[zolkis]

What mods do you have on your TH900?

 
Cups damping changed, the foam damper ring replaced to wool felt of appropriate density, make, thickness and diameters, the earpads stuffing replaced with carbon foam (and became more shallow).
http://www.head-fi.org/t/763965/fostex-th900-mods
Measurements included, but the subjective change big - they play in a different league now (as the local Audeze dealer said).
 

  I haven't heard the Elear but I own the Utopia and if the Elear were anything like the Utopia in the mids department then it's pretty surprising that the TH900 mids are much better than Elear. I'd say mids aren't the strongest point on the TH900 unless it's on a super nice tube setup

 
I say there is more mids with the modded TH900 (sounds more open) and they are also better mids (sounds more transparent, more clear, and tonally sufficiently pleasing). The TH900 problems still persist: the 500 Hz notch, and another in the upper midrange. The Elear has a notch there too (check measurements on the other sites), and in addition it sounds more muddy. It really does. I point to the earpads as a culprit. I really wonder how the Elear would sound with the Utopia pads.
 
Quote:

As far as Utopia goes, I've spent a lot of time with it and besides the bass department they are in another league, as they should be at that price point. It is super suprising that you would have a hard time choosing between the TH900 and Utopia (ignoring price of course 

)

 
The hard time came from personal factors. The Utopia is not as good (for me) so that it could replace my Stax. Then, since I already have reference type headphones, my other wish is having a fun headphone (and closed at that). The Utopia is both reference and fun (except one thing), but the TH900 is much more fun, as it maintains bass energy an octave deeper with shattering bass, whereas the Utopia has a more neutral and reference type of bass, of which I already have better with Stax phones. In the mids the Utopia is better, of course, mainly because my TH900 is still colored - but it has a softer, yet very clear midrange. Overall though, the my (modded) TH900 kept up well with the Utopia - it did not really lose details, transparency, instruments ambience, anything, the Utopia was just more right with them. For the record, I tried with classical, instrumental, electronica, electric guitar + bass, etc and I am pretty sure about my testing methods.
 
The strength of the Utopia is the total package: it is nicely balanced, and truly reference quality, apart from that one thing, the hardness in the midrange (when compared to Stax), which is unfortunately a showstopper for me. I am too sensitive to that, perhaps. One could say it's the upstream electronics, but no, I know very well the beryllium sound from my former speakers, and it's the same type of hardness, it's a property of the driver and not the amps or sources. Of course, you can compensate that with sweet sounding tube amps and sources, and get to a very nice sounding total package, as I did with the speakers and c-j monoblocks, but still didn't solve the problem completely.

 

[zolkis]

   
Utopia is one of the best. My cup of tea is my cup of tea, but muddiness is muddiness. I just don't brew tea with mud. 

 
The Utopia is not muddy at all, it is crystal clear (I wish it was a bit less of that). The Elear is muddy, compared to some more open sounding headphones.

 

[zolkis]

I compared the TH900 and Utopia in my review of the Utopias. In short, the Utopia is far and away the superior headphone as it should be at about 3 times the price. That being said, i did still prefer the TH900 for EDM & Electronica, nothing beats them in those genres IMO.

 
I think that is a fair statement, especially with the stock TH900 (what we ought to talk about anyway). 
 
However, the TH900 has the potential. I don't say the community mods make fix it completely, they don't, but improve it enough that it is comparable to that headphone 3 times the price.
 
To the Elear's defense, I think I could make it sound better than the modded TH900 (perhaps except the deepest bass) - it also has the potential.
 
To the Utopia's defense, I heard midrange hardness even with the HE1000 (when compared to Stax), albeit at a higher frequency range. If someone is not allergic to that, enjoy that otherwise excellent headphone.
 
Of course people should judge for themselves, all I say it is recommended to also listen to a Stax 009, or 007 even out of a transformer box (not speaking about the BHSE or T2), before buying an Utopia.

 

[Oregonian]

  Please answer my questions... I need some significance reasons to feel confident on saving some more cash to upgrade my gear..
 
I love my TH600, does TH900 will be worth upgrade?
 
what's the significant difference between these two?

I've owned them both along with all 3 of the old school Denon's (MD2000, MD5000 and LA7000) - to my 55 year old ears any difference with the TH900 and TH600 was very minimal to me.  The only significant difference is the look of the cups and the price.  Mind you, my TH900 was Lawton modded by Mark himself as well. 
 
Again, this is my opinion and my experience.  To be honest, to me my LA7000 is the best of the bunch.........fully modded with Q French Silk cable, Thai Teak cups and Lawton angle pads as well as his damping kit (which MarkL installed for me).  I still own the LA7000.

 

[twiceboss]

 
I've owned them both along with all 3 of the old school Denon's (MD2000, MD5000 and LA7000) - to my 55 year old ears any difference with the TH900 and TH600 was very minimal to me.  The only significant difference is the look of the cups and the price.  Mind you, my TH900 was Lawton modded by Mark himself as well. 
 
Again, this is my opinion and my experience.  To be honest, to me my LA7000 is the best of the bunch.........fully modded with Q French Silk cable, Thai Teak cups and Lawton angle pads as well as his damping kit (which MarkL installed for me).  I still own the LA7000.

If it's very minimal, i dont think it's a good upgrade for me since i dont want to spend so much but with a little improvements.
 
Thank you!
 
Why LA7000
is better?

 

[qua2k]

 
I've owned them both along with all 3 of the old school Denon's (MD2000, MD5000 and LA7000) - to my 55 year old ears any difference with the TH900 and TH600 was very minimal to me.  The only significant difference is the look of the cups and the price.  Mind you, my TH900 was Lawton modded by Mark himself as well. 
 
Again, this is my opinion and my experience.  To be honest, to me my LA7000 is the best of the bunch.........fully modded with Q French Silk cable, Thai Teak cups and Lawton angle pads as well as his damping kit (which MarkL installed for me).  I still own the LA7000.

 
Fellow Oregonian, *wave*
 
I just picked up my TH900mk2 in August, doubt I will be modding them any time soon - still enjoying them too much. I am seriously interested in the mod scene as I have a custom rosewood Grado pair that I really love for live soundboard rock concerts.

 

[MacedonianHero]

   
The Utopia is not muddy at all, it is crystal clear (I wish it was a bit less of that). The Elear is muddy, compared to some more open sounding headphones.

Totally agreed here. They are the closest to pushing my SR-009s for absolute clarity and fall just behind for me, but get closer than every other headphone I've heard.

 

[greenback]

Electronic music is my main genre so the TH900 is great for that. I did buy the Elear and they are really great too for just about everything else. They aren't bad for EDM, but they aren't as fun as the TH900s.

 

[tgh5000]

Someone please help me out. I borrowed my friend's TH900 and Grace amp. They are still with me. I have HD598 for my own. As I come back from TH900 to HD598, it feels like there is a blanket between my ear and the drivers of HD598. Honestly, my first feeling was as if I am using a $1 earphone from Dollar Tree. What I know, TH900 has ruined me forever.
 
I will buy TH900 at some point. But I cannot afford it right now. Is there any other headphones within $300 range that will keep me satisfied for a year or two? Thanks.

 

[twiceboss]

  Someone please help me out. I borrowed my friend's TH900 and Grace amp. They are still with me. I have HD598 for my own. As I come back from TH900 to HD598, it feels like there is a blanket between my ear and the drivers of HD598. Honestly, my first feeling was as if I am using a $1 earphone from Dollar Tree. What I know, TH900 has ruined me forever.
 
I will buy TH900 at some point. But I cannot afford it right now. Is there any other headphones within $300 range that will keep me satisfied for a year or two? Thanks.

save more money and get used TH600 instead

 

[twiceboss]

  save more money and get used TH600 instead

a used TH600 i mean

 

[up late]

thx00/e-mu

 

[twiceboss]

If u get used to the airy soundstage, th600 is better

 

[greenback]

If u get used to the airy soundstage, th600 is better

Compared to the TH900? I'm listening to them right now after just listening to the same song with the Elear and EL-8C and the sound stage sounds amazing. Maybe the Elear is better, but all the sound is also much closer. I was listening to Infected Mushroom - Nutmeg and on the TH900 it's absolutely breathtaking. 
 
I would say that the TH900 are my favorite headphones ever with the Elear a close second. The Audeze are a bit of a disappointment, but it's nice to have some planar headphones to listen to as they do bring something to the table. I will probably sell them and upgrade to a better planar in the future, but honestly I don't think anything can beat the TH900s for electronic music.

 

[twiceboss]

Compared to the TH900? I'm listening to them right now after just listening to the same song with the Elear and EL-8C and the sound stage sounds amazing. Maybe the Elear is better, but all the sound is also much closer. I was listening to Infected Mushroom - Nutmeg and on the TH900 it's absolutely breathtaking. 

I would say that the TH900 are my favorite headphones ever with the Elear a close second. The Audeze are a bit of a disappointment, but it's nice to have some planar headphones to listen to as they do bring something to the table. I will probably sell them and upgrade to a better planar in the future, but honestly I don't think anything can beat the TH900s for electronic music.

That one is for suggestion for the previous comment. Oh btw, which one has the biggest soundstage?