[namaiki]

Quote:

 
Check the price out for the TH900 on www.pricejapan.com 

Thanks. That is the same price I can get if I purchase locally as well, but it's nearly twice as much as the other headphones that I'm considering.

 

[David1961]

At the UK head-fi meeting, the two headphones that impressed me the most were, HE-6 and TH900. I did listen to the LCD-2 but the bass was too much for me. I found the bass on the TH900 was quite deep but I enjoyed it. The one thing that's slightly putting me off getting the TH900 is the fixed cable and I've never seen it with a four pin XLR. If the cable was interchangeable like with the Hifiman + HD800 + LCD's then that would be the headphone I'd go for. I think I'll wait to see if Fostex start doing that with the TH900.

 

[preproman]

Quote:

I think I'll wait to see if Fostex start doing that with the TH900.

 
 
They most likely won't.  However, if your brave enough you can get them re cabled to what ever you want.  I would.

 

[David1961]

Quote:

 
 
They most likely won't.  However, if your brave enough you can get them re cabled to what ever you want.  I would.

 
 I do know someone in the UK that could do the recabling but I don't like the thought of having to pay the extra cost in order for that to happen, but if Fostex were build the headphones that way in the first place I wouldn't have to rely on someone else to do it. I have however sent an email to Fostex Japan mentioning about doing such a thing, but I've only just sent that email so it'll be interesting what their reply is, assuming they do.

 

[rgs9200m]

Recabling is a gamble. On my Audezes and HD800s it took several tries to get cables I really liked, and this was only practical because they are detachable.
I would never be a guinea pig experimenting with something as pricey (and delicate) as the TH900s unless I was Donald Trump and could order a half dozen pairs w/o thinking.

 

[AnakChan]

Quote:

Recabling is a gamble. On my Audezes and HD800s it took several tries to get cables I really liked, and this was only practical because they are detachable.
I would never be a guinea pig experimenting with something as pricey (and delicate) as the TH900s unless I was Donald Trump and could order a half dozen pairs w/o thinking.

 
Usually manufacturers could install a detachable cable so the original cable could still be used. However the only mod I've seen offered for the TH-900 is Moon Audio of which only hardwired is offered. As such this is risky as you've mentioned. If a detachable cable option was offered, I'd be more willing to give it a shot.

 

[David1961]

I would prefer it if the cable was detachable then any cable could be used, but the thing I'd like is for the cable to have either a four pin XLR or twin three pin XLR plugs. The amp I'm getting is the new GS-X which has all three of the headphone sockets but I'd sooner be using one of the XLR's.

 

[songmic]

I would definitely not attempt to recable my TH900. Usually, people recable stock headphones for many reasons, but one of the most common reasons is to use it as a balanced setup. I would understand many high-end headphones driven in balanced mode, such as LCD-2 or HE-6, because balanced amps give out much more power for such demanding headphones. However, the TH900 is a highly sensitive headphone with a wide soundstage from the start, so a balanced amp may be overkill. Given TH900's specs, some engineers actually advised against using the TH900 in balanced mode.
 
Even if you're looking forward to upgrade TH900 single-ended, the TH900 wouldn't scale much higher with better cables - besides, the stock cable is already top notch, one of the finest stock cables for a headphone I've ever seen. Modifying the TH900 itself just for experimenting with cables is too risky, I must say.

 

[AnakChan]

Although I won't actually do it, I am particularly curious on how the TH-900 would sound balanced - as such that would be my primary motivation of cable change rather than the cable material itself. As for snipping the current cable, it looks too nice to do so 

.

 

[hubsand]

@David1961: must have been our TH900 you tried at the UK show! They certainly surprised us in comparison to the LCD3 and Grado PS1000.
 
We've been thinking about the cable issue, too - and are speaking to Fostex UK about the possibility of a socketed version rather than recabling them 'surgically' for customers.
 
However, as well as the cost of the cable upgrade, it's worth bearing in mind that the extra connectors are going to be lossy, too . . . as songmic says, the stock lead seems pretty good - and is beneficially hard-wired: best connector = no connector.
 
I don't know of a more sensitive high-end headphone than the TH900: when demming them against the LCD3, in order to level match them we had to jump 3x 3dB steps on the Burson Soloist's attenuator, and hop from medium to high output. It's pretty undemanding and therefore may not benefit hugely from balanced operation.

 

[David1961]

Quote:

@David1961: must have been our TH900 you tried at the UK show

 
Yes it was me at the UK meeting that tried the TH900. Out of the headphones I listened to, it was the TH900 and HE-6 that impressed me the most, but comfort wise the TH900 was the comfiest + I liked it's BQ. I was keen on using the balanced socket on the GS-X when I receive it because they're supposed to be the best to use, but after reading songmic's post it looks like there'd be no need. I am thinking of getting either one of those headphones but it'll be sometime off.
 
P.S. I did mean to take some details from you hudsand about the TH900, but by the time we were ready to go it had slipped my mind. If you could send me a PM with the overall cost, if I like the price I'll eventually get back to you.
 
                              Thanks !
 
                               Dave.

 

[hubsand]

Didn't see anyone else there with Fostex TH900, so thought it likely! Several people commented it was their second favourite listen of the day - apart from the SR009, obviously . . .

 

[Swimsonny]

I got to try one of these at the UK Head-Fi meet out of a variety of equipment and it was actually one of my favourite headphones of the meet (along with Stax 009, LCD-2 and Omega 2). It was so good for a closed can exceeding in my opinion the Denon old range even when modded and the Victor DX1000 (however that had a warmer more cozy signature and i could understand some one preferring that). I only tried it on some serious rigs but i loved what i heard!

 

[archeryc]

Let's talk about the life of TH900? I heard some people says that Bio-dynamic headphones has shorter life than normal dynamic headphones, is this true?? Like the Sony e888 earphone is very weak, from many people's experience, e888 can only last 2 years to 5 years. But for R10, it has been experienced 20 years history but still works perfectly fine now.  So i am really confusing about the life of Bio-dynamic headphones now... (sorry for my bad english )

 

[MuppetFace]

Quote:

Let's talk about the life of TH900? I heard some people says that Bio-dynamic headphones has shorter life than normal dynamic headphones, is this true?? Like the Sony e888 earphone is very weak, from many people's experience, e888 can only last 2 years to 5 years. But for R10, it has been experienced 20 years history but still works perfectly fine now.  So i am really confusing about the life of Bio-dynamic headphones now... (sorry for my bad english )

 
The biggest issue with the R10's age isn't the biocellulose drivers AFAIK, but rather the foam rings that surround the driver. I don't think there's much solid evidence to suggest biocellulose is any less durable than other driver material, though some people have assumed so given the nature of the material and how it's made. But even then we're talking about much longer than 20 years.