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

[c61746961]

YEP, DON'T

 

[Armaegis]

Even ignoring the acoustic element, that felt/screen prevents dirt from getting into the driver. 

 

[hipster2010]

Alright thanks the help. Maybe if I'm adventurous I'll try to take them off sometime and replace them with felt.
 
Anyways, I got my t50rp almost finished up (for the time being) today and upon a brief listen was amazed by what I heard. Sound was much more balanced compared to stock and the soundstage is very impressive. I think I was most impressed by the level of detail that I could now hear. I will a/b them with my markl modded D5000 soon to see how they compare 

 

[hipster2010]

So I did a brief comparison between my T50rp and my D5000 and I am now debating if it would be worth it to sell my D5000. I can't believe how good these T50rps sound for what I've spent. I got my pair used, so with the modding materials and Shure ear pads it has been less than $85!
 
Anyways, when I listened to both there were clear differences between both and things I like better in each. My soundstage is still much greater in the D5000. The bass is also much more emphasized in the D5000. The T50s have a fairly even bass response that doesn't overpower anything else. The T50s had much more detail and clarity in the mids and highs, and this was what really stood out. While my T50s have decent comfort and I can wear them for a couple hours at a time, they are no match for the D5000s. Soon I will get the HD580 headband pad and hopefully I'll also pick up some O2 pads to really make them comfortable. The extra little twangs on the guitar were much clearer and sounded more realistic. I think my D5000s are still slightly better overall (based on my preferences), but it is hard to justify having to spend nearly an additional $400 for them 

 
Thanks to all of you for posting great mod ideas, pictures, instructions, etc. I'll try to get some pics up of what I did at some point because pics are fun!

 

[FraGGleR]

I think I am now an orthodynamic convert.  I got a new pair of T50rp's today and just stock, I am hearing something special.  I have things to do, but for some reason, I can't stop listening to music.  I don't think these are horrible at all stock.  I am listening on a Nuforce HDP which I have paired with some HD650's for the last year as well as some Shure SRH840's and I am really digging the T50rp's.  Definitely won't say they are better than the HD650's, or even the SRH840's just yet, but outside of a recessed treble, I don't think these are bad at all.   
 
Can't wait to get my modding supplies and see what I get these puppies to sound like.  Thanks to all the contributors to this thread!

 

[pp312]

Quote:

I think I am now an orthodynamic convert.  I got a new pair of T50rp's today and just stock, I am hearing something special.

 
Well, I wish I knew what was wrong with mine as mine are unlistenable stock---muffled, coarse...the only good thing about them is they make my LCD-2 sound so good! Is there a huge sound quality variation with this model?

 

[hipster2010]

Quote:

 
Well, I wish I knew what was wrong with mine as mine are unlistenable stock---muffled, coarse...the only good thing about them is they make my LCD-2 sound so good! Is there a huge sound quality variation with this model?

I thought the same thing about mine when they were stock. Even my girlfriend said they didn't sound good. There must be variation as I definitely did not hear what some people have heard in their stock T50rps. I heard pretty much what BMF's graph showed, which was rolled off bass and highs , and also rather closed in and kinda tinny. However, the change with a couple simple mods is incredible. The detail they have is great and I'm starting to prefer their sound over my D5000s.

 

[pp312]

And what would you say those two simple mods should be, if we were hypothetically limiting it to two?

 

[Tangster]

Quote:

And what would you say those two simple mods should be, if we were hypothetically limiting it to two?

Damp the cups, remove dust cover/felt from the pad side of the driver. Then I'd go for damp the back of the driver and cotton fill the cups, before finally new earpads and a suspension headband.

 

[pp312]

Not sure if that's two,

but thanks, very helpful.

 

[micmacmo]

Two simple mods? 1) Stuff the cups with cotton batten (either unrolled cotton balls or a slab of absorbent cotton) just to the point where you have to apply a bit of pressure to close and seal the cups. 2) Try better ear pads; most folks like the Shure 840 pads.
 
From there, have a look at the BMF's encyclopedic posting on the effect of most common mods. He looks at the impact of different pads, alternatives to cotton, the effect of different physical dampeners, the role of the various vents and holes on the headphones etc.
 
I'd suggest against removing the stock cloth and felts from either side of the driver or the vents at the back of the cups. At least initially. People have reported marginal gains at best and most have had a difficult time replacing them satisfactorily. YMMV.

 

[hipster2010]

Quote:

And what would you say those two simple mods should be, if we were hypothetically limiting it to two?

I probably should have said a few instead of a couple mods, but I liked the effects from the Shure 840 pads and filling in the back of the baffle with plasticine.

 

[kalbee]

Quote:

 
Well, I wish I knew what was wrong with mine as mine are unlistenable stock---muffled, coarse...the only good thing about them is they make my LCD-2 sound so good! Is there a huge sound quality variation with this model?

Perhaps, although the pads also did not have a very universal fit. At the beginning they fit very well on my head and sealed my ears properly--at that point I had good bass as well as some nice midrange. Clarity wasn't high up there yet but not bad.
 
Then afterwards they stopped fitting well for some odd reasons.

 

[hipster2010]

Decided to take the J$ pads off of my D5000 and put them on my T50rp 

 
Sounds incredible. Soundstage opened up  at the cost of maybe just a little less forward mids. Detail seems to be the same. Bass is very similar, maybe a tad bit lighter. Obviously comfort is much better now. I think these pads have given me the sound that I've been looking for in headphones. The D5000s were really close, but I felt that the bass was a tad bit boomy and felt like it put a bit too much sound pressure on my ears after wearing them for awhile. My T50rps now sound very similar, but with a tighter, less prominent bass, better detail and clarity, and slightly more forward mids. They also have better isolation and less sound leakage. After I add some padding to the headband these will also be as comfortable too!

 

[hipster2010]

Here are the new pads!