[lltfdaniel]

This is the only headphone that wants me to listen to music because it is different compared to the usual dynamic sound.
 
Same here wants me to stay up to listen.

 

[Tordenskjold]

I have heard DT880s, 990s and 250s, the DT150 was on my list, but so far no experience there. HD600s I know, as the K271, K701 and 601. The DT48 seems to be the epitome of a monitoring  headphone, but for casual listening not an option. The K271 I disliked, recessed bass and somewhat recessed (although very clear) heights. K701 I know and dislike - too wide, and while clear enough notenough forward presence. HD600s suffer (to a lesser degree) from  my critical points on the  HD25: the  heights sound somewhat veiled and closed-in. I tried boosting the upper most range via parametric EQ, but no, the HD25 simply cannot deliver. K601 I  liked actually better than the bigger brother, but still, same problem. I'm pretty much at the end now, one tip was thze old HD-250 from Sennheiser - supposedly it sounds like a HD25 gone hifi. I am apparently looking for "true" linearity - equal response in every frequency.  

 

[lltfdaniel]

The t50rp is in no way veiled.

 

[AnotherN00b]

 

Quote:

Woot, they arrived!  I don't think I ever had to work so hard to spend $74.  

Lol, me too! I pretty much *have* to like them now after so much effort and anticipation!
 
 
Quote:

So, that Fostex costs 150€ here, and now I read it makes the HD650 and the K701 sound like crap? How very, very strange, on the other hand they apparently need modding with strange materals I've never even heard of. 

 
I can't speak to the first point but the mods are pretty easy with readily available materials. Newplast = modeling clay, any non-hardening dense & flexible material should work for mass-damping the baffles (I found EZ Shape non-hardening modeling clay at a chain craft store). Cups have been dampened with everything from pillow fluff, to felt, to acoustic foam with good results. Lots of people in this thread have bought special acoustic dampening foam called Akasa paxmate that I'm sure would happy to sell a 1/4 sheet for a fair price if you ask. 
 
Quote:

 I am apparently looking for "true" linearity - equal response in every frequency.  

 
Here's a FR graph for the t50rp that leeperry shared here; pretty flat! However I think you mentioned that you were looking for a phone with large sound-stage and that is one area where most have agreed that this doesn't compete with some of the phones you mentioned (though they seem happy to make the trade-off  
 
 

 

[leeperry]

 

 
I think you mentioned that you were looking for a phone with large sound-stage and that is one area where most have agreed that this doesn't compete with some of the phones you mentioned

 
Well, I've never heard an HD650 but I've got no problem saying that my pimped T50RP kills the SS godfather, aka the MDR-CD3000...but it boils down to:
-opening the side vents
-angling the drivers
-using some slight crossfeed plugin
-using the right amping....dual opamps always sound narrow(check out the OPA1612 webpage, it's clearly explained)
 
I currently have a much wider/deeper SS than on the cd3k....I often read ppl saying that if you treat the HD650 like a $1K phone, it will never disappoint: same rule applies to the T50RP IMO.

 

[mrspeakers]

Hey Lee, was the fr stock or mod? Looks like stock sounded, to my ears....

What do you use for cross feed?

 

[leeperry]

stock, using the v1 earpads at that...that are said to be utterly bass shy.
 
I use this for xfeed: http://vellocet.com/software/VNoPhones.html
 
it's the most subtle plugin I've found, I hate those colored room simulators...this one makes my brain feel happy, and yet hardly colors the sound...me like it a lot

 

[immtbiker]

I've been following this thread for a while, so sorry if I am asking a question that has already been asked....but can anyone give a decent comparison of the Fostex and the 2 new kids on the block (the LCD-2 and the HE-6) ? Money excluded.

 

[mrspeakers]

Thanks Lee.  Was that on a "head" for measuring or just a microphone by the driver?  Closing off the seal would increase the measured bass, as well.  
 
The changes in bass quantity and tightness with the foam and putty definitely would raise up that bass curve at the bottom, and the wider foam as well.  They aren't bass monsters now, they're just incredibly flat and deep, which leaves them sounding much warmer than other phones that don't have that bottom octave.  
 
I'm depating messing with the damping around the driver, I'm pretty happy.  The only difference relative to a lot of the other tweekers was that I used the Akasa more liberally on the back shell, but the mids and highs are very nice.  Not bright, just nice.  

 

[VulgarDisplay]

Quote:

I've been following this thread for a while, so sorry if I am asking a question that has already been asked....but can anyone give a decent comparison of the Fostex and the 2 new kids on the block (the LCD-2 and the HE-6) ? Money excluded.

 
They are said to be definately better, but probably not $900+ better.  The t50rp driver is miniscule in comparison to the lcd2 and he6's drivers which is the main reason they are better.  The housing for the t50rp driver is the other thing that holds it back, and many consider the Thunderpants to be on par, but have different sound signature than the lcd2/he6.  
 
Long story short, they aren't as good as the big orthos, but they are amazing for their price.  

 

[Mad Max]

 
Quote:

 
Here's a FR graph for the t50rp that leeperry shared here; pretty flat! However I think you mentioned that you were looking for a phone with large sound-stage and that is one area where most have agreed that this doesn't compete with some of the phones you mentioned (though they seem happy to make the trade-off  

 
I think it is worth it to trade off oversized, sometimes artificial soundstage for something mildly smaller with greater depth, precision, layering, and transparency towards the music's soundstage. 

 

[AnotherN00b]

Quote:

I'm depating messing with the damping around the driver, I'm pretty happy.  The only difference relative to a lot of the other tweekers was that I used the Akasa more liberally on the back shell, but the mids and highs are very nice.  Not bright, just nice.  

If you do open them up again I'd be curious to see a picture of how you dampened the cups -- It sounds like you put a layer of felt in the two trenches and then a couple layers of akaska foam over that covering the entire cup?
 

 

[mrspeakers]

Quote:

Quote:

I'm depating messing with the damping around the driver, I'm pretty happy.  The only difference relative to a lot of the other tweekers was that I used the Akasa more liberally on the back shell, but the mids and highs are very nice.  Not bright, just nice.  

If you do open them up again I'd be curious to see a picture of how you dampened the cups -- It sounds like you put a layer of felt in the two trenches and then a couple layers of akaska foam over that covering the entire cup?
 

Hey Anoob,

The first photo shows padding similar to what others have done.  Two strips in the back of the cup. 
 

 
 
I still found the mids to be "chesty" and a bit glaring, so I opened up and redid as follows...
 

 
As you can see, everything inside the acoustic chamber is now covered with the Akasa foam.  I left the fabric and felt alone on the driver, I really couldn't think what would be gained by mods on the treble unless trying to brighten it up.  I'm still not quite clear on how the Micropoer and Transpore were used, though. 
 
Also, I did note one thing I don't anyone has commented, so for tweekers to come:
 
On the left cup, there is a particularly large open area on one part of the driver baffle which if you fill, will cause the clam to not close.  The cable entry jack needs access to that space, as it's on a vertical standoff that points right towards the bezel.  Took me a couple of minutes to figure out why the left shell wouldn't close!
 

 

 

[leeperry]

 

 
Was that on a "head" for measuring or just a microphone by the driver?  Closing off the seal would increase the measured bass, as well.  

 
Not sure, watashi wa nihongo o-benkyo shimasu...rikai dekiru you ni doryoku shimasu: http://www.geocities.co.jp/ryumatsuba/review.html
 
I'm having a real blast listening to this thing: 

 
I demand an even better sounding T60RP in a few years, just so I won't have to let the upgraditis monster starve to death.

 

[mrspeakers]

LCD-2, but no tweaks except headband and cables.  Not so exciting, or cheap.