[thatonenoob]

 
you go back and forth, really eventually.

Totally true. This might just be me, but once I got a solid grip and understanding of the TH900, I began returning to the T1. Not that I somehow disliked the TH900 (quite the opposite in fact), but it was just that attaining an understanding of how the TH900 performs gave me greater appreciation for both cans.  It's just kinda unfortunate that the T1 amps don't play nicely (high z-out tubes, etc.) don't always work very well with the TH900, and to a lesser extent, vice versa.  

 
Extra thought: it may be time to do a review on the TH900.

 

[Whazzzup]

 

 
you go back and forth, really eventually.

Totally true. This might just be me, but once I got a solid grip and understanding of the TH900, I began returning to the T1. Not that I somehow disliked the TH900 (quite the opposite in fact), but it was just that attaining an understanding of how the TH900 performs gave me greater appreciation for both cans.  It's just kinda unfortunate that the T1 amps don't play nicely (high z-out tubes, etc.) don't always work very well with the TH900, and to a lesser extent, vice versa.  

 
Extra thought: it may be time to do a review on the TH900.

look forward to your thoughts, but I'm at the restarting point with my la900, just getting down, and plugged it back into my TT and sweet jesus....

 

[GU1DO]

  Totally true. This might just be me, but once I got a solid grip and understanding of the TH900, I began returning to the T1. Not that I somehow disliked the TH900 (quite the opposite in fact), but it was just that attaining an understanding of how the TH900 performs gave me greater appreciation for both cans.  It's just kinda unfortunate that the T1 amps don't play nicely (high z-out tubes, etc.) don't always work very well with the TH900, and to a lesser extent, vice versa.  

 
Extra thought: it may be time to do a review on the TH900.

can you compare between them please ..
T1 gen 2  is under my radar ..
Thanks ..

 

[thatonenoob]

  can you compare between them please ..
T1 gen 2  is under my radar ..
Thanks ..

Well to start it's two very different sound signatures.  I own the T1.1 (later serial), which in my opinion is superior to the T1.2. The T1.2 has this extra quantity of bass that, well, just wasn't needed.  The T1 has more bass than an HD800 - it isn't as bright and anemic as some would make it out to be.  It's just that it is tight and occasionally restrained.  A solid tube amp putting power through the can should resolve this easily.  With the T1.2, they took the fairly clean slate that the T1 was, added in more bass and "tamed" the highs.  However, it just doesn't quite relate to the T1.1 anymore - not to mention the fact that it is harder to get rid of boosted bass than it is adding it.  Also minus points for the grey pleather.  They need to work with Fostex on getting their pleather game up.  Either that or switch back to the lambskin.
 
Between the TH900 and T1, I'd say the T1's primary strengths extend from mids to highs.  There's this wonderful upper-mid to high transition that the T1 absolutely revels in.  Liquid highs that you could spend a day in.  Imaging is top notch, soundstage is good.   The upper-mid to high transition on the TH900 is unfortunately harsh.  The highs are sparkly, but can be harsh and not as polite.  But the bass on the TH900 is glorious.  Not much else to say there. Owning the TH900 simply for the bass would be justified.  I've got people telling me the Abyss is better, but I don't and most likely won't own one.  Just too many things I can't handle w/ the can's design, etc.  Detail and resolution wise, I sometimes feel the TH900 may in fact be better than the T1. I'll need to verify this w/ more critical listening.
 
This is a rather short comparison, I'll probably do a more detailed one in the near future w/ a proper review.  I hope it'll at least steer you in the right direction.

 

[pervysage]

  Well to start it's two very different sound signatures.  I own the T1.1 (later serial), which in my opinion is superior to the T1.2. The T1.2 has this extra quantity of bass that, well, just wasn't needed.  The T1 has more bass than an HD800 - it isn't as bright and anemic as some would make it out to be.  It's just that it is tight and occasionally restrained.  A solid tube amp putting power through the can should resolve this easily.  With the T1.2, they took the fairly clean slate that the T1 was, added in more bass and "tamed" the highs.  However, it just doesn't quite relate to the T1.1 anymore - not to mention the fact that it is harder to get rid of boosted bass than it is adding it.  Also minus points for the grey pleather.  They need to work with Fostex on getting their pleather game up.  Either that or switch back to the lambskin.
 
Between the TH900 and T1, I'd say the T1's primary strengths extend from mids to highs.  There's this wonderful upper-mid to high transition that the T1 absolutely revels in.  Liquid highs that you could spend a day in.  Imaging is top notch, soundstage is good.   The upper-mid to high transition on the TH900 is unfortunately harsh.  The highs are sparkly, but can be harsh and not as polite.  But the bass on the TH900 is glorious.  Not much else to say there. Owning the TH900 simply for the bass would be justified.  I've got people telling me the Abyss is better, but I don't and most likely won't own one.  Just too many things I can't handle w/ the can's design, etc.  Detail and resolution wise, I sometimes feel the TH900 may in fact be better than the T1. I'll need to verify this w/ more critical listening.
 
This is a rather short comparison, I'll probably do a more detailed one in the near future w/ a proper review.  I hope it'll at least steer you in the right direction.

 
My feelings on the Abyss are the same. To be quite honest, I wouldn't want anyone to see me with that contraption on my head, don't care what it sounds like. 

 
I agree that stock TH900 can be pretty harsh in the high registers on certain tracks.

 

[AnakChan]

   
My feelings on the Abyss are the same. To be quite honest, I wouldn't want anyone to see me with that contraption on my head, don't care what it sounds like. 

 
I agree that stock TH900 can be pretty harsh in the high registers on certain tracks.

 
I've been using the TH-900 with the WA8 and that kinda tones down the highs compared to the ZD OTL, and other SS amps I have.

 

[Shini44]

   
I've been using the TH-900 with the WA8 and that kinda tones down the highs compared to the ZD OTL, and other SS amps I have.

i am using it with the WA5-LE + TA-300B and the Treble is extended, Sparkly, but never on the harsh side. give it a shot 

 

[GU1DO]

  Well to start it's two very different sound signatures.  I own the T1.1 (later serial), which in my opinion is superior to the T1.2. The T1.2 has this extra quantity of bass that, well, just wasn't needed.  The T1 has more bass than an HD800 - it isn't as bright and anemic as some would make it out to be.  It's just that it is tight and occasionally restrained.  A solid tube amp putting power through the can should resolve this easily.  With the T1.2, they took the fairly clean slate that the T1 was, added in more bass and "tamed" the highs.  However, it just doesn't quite relate to the T1.1 anymore - not to mention the fact that it is harder to get rid of boosted bass than it is adding it.  Also minus points for the grey pleather.  They need to work with Fostex on getting their pleather game up.  Either that or switch back to the lambskin.
 
Between the TH900 and T1, I'd say the T1's primary strengths extend from mids to highs.  There's this wonderful upper-mid to high transition that the T1 absolutely revels in.  Liquid highs that you could spend a day in.  Imaging is top notch, soundstage is good.   The upper-mid to high transition on the TH900 is unfortunately harsh.  The highs are sparkly, but can be harsh and not as polite.  But the bass on the TH900 is glorious.  Not much else to say there. Owning the TH900 simply for the bass would be justified.  I've got people telling me the Abyss is better, but I don't and most likely won't own one.  Just too many things I can't handle w/ the can's design, etc.  Detail and resolution wise, I sometimes feel the TH900 may in fact be better than the T1. I'll need to verify this w/ more critical listening.
 
This is a rather short comparison, I'll probably do a more detailed one in the near future w/ a proper review.  I hope it'll at least steer you in the right direction.

really am thankful for your time and effort ,, i enjoyed reading your comment and comparison  ,,
from what i see ,, i think i will buy 1st gen and try it ,, if i like it i will keep one of them ..
 
thanks a lot ...

 

[fuzzybaffy]

 Owning the TH900 simply for the bass would be justified.

 
That's how I feel about the bass on the TH-900, too. The bass alone is worth the price admission. 
 
Funny enough for me, I didn't buy the TH-900 for the bass (I first heard it in a head-fi meet, in which I apparently couldn't hear too much of the bass at the time), so it was just icing on the cake for me when I realized how great the bass was. 

 

[pervysage]

   
That's how I feel about the bass on the TH-900, too. The bass alone is worth the price admission. 
 
Funny enough for me, I didn't buy the TH-900 for the bass (I first heard it in a head-fi meet, in which I apparently couldn't hear too much of the bass at the time), so it was just icing on the cake for me when I realized how great the bass was. 

 
True that.
 
When people talk about TH-900, it always about the bass. But there's so much more that TH-900 does really well. Super wide soundstage for a closed phone, good instrument separation and imaging. I have the HD800 and I never feel the TH-900 is lacking in those areas in comparison. On top of that, it brings a whole lotta fun to my music that the HD800 can't.
 
I would say that the right amping is needed to get the best out of the TH900. Otherwise you may get the "recessed mids" and "harsh treble" that is often commented about.

 

[fuzzybaffy]

   
True that.
 
When people talk about TH-900, it always about the bass. But there's so much more that TH-900 does really well. Super wide soundstage for a closed phone, good instrument separation and imaging. I have the HD800 and I never feel the TH-900 is lacking in those areas in comparison. On top of that, it brings a whole lotta fun to my music that the HD800 can't.
 
I would say that the right amping is needed to get the best out of the TH900. Otherwise you may get the "recessed mids" and "harsh treble" that is often commented about.

 
I still get the recessed mids, but that, as you say, might have to do with the amp I'm using. But the Grace m9xx definitely tames the highs on the TH-900, while still keeping the details and instrument separation. No complaints at all with the highs coming from the Grace m9xx. 
 
What really initially drew me to the TH-900 was just this smooth and coherent sound signature. With Sennheisers, all the sounds are arranged "neatly", at the cost of sounding somewhat artificial. With AKGs (at least the K701), the sound signature is indeed quite fun and exciting, but kind of messy and all over the place. But there was just something smooth about the TH-900 that I really liked, and found goes really well with vocal pop music (what I mostly listen to). 
 
Speaking of which... yes, I still do think the mids are recessed on the TH-900, BUT... for some reason vocals still sound fine. The vocals are still present and very clear, and not at all muffled or pushed aside. And that's why I think it still works really well with vocal pop music. 

 

[up late]

True that.

When people talk about TH-900, it always about the bass. But there's so much more that TH-900 does really well. Super wide soundstage for a closed phone, good instrument separation and imaging. I have the HD800 and I never feel the TH-900 is lacking in those areas in comparison. On top of that, it brings a whole lotta fun to my music that the HD800 can't.

I would say that the right amping is needed to get the best out of the TH900. Otherwise you may get the "recessed mids" and "harsh treble" that is often commented about.

your choice of amp might mitigate the th900's recessed midrange but it isn't going to fundamentally change it. it's there and the fr measurements confirm it. how much we notice it subjectively depends on who you ask.

 

[socks mk2]

[redacted]

 

[Whazzzup]

I find th900 mids a byproduct to what I'm hearing. It's like a live show. It's more intimate and clubby on the A8 and wider and concert like with a better timber on the TT. I'm not sure what the musicians intended for us to hear, the fun live sound of th900 or say the wide studio side of say hd800S? It doesn't matter really we are the lucky ones...

 

[zolkis]

your choice of amp might mitigate the th900's recessed midrange but it isn't going to fundamentally change it. it's there and the fr measurements confirm it. how much we notice it subjectively depends on who you ask.

 
Agreed. Moreover, not even mods that have been tried so far managed to correct the midrange dip around 500 Hz, though the presence range, sound stage, dynamics and even bass was possible to be improved. The TH900 retains a colored character, but it's not bad at all IMHO. Everyone can decide if they can live with this.
 
Nevertheless, the right choice of amp IMHO will still affect a lot of things in the sound. Those small changes may make a qualitative change and prove the TH900 can scale (though it sounds good with a wide range of amps).
 
It is still a high end can among the closed designs, despite not being able to be a reference due to the colorations. The diaphragm is quite revolutionary, the driver loading is ingenious, the wooden cup craftmanship is impeccable. Headband, front plate and suspension could be improved towards the Sony R10, but it has been good enough.
 
In addition, the recent TH610 + the Massdrop variations of the TH600 add a real value aspect to this design. Respect!