[reddragon]

Quote:

alright, who is gonna send around a pair of paradox to trusted head fi'ers/modders so we can start an impressions thread?

 
 
i think people have a hard time getting theirs off their heads to loan them off lol

 

[preproman]

Quote:

The Paradox and the Mad Dogs are the best modified Fostex, er, any modded headphone.
 
Both are very good headphones, with different engineering. I believe them to be the best values in the headphone pool and equal in performance.
It takes some time getting use to the Paradox as it may come off as boring, after time you begin to appreciate it though.
 
It's more of a matter of preference, mine is for MD. But I've been planning to buy the Paradox for months. Poor wallet ain't giving in.

 
 
Yeah - don't forget the BMF's - most people have not heard a pair of these yet.  The Paradox is the best modified fostex technically it has pretty much a flat FR across the board (a pretty neutral headphone).  The Mad Dogs are a more funner listen.  More bass at times.  Both being modified fostex T50RPs and both being different in the end.   LFF takes his time.  Dan mass produces.  Both products are pretty darn good for the money.

 

[pp312]

What is the money?

 

[reddragon]

Full mad dog mod is 300 bucks, "premium" paradox (most expensive of paradox) is 550 bucks and you need to send lff your stock t50rp and the pads

 

[DaveBSC]

Quote:

I'm sorta curious, how does the Paradox do compared to SRH940s and T70s?
 
Music genre: rock, electronica, classical, epic music and jazz
 

The 940 is bad, the T70 is awful. Name pretty much any sealed headphone, and the Paradox >. The only headphones that might be in its class would be a Lawton LA7000 or Fostex TH900. Neither is as neutral, but both might be as enjoyable to listen to. Both are also obviously considerably more expensive, but you do get the looks. The Paradox isn't a looker, it's all business.

 

[DaveBSC]

Quote:

Full mad dog mod is 300 bucks, "premium" paradox (most expensive of paradox) is 550 bucks and you need to send lff your stock t50rp and the pads

This is the first I've heard about any upgrades to the Paradox. Do you know what the difference is vs. the "normal" $350 paradox?

 

[reddragon]

Quote:

This is the first I've heard about any upgrades to the Paradox. Do you know what the difference is vs. the "normal" $350 paradox?

 
 
 
normal $350 paradox is basic mod, $450 is recabled + repainted, $550 is different headband, black powder coated sliders but will sound exactly the same as the $450 bucks one. the $100 more is just for looks.

 

[pp312]

Quote:

Full mad dog mod is 300 bucks, "premium" paradox (most expensive of paradox) is 550 bucks and you need to send lff your stock t50rp and the pads

 
 
See the problem (paradox?) here is that in Australia the cheapest T50 is from the US and costs $115, of which $21 is postage. So I would have to buy a T50 in the US, have it sent to Australia, send it back to the US (another $21), and probably pay to have it sent back to me (another $21--I'm ignoring the pads cost). What those outside the US need are fully made up Paradoxes, and this is where a small manufacturing firm needs to step in.

 

[Rayzee]

Quote:

 
 
See the problem (paradox?) here is that in Australia the cheapest T50 is from the US and costs $115, of which $21 is postage. So I would have to buy a T50 in the US, have it sent to Australia, send it back to the US (another $21), and probably pay to have it sent back to me (another $21--I'm ignoring the pads cost). What those outside the US need are fully made up Paradoxes, and this is where a small manufacturing firm needs to step in.

 

You can work something out with LFF, so that you can buy everything from the USA and have it ship to him directly. Just give him a email. Though the T50RP has jumped in price from $74 new from B&H so it's not as cheap as it was a few weeks ago.

 

[MuppetFace]

Quote:

This is the first I've heard about any upgrades to the Paradox. Do you know what the difference is vs. the "normal" $350 paradox?

 
The differences, as far as I'm aware, are in the dual entry cable and the paintjob. LFF powdercoats the adjustment sliders, and then uses automotive paint and a clearcoat on the cups.

 

[preproman]

Quote:

 
 
See the problem (paradox?) here is that in Australia the cheapest T50 is from the US and costs $115, of which $21 is postage. So I would have to buy a T50 in the US, have it sent to Australia, send it back to the US (another $21), and probably pay to have it sent back to me (another $21--I'm ignoring the pads cost). What those outside the US need are fully made up Paradoxes, and this is where a small manufacturing firm needs to step in.

 
 
Quote:

 

You can work something out with LFF, so that you can buy everything from the USA and have it ship to him directly. Just give him a email. Though the T50RP has jumped in price from $74 new from B&H so it's not as cheap as it was a few weeks ago.

 
 
^^This^^  
 
Just have everything shipped directly to LFF.  T50RPs, Pads, Cable (if needed) Not a problem at all.  That's what I did.

 

[DaveBSC]

Quote:

 
The differences, as far as I'm aware, are in the dual entry cable and the paintjob. LFF powdercoats the adjustment sliders, and then uses automotive paint and a clearcoat on the cups.

 
Gotcha, thanks. In conversations I've had with Luis he doesn't believe in re-cabling for performance benefit, although obviously he'll do it if asked. Mine is the stock single entry. I keep meaning to make a mini-mini headphone cable to see if I can prove him wrong, but I still haven't gotten around to it.

 

[HideousPride]

[size=medium]Initial impressions:[/size]
[size=medium]I was fortunate enough to inquire about the Paradox headphones around the exact time LFF (henceforth referred to as Luis in this post) mentioned that premium versions of the Paradox were available for purchase. According to LFF’s certificate of authenticity, I actually have the first premium jet black (#001 Vader) order of the Paradox. [/size][size=medium]

[/size]
 
EDIT: Forgot to explain the Premium differences. Headphone itself is completely painted black, with a glossy clear coat over it. Adjustable sliders are powder-coated black. A cover for the headband. Dual entry cable standard with a 4-pin XLR termination and your choice between 1/4" and 1/8" adapter. Comes with a handmade headphone bag that has a very cute touch to it.
 
[size=medium]The headphones have been worked over from top to bottom. I might have had difficulty identifying that they began their lives as a Fostex T50RP if not for the very particular cups and adjustment sliders the headphones possess. There are signs of the work and love that Luis put into the headphones in the form of a few slight cosmetic imperfections: the stitching on the suspension headband and the actual headband cover itself are not completely uniform, there is a small rip on the outside fabric seal between the left driver and cup. The paint job left a small bump on the left driver, and the rubber band-like contraption holding the suspension headband together has a minor tear on the right side. I personally don’t mind the blemishes at all, and am certain that Luis’ work will deliver headphones that are closer and closer to the standard of an aesthetically flawless product as time goes on. [/size]
 
[size=medium]Luis has been quite secretive about the premium design, so I will refrain from posting pictures in this thread. If you’re interested, feel free to shoot me a PM and I’ll get back to you.[/size]
 
[size=medium]Comfort is excellent. I have a fairly large head and the Paradox easily accommodates me. I will say the Paradox is a bit weighty. Positioning on the head and your posture are both important; the back of your neck begins to feel the heftiness if you’re not careful. The FA-003 pads offer a wonderful synergy in comfort/isolation/lack of sound leakage – as I recall in emails past with Luis, he tuned the Paradox specifically for these pads. Soundstage was an extremely pleasant surprise. I haven’t heard a closed headphone yet that does it quite as well as the Paradox. [/size]
 
[size=medium]Tried the Paradox out of a few combinations:[/size]
[size=medium]Cowon J3 -> Paradox[/size]
[size=medium]Cowon J3 -> JDS C421 AS 8620 -> Paradox[/size]
[size=medium]Cowon J3 -> O2 -> Paradox[/size]
[size=medium]Desktop -> ODAC -> O2 -> Paradox[/size]
 
[size=medium]I was surprised to find the Paradox easier to drive than I had expected. The level of sound I could get straight out of the J3 was loud enough for everyday use. This is not to say to forego amplification, because the Paradox sounds significantly better with a more ample power source driving it. The JDS C421 actually does a somewhat respectable job with the Paradox. I could see it being my portable amp of choice when I don’t want to lug around a brick in my pocket/messenger bag. However, that brick (the O2) is still what takes the Paradox around the bases for a home run; it convinces me that the Paradox is something special.  [/size]
 
[size=medium]I had always thought neutral wasn’t really the sound signature for me, as I have been a proponent of using EQ to fix headphones’ trouble spots and to accommodate certain genres of songs to make them more “lively”. So far, the Paradox has satisfied me to the point where I have had zero desire to even think about playing around with what I’m hearing. [/size]
 
[size=medium]More eloquent people than I have already described the sound of the Paradox, so I will refrain from doing so in this post and just say that I have so far enjoyed myself immensely. Yes, it sounds ruler-flat to my ears. Yes, the detail is incredible. I'd be flattering myself if I said I could still hear a bit of the original T50RP sound; the Paradox is its own beast, and I thank this thread for being one of the contributing factors that lead to my purchase.[/size]

 

[pp312]

Great post, Hideous..er..Pride.

  There can't be too many reading that who aren't now curious (if not salivating) to hear a Paradox.
 
Your penultimate sentence touches on my contention that only one headphone is necessary, if it's the right one. As for EQ, I've never been a fan of it. It encourages fiddling, as what setting will sound great on one recording, or even most, will inevitably not sound right on another. When things are right, they're right, and even recordings that aren't wonderful won't engender a desire to reach for the sliders or the alternative headphone.  

 

[wiinippongamer]

That's why you use sine sweeps when trying to EQ.