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

[randomZash]

 
Well technically, a rastapants won't sound like a rastapants unless it's got O2 pads, but hey, you're free to try.

 

[Raguvian]

Quote:

 
Okay, what am I missing?
 
 
Rastapants 2 (i?)
 
T50rp
Shure 840 pads
Fatmat
Dampening foam
Felt
Plasticine
Electrical Tape
 
 
Anything else?

 
Do we need the foam for the mod? I can't tell and I can't find a good materials list anywhere.

 

[bluemonkeyflyer]

BMF Transpore 1.33

 

Easy Transpore mod for anyone who has removed the stock white driver felt and wants an alternative with very good SQ:

1. Medium mass load the baffles with plasticine or tungsten putty.

2. Paxmate or similar acoustic foam on bottom of cups, only. Nothing on cup "walls" and nothing on center section of cup with the "pillar" (headband hanger screw compartment).

3. Carefully peel off black bass port felt with a miniature flat head screwdriver. If you don't like the mod, you can glue them back on with rubber cement applied to the bass port slats, only.

4. 2 x 2.25 x 0.5 inch cotton square over Paxmate.

5. Paxmate or plasticine in cup outer rings.

6. Shure 840 pads.

7. 2, single ply Kleenex tissues rolled tight and glued along the seam for rear ear pad lifters.

8. 3/4 inch (width) Transpore clear flexible tape: 2 strips needed to cover back of drivers with 1/8 inch overlap for 1.0 full layer of tape.

9. 0.5 to 1.0 strip of 3/4 inch Transpore tape over center of driver and on top of 1.0 full layer of tape (Step  8, above) for more treble and less bass. You get different sound effects (more or less - bass, mids, treble, clarity) depending on the specific placement, number, and widths of the second Transpore layer. Use up to 1.75 layers of Transpore tape for very extended treble and lighter bass. 1.75 to 2.0 layers is too bright for me but you might like it, or need it, depending on the amount of plasticine and/or cotton you use.

 

EDIT: I used 0.5 of a 3/4 inch strip of Transpore for my partial second layer --> 1.33 layers of Transpore covers all 3 rows of grid squares once (1.0 full layer) and 1 of 3 rows has a second layer (0.33 layers). Cutting a 4 cm strip of tape, longitudinally, makes 2, 1 cm strips that will fit any one of the 3 rows of grid openings. Start with the middle one. 

 

Optional:  Use these steps as a starting point. Listen for a while; give it a chance; get used to it. If you're not satisfied, you could try different things: Place 1 cm strips on the outside rows and leave central row covered only by the first 1.0 full layer (Step 8, above); try 1.0 full layer, alone; try 2.0 layers.  Use more or less cotton. Use more or less plasticine. Add something unique to it. If you think it stinks, take it apart, glue the bass port felt back in place, and do something else. You decide what sounds good to you.
 
 

 

This product allows you to make precise thicknesses of cotton squares for consistent comparisons.  It separates easily for 1/4", 1/2", 3/4", etc. thicknesses. Cut various lengths, widths, and thicknesses to test the effects of different size squares of cotton.

 

Optional: Gently pull the squares apart to make them less dense.
 
 

 

You can see the cotton showing through the bass ports after the black bass port felt has been removed. Use a miniature flat head screwdriver to peel away the bass port felt, intact. You can re-apply the bass port felt if you don't like what you hear. Use rubber cement on the bass port "slats", not on the entire surface of the bass port felt, when re-installing.

 

Roll the 840 pad flaps inside out. Position the pad on the baffle and roll the flap over the cup rim while holding it in place as you "inch" your way around. It is a bit difficult at first, but after removing them and re-installing 3 or 4 times they stretch out just enough that it becomes very easy, taking only 30 seconds, or less, for each pad.
 
 
 

 

BMF Transpore 1.33: I used 2 strips of 3/4" Transpore tape mounted to the back of naked drivers with 1/8" overlap in the center, cut an additional strip down to 1cm width and 4cm long to mount on top of the first full layer, bass port felt removed and nothing but the cotton square over them, medium mass loaded baffles with tungsten putty, Paxmate in cup outer rims, 1/2" cotton square, Shure 840 pads with Kleenex pad "lifters", and Paxmate under cotton on bottom of cup applied only to the left and right (lowest) sections; none on the cup walls and none on the center bottom section with the "pillar."

 

Optional: Try different amounts of plasticine, cotton, and layers/placement of Transpore for tuning to suit your preferences and match with your equipment chain. 
 
 

 

Rolled up and glued Kleenex pad "lifters" under Shure 840 pads bring out more detail. Shure 840 pads seal much tighter than stock pads and are more comfortable than stock pads.

 

Optional: Try different diameters and lengths of pad "lifters" to find the one best for you.
 
 

 

[Hennyo]

Quote:

 

 

Rolled up and glued Kleenex pad "lifters" under Shure 840 pads bring out more detail. Shure 840 pads seal much tighter than stock pads and are more comfortable than stock pads.

 

Optional: Try different diameters and lengths of pad "lifters" to find the one best for you.

Why, hello. Nice pads!

They also make the sound 'bigger.' And yep, they seal very nicely for the sub-bass
 

 

[mrspeakers]

Quote:

 
Okay, what am I missing?
 
 
Rastapants 2 (i?)
 
T50rp
Shure 840 pads
Fatmat
Dampening foam
Felt
Plasticine
Electrical Tape
 
 
Anything else?

No felt...  The 840 Rastapants removed the felt completely and added the electrical tape of the center and one middle edge square of the driver and 5-6 regular cotton balls.
 

 

[SkinnyPuppy]

Quote:

No felt...  The 840 Rastapants removed the felt completely and added the electrical tape of the center and one middle edge square of the driver and 5-6 regular cotton balls.
 

Okay, so that's it though?
 
Thanks!
 
Will order the parts when I get back from my trip.

 

[yipcanjo]

As with most folks here, now that I've got my T50RP's sounding like I like them, well....it's time to do something completely different

Anyhow, I'm curious about the internal and external shape of the ear cups -- when fashioned out of wood.  This coming week, I'm going to get some "lathe time" which I'd like to use for making some new ear cups + baffles.  The external look I like is very similar to Funch's "Plastic Pantz" mod -- very cylindrical and flat at the sides.  Clean, straight, and not bulbous.  Just my personal preference. 
 
Here's a picture (with wood baffle attached -- courtesy of Funch)...


 
Here are my questions.
 

• For the external portion of the ear cup, could I make the outside face of the ear cup (where the strap assembly joins) even flatter than the Plastic Pantz version?  In other words, rather than being slightly domed (as in the photo above), could it be flat or nearly flat, or would that affect the movement of where the head strap connects to the ear cup?
• For the internal portion of the ear cup, how bored out does it really need to be?  Obviously enough to fit the driver, but it is desirable to have it as hollowed out as it can be, or less so?  I suppose if you hollow it out most of the way, then you can always add more material to dampen the sound, if you like.  It gives you more option that way.
• Does the baffle need to be plywood, as most people seem to recommend?  What if I chose to use maple instead -- is that less strong, or somehow else undesirable?

 
Thank you very much for your help.  Looking forward to this next project!

 

[RexAeterna]

i guess i join the club now since i just won a pair of fostex t50rp off of ebay for 53 bucks. i wasn't actually expecting to win to be honest. i usually get out bid by the last few seconds. can't wait for them to get here. i don't know if i'll plan doing any mods on them though. i'll see how they do stock.

 

[yipcanjo]

 
Quote:

i guess i join the club now since i just won a pair of fostex t50rp off of ebay for 53 bucks. i wasn't actually expecting to win to be honest. i usually get out bid by the last few seconds. can't wait for them to get here. i don't know if i'll plan doing any mods on them though. i'll see how they do stock.

If left stock, I probably would've returned them.  "Ok", but nothing great.  Since modding them, though, I've really fallen in love -- and I didn't hold much hope that modding could do a lot.  They're really great.
 
Go stock for a bit.  Check 'em out.  Then mod.
 
 

 

[turimbar1]

This has been driven into the ground, but these headphones pretty much need an amp. You may be able to hear sound from your ipod/laptop/clip+ but the bass will be pitiful compared to what it is truly capable of. I refuse to listen to them without my amp, ever. I use my IEMs with anything else, and I highly recommend you do something similar. These are inefficient, studio headphones, they gobble up power.
 
Idk about soundcards, some work pretty well. Someone said the Obj 2 amp worked well with them, that is a good cheap option if you need an amp.

 

[RexAeterna]

If left stock, I probably would've returned them.  "Ok", but nothing great.  Since modding them, though, I've really fallen in love -- and I didn't hold much hope that modding could do a lot.  They're really great.

Go stock for a bit.  Check 'em out.  Then mod.

 

if i do mod then i most likely rewire them as well for balanced 4-pin XLR like rest of my headphones and use them off of speaker outputs to power them. i usually always tend to rewire my headphones atleast for speaker output uses. if i do then i'll mod them when i rewire them.

 

[powerlifter450]

These headphones demand an amp. I use a PS audio GCHA and I'm adding another amp to that to really get good quality bass. I purchased the African Blackwood Thunderpants from Smeggy. I've owned many many headphones and I absolutely love the detail and clarity that these headphones provide.

 

[SoulSyde]

I got my T50RPs yesterday and I think they are really good headphones for $75.  However, compared to the fanboyism I've heard about them on this forum I think they are kind of "meh."  The low end is lacking a bit for my taste.  The top end is fairly smooth and linear, but there is a certain frequency band in the mid-to-high range that is a little irritating. 
 
I'm new to Orthos in general.  Do they require any break-in?  
 
I have them paired with the Schiit Asgard at the moment.

 

[RexAeterna]

if i do mod then i most likely rewire them as well for balanced 4-pin XLR like rest of my headphones and use them off of speaker outputs to power them. i usually always tend to rewire my headphones atleast for speaker output uses. if i do then i'll mod them when i rewire them.

wait...scratch that. i just remember i built a female 1/4'' TRS jack to speaker output box for my other headphones as well...so yea no matter if i re-cable them or not i still be able to run them off of speaker outputs with the box i made. i can't believe i forgot i made the box and it's always sitting on my table in front of me lol.

 

[kingoftown1]

Quote:

i guess i join the club now since i just won a pair of fostex t50rp off of ebay for 53 bucks. i wasn't actually expecting to win to be honest. i usually get out bid by the last few seconds. can't wait for them to get here. i don't know if i'll plan doing any mods on them though. i'll see how they do stock.

I made myself leave the house so I wouldn't outbid you and get a second pair

.  Hope you enjoy them!