[VulgarDisplay]

Quote:

I think I jump off completely. I've had ApatN's here for quite a while and just didn't manage to get it sounding completely to my liking, 90% perfection just wasn't enough. I tinker everything that hasn't jumped on a tree before you can count to 3, but I'm not used to such continuing resistance.

I've found that no amount of damping on the inside of the cups changes the sound more than a few layers of felt between the the drivers and your ears do.  This is strange to me because I think most people are constantly fiddling with the damping inside the cups.  

 

[Mad Max]

Quote:

...
 Put in 5 words: this phone's got soul 

 
If you start having trouble counting to five, you are having too much fun. 

 

[leeperry]

 

 
If you start having trouble counting to five, you are having too much fun. 

I still count five, contractions are still words at heart...or so, they say

 

[nickchen]

Quote:

 
I don't really buy the story that vintage orthos can sound better than that...there's decades of R&D behind those drivers, and man is it audible!

Very well put, and you are right.
 
I don't have any issue with its technical abilities, they really dig the usual vintage crowd in that respect. But I don't like its tonality, which seems to be quite unalterable in respect of that mids part that doesn't suit to my taste and listening habits. Same story with many ATs, the guitar and female voice folks love them, and I don't.

 

[leeperry]

Maybe your pair isn't properly modded, these phones very much require thick felt before the drivers...otherwise they sound bass shy and harsh. Also the earpads need to be angled, and the cups fully damped w/ the Akasa, not a single piece of plastic must be visible IME. And opening the side vents allows the drivers to breathe and project a pretty amazing 3D SS.
 
Anyway, I can't stand the Grado sound that you seem to enjoy so much...each to his own.

 

[nickchen]

I've tried a dozen pad-, housing and damping schemes, incl. Akasa (that's how ApatN delivered them). I think it's simply a taste thing.

 

[lltfdaniel]

I have to say wow as well with these fostex t50rp sound much more life like.

 

[lltfdaniel]

I have never owned a ortho before but i can see why now...with these you can much more easily be there.

 

[AnotherN00b]

Quote:

Maybe your pair isn't properly modded, these phones very much require thick felt before the drivers...otherwise they sound bass shy and harsh. Also the earpads need to be angled, and the cups fully damped w/ the Akasa, not a single piece of plastic must be visible IME. And opening the side vents allows the drivers to breathe and project a pretty amazing 3D SS.
 
Anyway, I can't stand the Grado sound that you seem to enjoy so much...each to his own.

LP: Did you dampen the cup with newplast and felt in addition to the akasa foam or do you just have the akasa foam on that side now? Also, am I correct that you just have the thin layer of stock material (no felt) on the back side of the driver? My pair should be here any time now and I'm gathering materials! 

 

[leeperry]

I already posted the mods I did, but here you go:
 
-solder the cable directly onto the drivers, coz otherwise the sound randomly cuts on either channel...due to the crappy 1/8" female connector in the left cup. And nothing sounds better than a good solder joint.
 
-ditch the felt before the drivers because it dips a major hole around 2.5kHz, as measured here(it really cripples the clarity of movies dialogs to my ears). There's no way around it IME, whatever you'll do in the cups will still sound plain bad as long as the stock felt is still there. Going naked physically hurts my eardums, and thick felt simultaneously tames the trebles and drastically beefs up the bass. Washing the felt w/ shampoo and warm water makes it softer and shrinks the fibers, so the sound seems to get through more effortlessly.
 
-fill the baffles w/ newplast, so it won't vibrate/resonate
-fill the cups w/ akasa to capture the stray back waves
-open the side vents, to get a stunning 3D SS..and those drivers need to breathe
-use better earpads(it improves the bass tightness), and angle them slightly to increase the SS depth and width.
 
things I should look into but I'm too darn lazy, coz it sounds too good atm:
-open the top fake vents(they're open on the T20RP non-MK2), that'll open the SS even further but lower the isolation from outside noise. atm it isolates better than the cd3k, which is all I could ask for.
-roll more felt, but the one I currently use sounds fantastic.
-rip the membrane at the back of the drivers, and use medical tape...but it's irreversible, and some ppl in this thread have stated that they didn't like the change...and felt sorry about it.
 
I plan on keeping this phone until Fostex releases a new model(within 10 years or so?), so I want to go safe and keep the drivers protected on both sides..I dunno how sticky medical tape will be in a few months/years, even though it's supposed to be immune to sweat.

 

[AnotherN00b]

Ok, thanks. I re-read the entire thread (!) but wasn't sure if you dampened the cups with anything other than Akasa or had any felt behind the driver. Seems like most people are adding some mass to the cup and putting felt behind the driver but if your happy with just the Akasa foam in the cups (leaving vent open of course) I might try that first! Thanks again!
 
Quote:

I already posted the mods I did, but here you go:
 
-solder the cable directly onto the drivers, coz otherwise the sound randomly cuts on either channel...due to the crappy 1/8" female connector in the left cup. And nothing sounds better than a good solder joint.
 
-ditch the felt before the drivers because it dips a major hole around 2.5kHz, as measured here(it really cripples the clarity of movies dialogs to my ears). There's no way around it IME, whatever you'll do in the cups will still sound plain bad as long as the stock felt is still there. Going naked physically hurts my eardums, and thick felt simultaneously tames the trebles and drastically beefs up the bass. Washing the felt w/ shampoo and warm water makes it softer and shrinks the fibers, so the sound seems to get through more effortlessly.
 
-fill the baffles w/ newplast, so it won't vibrate/resonate
-fill the cups w/ akasa to capture the stray back waves
-open the side vents, to get a stunning 3D SS..and those drivers need to breathe
-use better earpads(it improves the bass tightness), and angle them slightly to increase the SS depth and width.
 
things I should look into but I'm too darn lazy, coz it sounds too good atm:
-open the top fake vents(they're open on the T20RP non-MK2), that'll open the SS even further but lower the isolation from outside noise. atm it isolates better than the cd3k, which is all I could ask for.
-roll more felt, but the one I currently use sounds fantastic.
-rip the membrane at the back of the drivers, and use medical tape...but it's irreversible, and some ppl in this thread have stated that they didn't like the change...and felt sorry about it.
 
I plan on keeping this phone until Fostex releases a new model(within 10 years or so?), so I want to go safe and keep the drivers protected on both sides..I dunno how sticky medical tape will be in a few months/years, even though it's supposed to be immune to sweat.

 

[Katun]

Well, I received my pair today and all I can say is, "WOW!"
 
These phones are flat out hypnotizing. And probably have the most balanced/neutral sound I've ever heard.
 
These are definitely the best headphones I've ever bought under $200.

 

[lltfdaniel]

I received mine as well today...these sound so lifelike it is addicting..nice vocals very good for under 200 usd.

 

[lltfdaniel]

I think these are better than the hd 650 and k 701 at being natural, voices, detail being raised up and the timbre of these are very good lifelike with a smooth midrange with bass that goes low.
 
With these it is like hypnotic compared to dt 48 i can pick out details better as in being more noticeable to being neutral.
 
With these it is balanced sound doesn't sound like it blends in with dynamic headphones  sounds like one timbre sticks out while the rest plays...it makes an enjoying experience to listen to...it is night or day regarding dynamic compared to these like as if you were there.
 
 

 

[neologan]

sorry if this is a little bit off topic, just after some advice and perhaps an overview of what's been said in this very, very long thread!
 
My HD595's are on their way out and i'm looking for a new set of cans now. I had HD600's before which i far prefer to the 595's, which just seem to lack neutrality to me. So the T50RP's have certainly caught my eye. Just wondering if someone who enjoys the Sennheiser type of sound will be impressed by these and what the drawbacks may be?
 
From what i've read so far, people were saying these are amazing, does it still hold true?
 
What about bass depth? I do not like bass light phones.
 
Anything i should know before i go for these? I'd have got some HD600's again, but when i bought my first pair, they were £129 (many years ago) now for some reason they are around £200, so i'm not prepared to pay this much for obvious reaosns!