[bagwell359]

I have Ananda and i'm curious are these gonna sound like low fi basshead headphone or can be competitive to something like Ananda ?

I've been reading you for a bit now. I would say that you would not be happy with the Mahogany vs the Ananda. Check back in this thread for my reasons. The Ebonies are better than the Mahogany for sure.

 

[VRacer-111]

Just received a used Purple Heart (TR) in near mint condition. This might finally be the tastefully bass-heavy headphone i have been looking for some time now, at least at first glance the sound seems well balanced and all around enjoyable despite of the unmistakable elevated bass (as opposed to the likes of Campfire Cascade and Final E 5000 which i didn't enjoy at all...). Mac Miller sounds great on this. And it's such a beauty! The onyl things i don't love so far are the cable monstrosity and the suspiciously flimsy construction. I'll probably better treat this one even more with kids gloves than my other headphones...

Do you know if they are stock? Because they get even better once you dampen the driver housing (Lawton Audio D.I.Y. Tune-up kit... only use driver pieces not the cup pieces)... cleaner/clearer sounding with better instrument separation and slightly more forward mids.

https://www.lawtonaudio.com/fostextune-up.html

Agree with you on the Campfire Cascades... though I did kind of enjoy them, they where nowhere near Purpleheart level of music enjoyment. The Fostex Purpleheart is simply a more pleasant and smoother sounding headphone...while having that powerful subbass presence and a brighter more open sound.

 

[Uebelkraehe]

Do you know if they are stock? ...

They are stock and though the mod seems to be interesting, i'm not really in a hurry to do something like this as i'm pretty happy with the sound signature as is (also, being located in Germany, the process might be a bit more convoluted/expensive). What i would like to do is exchange the pads, less as a matter of fit or sound signature than for the reason that the original pads are getting quickly much to warm at the current summer temperatures. Finding pads which are a) better ventilated b) don't mess up the sound signature and c) are available here is however easier said than done...

 

[bcaulf17]

Dekoni Audio Fostex TH900 Elite Hybrid arrived today.
So @koover was right. The change is incredible easy.

What wasn‘t easy: being honest that the Dekoni pads changed the headphones to the worse.

It is important to mention that I only wanted to swap the pads as my ears start to hurt in the originial TH-X00 Ebony pad. Also I love to listen to music while lying in bed and the form of the original pads does not allow this.

When I had put on the Dekoni pads I felt like a lot of the front oriented 3D sound was gone and also the bass had changed. So I inspected the original pads. closer.



As one can see clearly only a part of the sound of the speaker is allowed to get directly to ear. The rest is bouncing back building up some reflections.
Plus, the „opening“ is not in the center but closer to the front, so further away from the thicker pad part.

It's fortunate that the pad swapping here is indeed easy but what's confusing me is the pads themselves. I disassembled mine from my EMU headphones which use basically the same pads. I didn't take the pad off the plastic ring with four teeth that hold it but it seems that that white plastic backing part right there has an opening, and the leather pad ITSELF has an opening. So if you were to remove the pad, the two parts have to be aligned perfectly? Also when you re-install the pad and then twist it or move it while attached to the cup, what's moving? Just the leather part or that plastic backing as well?

I'm wondering there's any rhyme or reason when it comes to putting it back on, and if having something misaligned will noticeably signal a change in sound?

 

[gimmeheadroom]

It's fortunate that the pad swapping here is indeed easy but what's confusing me is the pads themselves. I disassembled mine from my EMU headphones which use basically the same pads. I didn't take the pad off the plastic ring with four teeth that hold it but it seems that that white plastic backing part right there has an opening, and the leather pad ITSELF has an opening. So if you were to remove the pad, the two parts have to be aligned perfectly? Also when you re-install the pad and then twist it or move it while attached to the cup, what's moving? Just the leather part or that plastic backing as well?

I'm wondering there's any rhyme or reason when it comes to putting it back on, and if having something misaligned will noticeably signal a change in sound?

Have you seen the videos on the Dekoni site? I found them pretty helpful in starting to understand Fostex and clone pads, alignment issues, and attentuators etc.

 

[bcaulf17]

Have you seen the videos on the Dekoni site? I found them pretty helpful in starting to understand Fostex and clone pads, alignment issues, and attentuators etc.

I haven't, but I did watch some videos the Accessory House channel made. Helped me to understand how the pads can be installed and uninstalled from the ring, but I'm still wondering if there's any sort of way the pad itself needs to be aligned, as yeah it's not entirely open for the driver.

FWIW I never removed the pads from the plastic teeth and reinstalling the pads to the headphone and twisting the pads slightly for better fit back to the position they were when I removed them, didn't notice any change in sound as far as I can tell, as I don't think it would. If there were a difference I would assume there would be a balance issue. I just get curious about this stuff, especially when there's not much going on lol.

 

[gimmeheadroom]

I haven't, but I did watch some videos the Accessory House channel made. Helped me to understand how the pads can be installed and uninstalled from the ring, but I'm still wondering if there's any sort of way the pad itself needs to be aligned, as yeah it's not entirely open for the driver.

FWIW I never removed the pads from the plastic teeth and reinstalling the pads to the headphone and twisting the pads slightly for better fit back to the position they were when I removed them, didn't notice any change in sound as far as I can tell, as I don't think it would. If there were a difference I would assume there would be a balance issue. I just get curious about this stuff, especially when there's not much going on lol.

It's worth watching the videos if you have a couple of beers

 

[bcaulf17]

It's worth watching the videos if you have a couple of beers

Oh I got more than a couple

 

[gimmeheadroom]

Oh I got more than a couple

I love it when a plan comes together

 

[Huntersknoll]

Anyone know if the 610 pads are worth it? I want something a bit more comfy but $90 is up there haha. I could go the Dekoni route. I just want to keep the sound as close as possible to stock

 

[udailey]

Really fantastic headphones. I use beyerdynamics dt880, hifiman he400(I've had 3 of these and all 3 were different. One was terrible one is almost as good as it gets). I've got the head-fi version of the grado 325. This pair of fostex is better than them all. My only complaint is just a personal problem. I bought them so I could listen while my wife reads next to me. She can still tell which song I'm listening to. By the way, that <$200 cavalli tube amplifier is a great match. No need to roll the tube either.
I used to buy audio equipment like crazy. I'm winding down and settling in with headphones instead of a big audio system. I've been designing and building headphones amps for years and they're more fun and less intrusive than a big audio system, imho. Anyway, that buying and selling bug is gone now. I'm completely happy to use these headphones for the rest of my life as my just sit down and listen pair. Too big for the airplane or any travel really. I've got some bluetooth buds for that. Buds are not very good but during travel I don't care. If I had to buy these all over again I'd happily pay up to $600 for a headphone of this quality. Didn't pay that much for these but they'd be worth it at that price, used.
Bought mine from Maxx134. Good experience. Honest person.

 

[VRacer-111]

From seeing the PH you got seems like it's very nicely tuned. They do really seem to do well with a good hybrid tube amp... much better low frequency extension and really hear the better separation. Only thing that is a downgrade in going tube is the low frequency punch, simply does not have the subbass impact that a nice SS amp will give it. Low end is mellowed out but bettered defined with tubes.

 

[udailey]

I keep reading that and that's what I expected but the bass is pretty great.
I wish I had heard them before they were tuned so I knew the difference but no complaints as they sound fantastic.
PS I know nothing about the tune and forgot anything I did know. I think if someone wants to know more they could check Maxx' profile and see what he's sold and there is a description in his sale of the tune.
Edit: found his sale with tune description
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sold-fostex-thx00-purpleheart-dmt-mod.929990/
For what I paid... Smoking good deal

 

[koover]

From seeing the PH you got seems like it's very nicely tuned. They do really seem to do well with a good hybrid tube amp... much better low frequency extension and really hear the better separation. Only thing that is a downgrade in going tube is the low frequency punch, simply does not have the subbass impact that a nice SS amp will give it. Low end is mellowed out but bettered defined with tubes.

Depends on the tube you're using. I've rolled in some tubes that were absolutely bass monsters without messing with the rest of the sound signature. You just have to experiment and try a few different ones.

 

[VRacer-111]

Depends on the tube you're using. I've rolled in some tubes that were absolutely bass monsters without messing with the rest of the sound signature. You just have to experiment and try a few different ones.

Greg, any suggestions on tubes to try? Everything i've tried thusfar in the Ember simply doesn't have the subbass impact level of the Polaris. Subbass is noticeably more beefy & snappy with the Project Polaris - the two best tubes I have for low end impact are the Electro-Harmonix 6H30Pi and the Mullard 12AT7/CV4024.