[Mkoll]

Can't speak directly on that comparison. But I will say the TH-900 has very little bass bleed. It's some of the cleanest, controlled and most impactful bass you'll find on headphones.

It's V-shaped tonally though. So though the bass doesn't bleed into the mids, the mids can sound somewhat recessed against the background of strong bass and treble.

 

[Scott Branham]

I'm sure this has been discussed before but I'm not willing to read through over 1000 pages. Anyway... How much does does the balance of th900 differ from ah-d5000?

Thing is that people always talk about bass and highs with Denon/fostex headphones. On d5000 I find the bloated bass quite annoying and supposedly harsh highs don't disturb me at all. I love d5000 for mids. Does th900 suffer from same bass bleed as d5000 does? I'mo d5000 pushes in bass when it is not called for. Jvc dx1000 does it a lot better having omnipresent bass that is always there but never excessive.

I have the 5K, 7K, and the 900. I don't find the 5K to be bloated. I do find it to have a warmer signature though. Are you using an amp? Mp3 files? Lossless? I currently pair mine with a Deckard and they all sing VERY well. Thr 7K and 900 do widen things out farther than the 5K. It is a little more compact, but sometimes I can forget which pair I have on. As far as the 900, I find its magic in the sub-bass. I like the overall bass of the 7K the best. It just seems so perfectly placed and with killer slam and impact. The 900 produces the sub-bass just a little better in EDM but the 7K just covers more genres for loveable bass while also doing an excellent job in the sub as well. The 5K just lacks a little definition to me, but really only noticeable when I want to drive it really hard. The 7K handles the gas when you floor it. You might want to just try one of the many well documented mods for it. You have a killer set of cans!

 

[Roderick]

. I don't find the 5K to be bloated. I do find it to have a warmer signature though. Are you using an amp? Mp3 files? Lossless?

FLAC/Spotify and with and without amp. I'm sure the mods would help. I't can clearly be heard that the main issue is sound waves bouncing around inside the cups. Bass just lingers around longer than I'd like. I't always amazes me why manufacturers are so reluctant to use damping materials.

 

[DamageInc77]

My right-side driver in my TH900 MK2 just failed after 7 months of use. Let's hope Thomann can take care of this.

And now over a month later they are finally sending them back to me from Fostex's repair center in Germany. Still no repair notes though. I've missed them a lot and really hope they are fixed properly.

 

[bflat]

My 2 year run with TH900 MKII is at an end. My aging ears are wanting more neutral. I've traded my TH900 for Focal Clear. Thanks to all for the impressions and help. I do have Lawton pads and a balanced XLR cable for the MK II that I listed on classified:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/fs-lawton-angled-pads-for-fostex-denon-emu-headphones.872322/

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/fs-balanced-xlr-cable-for-fostex-th900-mkii.872323/

 

[Zojokkeli]

My 2 year run with TH900 MKII is at an end. My aging ears are wanting more neutral. I've traded my TH900 for Focal Clear. Thanks to all for the impressions and help. I do have Lawton pads and a balanced XLR cable for the MK II that I listed on classified:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/fs-lawton-angled-pads-for-fostex-denon-emu-headphones.872322/

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/fs-balanced-xlr-cable-for-fostex-th900-mkii.872323/

How do the Clears compare to TH900s?

 

[Zojokkeli]

By the way, anyone know where to find replacement stock pads or Dekoni pads in EU?

My original pads from 2014 are long due for replacement, and I'd prefer to avoid customs fees etc. if possible.

 

[jmills8]

My 2 year run with TH900 MKII is at an end. My aging ears are wanting more neutral. I've traded my TH900 for Focal Clear. Thanks to all for the impressions and help. I do have Lawton pads and a balanced XLR cable for the MK II that I listed on classified:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/fs-lawton-angled-pads-for-fostex-denon-emu-headphones.872322/

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/fs-balanced-xlr-cable-for-fostex-th900-mkii.872323/

The Clear is really bad.

 

[jmills8]

How do the Clears compare to TH900s?

The Clear is worse than the utopia.

 

[up late]

^ lol! impartial advice is always welcome.

i haven't heard the clear but i do own the utopia. it has a more balanced fr than the th900 imo but that doesn't make me think any less of the th900.

 

[bflat]

How do the Clears compare to TH900s?

If you love the TH900, then the Clear may indeed sound "really bad". Unfortunately for me, my hearing is getting more sensitive to frequencies above 6 kHz and I found myself applying more and more EQ to the TH900 to where they no longer sounded like the TH900. The Clear will sound dull compared to TH900 and of course won't have the quantity and quality of the low end. The only area where I think Clear is better are the mids which are more lush and forward compared to TH900. So yeah, Clear is basically what TH900 are not. Comfort wise, hands down TH900 wins along with aesthetics imho. It was a tough call, but the right one for me.

 

[montanari]

By the way, anyone know where to find replacement stock pads or Dekoni pads in EU?

My original pads from 2014 are long due for replacement, and I'd prefer to avoid customs fees etc. if possible.

https://www.electromod.co.uk/dekoni-audio/
But I bought them from eBay saving 10eur

 

[sheridant]

I can't remember which well known contributor it was, but in a review of the Campfire Audio Vegas, he had mentioned they were "the TH900 of IEMs". You may want to check those out.

bflat - you are a legend - the vega's are a perfect portable th900 - not quite in the same league - but so close - amazing considering they are an iem - thank you

 

[baiyy1986]

Anyone knows where to buy a pair of Fostex th900/600 plastic era cup rings?
I change my ear pads and find out both the ring is a broken tooth in the same spot.

 

[DamageInc77]

Anyone knows where to buy a pair of Fostex th900/600 plastic era cup rings?
I change my ear pads and find out both the ring is a broken tooth in the same spot.

I would also very much like some info on this. Would make pad swapping so much easier.