[the-kraken]

I highly recommend anyone with a love for the TH900 to check the A8 out. I was also considering the Marantz HD-DAC1 and the ifi micro iDSD but in the end decided to pair Fostex with Fostex.

I have both hp-a8c and ifi micro idsd. I find the fostex to be effortless in detail retrieval & soundstage, while the ifi easily wins in the power dept. That said, both pair exceptionally well with the th900's. If you need portable - the ifi micro is a no brainier... it's excellent, and a real overachiever at $499.

 

[Justin_Time]

  I'm also concerned about the ess sabre chip with the th-900 and my bakoon amp.  I guess I will see when I get the th-900.  I've already assumed I'll have to trade my concero away which is a bit on the harsh side for my tastes.  When paired with the taboo I like the balance however the bakoon to my ears is very linear and very detailed which can make that edge that the concero has very apparent.
 
Maybe someone can comment here.  I was thinking of trying to trade for an MHDT stockholm.  I previously had the havana and very much liked the different sounds I could get between tubes between analytical and warm (my two favorite were quite detailed in their own respects).  I know a good number of people here already own the bakoon amp so feel free to share your pairing experiences especially if you've had experience specificially with the concero or concero HD.

The Bakoon will take the edge off the SABRE DAC.  I used the Oppo 105 with the Bakoon HPA-21 and TH-900:  the sound was excellent with no problem with sibilance or brightness.

 

[up late]

New owner checking in. My TH900's serial N° =  01638




I couldn't resist the HP-A8 as well.

This is my first foray into high-end audio so I have nothing to compare this combo to, but I am in audio heaven.
Everything sounds fantastic; even my lowly mp3's.

I highly recommend anyone with a love for the TH900 to check the A8 out.
I was also considering the Marantz HD-DAC1 and the ifi micro iDSD but in the end decided to pair Fostex with Fostex.

nice first foray

 

[Fegefeuer]

Good Choice Robert

 

[Robert777]

I have both hp-a8c and ifi micro idsd. I find the fostex to be effortless in detail retrieval & soundstage, while the ifi easily wins in the power dept. That said, both pair exceptionally well with the th900's. If you need portable - the ifi micro is a no brainier... it's excellent, and a real overachiever at $499.

I was originally looking at the Ifi Micro iDSD strictly for portable use, but I was put off as I worried once the battery died I would have to buy a new amp / dac. In retrospect, the battery should easily last six years and I have no guarantees that anything I buy will last any longer. I definitely see the iDSD in my future.

 

[Robert777]

nice first foray

 
 

Good Choice Robert

Thank you. I am loving them more each day. There are other headphones I would like to try / own, but I am so glad I purchased the TH900's. They really are an exceptional headphone.

 

[Zojokkeli]

   
 

Thank you. I am loving them more each day. There are other headphones I would like to try / own, but I am so glad I purchased the TH900's. They really are an exceptional headphone.

 
They truly are! I went through Sennheiser's offerings fairly quickly, but nothing really stuck with me. I was quite happy with HD650's, but my fiancée hated the open design and I "had" to look for a pair of closed headphones. Boy, am I glad I did. 

 
Might look for something to complement the TH900's at some point, but they certainly aren't going anywhere.

 

[Whazzzup]

 




Thank you. I am loving them more each day. There are other headphones I would like to try / own, but I am so glad I purchased the TH900's. They really are an exceptional headphone.

They truly are! I went through Sennheiser's offerings fairly quickly, but nothing really stuck with me. I was quite happy with HD650's, but my fiancée hated the open design and I "had" to look for a pair of closed headphones. Boy, am I glad I did. :evil:

Might look for something to complement the TH900's at some point, but they certainly aren't going anywhere.

I think it will have to be a quantum new product to make me consider another can.

 

[AppleheadMay]

Finally found the time to install the Lawton cups and mods.
These are of the type 5 variety, mun ebony wood.
Some pics. They are actually much darker than one would think from the pics, dark brown with caramel, no reddish tones.
Phones are pretty hard to take a picture from if you ask me, even more so if they're glossy.
 
They're a bit bigger and heavier than the standard cups. The pads are about twice as thick on the backside and angled.
I installed the dampening mods were as well.
 

 

 

[Llloyd]

  The Bakoon will take the edge off the SABRE DAC.  I used the Oppo 105 with the Bakoon HPA-21 and TH-900:  the sound was excellent with no problem with sibilance or brightness.

 
Well I'm using the japanese 5210 mk3 and with all the parings I've used with the HE-500 I found this one to be the most fatiguing.  I tend to be more sensitive than most people from what I can tell so I generally stay away from analytical sounding amps.  
 
I wouldn't call my bakoon analytical, just linear and detailed all in a good way.  I've been led to believe the korean bakoon has a slightly different signature.  Either way I find the pairing (concero hd -> 5210 -> he-500) to be a little too sharp for me. It sounds exceptionally good besides that.  Makes me sad that I can't listen for extended periods

 

[Justin_Time]

   
Well I'm using the japanese 5210 mk3 and with all the parings I've used with the HE-500 I found this one to be the most fatiguing.  I tend to be more sensitive than most people from what I can tell so I generally stay away from analytical sounding amps.  
 
I wouldn't call my bakoon analytical, just linear and detailed all in a good way.  I've been led to believe the korean bakoon has a slightly different signature.  Either way I find the pairing (concero hd -> 5210 -> he-500) to be a little too sharp for me. It sounds exceptionally good besides that.  Makes me sad that I can't listen for extended periods

I have both the Korean and Japanese version--the TOTL with Attenuator--and I found both of them to have a warm midrange (almost tube-like but with vivid details).  They were not the least fatiguing to me--unlike the Schiit Mjolnir--even with the SABRE DAC so I guess we just hear differently.  

 

[Whazzzup]

Finally found the time to install the Lawton cups and mods.
These are of the type 5 variety, mun ebony wood.
Some pics. They are actually much darker than one would think from the pics, dark brown with caramel, no reddish tones.
Phones are pretty hard to take a picture from if you ask me, even more so if they're glossy.

They're a bit bigger and heavier than the standard cups. The pads are about twice as thick on the backside and angled.
I installed the dampening mods were as well.

Cool. You did it yourself? Big change? Did you upgrade cable?

 

[AppleheadMay]

Yes, pretty easy to do, takes less than half an hour. I modded two pairs of D7000 as well before.
No, I tend to prefer the original cables, I can't hear a difference anyway between different copper cables.
I only hear a difference when switching to silver but silver is only good for some phones imo. I use a silver cable on my HD650 for example.
 
I installed the mods about an hour ago and haven't compared anything, just been enjoying the TH900.
But my first (quick) impression is that they sound (much) more open than stock, have cleaner bass which make them seem to go deeper still and I think the problem I had with the mids is solved, voices seem to be much more present for example. I've been listening to vocal jazzy stuff for the past hour.
I don't think there's much change in the highs. But gimme a week or two to a/b them.
 
If they still sound as good to me after a/b ing with my stock pair for a while I might get me a third pair and equip them with a different wood to see if the type of wood really makes a difference.

 

[Llloyd]

  I have both the Korean and Japanese version--the TOTL with Attenuator--and I found both of them to have a warm midrange (almost tube-like but with vivid details).  They were not the least fatiguing to me--unlike the Schiit Mjolnir--even with the SABRE DAC so I guess we just hear differently.  

 
I guess so, I might have to plug it in and check again myself.

 

[AppleheadMay]

Are there any sweet deals on the TH900 in the US at the moment?