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

[joelpearce]

Sounds like something wacky is going on in there.
 
Properly set up, you should be able to pour massive amounts of power into the T50RP without any distortion or strangeness in the sound.  It sounds like you might have something loose in there that's buzzing.  A picture of what you did in there might help, or a description of your mods.
 
If you haven't done any mods yet, there is something you should try: reseat the cable in the left ear cup.  See if that's partially disconnected.
 
What amp are you using?

 

[DjAmTraX]

Looks like these are out of stock everywhere in the U.S.  Are they being discontinued?  B&H seems to have the lowest price.

 

[joelpearce]

Threads like this one have really pushed up demand.  Combine that with manufacturing issues in Japan over the past year, and I'm pretty sure it's just a temporary shortage.

Quote:

Looks like these are out of stock everywhere in the U.S.  Are they being discontinued?  B&H seems to have the lowest price.

 

 

[cn11]

Quote:

Sounds like something wacky is going on in there.
 
Properly set up, you should be able to pour massive amounts of power into the T50RP without any distortion or strangeness in the sound.  It sounds like you might have something loose in there that's buzzing.  A picture of what you did in there might help, or a description of your mods.
 
If you haven't done any mods yet, there is something you should try: reseat the cable in the left ear cup.  See if that's partially disconnected.
 
What amp are you using?

 
I picked them up second hand just a couple days ago. It does sound like some mild distortion to me too. The previous owner said they're rastapants 2, but with original white felt and no paxmate. 840 ear pads. 
 
For amps, I'm using either the Arrow 3G, or AMB M^3, so no issue with lack of power running to them.

 

[hans030390]

My right driver buzzes occasionally sometimes as well, depending on what's playing. I don't know if something is loose in there or if I accidentally damaged the driver somehow while modding them. I can't find anything that might be loose in the cups or anything.

 

[rhythmdevils]

Quote:

Are orthos known for drivers being tripped up by complex guitar driven music (or that particular frequency band)? Not in the slightest bit.  The opposite could be said.  Could something be vibrating in the ear cups from the mods? Yes  Are the planar magnetic drivers not suited to that midrange energy of guitar driven music? They're perfectly suited for any kind of music. 
 
Thanks in advance.

 
responses in bold

 

[cn11]

Are drivers available through Fostex maybe? Perhaps it would be worth it to try soldering in new drivers?? Hmmmmm.... Hans030390, do you plan to live with it the way it is? Or were you planning on trying something to remedy it?
 

 

[bluemonkeyflyer]

Go here for exploded parts picture - post #1858:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/452404/just-listened-to-some-fostex-t50rps-today-wow/1845#post_7610095
 
Full Compass has replacement part numbers for the T50RP. They will order for you by request. The cost of the replacement drivers quoted by Full Compass on July 15, 2011 is prohibitive:
 
 
Headphone Capsule (Driver Assembly; No. 15 on Exploded Diagram)
Replacement Part Number:  1471300500
Sugg Retail: 69.95$ ea
No stock - ETA 3 to 4 weeks approx
 
Quote:

Are drivers available through Fostex maybe? Perhaps it would be worth it to try soldering in new drivers?? Hmmmmm.... Hans030390, do you plan to live with it the way it is? Or were you planning on trying something to remedy it?
 

 

 

[cn11]

BMF-
Thanks for the info! I appreciate it. But yikes! That is cost prohibitive. A set costs more than the second hand pair of T50RPs I just got. I think I'll just live with it. 
 
Quote:

Go here for exploded parts picture - post #1858:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/452404/just-listened-to-some-fostex-t50rps-today-wow/1845#post_7610095
 
Full Compass has replacement part numbers for the T50RP. They will order for you by request. The cost of the replacement drivers quoted by Full Compass on July 15, 2011 is prohibitive:
 
 
Headphone Capsule (Driver Assembly; No. 15 on Exploded Diagram)
Replacement Part Number:  1471300500
Sugg Retail: 69.95$ ea
No stock - ETA 3 to 4 weeks approx
 


 

 

 

[bluemonkeyflyer]

Thread Savers, Ear Pad Anti-Stretching Technique, and Stripped Plastic Thread Remedy:
 
Here's a neat little trick for making rapid tweaking comparisons. I don't know why I did not think of it before destroying 2 sets of Shure 840 pads and 3 sets of stock ear pads.Turn the ear pad flaps inside out. Position the ear pads against the bafles. Instead of fully installing them by turning the flaps back over the cups, leave them inside out.  Put them on and the compression from the headband holds them in place. No more stretched ear pads.
 
See my post #5384 for a picture and description of how to avoid stripping the plastic threads in the cups and headband assembly.
 
See my post #5372 for a picture and description of how to "repair" or remedy stripped plastic threads.
 
Both posts are on page 359 at the following link:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/452404/just-listened-to-some-fostex-t50rps-today-wow/5370#post_7951713
 
These methods make trying different mods, tweaks, and A/B comparisons fast and easy.
 
 
 

 

[hans030390]

Quote:

Are drivers available through Fostex maybe? Perhaps it would be worth it to try soldering in new drivers?? Hmmmmm.... Hans030390, do you plan to live with it the way it is? Or were you planning on trying something to remedy it?

I am just going to live with mine the way they are. I usually don't hear the buzzing noise, as it seems to only happen at very specific moments. I don't hear it 95% of the time, at least. I will probably pick up another pair down the road anyway to do a better, more complete job with my mods.
 

 

[RexAeterna]

yea power issues with planers is not problem from my experience since i driven them from speaker outputs and the fostex as well. i never suffered from any type of buzzing or rattling. something wrong with the enclosure. i think has to do with you guys messing with the white felt on the driver maybe. i would try to leave that alone if you can, but glad to see new creative ideas.

 

[hans030390]

Quote:

yea power issues with planers is not problem from my experience since i driven them from speaker outputs and the fostex as well. i never suffered from any type of buzzing or rattling. something wrong with the enclosure. i think has to do with you guys messing with the white felt on the driver maybe. i would try to leave that alone if you can, but glad to see new creative ideas.

I think I might have accidentally poked the diaphragm with a small screwdriver while modding them and caused some sort of damage. No idea. One driver buzzes occasionally, the other doesn't. Exact same mods in each cup. I was pretty OCD about that.
 

 

[rhythmdevils]

You couldn't get to the diaphragm with a screw driver unless it was a really really small one.  There's a steel plate over it with only very small holes.  Something could have fallen in there, that's the most likely thing if you took the white stock damping paper off leaving the driver naked and left them open to the air, or have something in the cups that could get inside like wool hairs or something.  Or if you removed the dust cover from the front.  I'm not sure that thin material that is left is fine enough to keep out particles. 
 
If you have the driver exposed for any length of time, you should always put something over it to keep stuff from getting in.  Some ortho drivers can be opened up and cleaned, but I don't think the T50rp driver can be, at least not easily. 
 
This is something that people in the ortho thread have learned the hard way and warned about. 

 

[rhythmdevils]

Quote:

Thread Savers, Ear Pad Anti-Stretching Technique, and Stripped Plastic Thread Remedy:
 
 

I used to do the pad friction mounted technique sometimes for pad rolling, and I think it gives you a general idea for that purpose, but I question whether you get a good enough seal to judge them properly.  Sometimes pads sound different when they're properly mounted.  You could add some temporary sticky stuff like some rope caulk (takk) or tape or something. 
 
Would also be cool to find a way to keep the cups together without using the screws.  I saw your tape trick earlier, but that leaves the screw holes empty, which can create vents into the pad enclosure and change the sound compared to having them filled with screws.  At least in other phones it does. Maybe not so much in the T50rp if it doesn't vent, or if venting doesn't make a very big difference.  You can always just plug them temporarily with some putty.