Just listened to some Fostex T50RPs today... WOW!

[bluemonkeyflyer]

Incremental Mods and Measurements database update 

 

A headfi member asked about measurements of T50RP's with "Naked" drivers. I uploaded a photograph of my set of T50RP's after the stock white driver dampening "paper" was removed - See photograph L2.

 

I uploaded SPL FR graphs and Waterfall Plots for this set with Acoustipack Lite in the cup floor, Newplast flush mass loaded baffle compartments, and 3 types of pads: Shure 840 pads, T50RP stock pads, and Fischer FA-003 pads -See graphs are 33b, 33c, and 33d.

 

http://www.head-fi.org/t/618659/fostex-t50rp-incremental-mods-and-measurements

 

 

 

 

[t-crisis]

Hey now, I just purchased some T50RPs from B&H today because I saw they were only $74 (with free shipping 

) and I am a sucker when it comes to tinkering, and I know the T50RPs are all about tinkering... So my question is: may I ask someone to fill me in on which mods would suit me best? I will be running these headphones straight from my 5th Gen iPod with a Fiio amp, listening to all genres of music (EXCEPT country). And I am not planning to do the thunderpants mod *yet* or buying O2 pads, most likely just doing the simple damping mods and what not. 
I'm a newguy here, and I've looked through the thread a little bit to see if I could figure out what was going on without starting from page 1, and I got super lost. I followed this link: http://www.head-fi.org/t/452404/just-listened-to-some-fostex-t50rps-today-wow/5175#post_7931332 but it was so vague and there were so many different ways to go, I didn't even know where to start. 
Like I said, I don't have much experience experimenting with different hi-fi equipment and so any advice is much appreciated. If it helps, my initial opinion is that out of the box, the Fostex's are much less fatiguing but muddy as compared to my Grados, which have astounding clarity and detail. Undecided if I like it or not
 
Also, I'm game to any suggestions for an amp/DAC that would play well with modded T50s, and it'd be a double bonus if they were also well suited for a pair of Grados 

.
Thanks in advance team
 

 

[deadspider187]

Quote:

Hey now, I just purchased some T50RPs from B&H today because I saw they were only $74 (with free shipping 

) and I am a sucker when it comes to tinkering, and I know the T50RPs are all about tinkering... So my question is: may I ask someone to fill me in on which mods would suit me best? I will be running these headphones straight from my 5th Gen iPod, listening to all genres of music (EXCEPT country). And I am not planning to do the thunderpants mod *yet* or buying O2 pads, most likely just doing the simple damping mods and what not. 
I'm a newguy here, and I've looked through the thread a little bit to see if I could figure out what was going on without starting from page 1, and I got super lost. I followed this link: http://www.head-fi.org/t/452404/just-listened-to-some-fostex-t50rps-today-wow/5175#post_7931332 but it was so vague and there were so many different ways to go, I didn't even know where to start. 
Like I said, I don't have much experience experimenting with different hi-fi equipment and so any advice is much appreciated.
Also, I'm game to any suggestions for an amp/DAC that would play well with modded T50s, and it'd be a double bonus if they were also well suited for my Grados 

.
Thanks in advance team
 

Start here: http://www.head-fi.org/t/571549/fostex-t50rp-modification-summary-links/75#post_8559661
 
Most people I believe are using the Rasta Pants 2 mod, but there are others.  Check here: http://www.innerfidelity.com/headphone-data-sheet-downloads for the charts for some of the mods people have done.
 
I personally use a pa2v2 amp with a LOD for my iPad (which also works well with Grados), but I'm sure someone can suggest an amp/dac with better synergy than this setup.

 

[t-crisis]

Quote:

Start here: http://www.head-fi.org/t/571549/fostex-t50rp-modification-summary-links/75#post_8559661
 
Most people I believe are using the Rasta Pants 2 mod, but there are others.  Check here: http://www.innerfidelity.com/headphone-data-sheet-downloads for the charts for some of the mods people have done.
 
I personally use a pa2v2 amp with a LOD for my iPad (which also works well with Grados), but I'm sure someone can suggest an amp/dac with better synergy than this setup.

Thanks mate

 

[sling5s]

How do you thicken the midrange (especially in the lower vocal region).  I know most talk of tightening and controlling the bass and extending the treble.
But I find my midrange a little thin.  How do I thicken the midrange without increasing or bloating the bass?  Or darkening the treble?
I love the Fostex but when compared to the LCD-2, especially the version 1, I miss the thicker creamy midrange for vocals.

 

[Dyaems]

guys guys did you know that those angled plugs from beats tours fits perfectly for the t50rp? i just tried it yesterday! just sand off the beats logo and reterminate the other end with another plug =)
 
not sure how will it affect sound though, if anyone believes with cable sound changes

 

[sling5s]

About thin mids. I just took all the cotton out. It's not as airy but the mids are to my liking. More thicker and warmer.

 

[hans030390]

Quote:

About thin mids. I just took all the cotton out. It's not as airy but the mids are to my liking. More thicker and warmer.

 
And likely more resonance!

 

[jgray91]

@sling, you could want to try and use some melamine foam/ magic eraser. I still haven't experimented a lot with various thickness and stuff, but most of the effect I got from my first 2 go seems to effect only of bass and mids mostly. Bass is easily reduced as it is.

 

[sling5s]

Ha...ha....so true.  Trying to get what you want in one area and compromising in others.  
Quote:

 
And likely more resonance!

yup... cotton going back

 

[Nevod]

Quote:

Ha...ha....so true.  Trying to get what you want in one area and compromising in others.  
yup... cotton going back

I'd suggest using several different layers of fill. I'd suggest using a thin more dense layer of cotton near the driver and something less dense in the rest space. You could just use more fluffed cotton.
IMO, though, cotton is not the best material because it isn't springy like polyfill or rockwool, they are better suited for that "filler" role.

 

[LuckyX2]

Well I guess it's time to stop lurking since I finally got my T50RP's!
I just want to make sure I'm on the right track before I start modding.

Here's what I'm planning:

-840 pads
-Plasticine load around the back of the driver
-A little Dynamat at the bottom of the cup
-Paxmate covering the Dynamat and rest of the cup except center "reflex bump" and vents
-Electrical tape over most of the vents (7/8ths covered)
-Natural absorbant cotton filling the cup but leaving the "reflex bump" exposed
-Dynamat covered with Paxmate around the ear-side of the driver
-Leaving the stock white driver fabric

One thing I'm curious about is the effect of removing the ear-side baffle felt that is covering the driver.
I haven't read much about this but it seems that anything over the driver would muffle the sound and generally be a bad thing.
Should I cut out around the driver so it is exposed and more directly transmits to my ears?
What about the fabric at the center of the 840 pads? Should I cut that out too or remove one or the other?

Thoughts?
Thanks everyone!
 

 

[jgray91]

I wouldn't say that anything covering in front of the driver ear side (anything up to silencing it altogether that is) is always detrimental. Depends on what you want to achieve. For example my current set up* I find that the high is a little bit shrill, so put the included foam disc that came with the beyer gel pad to reduce the shrillness. 
 

Spoiler: *current%20set%20up

(the standard massloaded baffle and paxmate in cup, stock white paper on the back of the driver, a felt reflex dot on the center of the driver cup-side, a weird stack of foam I found on my desk, melamine foam in the cups except over the "reflex bump", felt over the reflex bump, a third of the first row of the bass vent covered with electrical tape, covered baffle port punctured with a sewing needle, beyer gel pads)

 
So far what you've done is quite in line with what a lot that started out first done. Personally I would listen to it stock first to get to know how it sound before I change anything one by one and write my impressions down somewhere to listen what changed.

 

[LuckyX2]

I couldn't find a whole lot of info on that front felt piece covering the driver but from what I gather it "softens" the sound and removing it would increase the presence of high frequencies. For someone like yourself who finds the highs shrill, I can see why you chose to keep that covering. Have you ever heard it without the felt covering? What about removing the fabric in the center of the 840 pads?

And I actually haven't done any of these mods yet aside from the 840 pads. I've just been listening, planning and letting them run through a playlist of some of my more common songs to burn in. Thought I'd come here first before doing anything more than the pads.

What I gather from your response is that this is a good base to start with and then tweak to my preference. Is that about right?
I tried to focus on the most commonly accepted mods and not jump to anything more finicky like replacing the white fabric or tweaking the baffle ports.

However, after listening to them stock I would like some more bass and may consider reducing the size of the baffle ports eventually.

 

[jgray91]

I never tried listening with the ear-side felt gone, so can't comment on that. I didn't do it since that's an irreversible thing to mod. I mainly focused on doing reversible mods since it's hard for me to find a good deal for the T50RP. I suggest doing reversible mods (whether it's hard to reverse the change or not is almost irrelevant, as long as it's reversible) if you have a hard time getting additional T50RPs.
 
That's basically it, at least for me. Follow the common mods first, slowly learn what some of the mods do, better to do it one mod by one mod. This is very time-consuming as you may have guessed, but IMO and IME it's quite rewarding.
 
Note though I'm not the "highest authority" in the modding know-how. This is just what I picked up as I go along. Hopefully someone with more experience will chime up, but so far from what I see, you're doing just fine. There seems to be a new standard, well more like one man doing very much work that he loves, of the mods. Check out this thread. It also is prudent that you check out this wiki article. Have fun modding.