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

[dBel84]

Quote:

I just ordered some Cocobolo wood blocks and I am going to turn some cups and try my hand at making some Thunderpants. But I am still wondering if anyone has done a comparision of the modded T50s and the Thunderpants?

This is a very difficult comparison to make as many of the T50rp's have been modded to the owners best skills. My own experience would be that there is ultimately little comparison. The stock T50rp while sounding pleasant, have clear resonances which made them unpleasant to do any critical type of listening. The tweaked and modded T50rp is good, if not great, but TP's just change this distinction to fantastic. I refer here to TP's hand crafted by the smegster, the basic recipe has been made public but his specific tuning make smeggy TP's and woodied T50rp's distinct headphones in their own right. I do not think you will be disappointed modifying the T50rp with a wood cup , will it be equivalent to what I reference to as the "TP sound" ...? 
 
..dB
 

 

[RanDiesel]

Quote:

This is a very difficult comparison to make as many of the T50rp's have been modded to the owners best skills. My own experience would be that there is ultimately little comparison. The stock T50rp while sounding pleasant, have clear resonances which made them unpleasant to do any critical type of listening. The tweaked and modded T50rp is good, if not great, but TP's just change this distinction to fantastic. I refer here to TP's hand crafted by the smegster, the basic recipe has been made public but his specific tuning make smeggy TP's and woodied T50rp's distinct headphones in their own right. I do not think you will be disappointed modifying the T50rp with a wood cup , will it be equivalent to what I reference to as the "TP sound" ...? 
 
..dB
 

Thanks for the response dBel. I have been researching the TPs for some time and actually ordered the T50rps with the smeggy recipe in mind, then I saw this thread. I can only hope to get close to the smeggy TP sound but I was hoping to hear that the effort of turning these cups would be worth it, and I think you validated that. I will post my results over on the TP thread.
 

 

[lorriman]

I'm looking to trying the 3 paxmate squares on the ear-side to try to tame some harshness at 400-700Hz (low mids?). I can't actually understand the descriptions of this from Mr Speakers and, I think, anothernoob. Anyone got some pics or drawings? I was also wondering at the mechanics. Is the paxmate actually on the gauze (I have my ear-side naked but for gauze and surrounding paxmate) stuck on by it's adhesive side?

 

[lorriman]

Which of transpore and micropore is best for giving me stronger highs? I'm thinking of removing the felt on the back of the driver (mrspeakers mod) and seeing if I can up the highs to where I like them. Effectively something like a return to the stock white backing.

 

[lorriman]

Someone earlier mentioned that certain wavelengths were located at certain places leadiing to a mid-hump flattening solution of putting paxmate near the front of the ear.

Anyone know where other frequencies are located for other possible tunings of a similar kind?

 

[AnotherN00b]

I haven't yet removed the white material on the back of the driver though I am getting tempted to try that after reading some of the recent discussion on this. So, to answer your question, on the ear-side of the driver I have removed the stock felt covering the driver (there seems to be broad consensus on that) and currently have two layers of wool felt covering the driver and some paxmate on the rear side around the driver opening to both help angle the pads and reduce sound reflections in the ear cup. This is with Sony 5k pads; with stock pads I don't think I found it necessary to have two layers of felt over the driver. It's not so much how many squares of paxmate you use or where you put them so much as having something to reduce reflections in the earcup, dampen the high and high-mid frequencies if you are experiencing them, and possibly angle the pads for better soundstage. Inside the cups, I have the standard paxmate lining on the cups and modeling clay in the baffles mods but also have wool felt covering the vents (with the stock white membrane over the driver I found this to sound much better than with the vents open or partially open; YMMV).
 
Here's a picture showing the felt and paxmate. Note the paxmate sits around the driver opening and is wedged under the pads to raise them in back.
 

 
Quote:

I'm looking to trying the 3 paxmate squares on the ear-side to try to tame some harshness at 400-700Hz (low mids?). I can't actually understand the descriptions of this from Mr Speakers and, I think, anothernoob. Anyone got some pics or drawings? I was also wondering at the mechanics. Is the paxmate actually on the gauze (I have my ear-side naked but for gauze and surrounding paxmate) stuck on by it's adhesive side?

 

 

[ambchang]

So after a few days of listening, for some reason, the cable seems to be fine now.  I no longer have to adjust them continuously to get the right signals to both left and right ear pieces.  In fact, to make sure the cable is fine, I kept moving it around to make sure it isn't broke, and .... it's not.
 
That being said, I am looking for alternatives to the cable (ie. replace cables).
 
1) What cables should I go for?
2) Should I simply get a long mini--> mini cable, or should I remove the jack from the earpiece, and soulder the new cables directly to the drivers?
 
In the meantime, I am still trying to get some acoutsic foam (I am suspecting the ones I got are not really acoustic foam), and some sound deadening fabric (dynamat, b-quiet, paxmate) for a reasonable price.

 

[chrislangley4253]

any spare akasa or acoustic foam that floating around that someone would be willing to ship to me? I'll gladly pay for shipping and a bit of money for the foam as well. Send me a PM if you'd like to help me out I just think its silly to buy a large quantity and the fostex's are really more of a side project.
 
Chris

 

[lorriman]

I haven't yet removed the white material on the back of the driver though I am getting tempted to try that after reading some of the recent discussion on this. So, to answer your question, on the ear-side of the driver I have removed the stock felt covering the driver (there seems to be broad consensus on that) and currently have two layers of wool felt covering the driver and some paxmate on the rear side around the driver opening to both help angle the pads and reduce sound reflections in the ear cup. This is with Sony 5k pads; with stock pads I don't think I found it necessary to have two layers of felt over the driver. It's not so much how many squares of paxmate you use or where you put them so much as having something to reduce reflections in the earcup, dampen the high and high-mid frequencies if you are experiencing them, and possibly angle the pads for better soundstage. Inside the cups, I have the standard paxmate lining on the cups and modeling clay in the baffles mods but also have wool felt covering the vents (with the stock white membrane over the driver I found this to sound much better than with the vents open or partially open; YMMV).
 
Here's a picture showing the felt and paxmate. Note the paxmate sits around the driver opening and is wedged under the pads to raise them in back.
 
snipped
 


 

Thanks for that, AnotherNoob. I have put felt in front of the driver but found that it lowered both volume as well as treble too much. That's why I'm hoping to target particular frequency ranges because it does seem like the most intense sounds comes from the 450 up to perhaps 1000Hz range, hence the interest in the V shaped foam.

 

[lorriman]

Anyone know of a cheaper but decent 1/4 to 1/8 ( 6.35mm to 3.5mm) connector? Especially for the UK, but ordering from china on ebay is fine too.

The Sennheisser and grado connectors are rather too expensive.

Most reports seem to indicate that cheapos fall apart too easily, but surely there must be some out there that do a competent job.

I've already got a grado but I'm looking to source more for presents etc.

 

[joelpearce]

If you can solder, you can get some decent cable and the right connectors to make your own.  If you solder it yourself, you can build it to last, and repair it if it breaks.
 
Quote:

Anyone know of a cheaper but decent 1/4 to 1/8 ( 6.35mm to 3.5mm) connector? Especially for the UK, but ordering from china on ebay is fine too.

The Sennheisser and grado connectors are rather too expensive.

Most reports seem to indicate that cheapos fall apart too easily, but surely there must be some out there that do a competent job.

I've already got a grado but I'm looking to source more for presents etc.

 

 

[mrspeakers]

 
Quote:

Anyone know of a cheaper but decent 1/4 to 1/8 ( 6.35mm to 3.5mm) connector? Especially for the UK, but ordering from china on ebay is fine too.

The Sennheisser and grado connectors are rather too expensive.

Most reports seem to indicate that cheapos fall apart too easily, but surely there must be some out there that do a competent job.

I've already got a grado but I'm looking to source more for presents etc.

I have tried a number and really think the Senn is worth it for the simple reason that it's less strain on the amp jack than the full-metal adaptors, and vastly more robust than the crummy Chinese plastic units (avoid, they last, oh, three insertions).  My $0.02 is go with the Senn for reliability.
 
 

 

[bluemonkeyflyer]

I'm a novice so take this for what little it's worth.
 
I've heard that the stock felt over the outside of the driver is too thick and might have something to do with muffling the SQ.  I thought this might have something to do with slightly recessed mids and treble so I razored it off just around the driver, itself.  I'm using my LCD2 as reference.  I did not hear a difference after doing this. I would estimate that with plasticine in the baffles and one layer of Akasa Paxate Plus in the cups that the modded T50RP is about 75% of the LCD2 with both sound level matched with my SPL meter.  The bass is tight and textured; mids nice but a bit recessed; treble not quite as bright as I like/need...but still amazing for the price after these simple mods that cost about $3.
 
The stock external felt is actually really thin.  I held it up to the light and saw that it is not dense at all.  It is lightly woven with lots of holes.  I don't see how it has much effect, if any, on the SQ and mostly serves as dust-proofing and for cosmetics.  Now, I wish I'd left it on.  I'm going to see if there is any possibility of a factory replacement.  If not, I'll be looking for very thin, loosely woven felt.

 

[jdg711]

Quote:

 

I have tried a number and really think the Senn is worth it for the simple reason that it's less strain on the amp jack than the full-metal adaptors, and vastly more robust than the crummy Chinese plastic units (avoid, they last, oh, three insertions).  My $0.02 is go with the Senn for reliability.
 
 

 
This one is pretty decent. Made in Thailand. $3.99 plus shipping.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370257942581&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT#ht_2012wt_1141

 

[mrspeakers]

Quote:

I'm a novice so take this for what little it's worth.
 
I've heard that the stock felt over the outside of the driver is too thick and might have something to do with muffling the SQ.  I thought this might have something to do with slightly recessed mids and treble so I razored it off just around the driver, itself.  I'm using my LCD2 as reference.  I did not hear a difference after doing this. I would estimate that with plasticine in the baffles and one layer of Akasa Paxate Plus in the cups that the modded T50RP is about 75% of the LCD2 with both sound level matched with my SPL meter.  The bass is tight and textured; mids nice but a bit recessed; treble not quite as bright as I like/need...but still amazing for the price after these simple mods that cost about $3.
 
The stock external felt is actually really thin.  I held it up to the light and saw that it is not dense at all.  It is lightly woven with lots of holes.  I don't see how it has much effect, if any, on the SQ and mostly serves as dust-proofing and for cosmetics.  Now, I wish I'd left it on.  I'm going to see if there is any possibility of a factory replacement.  If not, I'll be looking for very thin, loosely woven felt.

If you use the Shure 840 earpads you get better comfort, better sound after modification, and they have a pretty acoustically transparent fabric that looks nice and finished.