[preproman]

Quote:

What about the HE-500 and LCD-2 then?
 
I have an eye on the TH-600 which I can get for 650€ (+ VAT) on pricejapan but I'm not sure about the "closed-in" sound they might exhibit (if their are anything like the Mad Dogs).

 
Clem,
 
I'm more of a fan of the HE-500 than the LCD-2.2s.  That's just my preference.  I must really like treble. AKA "Treble Head"  and openness / airy sound opposed to the closed in sound.

 

[Clemmaster]

Quote:

 
Clem,
 
I'm more of a fan of the HE-500 than the LCD-2.2s.  That's just my preference.  I must really like treble. AKA "Treble Head"  and openness / airy sound opposed to the closed in sound.

 
Yeah I know your preference for the 500s 

 
My question was more: does the TH-900 (by analogy, the TH-600), compete with them in term of openness or do you find something more pleasant in them that makes up for the lack of openness and make for an overall better headphone than the LCD-2 and HE-500?
You ranked it #4, so higher than the LCD-2 and HE-500.
 
 I find the "closed-in" sound of the Mad Dogs (w/ Alpha Pads, rev 3.0) distracting because I'm used to open headphones. I would like to know if you have the same feeling with the TH-900, since you owned the MDs?

 

[myap2328]

Hmm... An open-backed TH-900 would seem to solve the th-900 "less soundstage/airiness" as it seems this is its weakness compare to cans of its calibre based on the previous posts. But, who dares to mess with a 2000 dollar headphone? Just saying, if any garnered enough courage to do so, it would be great for you to share the results!

[Edited]

 

[Greed]

Quote:

Hmm... An open-backed TH-900 would seem to solve the th-900 "less soundstage/airiness" as it seems this is its weakness compare to cans of its calibre based on the previous posts. But, who dares to mess with a 2000 dollar headphone? Just saying, if any garnered enough courage to do so, it would be great for you to share the results!

[Edited]

 
You would more than likely lose the spectacular bass response. The TH-900 will never measure nearly as well as some of the TOTL open backs, that is fact. The TH-900 is among the elite in the TOTL because of its technical features (i.e imaging, resolution, linear response), but if it was closed back, the headphone will likely sound completely different. Yes, they may sound better open-back, but I'm okay with losing some air and soundstage if the headphone gives me that "fun" sound signature I love with modern music. I believe that "fun" sound will be lost in the transition, likely sounding more like the HD800. They're unique headphones, and part of the reason why IMO, is because they are closed-back. 

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

However, apparently, a lot of pages back a person mentioned the th-900 bass response is full and wholesome and beat that to the LCD-3. An the guy I mentioned earlier also Sia the hd800 loses out to the th-900. But you can of course prefer the open can but I see no harm comparing open and close phones. You make like the LCD-3 better, he might like the th-900 better and so on and so forth. I'm not questioning the usually better sound quality open cans bring but I just see no harm comparing open and closed cans. And I thought at first it was a general rule of thumb but apparently only a few were strongly against doing so while the rest still does it.

LoL, I don't know that post (nor really care). I know what I hear and the LCD-3's (and HD800 for that matter) bass is better defined and more natural. The TH-900s have great bass, but a bit too much to be considered "natural". That said, I love this colouration of the Fostex cans, but sorry, not up to par with the LCD-3s or HD800s. Another thing to consider is that the TH-900s are VERY efficient and easy to drive and sound great out of many amps. So hearing them close to their best isn't too difficult. The LCD-3s and HD800s on the other hand...much, much tougher. And on my GS-X, I stand by my comments.

 

[preproman]

Quote:

LoL, I don't know that post (nor really care). I know what I hear and the LCD-3's (and HD800 for that matter) bass is better defined and more natural. The TH-900s have great bass, but a bit too much to be considered "natural". That said, I love this colouration of the Fostex cans, but sorry, not up to par with the LCD-3s or HD800s. Another thing to consider is that the TH-900s are VERY efficient and easy to drive and sound great out of many amps. So hearing them close to their best isn't too difficult. The LCD-3s and HD800s on the other hand...much, much tougher. And on my GS-X, I stand by my comments.

 
 
Amen brother..

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

 
 
Amen brother..

 

[mrtim6]

Macedonian hero makes a good point - the most important opinion is the feedback from your own ears. Other peoples opinions can be useful as a signpost. The proof is in your listening.

 

[myap2328]

Macedonian hero makes a good point - the most important opinion is the feedback from your own ears. Other peoples opinions can be useful as a signpost. The proof is in your listening.

Agreed.
By the way, have anyone heard of the two amps called: Bravo Audio Ocean and Aune T1. And also, have anyone tried the schiit magni/modi, o2/Odac and the above mentioned two amps with the th-900?

 

[Clemmaster]

Quote:

 
Yeah I know your preference for the 500s 

 
My question was more: does the TH-900 (by analogy, the TH-600), compete with them in term of openness or do you find something more pleasant in them that makes up for the lack of openness and make for an overall better headphone than the LCD-2 and HE-500?
You ranked it #4, so higher than the LCD-2 and HE-500.
 
 I find the "closed-in" sound of the Mad Dogs (w/ Alpha Pads, rev 3.0) distracting because I'm used to open headphones. I would like to know if you have the same feeling with the TH-900, since you owned the MDs?

 
Bump!
Everyone who own(ed) these cans can chime in, of course!

 

[williamqh]

I've owned an HD800, while it is very airy, I prefer th900's sound, as it isolates out some noise of outside world, making the background black. Soundstage wise, I don't think th900 is inferior compare to HD800, just a different presentation, for me, th900's presentation is more 3D.

 

[dukeskd]

Quote:

I've owned an HD800, while it is very airy, I prefer th900's sound, as it isolates out some noise of outside world, making the background black. Soundstage wise, I don't think th900 is inferior compare to HD800, just a different presentation, for me, th900's presentation is more 3D.

My impressions match yours very closely. The width of the sound stage is huge with the HD800s and the open back airiness makes it a different presentation from the TH900. I also prefer the TH900 for musicality, it just clicks more with my listening habits and the detail retrieval + enormous sound stage of the HD800 does wear you out after a while (HD800s were my goto can for 7 months until the TH900s came in).

 

[preproman]

Sorry I missed that Clem,
 
Well the TH-900 is really a more fun headphone to listen to (than both).  However, for some reason it sounds more open than the LCD-2.2.  Not the HE-500s IMO.  The Hifiman headphones have some of the best treble / space out there IMO but may be a bit much for some.  The treble on the TH-900s are pretty good considering it's a closed headphone.  I don't get that stuck in a closed up closet sound I get from the LCD-2.2s.  
 
I'm still working on my custom pair of T50RPs before I send them to Dan to put the MD touch on them.  Just a paint job, powder coating the rods, and dual entry balanced cable.
 
I have no idea how the TH-600 sound.

 

[dukeskd]

Quote:

Sorry I missed that Clem,
 
Well the TH-900 is really a more fun headphone to listen to (than both).  However, for some reason it sounds more open than the LCD-2.2.  Not the HE-500s IMO.  The Hifiman headphones have some of the best treble / space out there IMO but may be a bit much for some.  The treble on the TH-900s are pretty good considering it's a closed headphone.  I don't get that stuck in a closed up closet sound I get from the LCD-2.2s.  
 
I'm still working on my custom pair of T50RPs before I send them to Dan to put the MD touch on them.  Just a paint job, powder coating the rods, and dual entry balanced cable.
 
I have no idea how the TH-600 sound.

Yes, from all the open-back headphones I have tried the LCD-2s have the most narrow sound stage, something that I couldn't really live with.

 

[myap2328]

Yes, from all the open-back headphones I have tried the LCD-2s have the most narrow sound stage, something that I couldn't really live with.

Maybe I didn't quite catch that because I wasn't auditioning it with music that needed width. However, it does have enough depth and height, and also sound very dimensional, in my own opinion of course.