[AverageGuyNC]

just dumped my headphones. it's change up time again. 20 years ago my RS1s and hd600's were the shazam. last 3 years the lcd-3s and hd800s were my main cans. but i got the itch, so the lcd-3s started feeling "hot". the hd800s falling short somehow. i just sold bothe and have a pair of beyer t1 g2s and a pair of fostex th900s on their way. i am very very very excited. 


my amp is the burson soloist. tube output dac by grant fidelity has a lovely amperex white label ny 1957 tube glowing .

I read a review about the th900 and soloist being a great combo. I'm interested in hearing about it!

 

[analog'd]

will post!

 

[bosiemoncrieff]

How does the th900 compare with the n90q? I've heard both cans described as v shaped, though the severity of the v is where the rubber meets the proverbial road. And apart from being closed and sensitive, the use cases are quite different. But I'm open to adding either one as a more "fun" can.

 

[jerick70]

I read a review about the th900 and soloist being a great combo. I'm interested in hearing about it!

 
I've owned the Soloist (Non-SL verison) and I own the Conductor V2+ right now.  The TH900s match well with both.  I prefer the Conductor V2+ over the Soloist though for quite a few reasons.  I don't use my V2+ very often though because I think my Woo WA5 pairs even better.

 

 

[AverageGuyNC]

Well I ordered a jotunheim to run the th900 in balanced. Anyone tried that combo? I'm hoping it sounds good

 

[OctavianH]

Greetings,
 
I might have a very good chance to buy TH-900 (1st gen) at a very good price. But before doing this, I want to ask for an advice:
1) how does the TH-900 pair with the 3 DACs I own? (see signature)
2) how harsh they sound, especially on rock music? (read that on several reviews)
3) are any problems with the build quality? (read about some problems with the screws from the earcups)
 
Since they are low impedance, I guess I cannot use my tube amp for them to reduce the harshness, so I guess I have to go with NFB11 or Dr.Dac.
 
Thanks in avance, any advice is welcomed.

 

[zolkis]

Don't worry about the screws. They can get loose (mine got so during a transport), and as an effect the cups turn all way side, but it's an easy fix, just tighten the screw. If it breaks (and there've been rare reported cases about that, also during transport), it's available as a spare part from your Fostex importer. IMHO they are quite robust.
 
IME they do improve with good tube amps (but sound similarly fluid, natural and relaxed with many transistor amps). But it depends on the tube amp, as IME not all of them sound more fluid than good transistor amps. IMHO it's just somewhat easier to do good sound with tubes than transistors (or let's say it's just a different complexity distribution).
 
IME source matters more than the amps on the TH900.
 
IMHO the apparent brightness (the energy surge around 9 kHz, present as a short ridge on the CSD) is better reduced by using a different ear pad rather than source and amps, or by not listening at high volumes (where the issue becomes more apparent). 

 

[OctavianH]

  Don't worry about the screws. They can get loose (mine got so during a transport), and as an effect the cups turn all way side, but it's an easy fix, just tighten the screw. If it breaks (and there've been rare reported cases about that, also during transport), it's available as a spare part from your Fostex importer. IMHO they are quite robust.
 
IME they do improve with good tube amps (but sound similarly fluid, natural and relaxed with many transistor amps). But it depends on the tube amp, as IME not all of them sound more fluid than good transistor amps. IMHO it's just somewhat easier to do good sound with tubes than transistors (or let's say it's just a different complexity distribution).
 
IME source matters more than the amps on the TH900.
 
IMHO the apparent brightness (the energy surge around 9 kHz, present as a short ridge on the CSD) is better reduced by using a different ear pad rather than source and amps, or by not listening at high volumes (where the issue becomes more apparent). 

 
Ok, so I ordeded them at a bargain price, this is why I have not waited for all the comments. Price was 360EUR (last item on store) including shipping (EU). I think at this price my decision was good. I am a littlebit worried of the 25Ohm impedance in regarding to my tube amp. The main reason to order them was also the very good rating on the metal thread:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/715478/headphones-for-metal-music-ultimate-solution
Let's see if indeed they are a top class headphone for metal.

 

[AverageGuyNC]

Ok, so I ordeded them at a bargain price, this is why I have not waited for all the comments. Price was 360EUR (last item on store) including shipping (EU). I think at this price my decision was good. I am a littlebit worried of the 25Ohm impedance in regarding to my tube amp. The main reason to order them was also the very good rating on the metal thread:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/715478/headphones-for-metal-music-ultimate-solution
Let's see if indeed they are a top class headphone for metal.

That is an excellent deal! I got mine for a little over $800 usd and thought I got a bargain.

 

[TWerk]

That price is too low, sounds like a scam. Why would anyone sell them for that little?

 

[Zojokkeli]

Ok, so I ordeded them at a bargain price, this is why I have not waited for all the comments. Price was 360EUR (last item on store) including shipping (EU). I think at this price my decision was good. I am a littlebit worried of the 25Ohm impedance in regarding to my tube amp. The main reason to order them was also the very good rating on the metal thread:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/715478/headphones-for-metal-music-ultimate-solution
Let's see if indeed they are a top class headphone for metal.

Sounds suspisiously low price. I paid 1500€ for mine, and while they were expensive, I feel they're worth every cent.

I mostly listen to rock and metal, and IMO TH900 fares well with them.

 

[zolkis]

I also think it is too low price (even double that would be low). If you've ordered from Amazon (not fulfilled by Amazon, but by another seller), I would say cancel it ASAP. Similar scams are around other places as well. If it's private seller, ask the seller to write a text you request on a piece of paper and photograph the headphones with the SR and this paper visible.

 

[TWerk]

On the USA amazon, there's always people saying "contact me for quote" and the price is like stupid low and they are all scams.
 
I once replied and sent the guy an email and he made a fake amazon invoice for them and it was so obviously a scam it was laughable.
 
The guy also had really bad english and his sentences were all terrible.

 

[OctavianH]

Sounds suspisiously low price. I paid 1500€ for mine, and while they were expensive, I feel they're worth every cent.

I mostly listen to rock and metal, and IMO TH900 fares well with them.

Yep, it seems the dealer cancelled the order even if yesterday I received a confirmation that the item is on stock. Even if the price is incredible, I will not accept to buy from an other source than Amazon. The order of the events was:
- I was searching for something else and observed TH-900 at 345EUR dispatched from Germany
- I was currently very happy with my T1.2 but still, who does not want to add this one to the collection
- I mailed the e-mail specified to be contacted prior to the order (something@shopmarkt.de) to ask if indeed the item is available and the price is the same as specified
- they mailed me back to appologize because they have problems with amazon servers (sounds a scam?), the item is available as the latest piece at a max discount price, is new and includes all accesories and that if I reply with my name+address they will reserve the item and then provide me amazon details to order
- I found a little bit suspicious the proposal and searched again on amazon, found it and order it directly via amazon (to benefit from amazon insurance and all)
- now I saw that the order was cancelled even if they confirmed the item, what to say, something sounds fishy.
 
I will wait to see what is the next step and I informed amazon support about the e-mail and facts. Let's hope everything is ok.
 
Anyhow, your advice is that the TH-900 are good for rock/metal, not too harsh and can be easily used with any DAC chip?

 

[TWerk]

That is a very obvious scam, even the USA amazon th900 mk2 product page shows one available right now for 500 bucks and it's an obvious scam listing.
 
The next cheapest th900 is $1,200... see anything suspicious with that $500 listing?!
 
Dude, those scams are everywhere on amazon. Like literally mostly all the high end headphones have that "contact me at XYZ" in the description.
 
 
That price was WAY too low to be legit, nobody is going to sell a TH900 for 400 bucks. No one sells it for anywhere near that price.