[cycchar]

If I would use the word "mostly" - would that make your mixes sound any better?
A mix created on TH900, would sound like it's missing bass and treble on headphones that do not have the same V-signature, as they wouldn't boost these frequencies in the same way. Mids, on the other hand, would sound "forward".

Here is what a sound engineer with 30 years of experience has to say on the topic: https://www.quora.com/Why-don-t-audio-engineers-use-high-end-headphones?share=1

I reckon the V shape signature, especially the high end can be "improved/less scratchy" if TH900 is driven by something like p750u or even p1u that's better for low impedance headphone. Mids still sound bit "far away" compared to something like Focal Clear Pro though I prefer th900 over Clear.

 

[jmills8]

Utopia is all round better than TH900. Clear pro? I still prefer TH900.

But the Utopia is light bass or lacking in sub bass.

 

[cycchar]

But the Utopia is light bass or lacking in sub bass.

Well, not as strong or "killing" as Fostex headphones. As an owner of Denon D7000, I can still say it with confidence that Utopia has enough but more firm and powerful bass.

 

[BenF]

I reckon the V shape signature, especially the high end can be "improved/less scratchy" if TH900 is driven by something like p750u or even p1u that's better for low impedance headphone. Mids still sound bit "far away" compared to something like Focal Clear Pro though I prefer th900 over Clear.

According to the p750u specs, it's really flat:

And it supports headphones of 8Ohm and above - judging by the 1/8 damping rule, it's output impedance is at (or below) 1Ohm.
This means that TH900 with its 25Ohm input impedance should be sufficiently damped, and not cause P750U to stray from its flat FR.
Therefore, TH900 will retain its own extreme V-shape signature.

Of course, each amp will change TH900's sound a little bit due to its own sound character, but all the (good) amps are supposed to be too flat to change a headphones FR (except for amps with high output impedance, where damping may not be sufficient).

 

[Halimj7]

I really like the Utopia’s bass. Even though it doesn’t have the quantity of bass of other cans it has great impact. I never tried the 900 but of all the headphones I tried - 5200, 9200, Clear, Stellia, MDR-Z1R, P9, Cascade and R10P - I prefer the Utopias.

 

[BenF]

Well, not as strong or "killing" as Fostex headphones. As an owner of Denon D7000, I can still say it with confidence that Utopia has enough but more firm and powerful bass.

I really like the Utopia’s bass. Even though it doesn’t have the quantity of bass of other cans it has great impact. I never tried the 900 but of all the headphones I tried - 5200, 9200, Clear, Stellia, MDR-Z1R, P9, Cascade and R10P - I prefer the Utopias.

When I auditioned Utopia with the Beyerdynamic A2 amp, it sounded too clinical, and the bass wasn't great. I liked Elear a lot better than Utopia.
When I auditioned (at a later date) the same Utopia with the Cayin HA-1A MK2 amp, it sounded fantastic, and the bass was amazing.
Same DAC was used in both cases.

Utopia, like many other TOTL headphones (e.g. HD800(s)), is very sensitive to synergy with specific amps.
It's not something we can measure, you have to hear it to believe it.

 

[jmills8]

Well, not as strong or "killing" as Fostex headphones. As an owner of Denon D7000, I can still say it with confidence that Utopia has enough but more firm and powerful bass.

Guess bass for you is different than for me. Final Audio 8000 Pro , Abyss TC , and TH900 has all the bass one will want or need. Utopia lacks , but maybe for vocal , female music , Asian music and Classical it has enough.

 

[Halimj7]

Guess bass for you is different than for me. Final Audio 8000 Pro , Abyss TC , and TH900 has all the bass one will want or need. Utopia lacks , but maybe for vocal , female music , Asian music and Classical it has enough.

I get what both of you are saying. There is a difference between quantity and quality. Sometimes I prefer less bass with good quality/slam/texture - Utopias. Sometimes I prefer sheer quantity that is not the best quality like P9. Sometimes I prefer both quantity and quality like R10P. It’s all bass. Right?

 

[iFi audio]

Thanks a lot! How fast is the bass compared to a focal headphone or a planar?

TH900mk2 aren't slow on bass by any means, but focals (some known for fast lucid sound) might have an edge here. Don't take my workd for it though, I haven't comperd them.

 

[jmills8]

TH900mk2 aren't slow on bass by any means, but focals (some known for fast lucid sound) might have an edge here. Don't take my workd for it though, I haven't comperd them.

Agree

 

[cycchar]

I get what both of you are saying. There is a difference between quantity and quality. Sometimes I prefer less bass with good quality/slam/texture - Utopias. Sometimes I prefer sheer quantity that is not the best quality like P9. Sometimes I prefer both quantity and quality like R10P. It’s all bass. Right?

Agree. That’s my feeling as well. In terms of quantity, th900 or even d7k are a lot more but in terms of quality, I still prefer Utopia whose bass is more firm and “punchy”.

 

[cycchar]

According to the p750u specs, it's really flat:


And it supports headphones of 8Ohm and above - judging by the 1/8 damping rule, it's output impedance is at (or below) 1Ohm.
This means that TH900 with its 25Ohm input impedance should be sufficiently damped, and not cause P750U to stray from its flat FR.
Therefore, TH900 will retain its own extreme V-shape signature.

Of course, each amp will change TH900's sound a little bit due to its own sound character, but all the (good) amps are supposed to be too flat to change a headphones FR (except for amps with high output impedance, where damping may not be sufficient).

Thanks for the analysis. As an owner, I never know these specs but simply thought it’s “good”.

When you say “flat”, do you mean the amp doesn’t change the sound signature of the headphone but “amplifying” it? For machine like Naim Uniti (all in one), some says its sound signature is “coloured”, similar to p1u. I guess they are not “flat”, or are they?

By the way, 750u can also drive high impedance but do you reckon it’s good enough for something like hd800 or even hifiman?

 

[cycchar]

Both are great , think either will be great for you. The 9200 is more serious , bass is always there and sub bass appears when called for. The th900 always pounds with the bass.

Can I ask a quick question? Could you tell the difference between Red and Emerald/Green? Are they basically the same tuning except for colour of cups?

 

[jmills8]

Can I ask a quick question? Could you tell the difference between Red and Emerald/Green? Are they basically the same tuning except for colour of cups?

I only bought the MKI and MKII , and they sound the same.

 

[tombrisbane]

Just ordered a pair of the red, along with a balanced cable. Looking forward to comparing with the MDR-Z1R and T5p v2!