[Medusa]

I'm looking to get a bassy headphone, punchy, but not distorting.

I'm wondering what are the pros and cons of each headphone relative to each other to decide on which one I would like more

Can anyone here who has listened to both Argons and TH-X00 Purpleheart comment on the difference?

Thanks!

 

[401133]

Would love an opinion on this as well.

 

[omegaorgun]

I have a D2000 which according to Z is similar. I will have my Argons this week. I think I already prefer the planars for detail and find the D2K a little sibilant. The D2K has stronger bass but a little muddy, The TX-0's bass is deep in a different way. Argon is supposed to improve the bass so it for me it might blow the Denon's out of the water.

I will report back.

 

[chimney189]

The treble on the Argons are comparatively extremely rolled off when compared to the TH-X00, and from what I've read it seems that the bass on the Argons is more focused in the sub-bass region.

 

[omegaorgun]

I warming to the D2K and if the TH-X00 is better then it must be decent. I was really enjoying my T-X0 before I sent it and missing it. IF the argon improves the bass I will be happy.

 

[kukkurovaca]

I have the Argon but not the TH-X00. FWIW, my experience was that the Argon modification did improve the bass on the T-X0, particularly subbass as claimed. But it's still working with the same planar driver, so not as much bass quantity as a bassy dynamic driver headphone, I'm sure. But fast and clean bass.

Oh, should also point out that with the Argon it will depend on whether you ordered ZMF pads with them as recommended or are using some other pads. The ZMF oval pads will increase bass over the hybrid brainwavz pads that ship with the T-X0.

I eventually switched to perforated Ori pads for my Argons because the non-perforated ZMF pads imparted a sort of tunnel-like shape to the soundstage that bugged me. The soundstage with the perforated Ori pads is much better, but at the cost of some bass.

 

[401133]

Have you ever tried them with the Cowhide pads?

 

[kukkurovaca]

Have you ever tried them with the Cowhide pads?

No, just the perforated Ori and protein leather oval pads

 

[401133]

I just purchased Argons MK2 off of someone, and I'll have them with me in probably 2-3 weeks. I already have ZMF Lambskin pads and ZMF Cowhide pads. I'll be interested to test with the Cowhide, as I remember Aornic's review of the ZMF Oris, where he claimed the cowhides to be the best. He said the cowhide retained best soundstage, as they didn't contract as much as other pads, and that they also gave the best sub-bass of all the headphones. Seeing as the Ori is basically a T50RP mod, I reckon the Cowhide will give a similiar experience.

 

[rendyG]

Should we look forward to some impressions/comparisons soon?

 

[401133]

I'll give impressions once I recieve them. Turned out I'll get them somewhat later than expected. I'll have them in about a week, and I'll test them with the two different pads for a week to see what the differences are.

 

[omegaorgun]

Should have my T-X0 MK2 Argon soon will have a modified m1060c and a d2000 from memory to compare them to.

 

[Hyde00]

Any update to this?

 

[omegaorgun]

If a D2000 is like the TH-X00 then i am going to have to hand it to Argon for overall music quality. I would like to have an actual TH-X00 here to A-B as my memory is a little hazy.
To me the bass was more bloated, bled into the mids and highs were a little too sharp, pure V. I do think the lawton dampening kit would have helped.
The Argon is very musical, it has a dark sound with deep bass with planar speed and detail with great sound stage. You get a removable v-moda cable. I would give comfort and weight to the Denon. For amplification you are going to need power for the T50RP whereas you will get away with a lower powered unit for the Fostex/Denon. I am using an xDuoo TA-01 with 2100mw @ 32ohm and it makes the T50RP sing!

Right now the full Argon MK3 is about $320 strap, pads, cable. I am not sure what the th-x00 is, I think it's $450 but it does not have a removable cable. If you have a T50RP the Argon mod is a no brainer.

 

[401133]

I disagree wholeheartedly. Have had the Argon for a good while now, and although I really enjoy it for its qualities and will definitely keep it, the TH-X00 is a superior headphone for music, with much better resolution. The X00 is probably my favorite headphone ever, because of how goddamn enjoyable it is.

They are both "bass head" headphones in the audophile spectrum, but The Argon is quite a bit bassier than the X00, and also has fantastic soundstage and imaging (on par with the ZMF Ori, another T50RP mod), for a closed back. It's therefore ideal for watching movies or playing video games, making it a more versatile option. The comfort is also quite a bit better.

The Biodyna bass of the TH-X00 is tighter and more detailed than that of the Argon, though (I will most likely never hear a headphone that can match the X00 in this area). The X00's bass remains well-controlled and nimble despite the powerful boost, even with faster and more demanding recordings. This control and detail is interestingly true when comparing all aspects of sound for both headphones. It's especially noticable in midrange, where the X00 has an overall pretty correct timbre with voices appearing overall more in the background in the mix, but more forward than the Argon. The midrange on the Argon feels a bit recessed in comparison, lacking the same amount of detail and resolve. The same is true about channel imbalance and distortion, where the Argon can't completely hide the very hearable imperfections of the T50RP driver.

I still think the Argon is pretty good for music listening, but the X00 is just so much better in general. The X00 easily wins in categories like EDM, Soul and R&B, Rock, etc. Overall, both are fantastic headphones for their price. $450 might seem too much for the X00, but I think Fostex does justice to the price in terms of resolution of the headphone and delivers the performance that one would expect to find for the price. The same is true for its build quality and looks, which is top notch. It's also incredibly easy to drive, and does exceptionally well even out of a smartphone. The Argon (T50RP), on the other hand, needs unreasonable amounts of power.

Your point about the cables is a good one. Which is why I have put my X00 up for sale and ordered a used EMU Teak (a more refined X00) with detachable cables for the same price.

EDIT: I would not recommend Lawton mod, as I believe it screws up the sound. Stick with it as is, out of the box. Adding new pads, or doing mods like Lawton, makes it inferior imo. The TH-X00 wasn't created to be tinkered with, like the T50RP.

EDIT 2: After buying the EMU Teak, it quickly became my daily driver. It takes the X00 and just makes it better. The bass is a bit less and tighter, but still fantastic. Midrange is enhanced and more forward, with details being much clearer in general. The soundstage is also considerably improved. Almost all of this is from the EMU wood, as I noticed a regression in all areas when trying Rosewood or Ebony.

The EMU Teak takes the X00 up a notch, towards something more "reference", while keeping the fun sounding signature. It's more versatile in genres that are generally not considered fun. If there was one headphone I could use for all music purposes (and I listen to virtually all types of genres), it would be the EMU Teak.