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

[dorino]

Yes. That's a very short answer, but I'm pretty certain you'd be likely to enjoy the Alpha Dog more regardless of your interests.

 

[Lohb]

I have a few sets of Scotchgard micro-suede topped HM5 memory foam pads that I've decided not to use on Fostex...anyone about to get HM5 mem. foam pads hit me up.
No more squelchy summer humidity ears

 

[mikey1964]

Jeez, I bought a pair of MrSpeakers Alpha pads, replaced the old ones on my Alpha Dog with them, and promptly put the old ones on my stock T50RP, and WOW! Suddenly the T50RP doesn't sound half bad. Is it my imagination or do pads make that much difference? With the stock pads, I couldn't listen for more than a few minutes before the sound annoys me. But with these Alpha pads, it suddenly has more body and sounds more musical.\

 

[SeEnCreaTive]

mikey1964 Yep. HUGE. I think BMF did a mass measure of many many different pads. Somewhere on the first page. Of course a response graph doesn't show how they really sound

 

[zach915m]

@mikey1964 Yep. HUGE. I think BMF did a mass measure of many many different pads. Somewhere on the first page. Of course a response graph doesn't show how they really sound

Yeah - there's many factors that don't always show up in measurement, sound-stage, timbre, impact etc etc.    It's all about the pads!

 

[mikey1964]

Thanks guys, for clearing that up, I was actually trying to tell myself it was mostly placebo.

  I was thinking of simply making the T50RP a little more comfortable, that was all I'd wanted, that it sounds a fair bit better is pure win for me.

 Now listening to some Eagles and chillaxing while I type this message with my T50RP and it's all good. Also awaiting the arrival of the Lawton Angled pads for my Denon, gonna see what it brings to the table.....

 

[dorino]

Pads make a damn big difference. Seal is relevant.

 

[SeEnCreaTive]

Thanks guys, for clearing that up, I was actually trying to tell myself it was mostly placebo.   I was thinking of simply making the T50RP a little more comfortable, that was all I'd wanted, that it sounds a fair bit better is pure win for me.  Now listening to some Eagles and chillaxing while I type this message with my T50RP and it's all good. Also awaiting the arrival of the Lawton Angled pads for my Denon, gonna see what it brings to the table.....

And another one falls prey to the world of modding

Nothing like making any product (not just headphones) yours, and perfectly tuned to the sound you like

 

[fleasbaby]

....finished some T50rp woodies in Afzalia this weekend. Tried using the stock pads but strangely enough, as always, they suck. Going to be putting some Shures on them...
 

 

[mikey1964]

Nice! 

 
But while you were at it, why didn't you do a detachable cable mod? Also, I've noted some T50RP's with that nice aluminum finish on the metal sliders, where did you guy get it?

 

[fleasbaby]

  Nice! 

 
But while you were at it, why didn't you do a detachable cable mod? Also, I've noted some T50RP's with that nice aluminum finish on the metal sliders, where did you guy get it?

 
Thanks . I've just never bothered trying detachable. Maybe next time. I have d to do an Ebony [pair with detachables...we'll see. The sliders are silver because I used the T20rp instead of the T50rp. Same driver, different damping in stock config. Once you life the driver out and re-house it, I hear no difference personally.

 

[Criss969]

I just recently traded the M50X for the T50RP and am more than pleased. The M50X was too bassy for my taste (no idea what it was.. just didn't like it) plus the highs could get piercing. I have added some tack, cotton batting and acoustic damping foam stuff.
 
I decided to try out some old HE-400 pleather pads. It took some force to get them on, but they fit and they bring out the bass much better than the SRH840 pads. If you're a T50RP owner I suggest you give the HE-400 pleathers a try!

 

[dorino]

The Shure pads aren't bad, for what they are - cheap improvements over the stock.
 
I hear lots of good about the HE-400 pads and am loving the comfort of the Alpha Pads on my AD - can't speak to the difference because they've never had anything else on them. The Mad Dog I had first had the Shure pads on it, because it was from before MrSpeakers had the Dog pads or the Alpha pads.

 

[Criss969]

  The Shure pads aren't bad, for what they are - cheap improvements over the stock.
 
I hear lots of good about the HE-400 pads and am loving the comfort of the Alpha Pads on my AD - can't speak to the difference because they've never had anything else on them. The Mad Dog I had first had the Shure pads on it, because it was from before MrSpeakers had the Dog pads or the Alpha pads.

Oh, I wholeheartedly agree! I can't place exactly what it is that make Shure pads so much better than the stock. The Alphas and even Mad Dogs are in a different league than my lightly modded pair, so I can't speak on their pads. But the HE-400 pads trump the SRH840 pads for sure.
 
How are the Alphas versus the Mad Dogs anyway?

 

[dorino]

I like them a lot more. Much more open sounding. Worth saying my Mad Dogs were very dated, and not reflective of the current. I bought it back in 2012, I think. So, yeah, pretty early revision. I'm a big fan of neutral headphones and transparent gear, and the Alpha Dogs fit my ears well. Plus, they're super comfortable for being as heavy as they are... and, frankly, they're a hell of a lot prettier to look at.
 
I ended up paying roughly 500 dollars (over the course of 3 or so years) for my Alpha Dogs, counting the original purchase of the Mad Dog (when it was the MrSpeakers headphone), and the upgrade recently. I think it was well spent.