[Tony1110]

that's cool and i appreciate what you were trying to do. i'm not giving up on the th900 just yet, but i got a feeling that the highs and the midrange depression might end up being a deal breaker for me.

I felt the same when I had my TH-600. I couldn't get past the weak midrange coming directly from the LCD-2. They're excellent at what they do and for EDM and some rock music they're amongst the best I've heard, but I don't think they'd be a good choice for somebody with an eclectic taste in music who doesn't want to own more than one headphone.

 

[LFC_SL]

Am with woodcans. Probably your source / amp combo with your personal tastes and tolerances. TH900 have not missed a beat from shop demo to ownership. Treble fine even with over-produced Asian pop known for hot treble. If you did not like from first listen should have trusted your ears enough not to buy. In my own research as posted on the forum demoed the HD800 (x2) and T1 alongside TH900 and very happy with choice. That does not invalidate T1 or HD800 at all. Different strokes for different folks.

 

[bowtung]

that's cool and i appreciate what you were trying to do. i'm not giving up on the th900 just yet, but i got a feeling that the highs and the midrange depression might end up being a deal breaker for me.

 
 
I actually have the exact same impression with the th900 as you!!! Finally, found someone that has the same impression as me.
The edginess and sharpness was actually hurting my ears at some point (tried it with hm901, woo audio wa2, also tried quite a other few). At first, I thought it was because that it wasn't fully burnt in yet. I then played it continuously for 5 days and it did cure the problem a bit. However, it wasn't until when I obtained a Luxman p1u (started listening with it ytd) that I feel that NOW it sounds correct. No more harshness.
 
I think (correct me if I'm wrong) the th900 is very fast, and needs an amp that can control, it just gets out of control with something subpar, best if you came obtain something that emphasize midrange as well to compensate the midrange depression.
 
*also note that most people who own have a th900 probably already have a hd800, and probably has the correct gear to control the treble harshness

 

[up late]

Am with woodcans. Probably your source / amp combo with your personal tastes and tolerances. TH900 have not missed a beat from shop demo to ownership. Treble fine even with over-produced Asian pop known for hot treble. If you did not like from first listen should have trusted your ears enough not to buy. In my own research as posted on the forum demoed the HD800 (x2) and T1 alongside TH900 and very happy with choice. That does not invalidate T1 or HD800 at all. Different strokes for different folks.

couldn't audition the th900 before buying but wanted to try it based on this thread and to compare it to the w3000anv. the plan was to keep the one i like the most and sell the other so no biggie. not as sure as you and woodcans are that the problem is with my sources coz it's unique to the th900 - imo, fwiw, ymmv, we all hear differently, yada yada.

 

[woodcans]

couldn't audition the th900 before buying but wanted to try it based on this thread and to compare it to the w3000anv. the plan was to keep the one i like the most and sell the other so no biggie. not as sure as you and woodcans are that the problem is with my sources coz it's unique to the th900 - imo, fwiw, ymmv, we all hear differently, yada yada.

 
 
up late, I am going to eat my words. Haven't read through the last 24 hours of this thread, but I know this. Last night I listened to my 900's with the ZX1-m8-tu05 combo. Tonight I am listening with iPhone 5s-m8-tu05-900.
 
My admisssion: the former combo actually sounded slightly to moderately bright. The iphone combo strangely does not. Synergy at work is my conclusion. My apologies for any and all rudeness.
 
-wc

 

[up late]

no drama bro. it's still a mighty impressive can.

 

[Jeff Y]

I really love the build of these headphones and the tight bass but the bass is too much and highs got too much sparkle for me.

 

[quantx]

  I really love the build of these headphones and the tight bass but the bass is too much and highs got too much sparkle for me.

If TH900 sparks too much highs, HD800 must have been piercing your tympanons. 

 

[Jeff Y]

love the HD800 but I'm a HD650 guy <3

 

[hekeli]

  If TH900 sparks too much highs, HD800 must have been piercing your tympanons. 

 
Sparks, brightness, ringing, apples, oranges...
 
TH900 does have some sharpness in the highs, it has been established by many people. HD800 has it's own brightness and peaks. Whether you hear these or they bother you depends on your anatomy and brains. No regrets going HD800, for me it's just generally much more usable..

 

[quantx]

   
Sparks, brightness, ringing, apples, oranges...
 
TH900 does have some sharpness in the highs, it has been established by many people. HD800 has it's own brightness and peaks. Whether you hear these or they bother you depends on your anatomy and brains. No regrets going HD800, for me it's just generally much more usable..

Rotten apples : I used HD800 for a few weeks. Found it mildly appealing at first, then immensely "polite" and finally boring, due to its flattening of layers, mainly with large orchestras (Mahler and so on).
Inferior to my main system (PS1 + ALS1 + Khorns).
TH900 is far above in this respect, much more delicate and nuanced, with a very hierarchised restitution, never losing its way with small details. Too many systems
blow instruments out of proportions, giving people a sense of "cinemascope", where every single instrument is 20 feet tall, totally unrealistic. 

 

[zsolt]

Hi, I have a TH900-Musical Fidelity M1HPA combo. I'd like to to upgrade the amp. I'm a classical music and jazz fun, and prefer less bass quantity, more mids and crisp treble.. Thanks for every tips!!!

 

[Jeff Y]

  Rotten apples : I used HD800 for a few weeks. Found it mildly appealing at first, then immensely "polite" and finally boring, due to its flattening of layers, mainly with large orchestras (Mahler and so on).
Inferior to my main system (PS1 + ALS1 + Khorns).
TH900 is far above in this respect, much more delicate and nuanced, with a very hierarchised restitution, never losing its way with small details. Too many systems
blow instruments out of proportions, giving people a sense of "cinemascope", where every single instrument is 20 feet tall, totally unrealistic. 

Nothing wrong with what you said but I found the TH900 to be rather "unconcentrated" not saying that the bass or anything sounds loose;it's just that the nice yet immense bass doesn't work with the sparkly and unique highs that well. Don't get me wrong, I like the bass and how sparkly the highs are, it's just that sometimes it's too much for my sensitive ears. It's kinda like Grados in my eyes, nothing is wrong with  them but certain characteristics just make them not much good for certain sorts of music. Again, nothing wrong with neither the Fostex or the Grado, I actually have a 325i and listen to it a lot along with others such as the HD650. A HD800, for example would work with almost all sorts of music. I personally don't like the HD800 because they sound a bit drab although the immensely airy sound or the detail is wonderful at times. Maybe it's just me but the TH900 not "THE ideal" headphones to me, frankly I dislike a a little bit. It's rather hard to find something that works perfectly for everyone or else, we'd all be buying the same headphone including everyone on head-fi. Thats kind of what Beats by Dr.Dre fooled the general public into thinking, that they actually sound very nice and look nice too, which I don't think are doing very brilliant for Beats to put it in a polite manner.
 
p.s. I used Graham Slee Solo srg2s for the TH900s and listened to Daft Punk discovery and homework, which all have brilliant bass and other things. I would like to hear what they sound like if I paired the TH900 with a Vioelectric amp which should be able to control the phones because they are somewhat analytic and controlled while the Slees are more musical and warm.

 

[Jeff Y]

Hi, I have a TH900-Musical Fidelity M1HPA combo. I'd like to to upgrade the amp. I'm a classical music and jazz fun, and prefer less bass quantity, more mids and crisp treble.. Thanks for every tips!!!

 
You should give the Vioelectric amps a chance, they can be integrated a DAC too if you pay extra I think. Give them a listen for long periods though, they don't sound all that great with some headphone. Vioelectrics are pretty neutral and analytic, so should do brilliantly with the TH900. I didn't bring the vioelectric amp with me when I went to the headphone shop I went to so can't say too much about what they acutally sound like. also, I actually forget the model names so you should take a look around. Hope this helps

 

[kurochin]

The V200 is great with the TH600/900, but it's still U-shaped in it's presentation, so the midrange will still be recessed.

Soundstage is a bit small, but the great thing about the V200 is the tube-like way it attenuates the highs. You probably lose some treble detail, but you gain that slight bit of "wetness" when compared to most solid-state amps in that price bracket.

Bass extension and kick is very good though, and the way it drives the sub-bass is quite unique.

It's not a sound you'll instantly fall in-love with, especially when comparing it to an amp with a more "exciting" presentation, like a Burson for instance, but in the long-run the V200 is probably more live-able (provided you like recessed mids like I do), simply because it's not as fatiguing with the treble.

The best compliment I can give the V200 is that it's the most un-German sounding German amp I've heard.
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