Fostex TH900 Impressions & Discussion Thread

[SoundFreaq]

Indeed! Keep me up on how this goes.

 

[Hubert481]

Did anyone already test the th-900 with symmetric connection XLR 4-pin? Any difference?
Using a K1000 (bass heavy) with a V181, symmetric might be an option for the fostex.
I ordered a th-900 which is currently out of order and will arrive in about 4-5 weeks.
I am very glad to get the info from japan, that they will not do any improvements.

Please rest assured the TH900 has not been modified nor will be
modified in the future.

Regards from vienna/austria - there are no kangaroos in austria

 

[LinkPro]

I really hope that the TH900 will still be in production by the time I save up enough money for it, which won't be less than 4-5 months from now. My dad would freak out if he hears the price, so I'm alone on this one. Fortunately he never questions my audio hobby since he had a vinyl player when he was my age when I was 7 or so he got a home theater setup with a Denon receiver and I think an Onkyo CD player. While I was too young to appreciate good sound quality, and he sold the system a few years later due to not having time for it anymore, these 2 names had already engraved themselves in my head.

And now I end up with 3 pairs of Denon cans and an Onkyo soundcard I know the TH900 would probably be overkill with my computer audio setup, heck, even the D7000 already is, but I just can't resist!! :etysmile: The TH900 is literally the most beautiful can I've ever seen, and I thought my headphone journey had stopped after the D7000

 

[SoundFreaq]

I dont think the TH900 is going anywhere anytime soon. Many places are still selling out of inventory as they are still pretty hot. I think you'll certainly enjoy the difference between TH900 and D7000. And welcome to Head-fi, where your curiosity means you'll never really be stopping. 

 

[purrin]

Quote:

You indirectly bring up a very important point however when you say that the SR-009 demands your attention with its transparency. For some people, I really think it's possible for something to be "too transparent," ie. something that is so clear it becomes paradoxically distracting. Like deafening silence. This realization a while back prompted me to reconsider what I understood as "transparency" to begin with, and now I tend to view it as relative to one's tastes and tolerances (versus neutrality which is not relative).

 
I think I know what you mean. Sounds emanate and die just a bit too quickly on the 009, leaving the canvas too black. There's a certain ethereal unnaturalness with this effect which is not consistent with how things sound like in real life. It's a cool effect though, especially with pre and early baroque music. The extent of this effect does vary depending upon the DAC or the amp. The 009 has to be one of the pickiest headphones (next the HD800) I've owned. Whereas, the TH900 can be plugged into almost anything.
 

I really hope that the TH900 will still be in production by the time I save up enough money for it, which won't be less than 4-5 months from now. 

 
Don't worry. It will still be around.

 

[tokendog]

The TH-900 vs the LCD-3 comparison for me, up to this point, has been the HARDEST comparison I've ever had to sort out in my mind.  The TH-900 is sexy.  Down right sexy.  The sound is amazing; the comfort is not an issue if you are used to wearing Audeze headphones.  The TH-900 seems like pillows on your ears compared to the LCD-3, and I say the LCD-3 is like pillows on your ears in comparison to the LCD-2.
 
The sound is hard to compare.  The LCD-3 still holds the title of the king of bass quality in my mind.  It just presents the bass with more umph, more texture, and is just down right dirty in such a good way.
 
Then in comes the TH-900 with it's finesse, it's tightness, and quantity with quality.  It's not as much as the LCD-3, but it's there, and it's toe-tapping, smile-inducing, head thumping good.  The nice thing I notice about the TH-900 is the bass seems less "muddy" in comparison to the LCD-3s which allows for the other instruments to show off a little more than the LCD-3s allow.
 
Now remember; at this point you're not saying one is bad at something, you're just saying it's better.  The LCD-3 and TH-900 are both must hears, must owns (if you can afford), and just amazing in their own way.
 
I'm no where near deciding which will be the end game for me, but I'm looking forward to figuring it out.

 

[unspool]

I had a similar reaction to the Stax Lambdas. They had amazing clarity, resolution and speed but the music sounded too sanitized for me. Did you own the SR-009 purrin?

 

[purrin]

Yes. I owned the 009. Then I disowned then. Think of the 009 as a hyper-lambda in those presentation qualities, but with a more even tonal response.

 

[rgs9200m]

Quote:

They are just such different headphones. The 009 is a transparency monster, with layers of texture, and precisely perfect imaging and a soundstage that demands your attention. The TH900 has a dynamic punch to the sound all the way across. It's not such a technically accurate sound. It can be, sometimes, more musical, a tad more euphonic. And the bass on the TH900 will be something you crave if you listen to bass-friendly genres. 
 
You should not hesitate to pull the trigger on the 009. I am. soon. Very soon. Just don't think of the 009 as better, or a replacement for the TH900. The reason I can't pull the trigger right this second on the 009 is because I've realized after hearing the 009, there is no way I'd give up the TH900 to do it. They are brilliant compliments to each other and each have their place. 
 
The 009 COULD be an entire replacement if you only listened to stuff where a solid bass punch isn't as important. But for ME, and what I listen to, there's no way I'd give up the TH900. 

Yeah, those are exactly my impressions, too . (Very well written, too.) I've owned both for months now.

 

[rgs9200m]

Quote:

 
For me it's the exact opposite. I adore the TH900 (one of my all time favorites, dynamic or otherwise), but I couldn't live with it as my only headphone even though it responds very well to EQ. The SR-009 by comparison could be my single headphone if paired with the right amp (such as the Liquid Lightning). It simply "gets out of the way" of music more for me than almost anything else out there.
 
You indirectly bring up a very important point however when you say that the SR-009 demands your attention with its transparency. For some people, I really think it's possible for something to be "too transparent," ie. something that is so clear it becomes paradoxically distracting. Like deafening silence. This realization a while back prompted me to reconsider what I understood as "transparency" to begin with, and now I tend to view it as relative to one's tastes and tolerances (versus neutrality which is not relative).

Yeah, it's easy to forget, but you really need to concentrate on what turns you, personally, on with headphones, and not try to seek some intellectual engineering ideal, or live by someone else's tastes.
You may not like the Absolute Sound.

 

[Audio Jester]

Getting a new replacement pair of TH900's next week!  Interestingly the distributor in Australia felt there was nothing unusual about the (somewhat obvious) uneven rotation.  Irrespective of this the cup was clearly scratched so they have sent me a new one.  It is nice to have decent service from a company in Australia for a change.

 

[AnakChan]

Quote:

The TH-900 vs the LCD-3 comparison for me, up to this point, has been the HARDEST comparison I've ever had to sort out in my mind.  The TH-900 is sexy.  Down right sexy.  The sound is amazing; the comfort is not an issue if you are used to wearing Audeze headphones.  The TH-900 seems like pillows on your ears compared to the LCD-3, and I say the LCD-3 is like pillows on your ears in comparison to the LCD-2.
 
The sound is hard to compare.  The LCD-3 still holds the title of the king of bass quality in my mind.  It just presents the bass with more umph, more texture, and is just down right dirty in such a good way.
 
Then in comes the TH-900 with it's finesse, it's tightness, and quantity with quality.  It's not as much as the LCD-3, but it's there, and it's toe-tapping, smile-inducing, head thumping good.  The nice thing I notice about the TH-900 is the bass seems less "muddy" in comparison to the LCD-3s which allows for the other instruments to show off a little more than the LCD-3s allow.
 
Now remember; at this point you're not saying one is bad at something, you're just saying it's better.  The LCD-3 and TH-900 are both must hears, must owns (if you can afford), and just amazing in their own way.
 
I'm no where near deciding which will be the end game for me, but I'm looking forward to figuring it out.

 
Last weekend I met up with another head-fier at the audio store. His words were :-

TH-900 - fine dining
LCD-3 - healthy dose of meat and potatoes

 

[tokendog]

Quote:

 
Last weekend I met up with another head-fier at the audio store. His words were :-

TH-900 - fine dining
LCD-3 - healthy dose of meat and potatoes

 
I would agree with this 100%.  

 

[Audiowood]

Quote:

 
Last weekend I met up with another head-fier at the audio store. His words were :-

TH-900 - fine dining
LCD-3 - healthy dose of meat and potatoes

Nice way of saying. That pretty much sum up my impression as well.

 

[Ahzari]

Quote:

 
Last weekend I met up with another head-fier at the audio store. His words were :-

TH-900 - fine dining
LCD-3 - healthy dose of meat and potatoes