[TWerk]

   
Shame you're not located in EU, if you were I'd be more than glad to take the PHs off your hands! I was on holiday abroad at the time and my wallet was weeping when those dropped but they'd match my room so well, my headphone stand has purpleheart wood, my keyboard wrist rest is made of purpleheart, my keycaps are violet, my headphone cable sleeving is purple... I like purple. I also like bass, so I'm gutted I had to pass on them - hoping a second hand pair in new condition within EU comes by at some point in time. 

 
PS: I also agree that most high end headphones, asides the ones that are overpriced to begin with, are quite easy to sell nowadays.

 
You will find some. Look at what happened with the Mahogany...
 
At first launch, they were a little hard to get (sold really fast), but as time went on, they popped up more often on the f/s.

 

[enoha]

Hi,

I need closed-back headphones (because of the noise from the street in my new flat) and I've been told about those Massdrop x Fostex TH-X00. I've always had open-back headphones and I have some questions. First off I'd like to know if closed-back headphones are a lot more 'tiring' for ears. I'm used to my Sennheiser HD 600. What good amp/DAC would yould recommend? I have the Schiit combo Vali 2 + Modi 2 Uber (also a Aune X1). Thank you for the help!

 

[jeffri]

Hi,

I need closed-back headphones (because of the noise from the street in my new flat) and I've been told about those Massdrop x Fostex TH-X00. I've always had open-back headphones and I have some questions. First off I'd like to know if closed-back headphones are a lot more 'tiring' for ears. I'm used to my Sennheiser HD 600. What good amp/DAC would yould recommend? I have the Schiit combo Vali 2 + Modi 2 Uber (also a Aune X1). Thank you for the help!

Note that the TH-X00, while closed, is vented and has a quite poor isolation. I don't think it's ideal to use in noisy environment.

 

[enoha]

Note that the TH-X00, while closed, is vented and has a quite poor isolation. I don't think it's ideal to use in noisy environment.

I just saw that on reddit... I will find another option I guess. Thank you.

 

[OddballStream]

I currently have the EM-U Teak, TH-X00, AKG K7XX and I'm in the Purpleheart drop.  I've joined this Ebony one as well, but I suspect there's a little (read as a lot) of hype surrounding impressions thus far (Drinking the Kool-Aid).  From what I've heard just in the EM-U Teak's when changing to Ebony wood is not going to blow your mind.  Do they sound different?  Absolutely.  Is it like hearing Queen Bohemian Rhapsody for the first time again? No.  
 
I know I don't have the review chops here, I know I haven't reviewed anything on here yet, but between work and my hobby (Drums, music production with a buddy, Overwatch) and my kids I'm selfish with my time.  What I can say is that although I have, in my opinion, three of the nicest Enthusiast headphones under $1000 I still find myself reaching for one set everyday (In fact using them now to rock on some Haken as I type), EM-U Teaks.  TH-X00's are fantastic, but the clarity and midrange is not where the Teak's are.  AKG K7XX is my disappointment, mainly just because I listen to Progressive Metal, but when I get into instrumental or Vulfpeck, AKG's get some love. But the same question always comes up as I jam...."I wonder what this sounds like on the EM-U Teaks?".  I did put the Ebony cups on the teaks for an extended period and enjoyed them.  The bass hits hard, but refined and tempered, really lets the kick drum accentuate.  Until I put back on the Teaks I was drinking the Ebony Kool Aid, but I can't pass up the Teak's, gosh darn they just sound virtually neutral.  This may read as a marketing promo for the Teak's, it certainly is not and if you've joined the Ebony you should be excited.  I'm just saying you shouldn't feel like you've been duped or missing out the difference is just not that big.
 
I'm excited to hear the Ebony from Fostex, I'm curious just HOW MUCH tuning can change between the three of them.  If you're in the Chicago area and want to meet up when they've all come along we should schedule something and let our ears do the talking errr listening
 
EDIT
Holy crap, I bet I can just put my Ebony EM-U cups on my Mahogany....
 

 

[fjrabon]

  EDIT
Holy crap, I bet I can just put my Ebony EM-U cups on my Mahogany....
 

Ha, yes, indeed you can, and they sound quite incredible. If you want the Ebony EMU cup on the THX00 to sound pretty close to dead neutral, this EQ profile will do it:
 

 
With that they sound like basically planar bass, and more or less flat though 12khZ.  The highs are a bit trickier, but this is DANG close to neutral.  I'm actually considering sending my THX00 with EMU ebony cups into sonarworks to be measured and have a custom equalization profile created.  
 
After equalization the biggest thing I notice with the ebony vs the mahogany is less ringing, and then the lawton damping reduced that more.  I have a Shure SRH840, which sonarworks has created a profile for to make it basically dead neutral, and when I put the THX00 witht he above profile, they both sound more or less dead neutral, or at least exactly the same FR wise.  However, the clarity on the THX00 ebony is startlingly better.  It's weird to listen to two headphones with basically the same exact frequency response, and just hear the difference in resolution solely due to time domain and distortion differences, and it be a night and day difference.

 

[DecentLevi]

That's interesting. Yeah I would say EQ profiles can only compensate the frequency response spectrum, but can't replicate things like differences in bass definition, tonality, dynamics, and soundstage - the same case I would say for the way tubes change the sound of an amp more than is possible with EQ'ing alone. But nonetheless I may do a little tinkering to see if the TH-X00 Purpleheart or Mahogany are able to match the sound of the Ebony with EQ...
 
That is to say, next week I should get the chance to do a much more thorough comparison between the three, along with the M9XX amp. Then after me the loaner units should be reviewed by at least one more person so we can see multiple independent reviews on these. The three versions are also set to be at a mini-meet in SF on August 27th. I'm not sure if I can post it here, so PM me or Cee Tee if in the area and interested to check it out.

 

[jamor]

I don't know why you are describing the Ebony as neutral though as it is even bassier than the Mahogany. 

 

[DecentLevi]

Well somehow, that's just the way I heard it when testing them. The original and Purpleheart sounded thin/bright, and the Ebony sounded refined/neutral. Maybe there were some untold revisions to the original on the ones I tried, because that's almost the opposite sound sig. I remember the original having the first few times I tried it. Anyway that's something I'll address late next week when I do an extended test of these.

 

[nix177]

Hey DecentLevi, Can you send me a PM. I reached my 2 daily PM. I need to ask you for the G1217 adapter and the 6sn7 tube if you still have available.

 

[DecentLevi]

Hello all, just a quick note to say that I've got a VASTLY improved review between the three TH-X00's coming up, and already underway! 

 

[luckyeights]

Cant wait for the review,  please do the review before the ebony drop ends if you can.

 

[TWerk]

IDK, to me, the Ebony drop is not doing well, at all. They don't even have 400 units sold yet.

 

[kellte2]

IDK, to me, the Ebony drop is not doing well, at all. They don't even have 400 units sold yet.

So are you salty re: the ebony because you bought a previous incarnation or some other reason?

 

[Liu Junyuan]

IDK, to me, the Ebony drop is not doing well, at all. They don't even have 400 units sold yet.

Oversaturation.