[Audiowood]

The TH900 cups is covered with silver foils and the logo is made with Platinum.  It's one of its kind and has a lot of values in it.
 
Ok lets refresh everyone on the stock Fostex cups..
 
 
Look at the master with magnifying glasses,thats alot of work and that grey matter is silver foils.
 

 
 
Cups being coated with silver foils.
 

 
Then the Urushi layer.. Don't forget the logos are made with PLATINUM
 

 
Cheers

 

[Audiowood]

Right now I am polishing my Th900 cups..

 

[Kees]

Just my 2c as a true audiophile.
Anything on a pair of headphones that is not there to enhance the audio experience doesn't belong there (= I don't like to pay for it). If I have to, I will (if I can afford it of course) IF that brings me the best audio.
If a change in cosmetics will improve the audio experience I'll do it in a heartbeat (again: if I can afford it). That would include something like exchanging the solid gold/platinum diamond encrusted cups for styrofoam ones, IF that makes them sound even better.   

 

[Ahzari]

In addition to its beauty, the finish on the TH900 cups are also quite durable.. Having owned the D7000s with the gloss finish that was very prone to fine scratches the Th900 clear coat is excellent and very resistive to scratches (as others have mentioned in this thread). Again just going along the lines of why anyone would want to change the cups - I don't see any advantage in changing them unless you just do not like the color (which a few head-fi'ers have actually noted - oddly enough).

 

[Radio_head]

Quote:

Just my 2c as a true audiophile.
Anything on a pair of headphones that is not there to enhance the audio experience doesn't belong there (= I don't like to pay for it). If I have to, I will (if I can afford it of course) IF that brings me the best audio.
If a change in cosmetics will improve the audio experience I'll do it in a heartbeat (again: if I can afford it). That would include something as exchanging the solid gold/platinum diamond encrusted cups for styrofoam ones, IF that makes them sound even better.   

You are not a true audiophile.  True audiophiles will pay for it even if they can't afford it.

 

[MuppetFace]

Quote:

Muppet,
 
Do you prefer the cosmetics of the TH900's earcups or those from AT line such as W2002, and W11JPN?  Those W2002's cups were gloriously beautiful.  I miss my W2002.

 
The Japan series cups from AT are very lovely. If I had to rank them, personally, I'd say the W2002's are still the most lovely, but the W3000ANV are a very close second. My preference for the former lies in the more prominent "highlight" around the edge of the cup, likely due to the shape of the cup affecting the lacquering. The ESW10JPN is also really beautiful. The W11JPN, while still beautiful, is perhaps the least impressive to me as it's the flattest, lacking the depth of the others. Given that it was AT's first attempt to implement that finish on a pair of headphones however, it's understandable they'd get better at it over time.
 
The TH900 is totally different, with a metallic quality and almost mosaic look that appeals to my fondness for Byzantine aesthetics. I like them both for different reasons, but if I had to choose a favorite between the two, I'd give the nod to the TH900.
 
These are all some of the nicest looking headphones on the planet however...

 

[Kees]

Quote:

You are not a true audiophile.  True audiophiles will pay for it even if they can't afford it.

OK, pseudo audiphile.
Still, I seriously consider the luxury overload of the TH900 an audiphile waste of money...

 

[purrin]

Not if you can afford to win like Charlie Sheen.

 

[MuppetFace]

The fully modded LA7000 costs just as much, if not more, than the TH900 from some Japanese vendors and doesn't sound nearly as good IMHO.
 
Therein lies the problem: you're not really improving the sonics by replacing the TH900 cups and are actually just paying more on top of it for a downgrade in craftsmanship. Paying more than the cost of the new cups too, since Lawton gets to keep the old ones and make money off of them too.

 

[Kees]

Quote:

Not if you can afford to win like Charlie Sheen.

He'd look like a loser wearing TH900....

 

[paulchiu]

OK! On this election day, I got an email from TTVJ that my TH900 is shipping today.

 

[MuppetFace]

Quote:

He'd look like a loser wearing TH900....

 
Good thing looks aren't important then, right? All about the sound as you say.
 
Then again not all of us are "true" audiophiles, Mr. Sheen included I'm sure. : P

 

[rgs9200m]

Quote:

 

 
 
You got the HE-6 third to last??  WOW man...

OK, I sit corrected. I took your comment seriously (and David's review of the Hifimen phones) and gave them another chance with HE-500s and now I'm a believer in them. 
I plugged them cold into my Rudistor RP010B and was, well, floored. The bass is a great thing to behold, like speakers. In fact, the experience is speaker-like, with a wonderful sense of space.
The upper mid / treble peakiness I heard in my former HE6s is just not there at all (I guess the HE6s needed a speaker amp). In fact, the highs are just great, sweet and liquid.
The images are fully formed and natural. While my W3000ANVs have more vocal detail, the HE500s are close. 
The HE500s immediately passed the "can't stop listening" test with an ordinary CD, and are now the equal of my favorite phones (TH900s and the W3000ANVs).
So my new ranking starts with HE500 = TH900 = W3000ANV as my top phones.
And the Hifimen are very comfortable to me, as they go completely around my ears, need no adjustment, and don't feel heavy at all like Audezes can (somewhat).
The HE500s are the bargain of the century in headphones I feel, just like David said.
So big thanks preproman for the great advice.

 

[preproman]

Quote:

OK, I sit corrected. I took your comment seriously (and David's review of the Hifimen phones) and gave them another chance with HE-500s and now I'm a believer in them. 
I plugged them cold into my Rudistor RP010B and was, well, floored. The bass is a great thing to behold, like speakers. In fact, the experience is speaker-like, with a wonderful sense of space.
The upper mid / treble peakiness I heard in my former HE6s is just not there at all (I guess the HE6s needed a speaker amp). In fact, the highs are just great, sweet and liquid.
The images are fully formed and natural. While my W3000ANVs have more vocal detail, the HE500s are close. 
The HE500s immediately passed the "can't stop listening" test with an ordinary CD, and are now the equal of my favorite phones (TH900s and the W3000ANVs).
So my new ranking starts with HE500 = TH900 = W3000ANV as my top phones.
And the Hifimen are very comfortable to me, as they go completely around my ears, need no adjustment, and don't feel heavy at all like Audezes can (somewhat).
The HE500s are the bargain of the century in headphones I feel, just like David said.
So big thanks preproman for the great advice.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

[Kees]

Quote:

 
Good thing looks aren't important then, right? All about the sound as you say.
 
Then again not all of us are "true" audiophiles, Mr. Sheen included I'm sure. : P

Looks can be important sometimes I'm sure, but I think in an audio related context looks are mostly abundantly irrelevant. 
Doesn't mean I'm denying anyone the pleasure of discussing the merrits of owning a piece of ear jewelry. Just wanted to point out that to some that aspect has no value in the context of their main function as an audio device. It only makes them much more (and to me needlessly) expensive, but that's of course my problem only, and I can live with that. 
In previous posts I got the impression that some seem to find that rather incredible which puzzled me, hence the explanation.