[Downtheline1973]

FYI, Full Compass is reporting having the T50rp in stock.

 

[keanex]

Fostex sent me a pair of these to review, I plan to let them burn-in some more, 10 hours currently, and will report back once I feel they're burned in properly. So far though I'm very happy with these. They sounded dead/flat out of the box but they just need some air pushing through them to wake up.

 

[ambchang]

I am pretty much fed up with that cables right now, as the audio signals continues to come in and out.  I am very happy with the headphones otherwise, but this constant need to fidget the cables just killed the enjoyment of the music for me.
 
I am looking at some 3.5mm female sockets, and would like to know where I can get some decent ones.  I found some on ebay, but am not sure how good they are.
 
Also looking to maybe switch out the cable all together, but keeping the removeable cable feature.  Where can I get some low profile plugs that would fit in that socket space on the headphones?  I am thinking the Oyaide plugs, but they are just ridiculously expensive.
 
Finally, what is a good amp for these phones?  I am now listening to them with a portable rig (iPod G4 --> ALO Rx MKII --> Modded T50RP).  I quite enjoy the sound, but would like to know if there is a budget amp that would be comparable to ALO Rx MKII in terms of quality, but has a different signature.  I am thinking the Matrix M-Stage, or something similar.

 

[BotByte]

Quote:

I am pretty much fed up with that cables right now, as the audio signals continues to come in and out.  I am very happy with the headphones otherwise, but this constant need to fidget the cables just killed the enjoyment of the music for me.
 
I am looking at some 3.5mm female sockets, and would like to know where I can get some decent ones.  I found some on ebay, but am not sure how good they are.
 
Also looking to maybe switch out the cable all together, but keeping the removeable cable feature.  Where can I get some low profile plugs that would fit in that socket space on the headphones?  I am thinking the Oyaide plugs, but they are just ridiculously expensive.
 
Finally, what is a good amp for these phones?  I am now listening to them with a portable rig (iPod G4 --> ALO Rx MKII --> Modded T50RP).  I quite enjoy the sound, but would like to know if there is a budget amp that would be comparable to ALO Rx MKII in terms of quality, but has a different signature.  I am thinking the Matrix M-Stage, or something similar.

I have some problem with stock cable, but nothing that's too big
 
I like Radioshack plugs, they are all the same everywhere else.
 
Any amp is good for T50RP, as long as they have water the fish will swim.
 

 

[leeperry]

Originally Posted by ambchang /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
I am looking at some 3.5mm female sockets

No middle man allowed, just solder the stock cable onto the drivers...joelpearce posted a very nice twist to this, I wish I had read about it before doing it but this was the very first mod I did as the loss of stereo balance was getting on my nerves. The added value is that you get a perfect joint from the jack to the drivers, less electrical resistance and a stronger/cleaner signal.

 

[geetarman49]

the 1st day i received my t50, i experienced this weird 1-ear mono sensation while listening to some prehistoric pink floyd.  i rotated the connector back and forth about a dozen times and the stereo came back ... never been bothered since... maybe i was lucky.
 
it seems to me that the quickest fix is to go to your local radioshack and pick up some spray on electronics cleaner (the type that's also plastics friendly) and give the plug end a shot (don't spray into the jack end as there is a small risk of leaking onto the driver). once the plug is wetted, rotate in jack about a doz. times and you should be good.  recabling and soldering directly are always options ofc.
 
Quote:

I am pretty much fed up with that cables right now, as the audio signals continues to come in and out.  I am very happy with the headphones otherwise, but this constant need to fidget the cables just killed the enjoyment of the music for me.
 
I am looking at some 3.5mm female sockets, and would like to know where I can get some decent ones.  I found some on ebay, but am not sure how good they are.
 
Also looking to maybe switch out the cable all together, but keeping the removeable cable feature.  Where can I get some low profile plugs that would fit in that socket space on the headphones?  I am thinking the Oyaide plugs, but they are just ridiculously expensive.
 
Finally, what is a good amp for these phones?  I am now listening to them with a portable rig (iPod G4 --> ALO Rx MKII --> Modded T50RP).  I quite enjoy the sound, but would like to know if there is a budget amp that would be comparable to ALO Rx MKII in terms of quality, but has a different signature.  I am thinking the Matrix M-Stage, or something similar.

Quote:

No middle man allowed, just solder the stock cable onto the drivers...joelpearce posted a very nice twist to this, I wish I had read about it before doing it but this was the very first mod I did as the loss of stereo balance was getting on my nerves. The added value is that you get a perfect joint from the jack to the drivers, less electrical resistance and a stronger/cleaner signal.

 

 

[geetarman49]

a while back, someone mentioned moving the drivers into a modded open-style rx900 iirc ... a pix was included but the post was short on details...
Quote:

Since the 50's have been OOS I ordered a T40RP. The headband looks very uncomfortable. What's the word on transplanting the drivers to another headset?

 

 

[LFF]

Well...I finally got a pair of Fostex T50RP's thanks to a good and kind friend. (THANKS DUDE!!!)
 
I spent about 1 hour modding them and I am happy to report I am extremely happy with the results.
 
I just played some test tones through them and I can feel/hear all the way from 18Hz - 19kHz clearly. Not only can I hear them clearly, but the speed, soundstage and accuracy is splendid. All in all, I spent relatively little modding them...about $5 so far. They also sound fairly neutral with great extension. I have done no measurements on them...this is all by ear.
 
All in all, this is a 5 part mod BUT I have to finalize some stuff and have some more listening sessions. One of the mods is completely unique. The other is semi-unique. The look remains stock.
 
I'll keep you all posted....

 
EDIT: The heart intro on "Speak To Me" from Pink Floyd's Dark Side of The Moon is thumping like it has very few times before (HE-500, HE-6, LCD-2)!!!

 

[sharkz]

Looking forward to reading about your mods LFF.
 
Question for anyone out there, where is a good source of test tones to see what my headphones are capable of?

 

[Naim.F.C]

Ok, so I received my headphones back from Steve (b0wl1ng) after being kindly modded by him for review purposes. Firstly, huge thank you to Steve for modding them for me. A very noble and kind show of generosity.
 
I added to his mod (the original mod that is online with a diagram) by sticking on some Shure SH840 earpads which slipped on (with some difficulty). Then with scissors cut out the cloth that is on the inside of them. Don't need it since there is already the thinner cloth stuck to the drivers themselves. These earpads are more comfortable and seal slightly better to me, but as far as SQ was concerned, I could tell no noticeable immediate difference.
 
Anyway, a quick initial A/B comparison to my not yet burned in vanilla (non modded) T50Rp's.
 
All I can say is WOW....
 
I was not expecting this much of a difference. Granted, my vanilla T50RP's aren't burned in (but tbh my modded ones don't have many hours on them either, I still remember how they sounded initially mind), but believe the hype, the differences pre and post modding are HUGE. It is not just forum banter and hyperbole, the modded version basically sound like new headphones.
 
If you remember from my initial T50RP impressions, I complained of the muffle/veil that clouded the presentation and detailing on the T50Rp's, sort of subdued the presentation in murkiness. Well, that is now gone post mod, and out shines the sublime detail and smooth, neutral beauty of these cans. The sound stage is actually surprisingly wide (the ALO Continental certainly helps), and instrumental separation now given a chance to really breath and grab attention. Bass is nice, controlled, brilliantly on point but perhaps ever so slightly lacking in quantity (namely in the low bass), the mids are just delicious. Very smooth without even a hint of grain or any sort of hindering fragrance (they're actually often smoother than the mids on the T1). They are super silky and very addictive, if ever so slightly less pronounced than some of my other cans (namely the T1). Highs are also smooth, with a good clean sparkle, but nothing intrusive. It's there, nearing laid back. The great thing about these post mod is the neutrality and balance. Besides a slight lack of (mainly low) bass quantity (depending on taste), the balance is almost completely colourless. Where I'd say for example, cans like the D5000 and LCD-2 perhaps favoured bass, and the T1/HD800 ever so slightly high emphasised, the T50RP M0d (that's what we'll refer to them as lol) have no such immediately noticeable favouritism. 
 
Against the non modded version, basically everything is a heck of a lot more free, clean, clear, detailed and controlled. It literally just feels like a curtain has been drawn and the light has been allowed to fully shine through, where as before you were only getting filtered light through material.
 
I also did a comparison with my T1's. Are they better than the T1's. No, definitely not. But they're not even close to being a world apart. In-fact, I fully appreciate some of the claims about the T50RP M0d being 70%-80% of what the LCD-2's are (depending on the hearing sensitivity and subjective appreciation of the listener and how extreme an audiophile they are) . Essentially the T1 has a wider soundstage, even better detailing and instrumental separation, along with punchier more textured bass, and more sparkly highs. However, not huge amounts more, but still easily noticeable. T1's are certainly more musical, sounding a bit more fun and euphoric. You get a real sense of space, energy and dramatism, whereas the T50RP M0d are beautifully subtle, but still very capable in comparison.
 
I will do a further more comprehensive review later (including video), but I can safely say, imo the T50RP M0d are quite simply, the best value for money headphone I think you can probably buy right now? They offer you high end audiophile quality sound at budget (given what you're getting) prices. They're also awesomely retro in design and comfortable to boot. If you can spare the time, effort and skill to mod them, just go buy them, they are an absolute bargain, but only if you're not a huge bass junkie and don't mind a mainly colourless, more neutral sound. They won't directly compete with the elite cans, but I promise you the differences in price will be far, far greater than the differences in actual sound quality. My un-reserved recommendation comes only if you plan to mod them. Un-modded the veil and murkiness of the sonic presentation is ever so slightly off putting. Though at around £100, even un-modded they're still quite cheap. Modded however, they are unbelievably good value.
 
 
One negative to note. The T50RP M0d seem to be harder to drive than both the vanilla T50RP and my T1's. They actually need around a 10%-20% rise in the volume knob on the Alo Continental to match the same volume with the T1's, something I did not expect given the T1's are 600 ohm.

 

[Draygonn]

Good to hear Naim. My T40RPs arrive tomorrow. I'm going to finish this thread up tonight, and tomorrow grab the modding materials and order some 840 pads. Quite the adventure.

edit: I finally finished this thread. Everyone who reads the entire thread should get a merit badge or something. Now on to the Orthodynamic Roundup. If I'm not back in a week, forward my mail...

 

[200poundsofamp]

Quote:

Ok, so I received my headphones back from Steve (b0wl1ng) after being kindly modded by him for review purposes. Firstly, huge thank you to Steve for modding them for me. A very noble and kind show of generosity.
 
I added to his mod (the original mod that is online with a diagram) by sticking on some Shure SH840 earpads which slipped on (with some difficulty). Then with scissors cut out the cloth out that is on the inside of them. Don't need it since there is already the thinner cloth stuck to the drivers themselves. These earpads are more comfortable and seal slightly better to me, but as far as SQ was concerned, I could tell no noticeable immediate difference.
 
Anyway, a quick initial A/B comparison to my not yet burned in vanilla (non modded) T50Rp's.
 
All I can say is WOW....

Nice! Are you hearing any resonance in the housing though? It's why I moved on to leeperry's mod, but maybe I was dumb and didn't dampen it enough. I remember the Faust mod giving some really good treble extension and bass control, and crazy isolation.
 
Also how many people have sent some T50s to Innerfidelity? Just sent mine in along with the srh840 and rx900 earpads, maybe I'll get that elusive 100% THD.

 

[keanex]

What is the T50RP M0d?

 

[LFF]

I think the KEY to this headphone is the pads!
 
The pads MUST provide a good seal. If the seal is not perfect, the sound is completely thrown off. The stock pads do NOT provide a good seal.

 

[Naim.F.C]

Quote:

What is the T50RP M0d?

 
 
I believe it's this one, the Faust3D mod. Scroll to the bottom of the page.
 
http://wiki.faust3d.com/wiki/index.php?title=Image:T50RP_m2.jpg
 
http://wiki.faust3d.com/wiki/index.php?title=Fostex_T50RP
 
 

Quote:

Nice! Are you hearing any resonance in the housing though? It's why I moved on to leeperry's mod, but maybe I was dumb and didn't dampen it enough. I remember the Faust mod giving some really good treble extension and bass control, and crazy isolation.
 
Also how many people have sent some T50s to Innerfidelity? Just sent mine in along with the srh840 and rx900 earpads, maybe I'll get that elusive 100% THD.

 
Based on my initial hearing, I don't believe I could hear any resonance at all. So perhaps enough damping was applied as mentioned. Another thing is they do definitely feel heavier to hold and wear, but still not uncomfortable at all. They are very comfortable. Though I'd prefer a leather headband. The rubber can stick to your hair at times.
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