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

[Pianist]

I think the treble is really, really good even on the stock T50RP - somewhat recessed perhaps, but of very high quality. You will see it if you look at CSD graph for this headphone. Not sure I can find one at this time, but I may post it later. The treble on T50RP is extremely fast, while the bass and mids are far slower and more resonant on a stock pair.
 
My God, I can't believe how huge this thread has gotten!

Back when I started it, these headphones were hardly known on this forum. Fast forward 3 years and we have Thunderpants, Paradox, Mad Dog's and a bazillion other modifications of these and nowadays it seems like every head-fi'er and their mother wants to own one and mod the crap out of them. lol I went to the local audio store where I auditioned my first pair before starting this thread. Turns out that the T50RPs are regularly in stock there now and that every salesperson at the store seems to know about them and how they are popular headphones for modding on head-fi. I then visited another audio shop in the area and there they told me that they should also start carrying T50RPs soon due to high demand. lol

 

[wje]

Pianist,

Thanks for determining that there was a need for such a thread, and starting such a fine one at that. All one needs to realize is the price to performance ratio that is offered with the Fostex headphones with a few modifications. Couple that with their extreme comfort so you can wear them for extended periods and you have a winner.

As one goes through these various posts, one can easily see how just about everything has been tried under the sun in regards to modifications. It's great when people share their results with the rest of us, so we'll learn and not repeat the mods that offer little improvement, or even some that hurt the sound. I tend to think of the Fostex headphones akin to "open-source" software. You have a bunch of people making their contributions and improvements towards a good product and then it gets turned into a great pair of headphones. In the end, we all win. For those who have the patience, time and don't mind trying some various options out, they can go it alone. However, for those who don't quite have the time or confidence to move ahead, the names mentioned regarding the individuals who have spun off and have become Members of the Trade, offer some really great solutions for someone who wants an excellent "turn-key" headphone.

 

[cegli]

Quote:

Would love to hear your follow-up on the FiiO E9 vs O2 amps as I currently have an E7/E9 combo and have been thinking of upgrading to the ODAC/O2 combo. Thanks for sharing!!

I definitely will get around to this. I used to have an E7, but someone broke into my house and stole it, so I will have to compare with the ODAC as the DAC for each.  I'll make sure to link you to my comparison.  It will be blind and level matched, so you can be sure it's not me just hearing what I want to hear.  I have a feeling the difference will be minor on the T50RPs, if I can tell at all.
 
I got around to double checking my first DBV #3 mod, and removing the treble reflectors.  I had a little extra cotton in the one ear, when I double checked it, but besides that, I modded them correctly.  I removed the treble reflectors in both ears, and the extra cotton (around 400mg) in one ear.  Now they sound just like the DBV #3 v2s that I made!  I did a blind test, and couldn't tell the difference between the two at all.
 
 
Quote:

Cegli, thanks for the write up and motivation to remove the treble reflector.  After finishing my DVB #3 build the improvements over stock were obvious but still not to my total satisfaction so I removed the fiberglass, sounded better to my ears.  Although better, I noticed a very slight raggedness sort of like a distortion which was annoying since it was always there.  After reading your post I decided to remove the treble reflector pretty much mirroring your results and the raggedness is gone with a smoother more liquid sound.  
 
The trouble with modding these phones is you never know when to leave well enough alone but I think I'll put my screwdriver away for a while and just enjoy some music.
 
Phill

 
Glad someone found it useful!  Yes, after my new experiment, I can definitely recommend leaving the treble reflector off if you have young ears, or like a less bright sound.  All depends on your ears though, I guess!

 

[chrislangley4253]

Been reading up the on this thread.. I've got like 60 or so pages left to go until I'm all caught up!

That being said, I'm about to do something potentially shameful in this post. I hate people that do what I'm about to do. Feel free to hate me.

Anyhow, I'd really like to get some of the cotton that BMF loves, or something as close as I can get. If anyone has some to spare or has an insider tip on where to get some good cotton, a PM would be greatly appreciated. I'm going to go for this stuff if I can't find something soonish.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004DC3GO8/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Sorry to muck up the thread guys.
 
*edit*
 
This looks promising

http://www.ebay.com/itm/First-Aid-Sterile-Absorbent-Cotton-Roll-5-oz-01-kg-/261017451390?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cc5da3b7e

 

[wje]

I remember in the past, some people were getting the Audeze pads for use on their Smeggy versions of the T50 headphone. I do know that the pads would fit the wooden cups that Smeggy was selling, but I'm just not sure if the pads would fit perfect on the stock T50 cups, though.

However, if someone is interested in the Audeze leather pads, they can be purchased through Moon-Audio for $80 a pair. This is a lambskin leather version for the price. Also, if people prefer the non-leather version, that option exists, too.

http://www.moon-audio.com/audeze-lcd-2-deluxe-earpads.html

 

[mrspeakers]

Quote:

I think the treble is really, really good even on the stock T50RP - somewhat recessed perhaps, but of very high quality. You will see it if you look at CSD graph for this headphone. Not sure I can find one at this time, but I may post it later. The treble on T50RP is extremely fast, while the bass and mids are far slower and more resonant on a stock pair.
 
My God, I can't believe how huge this thread has gotten!

Back when I started it, these headphones were hardly known on this forum. Fast forward 3 years and we have Thunderpants, Paradox, Mad Dog's and a bazillion other modifications of these and nowadays it seems like every head-fi'er and their mother wants to own one and mod the crap out of them. lol I went to the local audio store where I auditioned my first pair before starting this thread. Turns out that the T50RPs are regularly in stock there now and that every salesperson at the store seems to know about them and how they are popular headphones for modding on head-fi. I then visited another audio shop in the area and there they told me that they should also start carrying T50RPs soon due to high demand. lol

 
Heyyyyy....  Welcome back!  Thanks so much for starting this thread!  

 

[bluemonkeyflyer]

Quote:

Been reading up the on this thread.. I've got like 60 or so pages left to go until I'm all caught up!

That being said, I'm about to do something potentially shameful in this post. I hate people that do what I'm about to do. Feel free to hate me.

Anyhow, I'd really like to get some of the cotton that BMF loves, or something as close as I can get. If anyone has some to spare or has an insider tip on where to get some good cotton, a PM would be greatly appreciated. I'm going to go for this stuff if I can't find something soonish.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004DC3GO8/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Sorry to muck up the thread guys.
 
*edit*
 
This looks promising

http://www.ebay.com/itm/First-Aid-Sterile-Absorbent-Cotton-Roll-5-oz-01-kg-/261017451390?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cc5da3b7e

I ordered 10 boxes of Rite Aid Natural Absorbent Cotton from the riteaidonlinestore on Oct 15. I received 10 boxes of Rite Aid First Aid Rolled Cotton and was not happy. Customer Service told me to keep them and they would send the Natural Absorbent Cotton once in stock. Two weeks later and after many calls, they refunded my initial payment and told me they resolved the issue. They said they were sending me 10 boxes of Natural Absorbent Cotton. I received the second order a few days ago. In the second shipment I found....drum roll...Rite Aid First Aid Rolled Cotton!  LOLFCOL  Back on the phone with Customer Service, I was told that a supervisor would investigate and call me within 24 hours. I'm not holding my breath because I was told a supervisor would call me at least 5 times, before. I never got a call. I'll keep pushing them.
 
Chris, go to Post #1 of my "Incremental Mods and Measurements" thread (the link is in my signature) and scroll down to the bottom. I listed other sources of cotton that work almost as well as Natural Absorbent Cotton if you gently tease the layers apart. I think London Drugs cotton and the U.S. Cotton Absorbent Cotton Roll work better than Rite Aid First Aid Rolled Cotton. The U.S. Cotton in your link is the same product I tried. I will order some of the U.S. Cotton in your second link that comes in a box to see how it performs.
 
FWIW, Rite Aid Natural Absorbent Cotton is unlike any others I've tried. It has very fine, uniform layers and it is "springy" where the others are more dense and less "springy." My preference for dampening based on performance (with my ears, preferences, auditory acuity, and audio chain) is a combination of Rite Aid Natural Absorbent Cotton + J&M Fiberglass as described in the DBV #3 configuration. If using only one material, my rankings are:
 
1. Rite Aid Natural Absorbent Cotton  10/10
2. U.S. Cotton Absorbent Cotton Roll   8/10
3. London Drugs Absorbent Cotton      7/10
4. J&M Fiberglass                             7/10
5. Grodan Rock Wool                        7/10
6. Rite Aid First Aid Rolled Cotton        5/10
7. Cotton Balls teased apart               4/10

 

[FraGGleR]

I also got Rolled Cotton from RiteAid for the replacement shipment.  Thanks for reminding me that I need to call them.  I have a feeling they discontinued the Natural Absorbent cotton and have transferred the SKU to the new, less springy cotton.
 
BMF, you go the second cotton on your list from Amazon, right?
 
I'm pretty happy with the way mine sound at the moment so I hesitate to buy and try more materials (still sitting on a mountain of left overs if anyone wants a kit).  
 
I have a set of Audeze LCD2 R1 headband with gimbal and earpads coming to me for a super mod.  The CNC machine I have access to is nearly fixed so I might try to make some custom cups for the new gimbal soon.

 

[bluemonkeyflyer]

Quote:

I also got Rolled Cotton from RiteAid for the replacement shipment.  Thanks for reminding me that I need to call them.  I have a feeling they discontinued the Natural Absorbent cotton and have transferred the SKU to the new, less springy cotton.
 
BMF, you go the second cotton on your list from Amazon, right?
 
I'm pretty happy with the way mine sound at the moment so I hesitate to buy and try more materials (still sitting on a mountain of left overs if anyone wants a kit).  
 
I have a set of Audeze LCD2 R1 headband with gimbal and earpads coming to me for a super mod.  The CNC machine I have access to is nearly fixed so I might try to make some custom cups for the new gimbal soon.

Yes, I got the second cotton on my list, above, from Amazon.
 
I suspect you are correct about the Rite Aid cotton and SKU.

 

[geetarman49]

perhaps the proliferation of GM cotton has made it impossible to find a guaranteed long-term source of natural organic cotton.
 

 

[micmacmo]

I don't think the GM status of the plant determines the quality or consistency of the fiber. I think it has more to do with the processing of the bolls. 

 

[preproman]

Check it out Post #126
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/633956/the-t50rp-paradox-review-mini-tour-impressions/126

 

[AnotherN00b]

Quote:

Check it out Post #126
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/633956/the-t50rp-paradox-review-mini-tour-impressions/126

Thanks for posting that link here -- I would have missed it otherwise. I've been wondering if anyone had a chance to compare these three variations of mods. Nice to know the BMF DIY mods are right up there with the Paradox and MadDog proprietary mods. I had a feeling they were based on the FR tests Keith has posted and it's nice to hear your comparisons of the three. Thank you! And thank you Keith (BMF) for being so open and sharing with your tireless work and testing!!

 

[preproman]

Keith is the man with the plan.  What ever version I have - I love.  Simple as that..

 

[geetarman49]

Quote:

I don't think the GM status of the plant determines the quality or consistency of the fiber. I think it has more to do with the processing of the bolls. 

what i was trying to express is that 'natural' as used in the original nomenclature would might give rise to legal issues if gm material were used instead.  i am surmising that since they cannot guarantee gm-free source at a viable cost, they have dropped that particular product.  as for differences in the products, i am in agreement (likely to be different oems).
 
while it appears that every manufactured cotton product in our stores comes from china these days, u.s.a. remains the #1 exporter of raw cotton & india the #1 producer of gm cotton (by area).