[quantx]

  When listening to the TH-900, if I get the impression that it's making my music sound a bit too clean and polite for my liking, if I decided to do a sidestep to something like the Sennheiser HD800, might I still get a similar kind of feeling with those headphones?

I had both.
HD 800 for a month or so. 
First impression (always crucial) : subpar but fast. Harsh highs, constrained mids, tight (but dry) bass.
Second impression : elegant presentation, but everything seems on the same plane, soundstage is reasonably wide, but relatively flat, no depth, no height.
Third impression : all in all, boring (think a polite dinner in a bourgeois family, quite educated, yawn… Nothing exciting.
Out
 
TH900 
First impression (always crucial) : luscious and generous, fast, but always smooth and delineated. Airy highs, mids perfectly balanced and organically linked to highs and bass (no hard steps between phases, like HD800, think speakers problems with awkward cuts between mid, tweeter and woofer), and large bass, multilayered.
Second impression : after two weeks. Quite organic, a bath of music with many subtle details, very good placement of instruments. 
Third impression : a lots of discovery to come in the realm of sounds. Quite exciting.
Still in 

 

[zsolt]

Is the Musical Fidelity M1 HPAp a good amp pairing for TH900?
thanks

 

[woodcans]

The TH900 has been with me for about 4 months now, yet during this period, I have listened very little to them. I had found them to sound too full on, having an over exaggerated bloated bass, and a lot of edginess in the highs. I have tried them with a variety of amps, and they tend to make the TH900 from an extreme V to a U shaped pair of headphones. Ultimately, quite fun for 15 minutes but alas, I was enjoying other headphones quite a lot more.

This week, I bought a Leben 300xs on a whim. It was primarily a stop gap from being bored as I await my stat amps. I had anticipated using the Leben for the HD800. It does indeed sound very good with the HD800 except the low level hum between tracks. It is acceptable but it would be better without.

When the Leben arrived I had placed it on my bedside table, plugged in a SPC powercord and used the RWAK 120-S as source via my 3.5mm to RCA cable. As mentioned above, the HD800 was the first pair of headphones plugged in. Seeing that the Leben is single ended only I decided to try the TH900 which has been sitting in my drawer for months...................

What a revelation!

I could not believe I was listening to my TH900. The bass was still a little emphasized but not the bloated over bearing type that I contended with previously. The mids were now fleshed out and had presence and solidity. Highs more rounded. Well previous listening sessions were 15 mins, this time 8 hours straight with breaks for dinner. So, in the last couple of days I have been listening primarily to the TH900.

Last night, as I am rearranging my components, I decided to move the Leben to my desktop. I changed out the SPC power cord to a silver gold one. Placed Shun Mook Feet underneath. Still using the RWAK 120-S as source until I am in possession of a longer RCA interconnect.  




With the changes to power cord and adding the Shun Mook feet, bass has improved significantly being a lot tighter and with a much higher degree of control. The mids has maintained it's solidity but is now more resolving, portraying a better sense of subtleties and nuances. Vocals are now so involving! Highs are more detailed, now with added smoothness. 

In a nutshell, the combination is brilliant! 

Glad you have found an amp to properly drive your 900's, I am still loving my pair. Have you tried the 900's with the tu-05 yet?

 

[WNBC]

Since this is the impression thread figured I'd throw in my first TH-900 impressions on Day 1.  Impression could change over time.  
 
A fellow Head-fier generously loaned me his TH-900 and V200.  This pairing is very good.  Much better than the TH-900 and my Decware tube amps, which in my opinion do not shine with an efficient headphone like the TH-900.  It's not terrible but the background hum and hiss are distracting.  I also may need to roll the right combination of tubes.  
 
I had the TH-600 in the past so I am somewhat familiar with the Fostex dynamic line of headphones.  The TH-900 mids are bit more recessed than I normally like but that's expected from a guy who has enjoyed and preferred planars like the LCD-2, HE-500, etc.  For small trio jazz, I prefer my HD-800 and Alpha Dog.  Those headphones just do string instruments to my likings.  Tone, body, and timbre for guitar sounds more natural to me on the HD-800.  I might even pick the TH-600 over the TH-900.  I don't have enough memory recall to determine whether the TH-900 is better at detail retrieval and imaging than the TH-600.  Definitely in the area of bass the TH-900 has more rumble and impact.  TH-900 has very good resolution, probably better than the Alpha Dog, but to be fair my Dog is out on load right now so I can't directly compare.  
 
TH-900 is pretty decent with classical.  I do think the HD-800 is on a different level when it comes to classical because of it's speed, air, transparency, detail, and soundstage.  And I have to return to strings again.  For me, a violin sounds better on a HD-800.  Not to say it is not enjoyable on a TH-900.  We all have our preferences and I'm no violinist         
 
With all said, if I had to pick only one headphone I may go to the TH-900 because it is probably more versatile than the HD800 in regards to music genres.  While I may give the HD800 an "A" grade for jazz and classical the TH-900 is not far off, A-/B+.  For vocals, the TH-900 has more body and less harsh presentation which is great for female vocals.  The warm-ish V200 amp may be imparting some of its own magic on the sound.         
 
I eventually will be returning these TH-900 to the original owner.  As of right now I wouldn't go out and buy a TH-900 but my appreciation could change as I listen to this headphone more.  Lets see what happens on Day 7.  Gotta respect the TH-900 and I can hear why it is a flagship headphone.  With the right combination of amp and DAC I can imagine this TH-900 is a beast.   
 
Anybody else using the V200 with the TH-900 and enjoy it?  

 

[kurochin]

Is the Musical Fidelity M1 HPAp a good amp pairing for TH900?

 
This member talked about the M1HPAP while reviewing other amps;
http://www.head-fi.org/products/burson-audio-soloist-sl-headphone-amplifier/reviews/9888
He said the TH900 "comes alive" with it, though you'll have to take his other amps of reference into account, I suppose. I have no experience with Musical Fidelity products, so can't comment.
 
 

  Anybody else using the V200 with the TH-900 and enjoy it?  

 
I got a used V200 for the TH600 in my office a couple of weeks ago, but I did bring it home for a couple of days to test with the TH900 as well. It's great if you like warmer, bassy presentations. Soundstage isn't the biggest and you lose a bit of treble detail, but it gives nice body to notes and vocals. Sure, there are better amp pairings for the TH series headphones, but in that price range the V200 is a very decent choice, imho, provided the other parts of your chain (DAC) are a good match for it.

 

[Moonhead]

I already have HD800 in my stable, but needs something more forgiving.
How does TH900 handle poorly master records? 
- sorry if these has already been answered.

 

[quantx]

Will soon receive two other amps : Trafo Head One and Bakoon 21. Impatient am I to feed TH900 with these two.

 

[bmichels]

  Will soon receive two other amps : Trafo Head One and Bakoon 21. Impatient am I to feed TH900 with these two.

Impatient we are to hear your comments on thoses amps paired with TH-900

 

[m2man]

Don't forget the Zana Deux. It's tubey with the TH-900 but the sound just envelops you.

 

[bmichels]

And don't forget the square paper TU-05 tube transportable Amp. It is small but has an increadible synergy with the TH-900. I love mine with my TH-900 and ... Thanks to it I can carry my complete set-up everywhere

 

[evolutionx]

And don't forget the square paper TU-05 tube transportable Amp. It is small but has an increadible synergy with the TH-900. I love mine with my TH-900 and ... Thanks to it I can carry my complete set-up everywhere

+1.  Totally agree with the synergy of TU-05 and TH900.   Very enjoyable sound coming from this combo, especially well recorded jazz and vocals/acoustic tracks.
 

 

[snapple10]

  I already have HD800 in my stable, but needs something more forgiving.
How does TH900 handle poorly master records? 
- sorry if these has already been answered.

 
I can tell you I still enjoy TH900 with my crappy mp3 , guess I am not an audiophile

steaming off MOG etc but when feeding it with better files, shines all the same
 
 
from a Denon  and now TH900/600 fan

 

[quantx]

  Impatient we are to hear your comments on thoses amps paired with TH-900

 
I bet you are not as much as me…

 

  +1.  Totally agree with the synergy of TU-05 and TH900.   Very enjoyable sound coming from this combo, especially well recorded jazz and vocals/acoustic tracks.
 

This one is next on my foolish things to do list.

 

[quantx]

   
 
TH-900 is pretty decent with classical.  I do think the HD-800 is on a different level when it comes to classical because of it's speed, air, transparency, detail, and soundstage.  And I have to return to strings again.  For me, a violin sounds better on a HD-800.  Not to say it is not enjoyable on a TH-900.  We all have our preferences and I'm no violinist         
 
 

Quite the opposite in my ears : classical sounded constrained with a SPL Phonitor (neutral champ), every note, every pulpit progressing like little soldiers in a row,
no soul. And violin sounded with much acidity.
With TH900 paired with AK100 (a quite basic match), violin sounds silky soft, light and airy. Think Francescati versus Heifetz. I buy Francescati any time. Heifetz
gives me headache.

 

[WNBC]

I am little confused here about the comparisons.  You tried the V200 + TH-900 or V200 + HD800?  This is the combo I am referring to in my post.  I've only tried the TH-900 with the V200 so it could easily get much better (or worse) with different amps.  Also, my collection of classical is not huge so I'm by no means a classical recording expert.  Far from it.  I'm just getting into the classical realm.
 
Quote:

  Quite the opposite in my ears : classical sounded constrained with a SPL Phonitor (neutral champ), every note, every pulpit progressing like little soldiers in a row,
no soul. And violin sounded with much acidity.
 
With TH900 paired with AK100 (a quite basic match), violin sounds silky soft, light and airy. Think Francescati versus Heifetz. I buy Francescati any time. Heifetz
gives me headache.