[Gibalok]

My brother came which is not addicted to all this hi-fi stuff. I gave him TH900 Denon 7100 and HD650 wit silver cable. Guess who is winner with wide opened eyes?... TH900. he told that nether susptected what the sound from headphones could be...

 

[up late]

Absolutely. The Fostex is like a Denon 2000 on steroids. It has a gorgeous sound that is really satisfying musically.

What put me off before I got mine were the reports from people saying things like hifi 'purists' might not like it because of the bass. I had a feeling it might be really fat. I was wrong. It's not fat but hits hard and fast. The bass is lovely and my own preference as far as headphones go since I don't like a sound that is too etched with a thin bass.

Also, reports of recessed mids. Again, it's not as recessed as I was led to believe. Perhaps recessed is a bit strong and it needs another descriptor like slightly less in the mids? I don't find that a problem either. In fact, I'm not really aware of it.

If anything, I find that the treble can feel quite strong but it has a pleasant quality. It does show poor rips with ease though. The Fostex is very revealing of the source.

I use the Denon d2000 sitting at home with portable devices and a D600 with a short lead for the garden.

For sheer luxury listening, the Fostex th900 is a hard one to better for real musical enjoyment.

Btw, the 3d plots above only go down to 200 hZ. The big difference (apart from that treble peak on the ps1000) is way below into the sub bass. The th900 keeps going at very low frequencies where the PS1000 really doesn't. I really like the Golden Ears site. No messing around, just hard evidence!!

For me, that's the main reason why I didn't get one. Rock doesn't have that solid floor of the th900. Although the th900 has a bass hump, you're not over aware of it with the depth of the sub bass.

In fact, even the HD650 doesn't go that low as loud as the th900. I have had a filter on my Senn hd650 to raise the sub bass and since it went home (I had it on loan) I've found the Senn lacking in real deep bass. I'd say that a th900 as it is has better bass than the Senn as it is. With filter, the Senn steps up.

I was a little wobbly about the price of the th900, but once I heard it, I felt that I had really got a headphone that at last suited me enormously.

i hear the th900's mids as slightly recessed and don't have a problem with it. it's noticeable tho when i compare it to a can with fuller mids like the w3000anv and rs1i.

These two HPs may have a lot in common on paper, but when I listen to them, they sound completely different, to the point that if blind testing were possible--it's not because you can always tell how different they feel--you could pick the right HP nearly all the time from its distinctive sound.

I think what differentiates the sound of the Grado PS1000 from that of the TH-900 is the attack and most of all, the decay. The TH-900 is a lttle faster than the Grado on the attack though both HPs still sound pretty smooth--not too much ringing or overshots. But it is in the decay that the two HPs really diverge.

The TH-900 has a fairly quick decay which helps to deliver that sense of pace and a lot of micro details. The Grado PS1000 has one of the slowest decays I 've ever heard, a very soft landing if you will that helps these cans deliver a very mellow sound suffused with rich overtones. You can really hear this sound with guitar solos: the soft plucking of the string and the lingering decay of the notes dying away. It ain't accurate, mind you, but it is a gorgeous and addicting sound. The TH-900 is more accurate and closer to the real thing. There is no confusing the two distinct sonic signatures.

thing is they look very different on paper so you'd expect them to sound that way. the ps1000's thd measurements don't look good either.

 

[JackarlTwo]

  Hi, I just purchased a new set of TH-900 and I'm trying to authenticate them as being brand new since the box was not sealed.  When I opened the box, it had a strong "new car" type of smell.  Is this normal?  

 
Yes, it is normal, assuming it is the same smell I have. That's what I first noticed, and now after almost 2 months the smell is still there. Mostly coming from the earpads, but barely from the "bag" that came with the headphones. Not sealed is curious though. If you bought them brand new they should've been sealed. Did you have this blue tape sticked to the cable?

 

[the-kraken]

Sealed how? I've bought the th900's twice (don't ask)... once from an authorized dealer, once via Fostex directly - neither cardboard th900 box was "sealed" in shrink-wrap or tape. Both had the blue protective film around the headphone jack though.

Now, the external shipping box - yeah, that was sealed with shipping tape.

 

[up late]

mine were bought new and weren't sealed either. they still have that new car smell. does it come from the foam inside the box? will check on that.

 

[AudioMan2013]

mine were bought new and weren't sealed either. they still have that new car smell. does it come from the foam inside the box? will check on that.

Thanks, I just wanted to verify my pair was new and original. From the feedback I have received from here, I am sure that they are.

Amazing cans. I already like them more than the LCD-2. Very comfortable. If there 2 things I would want to change is to have the option of a detachable cord (so I can put a shorter length one), and I think this is because they havent broken in, but the highs are a bit piercing. The best thing I like about them is that I am able to drive them directly from the plenue P1 dap without requiring an additional amp.

 

[MacedonianHero]

   
Interesting, since that's what I mostly listen to, (prog rock/ metal), and occasional EDM.
 
I think I am in some sort of audio nirvana right now, but being curious in this hobby can be quite expensive 

 
No doubt, it ain't cheap that's for sure. For EDM, the TH900s are the way to go, but I VERY rarely listen to that genre.

 

[brokenthumb]

I've put around six hours on these today and I'm in honeymoon phase but I just have to say... I LOVE THIS HEADPHONE!!!  This is the sound I've been searching for since selling the D2K.  I've listened to a lot of crap that gives me problems with the treble on the HE-560 but the TH-900 passes these same songs with ease.  Really like what I'm hearing.

 

[up late]

Thanks, I just wanted to verify my pair was new and original. From the feedback I have received from here, I am sure that they are.

Amazing cans. I already like them more than the LCD-2. Very comfortable. If there 2 things I would want to change is to have the option of a detachable cord (so I can put a shorter length one), and I think this is because they havent broken in, but the highs are a bit piercing. The best thing I like about them is that I am able to drive them directly from the plenue P1 dap without requiring an additional amp.

no worries. about those highs - they bothered me too for a while but not anymore. driver or brain burn in - who knows?

 

[iancraig10]

I've put around six hours on these today and I'm in honeymoon phase but I just have to say... I LOVE THIS HEADPHONE!!!  This is the sound I've been searching for since selling the D2K.  I've listened to a lot of crap that gives me problems with the treble on the HE-560 but the TH-900 passes these same songs with ease.  Really like what I'm hearing.

I kept my d2000 since I still like it a lot. I felt much the same way myself.

Some of the reviews that I'd read kind of stopped me getting one for a while and I was expecting a bass monster with perhaps reduced due to roll off or something. What a surprise when I heard it. I was instantly hooked to its sound. I also felt that it ws sort of similar to the old Denon sound as well, but more 'etched' with bass that is lovely.

So my D2000 has been relegated to use with portables in the house, when I don't need to move around and the Denon d600 for portable, but moving!!

Each has its purpose......

(At least that's what I tell the wife)

 

[Whazzzup]

Thanks, I just wanted to verify my pair was new and original. From the feedback I have received from here, I am sure that they are.

Amazing cans. I already like them more than the LCD-2. Very comfortable. If there 2 things I would want to change is to have the option of a detachable cord (so I can put a shorter length one), and I think this is because they havent broken in, but the highs are a bit piercing. The best thing I like about them is that I am able to drive them directly from the plenue P1 dap without requiring an additional amp.

no worries. about those highs - they bothered me too for a while but not anymore. driver or brain burn in - who knows?

The highs are not piercing to me. If Archie shepps sax cuts into my forehead or Nigel armstrong violin solo curls my brow, then things are just right. Frankly I could take more acuity in that area but am fine with the th900. If I crave a little clearer highs I switch to 846 white filters.

 

[up late]

just goes to show that we hear differently

 

[Canadian411]

Look what arrived today!  I've got the new car smell going on also.  

Wow we have the exact same gears.
But I don't like burson amps in general, sounds too muddy with th900.

I am not sure about the conductor but I prefer sabre dacs with th900

 

[up late]

i've seen nothing but good reports about burson gear. if it's making the th900 which has such a clean presentation sound muddy, then there might be something wrong with your unit.

 

[preproman]

Why is that the "go to" answer if someone doesn't like a particular amp/dac?  Why is it that he just don't like the burson sound?  I didn't like mines either, and I assure you it was a good unit..