[germay0653]

  I wish this misconception regarding bass intruding into the mids would be finally kicked to the curb. The TH900 bass never smears or overruns into the mids like most closed "audiophile" junk HPs such as the Sony Z7, in fact it has a recession in the low-mids to help avoid this problem (which brings a different set of issues regarding vocal richness but I digress). This is why the TH900 can be spacious and well separated for large scale orchestras, instrumentals and the like. However I do agree that the sub-bass can be too loud relative to the midrange for some music to the point of distraction, which is easily remedied by EQ'ing down the bass. The TH900 takes EQ like a champ in the bass regions in both directions due to its excellent distortion characteristics.

It also depends on the quality of the recording.  Better recordings, 16bit / 44.1kHz included, exhibit less blur/smear across the entire frequency spectrum and the TH900 sounds all that much better.  Garbage In, garbage out applies here.

 

[AppleheadMay]

 
It also depends on the quality of the recording.  Better recordings, 16bit / 44.1kHz included, exhibit less blur/smear across the entire frequency spectrum and the TH900 sounds all that much better.  Garbage In, garbage out applies here.

Doesn't that apply everywhere?

 

[germay0653]

  Doesn't that apply everywhere?

Pretty much!  I'm just supporting Kyle 491's statement: "I wish this misconception regarding bass intruding into the mids would be finally kicked to the curb.". 
 
I know it's a Captain Obvious comment but quality is needed for both the recording and the transducer.  My point being, some people may not listen to high quality recordings and it's not going to sound good regardless of how good the transducer is.  It may lead some to believe the TH900's bass does intrude into the mids when it's, in fact, the recording and not the TH900.

 

[up late]

i agree with kyle

 

[fuzzybaffy]

I definitely agree the mids are recessed, but I don't think it has to do with the bass smearing into the mids. I find the bass to be pretty clean, TBH, with very little "stuffiness" that you get with that mid-bass hump (like I did with the old Grado RS-1, IIRC). 

 

[up late]

the midrange is recessed. that is beyond dispute. every fr measurement i've seen shows the dip in the low-mids that kyle4491 refers to. some folks notice it more than others, however. it can also be a challenge to accurately describe what we are actually hearing as opposed to what we mistakenly think we are hearing.

 

[thatonenoob]

the midrange is recessed. that is beyond dispute. every fr measurement i've seen shows the dip in the low-mids that kyle4491 refers to. some folks notice it more than others, however. it can also be a challenge to accurately describe what we are actually hearing as opposed to what we mistakenly think we are hearing.

Agreed. I think descriptions relative to other headphones may help in regard to the latter issue, though it will only be effective up to the extent of each listener's sonic preferences and perceptions. Coming from the T1, I do think that the mids, while being recessed, are not as severely hampered as what one may initially expect. This being most likely due to the TH900's good separation and fairly detailed sound. The way I'd personally describe it is more of a bass emphasis than a mid recession. I know this sounds like a glass is half empty vs being half full kind of deal, but it is more nuanced than that in the sense that it isn't so much of a loss in mid range performance as it is a conscious decision to boost lower frequency presence.

Just my take on this.

EDIT: to fix some spelling errors on mobile.

 

[up late]

i hear the midrange as somewhat recessed and the bass as boosted. the extent of which can vary depending on the recording that i'm listening to or if i'm comparing the th900 to other cans. and like the midrange dip, the bass boost also appears on every fr chart that i've seen.

 

[AppleheadMay]

  I wish this misconception regarding bass intruding into the mids would be finally kicked to the curb. The TH900 bass never smears or overruns into the mids like most closed "audiophile" junk HPs such as the Sony Z7, in fact it has a recession in the low-mids to help avoid this problem (which brings a different set of issues regarding vocal richness but I digress). This is why the TH900 can be spacious and well separated for large scale orchestras, instrumentals and the like. However I do agree that the sub-bass can be too loud relative to the midrange for some music to the point of distraction, which is easily remedied by EQ'ing down the bass. The TH900 takes EQ like a champ in the bass regions in both directions due to its excellent distortion characteristics.

 
It also depends on the quality of the recording.  Better recordings, 16bit / 44.1kHz included, exhibit less blur/smear across the entire frequency spectrum and the TH900 sounds all that much better.  Garbage In, garbage out applies here.

 
Pretty much!  I'm just supporting Kyle 491's statement: "I wish this misconception regarding bass intruding into the mids would be finally kicked to the curb.". 
 
I know it's a Captain Obvious comment but quality is needed for both the recording and the transducer.  My point being, some people may not listen to high quality recordings and it's not going to sound good regardless of how good the transducer is.  It may lead some to believe the TH900's bass does intrude into the mids when it's, in fact, the recording and not the TH900.

 
 
I'm supporting his statement as well. Misread yours.
I was under the impression that before people posted impressions of phones would have at tried it least with different genres and different qualities of  recording (be it the in-studio recording/mastering quality or the file). From 16/44 on is indeed fine. 

 

[thatonenoob]

Just spent some time listening to Enya and I don't think I've ever heard Orinoco Flow in quite the same where.  The bass goes deep, like a proper ocean.

 

[Whazzzup]

 
I wish this misconception regarding bass intruding into the mids would be finally kicked to the curb. The TH900 bass never smears or overruns into the mids like most closed "audiophile" junk HPs such as the Sony Z7, in fact it has a recession in the low-mids to help avoid this problem (which brings a different set of issues regarding vocal richness but I digress). This is why the TH900 can be spacious and well separated for large scale orchestras, instrumentals and the like. However I do agree that the sub-bass can be too loud relative to the midrange for some music to the point of distraction, which is easily remedied by EQ'ing down the bass. The TH900 takes EQ like a champ in the bass regions in both directions due to its excellent distortion characteristics.

 


It also depends on the quality of the recording.  Better recordings, 16bit / 44.1kHz included, exhibit less blur/smear across the entire frequency spectrum and the TH900 sounds all that much better.  Garbage In, garbage out applies here.

 


Pretty much!  I'm just supporting Kyle 491's statement: "I wish this misconception regarding bass intruding into the mids would be finally kicked to the curb.". 

I know it's a Captain Obvious comment but quality is needed for both the recording and the transducer.  My point being, some people may not listen to high quality recordings and it's not going to sound good regardless of how good the transducer is.  It may lead some to believe the TH900's bass does intrude into the mids when it's, in fact, the recording and not the TH900.

I'm supporting his statement as well. Misread yours.
I was under the impression that before people posted impressions of phones would have at tried it least with different genres and different qualities of  recording (be it the in-studio recording/mastering quality or the file). From 16/44 on is indeed fine. 

Yes in my case 32/384. Multiple genres multiple sq qualities. Its not a smear in the low end. I described it as fast. I think up late and i concur bass is boosted and mids recessed a tad.
As i stated the th900 is unbeatable in certain music styles and certain instruments. Its not a balanced sound however. The mids is where the magic happends, with the 900 its the bass. The more equipment i test, the more i have come to realize that this hobby involves preference. Th900 is a fine closed can, but it has its limitations and strengths. No doubt a keeper for me.

 

[goldendarko]

Anyone know where to get 2.5mm balanced cable for the TH-900 mk2?

 

[AnakChan]

Anyone know where to get 2.5mm balanced cable for the TH-900 mk2?

Something like this??

http://www.itmedia.co.jp/lifestyle/articles/1602/03/news122.html
 
Basically it's just a FitEar connector that plugs into the TH-900Mk2 :-
 

 

[remilio]

Does anyone have information about black "limited edition" th900? https://hi-tech.mail.ru/review/fostex-th900-headphones/
 
I found them being sold in Russia only, no info anywhere except Russian resources. It seems strange to me. But this piano black finish looks SICK.

 

[up late]

that's news to me