[kid vic]

I bought a pair so I now have first impressions to share: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/fostex-th-909-review.891732/

Nice initial impressions. Can't wait to see a long term review

 

[qua2k]

yes, thank you for the reviews. think i will stick to my regular Fostex 900 mk2 for semi-open and Grado for full open back. i like my bass when i want it and Grado is excellent for soundboard rock recordings

 

[GU1DO]

i just got my pair with serial # 19
it is very different then the TH-900 in sound ,, i will not give any impression until some burn in and some head time.

 

[jmills8]

i just got my pair with serial # 19
it is very different then the TH-900 in sound ,, i will not give any impression until some burn in and some head time.

Bass on ot compared to the th900 ?

 

[GU1DO]

Bass on ot compared to the th900 ?

i only played few minutes , after 30hrs will give it another try ,, bass is less for now but that's not definitive at all.

 

[azabu]

I auditioned the TH-909 for about 20 minutes yesterday with my Macbook Pro with Hugo 2 and HQPlayer / Roon. I really like the TH-900 and going in I was hoping the bass would be less prominent with the new TH-909. My impressions are the bass is even more impactful, mids are recessed sort of making the TH-909 a little hollow sounding. The treble isn't as hot as in the TH-900. I think the regular TH-900 is more cohesive across the frequency range and much more enjoyable to my ears.

 

[kid vic]

I auditioned the TH-909 for about 20 minutes yesterday with my Macbook Pro with Hugo 2 and HQPlayer / Roon. I really like the TH-900 and going in I was hoping the bass would be less prominent with the new TH-909. My impressions are the bass is even more impactful, mids are recessed sort of making the TH-909 a little hollow sounding. The treble isn't as hot as in the TH-900. I think the regular TH-900 is more cohesive across the frequency range and much more enjoyable to my ears.

An open back headphone with more bass than the TH900???

 

[azabu]

An open back headphone with more bass than the TH900???

Yes, mids are recessed and the emphasis is pushed to the bass. I'll also mention and this is just my opinion, while the bass is more impactful, it has less definition and control. I auditioned the TH-909 and TH-900 side by side.

 

[PACSman]

I wonder if it is an issue with impedance. I auditioned the Audeze LCD-4z with the Hugo M Scaler + the Hugo TT 2 and was less impressed with what I heard. I'm thinking these lower impedance cans might be perfect for the DAP sized amp products but receive too much oomph from the bigger dedicated headphone amps. Not that I'm defending the TH-909 as a perfect can (none are) but I'm at 50 hours and the TH-909 continues to move toward a sound I like. I'm driving it with the iFi xDSD. My other cans sound as they did previously so it might be the TH-909 settling in rather than my ears adjusting.

 

[GU1DO]

I auditioned the TH-909 for about 20 minutes yesterday with my Macbook Pro with Hugo 2 and HQPlayer / Roon. I really like the TH-900 and going in I was hoping the bass would be less prominent with the new TH-909. My impressions are the bass is even more impactful, mids are recessed sort of making the TH-909 a little hollow sounding. The treble isn't as hot as in the TH-900. I think the regular TH-900 is more cohesive across the frequency range and much more enjoyable to my ears.

I totally agree with you ,, after 30hrs burn in and use , I think Fostex dropped the ball with the TH-909 ,,

I can Not stand the thin mids , hollow sound, weird imaging .

TH909 is not a TH900 with better quality ,,,, and i dont want to kill the hype but anyone looking for a better 900 will not find here ,

it is a different headphone.

 

[Whitigir]

Can’t imagine any thinner mid LOL!

 

[FastAndClean]

Lachlan take on the TH909, i forgot for a moment how good he is at reviewing headphones

 

[omniweltall]

Lachlan take on the TH909, i forgot for a moment how good he is at reviewing headphones

Im starting to like Lachlan more and more. Think his reviews got better and better over time.

 

[zolkis]

It's like Fostex listened to the tips in the Denon and Fostex mods threads and productized a Klipsch HP-3-like version of the same TH900 drivers with a half-cup. I can imagine how it sounds.
When I listened and measured the TH900 without the cups, I thought these could be great open headphones as well. Bass was even bigger, a bit more loose perhaps, but no less impact.

From what I read in this thread, this is not exactly the case with the TH909. Well, try more shallow pads, for instance the TH900 pads with it and report about the changes.
For TH900 owners I guess the best option would be to just get some extra cups with a hole in the middle and covered by some grill and sparse foam damping.

Nevertheless, I am not sure I would choose it over something like the HD800S, or any better open headphones (especially e-stats). What I appreciated most with the TH900 was the fact it is a closed design (no, there is no gap on the sides of the cups, just front ports that fire into the ear space through the dampers).

 

[kuutan]

....For TH900 owners I guess the best option would be to just get some extra cups with a hole in the middle and covered by some grill and sparse foam damping...

I've definitely considered it since I have an extra pair of TH900 cups. But I want to make it look clean and I'm not that crafty. Still debating and planning I guess. For now I just have them on my TH610 for the fun of it.