[Nilisco]

Waited a bit too long and didn't manage to snatch a TH-600 at the firesale price of 459/499. Found a few online right now for 499$, but they were all listed on the Fostex official unauthorized vendor page where I assume the warranty wouldn't be recognized.

Picked one up for 540 or so. Looking forward to it after reading a lot of the impressions in this thread.
 
This will be replacing a Denon ADH-600, so I'll post impressions. Not expecting too much of a difference.

 

[mkygod]

I ordered TH-900 earcups from Lawton today for $149. Don't know if that's a good price. Not expecting much sound improvement, if any, but i figure it's worth it for the aesthetics alone. They're still in stock as of this message. 
 
The hard part for me will be taking out the earpads to get to the screws. I've never been able to do so with my D2000, even after seeing a couple videos on youtube on how to do it (applying hard and even pressure  on the earpads with your hands and twisting counter-clockwise). The video makes it look so easy, but I fail everytime i try it. Any pointers?

 

[Luckbad]

  I ordered TH-900 earcups from Lawton today for $149. Don't know if that's a good price. Not expecting much sound improvement, if any, but i figure it's worth it for the aesthetics alone. They're still in stock as of this message. 
 
The hard part for me will be taking out the earpads to get to the screws. I've never been able to do so with my D2000, even after seeing a couple videos on youtube on how to do it (applying hard and even pressure  on the earpads with your hands and twisting counter-clockwise). The video makes it look so easy, but I fail everytime i try it. Any pointers?

 
To get the left earpad off my Fostex TH600, I used to have to pull the earpad itself off first (you can slide it off the plastic mount), then used a thin microfiber cloth and small flathead screwdriver to apply pressure to one of the white nubs. I can usually get it off by hand now, but it's still a pain in the butt. Lawton actually notes how to do it on his website right here.
 
Please let me know if you hear any sonic differences as I've been considering getting those earcups as well.

 

[DavidA]

You dont have problems with noise floor?

I used to own an Ember but got rid of it because it was too noisy with low impedance headphones. But i agree that its a good amp otherwise.

As @DaemonSire noted its dependent on the tube, another thing is I always clean the pins with Deoxit when installing a tube, this has made even some noisy tubes quite.
Did you have the input gain on high?  Mine came set on high and there was some noise so changed to low and never had a problem since.

 

[mkygod]

   
To get the left earpad off my Fostex TH600, I used to have to pull the earpad itself off first (you can slide it off the plastic mount), then used a thin microfiber cloth and small flathead screwdriver to apply pressure to one of the white nubs. I can usually get it off by hand now, but it's still a pain in the butt. Lawton actually notes how to do it on his website right here.
 
Please let me know if you hear any sonic differences as I've been considering getting those earcups as well.

awesome, I followed the instructions on Lawton's site in the link you gave me and it worked the first time i've tried it!  Way easier than those other methods i've seen. Thx!
 
I'll definitely post up any differences i hear from the new cups. I should get them by the end of next week.
 
BTW, my TH600 came with some of the blackmatte paint rubbed of on the cup arms. i can see the primer underneath. Any suggestions on touching them up? I was looking the Birchwood Casey Super Black Touch-Up Pen http://www.amazon.com/Birchwood-Casey-Super-Black-Touch/dp/B00BGH0Y0W .
 
It's primarily made to touch up black firearms, but i wonder if it will work as well on these headphones.

 

[Magstener]

I recently acquired TH600. I have a very electic taste when it comes to music, I enjoy most music, except for most pop (this is more the way it's produced). I think they have wonderful, slightly boomy, and deep-going bass, I do also think that they have a nice look, however they do seem a little flimsy as some posts has stated, the highs are extending well IMO but the vocals (mids) are very very recessed. I listened to Carl Nielsen and the treble wasn't harsh at all. I've had them for about a week now, and recently signed up for HeadFi as I wanted another forum to join.
 
This is not the right place to post this; I hope you will give me a warm welcome. 
 
-Magnus.

 

[DavidA]

  I recently acquired TH600. I have a very electic taste when it comes to music, I enjoy most music, except for most pop (this is more the way it's produced). I think they have wonderful, slightly boomy, and deep-going bass, I do also think that they have a nice look, however they do seem a little flimsy as some posts has stated, the highs are extending well IMO but the vocals (mids) are very very recessed. I listened to Carl Nielsen and the treble wasn't harsh at all. I've had them for about a week now, and recently signed up for HeadFi as I wanted another forum to join.
 
This is not the right place to post this; I hope you will give me a warm welcome. 
 
-Magnus.

Welcome to Head-Fi, hope you enjoy your TH-600.  What are you using to drive them (DAC/AMP)?  These could help with the recessed mids a little.

 

[mkygod]

I agree that the mids are recessed. That has always been a main characteristic of many the better Fostex made headphones dating back to the Denon 1001/Creative Aurvana Live and D2000-D7000 headphones. The TH-600/900, while noticeably improved, is not much different in this regard. 

 

[Nilisco]

Got my TH600 yesterday. Love the sound but vocals all seem to be shifted a bit to the left. Reversed the headphones and they drift to the right. Same thing happens via reversing stereo channels with a plugin.
 
Happens with almost every song/movie trailer. Really, really weird. Made sure all my cables are connected tightly.

Any advice? Thinking of returning them as this is such as weird sound signature with the stereo feeling off. Unmatched drivers? Wouldn't expect this from fostex.
 
Tried playing from my iPhone as well for another source, and exact same issue. Downconverted a few things to mono and the mono does seem shifted a bit to the left.
 
Played the same audio with a Denon D600. Feels dead on center.

 

[Luckbad]

  Got my TH600 yesterday. Love the sound but vocals all seem to be shifted a bit to the left. Reversed the headphones and they drift to the right. Same thing happens via reversing stereo channels with a plugin.
 
Happens with almost every song/movie trailer. Really, really weird. Made sure all my cables are connected tightly.

Any advice? Thinking of returning them as this is such as weird sound signature with the stereo feeling off. Unmatched drivers? Wouldn't expect this from fostex.
 
Tried playing from my iPhone as well for another source, and exact same issue. Downconverted a few things to mono and the mono does seem shifted a bit to the left.
 
Played the same audio with a Denon D600. Feels dead on center.

 
That isn't the case at all with mine, nor have I heard anyone mention this before. Sounds like they must be faulty.

 

[TexasBuck]

   
That isn't the case at all with mine, nor have I heard anyone mention this before. Sounds like they must be faulty.

Same here.  I find imaging to be a strength of the Fostex 600's

 

[DavidA]

@Luckbad, you may have a defective headphone, can you return them?

 

[mkygod]

  Got my TH600 yesterday. Love the sound but vocals all seem to be shifted a bit to the left. Reversed the headphones and they drift to the right. Same thing happens via reversing stereo channels with a plugin.
 
Happens with almost every song/movie trailer. Really, really weird. Made sure all my cables are connected tightly.

Any advice? Thinking of returning them as this is such as weird sound signature with the stereo feeling off. Unmatched drivers? Wouldn't expect this from fostex.
 
Tried playing from my iPhone as well for another source, and exact same issue. Downconverted a few things to mono and the mono does seem shifted a bit to the left.
 
Played the same audio with a Denon D600. Feels dead on center.

I think it must be faulty. I tried my TH600 with a few mono test signals found on Youtube (instruments and vocals) and it did not exhibit any shifting to my ears.  Kind of strange that yours only had the vocals affected though.

 

[JK-47]

  Got my TH600 yesterday. Love the sound but vocals all seem to be shifted a bit to the left. Reversed the headphones and they drift to the right. Same thing happens via reversing stereo channels with a plugin.
 
Happens with almost every song/movie trailer. Really, really weird. Made sure all my cables are connected tightly.

Any advice? Thinking of returning them as this is such as weird sound signature with the stereo feeling off. Unmatched drivers? Wouldn't expect this from fostex.
 
Tried playing from my iPhone as well for another source, and exact same issue. Downconverted a few things to mono and the mono does seem shifted a bit to the left.
 
Played the same audio with a Denon D600. Feels dead on center.

 Try this site out...
 
http://www.audiocheck.net/soundtests_headphones.php

 

[Nilisco]

Thanks everyone, will try. I've got a buddy who has a TH600 so I'll hopefully get to compare them in the next couple of days and see I'm insane or not.