[alphaman]

I have a friend that is looking for planar magnetics in the $300-400 USD price range that is readily avail. (e.g. Amazon).
Help my friend select ... might the choice be between Monoprice M1070 or Fostex t60rp?
Or would you choose another? Say something cheaper but that could be improved with DIY mods and/or aftermarket pads?
Thx!

 

[NA Blur]

I just picked up my 2nd pair of HE-400i from Amazon for $169 new. They are so good I wanted 2 pairs. One for home and one for work. You can’t find a better headphones in that price point period. Excellent measurements, awesome sound, and they scale so well with better recordings and amplification.

 

[alphaman]

HE-400i

But do they sound equal to or better than the Monoprice M1070 or Fostex t60rp ?
BTW ....

You can’t find a better headphones in that price point period.

And what "Price point" is that?

BTW2: Someone might want weigh in on the Sundara's.....

 

[Das Mookid]

T60

 

[jasswolf]

Surely it's the HifiMAN Sundara?

 

[NA Blur]

If you wish to heavily mod something the T60 is a great place to start. I don’t like nor encourage the stock T60.

The HE400i amazing in that it measures as well as the SR-009 and high level LCD cans. You can verify this via Innerfidelity. The beauty of the 400i is not only is it nearly 1/10th the price of headphones that measure and sound very similar, but it scales so well with better amplification and a DAC that outputs at least 2v RMS.

To whomever asked about what price point I’m talking about I thought that was self explanatory, but since you are incapable of understanding simple price ranges here is a brief list.

HE400i
Price Range
$150-$250

It punches well into the $500-$600 sound range and I feel it even scales higher.

 

[Shane D]

I have a friend that is looking for planar magnetics in the $300-400 USD price range that is readily avail. (e.g. Amazon).
Help my friend select ... might the choice be between Monoprice M1070 or Fostex t60rp?
Or would you choose another? Say something cheaper but that could be improved with DIY mods and/or aftermarket pads?
Thx!

I have and LOVE the Sundara's. But since apparently I am never finished, I have been looking at those headphones also.
There is very little around on the 1070's. Their new line of headphones really has landed with a thud.
And the majority of T60RP talk seems to be about making them Argons, which I find disappointing, as they are supposed to be Fostex's modded version of the T50RP. I am not a basshead and do not require Max bass.

Please let us know what you end up doing.

 

[alphaman]

I've been listening to 1070s for a few days now. I'm using velour pads (Z Reviews suggestion). Haven't tried the stock pleather pads yet.
They sound very nice (= refined) using my much-modded Meier Corda 2 amp. Not sure about burn-in.
They are very comfortable but HEAVY. I do notice that a bit after 15 min or so.
Back to the sound .... clean, detailed and refined.... and relatively flat (FR). Probably the best sound of the cans I've got, which include Stax Lambda Pros.

 

[Shane D]

I've been listening to 1070s for a few days now. I'm using velour pads (Z Reviews suggestion). Haven't tried the stock pleather pads yet.
They sound very nice (= refined) using my much-modded Meier Corda 2 amp. Not sure about burn-in.
They are very comfortable but HEAVY. I do notice that a bit after 15 min or so.
Back to the sound .... clean, detailed and refined.... and relatively flat (FR). Probably the best sound of the cans I've got, which include Stax Lambda Pros.

What do you think of the bass?

 

[Chastity]

I've been listening to 1070s for a few days now. I'm using velour pads (Z Reviews suggestion). Haven't tried the stock pleather pads yet.

The leather pads aren't pleather, they are lambskins. You can tell easily by smelling them. And I have some issues with Z's review of the M1070/M1570:

1) The velours suck the life out of M1070. Whoever is making these for Monoprice should be stabbed repeatedly.

2) The fact that Z says they sound better than the sheepskins (I saw the video) makes me cringe. One thing I did find is that they initally sounded a tad harsh on the treble, until the pads broke in 2 days later. According to his vid, he's had them for a couple of weeks, so that shouldn't be an issue.

3) More than likely he was shilling the M1570, and by recording the M1070 with Velours and the M1570 with lambskins, he biased the audio samples he recorded. The major difference between the two is the fact the M1570's driver has a larger surface area, being round vs the M1070's rectangular surface area.