[Malevolent]

That's why I wrote in my post "Of course, frequency measurements only show the quantity, not the quality".



Coffee is being measured by amount of:

1) Caffeine
2) Acids
3) Trigonelline
4) Kahweol and cafestol
5) Sugars
6) Water content (in dry beans)

Here are typical measurements of some of these components for Arabica vs Robusta:


If you have some beans that measure like Arabica, they'll never taste like Robusta
And if you'll put the same beans in the same type of package, but with different humidity - when you'll open them in year, they will taste differently.

Of course, no measurements can replace a taste test - and coffee beans are being subjected to the taste test constantly as they move through the supply chain.
Even if some beans measure similarly - some may taste better than others.

Same with headphones - you can't tell 100% how good the headphone is purely by measurements, but you can predict its sound signature.

You can easily predict which of the three headphones in the graph below will be crazy V-shaped with colored sound, and which two are trying to be neutral.


But you can't tell from this graph if this crazy V-shape is worth 40$ or 1700$ to people who like this kind of sound.

Getting a rough approximation of a headphone's signature from a graph isn't difficult. However, it doesn't reveal the full story; I am unable to accurately predict if it sounds good, or not. There are certain aspects that simply cannot be determined within a graph. Hence, actual listening time, within an ideal environment, completes the equation.

By the way, I don't like coffee, so can we substitute tea for coffee instead?

 

[P007]

Hi All,
New member to the Fostex TH900-MKII family here. You can read my journey that lead me to these HP's here.... it was quite fun..... a lot of work, but worth it.

I have the red cup version. I love the sound of these HP's. I listen to primarily metal and rock, and secondarily EDM and classical, and these just sound great across all genres. I couldn't be happier with the sound.

I'm not optimistic I'll find another pair that sound better than these to my ears (the Denon d9200 also sounds great... but not better..., more like an equal). However, I noticed these pearl white MKII's at Moon Audio. Anyone know if the sound signature is different than the red ones I have?

edit 12/8: I've been searching and saw in a post somewhere that these new pearl white are the same tuning as the older sapphire ones..... anyone on here have both the red and sapphire? I'm curious as to the differences.?

edit 12/9: I've been looking into it, and I'm going to try to order a pair of the pearl white.

edit 12/11: Pearl white ordered!




I know you posted this a while ago @musicday so maybe no longer relevant. So FWIW, yes, I use Dekoni ear pads. I didn't care much for the stock pads, and I tried probably 10 different pads before settling on these..... all the Dekoni ones, Brainwavz, etc and even different brands like Audeze and others. Most of these pads altered the sound substantially. To my ears, all of them - save one - changed the sound for the worst..... usually by either mudding the bass or treble, two aspects that make these HP's so attractive to begin with. The ONLY ones I found to actually improve the sound were the "Dekoni Audio Memory Foam Replacement Ear Pads Compatible with Fostex TH-X00 Series Headphones (Elite Sheepskin)". Comfort is only ok, but it's not bad.... still better than stock IMHO. The sound is fantastic.

I recall you were doing your shootout with the 9200 from your phone, and as I haven't had the chance to try the TH900mk2 yet, was wondering how it was just from the phone? In a similar position where I want a very easy to drive set. Of course I know great equipment will make any cans sound better...but want a limited setup for office environment, with a good quality sound still just from a phone for when I have to be mobile (read: not carrying dongles/dacs/etc) in the workshop.

I won't have the chance to compare 900mk2's to the 9200's side by side, since they are at different shops, but I will try the the Fostex soon, probably the Beyer T5 g.3 too. Seems like people find the 900's more comfortable than the 9200's as well.

Seems like it is possible to find better 'sale' prices on the Denon 9200's for Europe, where I will also try to get them while travelling for the tax refund.

 

[jmills8]

I recall you were doing your shootout with the 9200 from your phone, and as I haven't had the chance to try the TH900mk2 yet, was wondering how it was just from the phone? In a similar position where I want a very easy to drive set. Of course I know great equipment will make any cans sound better...but want a limited setup for office environment, with a good quality sound still just from a phone for when I have to be mobile (read: not carrying dongles/dacs/etc) in the workshop.

I won't have the chance to compare 900mk2's to the 9200's side by side, since they are at different shops, but I will try the the Fostex soon, probably the Beyer T5 g.3 too.

Seems like it is possible to find better 'sale' prices on the Denon 9200's for Europe, where I will also try to get them while travelling for the tax refund.

Office with coworkers left and right ?

 

[P007]

Office with coworkers left and right ?

The kind of shootout for the world we wish we lived in.

 

[gadgetheaven]

Recently got the Fostex TH900 mkii in past week and only been listening for a few days from the new iFi Diablo Headamp with the stock cable. I must say this is the best headphone i've listened yet. Even though these cans are under 30ohms i find they need a bit more power to sound their best. I find on the Diablo normal amplification mode make these cans shine at their best. Love the gorgeous Japanese hand build quality. They look a perfect match to the red colour of the Diablo.

 

[Malevolent]

Recently got the Fostex TH900 mkii in past week and only been listening for a few days from the new iFi Diablo Headamp with the stock cable. I must say this is the best headphone i've listened yet. Even though these cans are under 30ohms i find they need a bit more power to sound their best. I find on the Diablo normal amplification mode make these cans shine at their best. Love the gorgeous Japanese hand build quality. They look a perfect match to the red colour of the Diablo.

Yes, the TH900 Mk2 is a fabulous headphone, indeed. A fun and energetic sound in an oh-so-pretty body; what more could one ask for?

Out of curiosity, are you also using the Diablo + TH900 Mk2 combo on-the-go?

 

[jmills8]

Recently got the Fostex TH900 mkii in past week and only been listening for a few days from the new iFi Diablo Headamp with the stock cable. I must say this is the best headphone i've listened yet. Even though these cans are under 30ohms i find they need a bit more power to sound their best. I find on the Diablo normal amplification mode make these cans shine at their best. Love the gorgeous Japanese hand build quality. They look a perfect match to the red colour of the Diablo.

Been using them indoors and on the go for over 5 yrs.

 

[Delta9K]

Hello,
I am very interested in the TH900mk2 and so close to pulling the trigger yet, I am still debating the tuning of the original Bordeaux mk2's vs. the anniversary tuning of the Sapphire/Pearl White. I've seen conflicting reports surrounding the tuning. It's described (by Fostex) as a smooth and focused low-end response with others adding that the treble is some what relaxed, taming some of the harshness. However, I've seen some mention that the treble is actually more forward than the standard mk2 and that the bass is less. What I don't know though is how many of these comments actually came from owners or, are just commenters repeating what they have read.

Is there anyone here that has listened to both and willing/able to provide a more educated/objective comparison between the two tunings?

 

[Delta9K]

Hello,
I am very interested in the TH900mk2 and so close to pulling the trigger yet, I am still debating the tuning of the original Bordeaux mk2's vs. the anniversary tuning of the Sapphire/Pearl White. I've seen conflicting reports surrounding the tuning. It's described (by Fostex) as a smooth and focused low-end response with others adding that the treble is some what relaxed, taming some of the harshness. However, I've seen some mention that the treble is actually more forward than the standard mk2 and that the bass is less. What I don't know though is how many of these comments actually came from owners or, are just commenters repeating what they have read.

Is there anyone here that has listened to both and willing/able to provide a more educated/objective comparison between the two tunings?

Update: I purchased a TH-900mk2 Pearl White. It is in transit now and I will update with some initial thoughts after it arrives and I give the drivers some time to break in.

 

[TSelanne]

Hello,
I am very interested in the TH900mk2 and so close to pulling the trigger yet, I am still debating the tuning of the original Bordeaux mk2's vs. the anniversary tuning of the Sapphire/Pearl White. I've seen conflicting reports surrounding the tuning. It's described (by Fostex) as a smooth and focused low-end response with others adding that the treble is some what relaxed, taming some of the harshness. However, I've seen some mention that the treble is actually more forward than the standard mk2 and that the bass is less. What I don't know though is how many of these comments actually came from owners or, are just commenters repeating what they have read.

Is there anyone here that has listened to both and willing/able to provide a more educated/objective comparison between the two tunings?

I didn't hear any difference with the treble. If I had done a "blind" test, I wouldn't have been able to tell the difference between the two.

I was able to notice a difference in the mids. The white's mids are more forward and noticeable. It's not a big difference IMHO.... after reading reviews I was expecting more pronounced mids. But there is a difference. Sometimes it was very subtle and I wasn't able to hear very much difference, yet during other times it was more noticeable. It really depended on the track I was listening to.

The biggest difference was in the bass. The red's have more. The white's were not quite as deep and/or full. White's still have good bass, don't get me wrong. I found that if I only listened to white for a while, it felt like a solid and adequate amount of bass.... I didn't feel it was lacking. It wasn't until I'd switch back over to the red's and then I'd realize that extra bass I was missing.

For a while I was quite conflicted and not sure which I should keep, as I could only keep one. I had to ask myself, which sounds/frequencies will you miss more, the bass or the mids? In the end, I knew I'd miss the bass much more than I'd enjoy having a slight increase in mids. So I kept the red. Very happy with the choice.

Ideally, they'd combine the two sound signatures and increase the red's mids, just like they did with the white's, while keeping the bass the same. That, IMHO, would be a fabulous combo!

Either way, both red & white are great HP's. I saw a post by @Malevolent a while back when he described the MKII's as "having great energy". I think that sums up perfectly why I like these so much. Compared to all the other HP's I've tried, the energy on this line is fantastic.


Source: I had both the white and red on my desk for about a week and listened to them back-to-back frequently; used primarily heavy metal, but also classical and EDM genres for testing.

 

[Delta9K]

I didn't hear any difference with the treble. If I had done a "blind" test, I wouldn't have been able to tell the difference between the two.

I was able to notice a difference in the mids. The white's mids are more forward and noticeable. It's not a big difference IMHO.... after reading reviews I was expecting more pronounced mids. But there is a difference. Sometimes it was very subtle and I wasn't able to hear very much difference, yet during other times it was more noticeable. It really depended on the track I was listening to.

The biggest difference was in the bass. The red's have more. The white's were not quite as deep and/or full. White's still have good bass, don't get me wrong. I found that if I only listened to white for a while, it felt like a solid and adequate amount of bass.... I didn't feel it was lacking. It wasn't until I'd switch back over to the red's and then I'd realize that extra bass I was missing.

For a while I was quite conflicted and not sure which I should keep, as I could only keep one. I had to ask myself, which sounds/frequencies will you miss more, the bass or the mids? In the end, I knew I'd miss the bass much more than I'd enjoy having a slight increase in mids. So I kept the red. Very happy with the choice.

Ideally, they'd combine the two sound signatures and increase the red's mids, just like they did with the white's, while keeping the bass the same. That, IMHO, would be a fabulous combo!

Either way, both red & white are great HP's. I saw a post by @Malevolent a while back when he described the MKII's as "having great energy". I think that sums up perfectly why I like these so much. Compared to all the other HP's I've tried, the energy on this line is fantastic.


Source: I had both the white and red on my desk for about a week and listened to them back-to-back frequently; used primarily heavy metal, but also classical and EDM genres for testing.

Thanks for the response with your experience notes. I will not be able to compare directly with the reds myself at least, for the time being. The couple people I know with reds have done a Lawton mod to them, so not exactly able to make any true comparison. I already have a couple pretty "fun" bassy headphones a Denon D5000 with a full level 2 Lawton mod and also a Fostex TH-610 that will also be a full level 2 (driver tune-up and chambers) Lawton mod once the chambers arrive in a couple weeks.

My intention for the Pearl White is to leave it stock so, I am hoping that with the tuning it has I do get something a little bit different than what I have already have with the other 2 Foster driver variants.

 

[Terriero]

@TSelanne, given that you have tried Denon 9200 and TH 900 mk2 and compared them during some time...

Do you think the TH 900 MK2 would be a complement to the Denon 9200 or you found them so similar and the TH 900 are just a different musical taste (more energetic, like you said)? I'm loving the Denons and I think that a good complement would be the Sony Z1R (especially concerning to bass), but I don't know if the TH 900 would be also an option.

 

[Malevolent]

I didn't hear any difference with the treble. If I had done a "blind" test, I wouldn't have been able to tell the difference between the two.

I was able to notice a difference in the mids. The white's mids are more forward and noticeable. It's not a big difference IMHO.... after reading reviews I was expecting more pronounced mids. But there is a difference. Sometimes it was very subtle and I wasn't able to hear very much difference, yet during other times it was more noticeable. It really depended on the track I was listening to.

The biggest difference was in the bass. The red's have more. The white's were not quite as deep and/or full. White's still have good bass, don't get me wrong. I found that if I only listened to white for a while, it felt like a solid and adequate amount of bass.... I didn't feel it was lacking. It wasn't until I'd switch back over to the red's and then I'd realize that extra bass I was missing.

For a while I was quite conflicted and not sure which I should keep, as I could only keep one. I had to ask myself, which sounds/frequencies will you miss more, the bass or the mids? In the end, I knew I'd miss the bass much more than I'd enjoy having a slight increase in mids. So I kept the red. Very happy with the choice.

Ideally, they'd combine the two sound signatures and increase the red's mids, just like they did with the white's, while keeping the bass the same. That, IMHO, would be a fabulous combo!

Either way, both red & white are great HP's. I saw a post by @Malevolent a while back when he described the MKII's as "having great energy". I think that sums up perfectly why I like these so much. Compared to all the other HP's I've tried, the energy on this line is fantastic.


Source: I had both the white and red on my desk for about a week and listened to them back-to-back frequently; used primarily heavy metal, but also classical and EDM genres for testing.

Thanks for your comparison of the 2! The white is beautiful, no doubt. But, like you, I'd miss the bass too much.

The energy on the TH900 Mk2 is perfect for EDM, IMO. It has a near-perfect blend of boosted bass and an accentuated treble to bring a lot of life and vigor to dance music. If you need a thumping bassline and some prominent hi-hats, the Fostex has you covered.

 

[TSelanne]

@TSelanne, given that you have tried Denon 9200 and TH 900 mk2 and compared them during some time...

Do you think the TH 900 MK2 would be a complement to the Denon 9200 or you found them so similar and the TH 900 are just a different musical taste (more energetic, like you said)? I'm loving the Denons and I think that a good complement would be the Sony Z1R (especially concerning to bass), but I don't know if the TH 900 would be also an option.

Yes I also loved the D9200's. And yes, they were very similar IMHO to the TH900's. Looking back at my analysis, I never used the word "energy"..... but I think that sums up the difference between the two nicely. The TH900 had just a slight more energy to them that I found attractive. I'm not sure how someone defines "energy"..... it's a subjective thing for sure..... but the TH900 has a lot of it. I really struggled with choosing between those two. I would've been happy with either one I'm sure. So I guess it depends on what you desire when you say, "compliment". (?)

As far as adding another HP, since (again, in my subjective opinion) the D9200 and TH900 sound very similar, you might consider trying the Sony z1r. If you like bass, you won't be disappointed with that one! However, IIRC, this one is a little short on treble. So if you prefer a more well-rounded sound, trying the TH900 might be a better bet. Or.... do what I did and buy both and return the one you don't like.

 

[bythebookiii]

As far as adding another HP, since (again, in my subjective opinion) the D9200 and TH900 sound very similar, you might consider trying the Sony z1r. If you like bass, you won't be disappointed with that one! However, IIRC, this one is a little short on treble. So if you prefer a more well-rounded sound, trying the TH900 might be a better bet. Or.... do what I did and buy both and return the one you don't like.

Agree with you @TSelanne ! The Zirs are more as a complement than the TH900s which are IMO very similar to the D9200.

If the reds have more bass, well, I cant imagine how much could there be of an improvement because the whites have power in the low end. They also respond really well to eq, a couple of ticks on the low end and there you go, a bass cannon!

The one thing that was really important for me is the pad and cable modding (heard you a while a go in your posts, specially with the pads). The difference is huge vs stock!

Even more acquainted with these beauties now.. don't need anything else. Opportunities? few: Isolation and when listening to low volume the action is missing and feels totally like a different pair for HPs, 2 qualities that the Zirs have and shine for, however I ended returning them (sometimes I miss them) and making the TH900 mk2 Pearl White the best headphones I've ever had.