modhouseaudio.com/fostex-deerskin-suspension-strap/fostex-deerskin-suspension-strap

 

[Zimtron]

Well Sh!t these sound nice..not even funny. I'll put the baffle on but not sure about doing anything else.




I will recommend the modhouse audio deerskin strap. Should be MK3 I'll find out for sure.
https://www.modhouseaudio.com/fostex-deerskin-suspension-strap/fostex-deerskin-suspension-strap

Can you break down what we are looking at? i.e. which pads / version etc.

Thanks

 

[omegaorgun]

Can you break down what we are looking at? i.e. which pads / version etc.

Thanks

From left to right we have a Modhouse Audio Argon MK2 (check that deerskin head strap, nothing else like it) with Eikon lambskins and the T60RP with ZMF protein ovals.
Second pic is a width and size comparison of the ZMF protein leather and stock T60RP and then we have ZMF Eikon and Oval comparison pics to the stock pad.

I just tested a v-moda unbalanced 3.5mm and it worked, not sure if sound is affected.

EDIT: Had to edit had it mixed up.

 

[omegaorgun]

I think the ZMF pad adds bass, I did not even use the stock pads (Shamefur I know) but bass is almost or actually on par with my Argon and TH-610 but the mids and highs are presented so nicely, not harsh at all. They won't always tell you this but so much is reliant on the pads. I just want to get Alpha pads to test just coz. Dare I say possibly nicer than a $1400 headphone I had not so long ago, will need to listen for more micro detail. will have to get out the mazda/cifte 12au7 tube.

I am pretty new to headphones but out of the 10+ or so I have had this is one of the best, not even burned in and can make that conclusion after a few hours.

Ow man that kick! I better be careful or I'll get up on my desk at work and bust some moves.

 

[kintsaki]

I just got the protein leather ZMF's not sure how they will sound.

1. Oh crap...wait are you saying the "possibly" newer T20RP is better than a T60RP?
   
2. Is the treble really hot or just detailed?
   
3. So is the T60RP a revised driver over the MK3?
4. I have amazon Prime if I get disappointed.

Relax !!!

We don't all listen and perceive sound the same and all the time the same way with color perception.
Our comments are temporary, initial, and on different phones with different minor modes.

1. I am only guessing. So what if I am right that does not make the t60 worst.
2. It is both. If you put felt in the pad cavity the hot will be tamed and the detail will be revealed sweetly.
3. I believe so. I also believe they have moved to it and now use it on all 920/40/50) Once again just a guess on my part.
Light-Man was comparing to the t40, Put non permeable tape on all slits from the outside and you get a 40.
4. don't know what you mean.

Stay with your decision to not open the t60. Play with the baffle, the pads, the slits and additional felt inside the cavity of the pads
and you will get it to sound the way you want. Use the deeper pads you have first. Don't go inside unless you are really good with
soldering gun.
Bear in mind that there may be wide variations between various pairs of headphones. Believe it or not my Grado SR-125 sounded
better than the RS-1 and the same happened to a reviewer that reviewed it some 14 years ago. The MS-PRO (The RS-1 made for Alessandro for
studio monitor use) sounded like my Sr-125.

Take it easy. Now is the time to have a good time.

 

[kintsaki]

I think the ZMF pad adds bass, I did not even use the stock pads (Shamefur I know) but bass is almost or actually on par with my Argon and TH-610 but the mids and highs are presented so nicely, not harsh at all. They won't always tell you this but so much is reliant on the pads. I just want to get Alpha pads to test just coz. Dare I say possibly nicer than a $1400 headphone I had not so long ago, will need to listen for more micro detail. will have to get out the mazda/cifte 12au7 tube.

I am pretty new to headphones but out of the 10+ or so I have had this is one of the best, not even burned in and can make that conclusion after a few hours.

Ow man that kick! I better be careful or I'll get up on my desk at work and bust some moves.

It really is as you say. Ever since I mentioned that ZMF are the best pads their price jumped from 50 to 85. Next time say that the stock pads are best for you so we can get the price back down again!

 

[justin Montagano]

I think the ZMF pad adds bass, I did not even use the stock pads (Shamefur I know) but bass is almost or actually on par with my Argon and TH-610 but the mids and highs are presented so nicely, not harsh at all. They won't always tell you this but so much is reliant on the pads. I just want to get Alpha pads to test just coz. Dare I say possibly nicer than a $1400 headphone I had not so long ago, will need to listen for more micro detail. will have to get out the mazda/cifte 12au7 tube.

I am pretty new to headphones but out of the 10+ or so I have had this is one of the best, not even burned in and can make that conclusion after a few hours.

Ow man that kick! I better be careful or I'll get up on my desk at work and bust some moves.

Just out of curiosity, because I've never heard the argon or t60rp how would they compare to the m1060C. I'm considering purchasing a pair, they seem very promising.

 

[omegaorgun]

It really is as you say. Ever since I mentioned that ZMF are the best pads their price jumped from 50 to 85. Next time say that the stock pads are best for you so we can get the price back down again!

From having the Argon I see how much of an affect pads have. I honestly think that baffle ring from Mayflower and either of ZMF protein or lambskin will be enough as I don't want to change the mid/treble or treble taht much, although that may change.
I do have a a little bit of creak, maybe some material inside where the wood meets the plastic would fix that, not exactly sure where it emanates from.

You are right though these are capable of hanging with the big boys, very enjoyable.