[phonomat]

Me too when I bought it new about a year ago.

 

[atariguy39]

Found used ones on Amazon that were 2 months old and like new for $999.   Also bought used HE-6's at the same time for $899 that were like new from another seller on Amazon also.    So would not hesitate to get more through there.

 

[Oregonian]

   
I tried the two extremes, type 1 and type 5 next to each other and couldn't notice a difference. So as far as the choice of woods go I would choose based on looks alone. IMO it's the bigger cups that do the trick, not the different wood. The backside of the cup is dampened anyway.

Agree 100%.  I've tried five different woods in my Denon and/or Fostex headphones and could discern no difference in tone. 

 

[TWerk]

Wouldn't you guys consider it selling snake oil if the website advertises them as sounding distinct from one another?

 

[socks mk2]

[redacted]

 

[up late]

"if a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it does it make a sound?"

 

[zombywoof]

Yes, there is a sound, but whether or not it is heard will depend on the species of the tree.

 

[defbear]

"if a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it does it make a sound?"

YES ;0 So does your stereo when your not home listening. Lemmie nose in on Wood Cups. Over at the ZMF threads it is a big deal. In the musical instrument world, say Classical Guitar the wood choice CAN have a huge influence on tone. Consider a Spruce top on a guitar. It's your Driver, dynamic or other wise. Then the back and sides. That is your wood cup. Put on an oscilloscope Mahogany is flat frequency, Maple bright, rosewood with extended bass and treble, koa sounds like mahogany that knows someone. Is the wood finished or unfinished inside. The differences between two identically built guitars with the exception of the back woods can be dramatic. And many people simply cannot head the difference. At least not until they are experienced. With our headphones we are mainly dealing with the reflective properties of the wood. A softer wood could be perceived as slower. A finish on the inside will change that. And then you would really have to have the phones blasting to the point of the wood vibrating to get the tonal flavor of the wood involved. What I could have said is @appleheadmay is correct. The size of the cups will usually have a more pronounced immediate effect than the type of wood. And congratulations @whazzzup on the selection of the museum grade Koa! I could be jealous. Perhaps even the Mids will come in. :0

 

[up late]

the use of tone woods in the making of acoustic musical instruments is a given. not sure whether it's an ideal approach for the manufacture of high-fidelity transducers tho, as the introduction of any coloration to the sound being reproduced is generally frowned upon.

 

[defbear]

the use of tone woods in the making of acoustic musical instruments is a given. not sure whether it's an ideal approach for the manufacture of high-fidelity transducers tho, as the introduction of any coloration to the sound being reproduced is generally frowned upon.

Are the beautiful red wood cups, on the th900's, merely decorative. Or did Fostex tune the headset to the wood? And did the Massdrop th400's with different wood cups sound different? Even Audeze gives you a choice of woods. It's all part of the roll. And the old statement. If everything is neutral and transparent then everything would sound identical. If that was true then iBuds into iPhone and done. Coloration = Bad is the Official Story. But if listeners didn't want color, they wouldn't be looking for systems that have Certain Traits which of,course color the sound. We like Tubes, We like FET and we like wood. Enjoy it all. It's why so many of us own so dang much stuff.

 

[up late]

if the wood is being used for its aesthetic beauty rather than to impart a unique coloration to the sound, then that seems like an appropriate use for it in a "reference" level headphone as long as it's sufficiently damped. i suspect that the th900's cups are there primarily for their looks rather than their acoustic properties. i think the same would go for the massdrop/fostex models. i also doubt that audeze would want the wood that they use in their cans to add anything other than visual appeal to them.

 

[defbear]

if the wood is being used for its aesthetic beauty rather than to impart a unique coloration to the sound, then that seems like an appropriate use for it in a "reference" level headphone as long as it's sufficiently damped. i suspect that the th900's cups are there primarily for their looks rather than their acoustic properties. i think the same would go for the massdrop/fostex models. i also doubt that audeze would want the wood that they use in their cans to add anything other than visual appeal to them.

I have a sense that Fostex held back something for the Massdrop models. I agree with you. I bet if you swapped th400 and th900 cups there may be no noticible audible difference. Lemmie guess, someone has tried it?

 

[up late]

dunno but controlled blind testing would or should end the speculation

 

[defbear]

dunno but controlled blind testing would or should end the speculation

Nah! I can't listen to the same thing on the same equipment twice and have the same opinion. And then you have to take into account the individual build of the headphone. 10 little th900's sitting on the fence. They won't all sound identical to each other either. One batch of mahogany will sound different than the next batch. Koa from Hawaii. One piece will sound bright, the next hollow and another dark. Wood will not play our games. It's sound will change and open up over the months and years. Just figure that wood will sound no worse than other materials. Buy the pretty one.

 

[Whitigir]

I guess, have anyone seen any movie theaters made by pure Tone wood all around and have different sound to another, or to target a special/unique sounds, Or do these guys know nothing about sound reproductions?