[gikigill]

My Fostex seem to be distorting very badly at any volume.

Anyone have a similar problem?

 

[Sakujin]

Can someone please show me how to replace the ear pads? I'm afraid I might break it if I force it out on my own.

 

[mapotofu]

  Can someone please show me how to replace the ear pads? I'm afraid I might break it if I force it out on my own.

 
If I remember correctly, you just make a slight twist counterclockwise and then pull the ear pads out.  

 

[Sakujin]

I don't know where to get a good grip to turn it, could you show me please? thanks

 

[mapotofu]

I don't know where to get a good grip to turn it, could you show me please? thanks

Sorry I missed this earlier. The TH500RP uses the same earpads and plastic mounting ring as the other upper-end Fostex models. There are helpful some steps and photos on the Lawton instructions for ear pad replacement:

http://www.lawtonaudio.com/anglepadinstructions.html

 

[Sakujin]

Nice thx, I'm currently making some non angled earpads for my fostex, this is gonna take awhile but i'll posts some pictures once its done

 

[jeffhawke]

Sorry I missed this earlier. The TH500RP uses the same earpads and plastic mounting ring as the other upper-end Fostex models. There are helpful some steps and photos on the Lawton instructions for ear pad replacement:

http://www.lawtonaudio.com/anglepadinstructions.html

Has anyone tried any of Lawton Audio's upgrade mods on the TH500RPs?

 

[jeffhawke]

Never mind, I just found out from Mark Lawton that the only mod available for the TH500RP are the angled earpads, which I'm not really interested in, especially considering the price ($109+S&H)

 

[Sakujin]

And here they are, my home made extra large pads. Atm the only difference i could hear is that the sound is more distant so everything is less than before, i hoped that the bass would be better but i cant hear any improvements. Need to test em some more i guess.

 

[Suopermanni]

Has anyone tried getting their Fostex TH500RP recabled to balanced? Just asking as I use a balanced setup now and want to my headphones balanced.

 

[drteming]

 
Yuck!  A bit too much solder.  The cable is balanced.  The left channel is the wire with the clear coating.  The right is the tan coating.  They each have their own respective ground (easy to tell, they're twisted together).

 

[jeffhawke]

And here they are, my home made extra large pads. Atm the only difference i could hear is that the sound is more distant so everything is less than before, i hoped that the bass would be better but i cant hear any improvements. Need to test em some more i guess.

I believe you perceive the sound as being more distant because IT IS! Those oversized doughnuts 

 are certainly muffling the sound, you should either a) cut the size in half or b) get yourself some compatible pads such as these: http://www.ebay.it/itm/261841316563?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&var=560693700892&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
I'm waiting to try these myself, they are on their way, I'll post my impressions once I get them.

 

[jeffhawke]

 

 
Yuck!  A bit too much solder.  The cable is balanced.  The left channel is the wire with the clear coating.  The right is the tan coating.  They each have their own respective ground (easy to tell, they're twisted together).

Nice job! What differences did you perceive in SQ?

 

[drteming]

My main amplifier is a Kevin Gilmore's Krell KSA5 clone that I built myself.  It is not a "balanced" amp, but has separate grounds for the left and right channel.  I run a 4-pin XLR and a locking TRS out, with a switch combining the grounds for the TRS.  I like the look and feel of the XLR connector, and that's why I use it.  Honestly, I do not perceive a difference in sound quality between the XLR and the TRS outputs.  This article basically sums up how I feel about "balanced" amps:  https://benchmarkmedia.com/blogs/application_notes/audio-myth-balanced-headphone-outputs-are-better

 

[jeffhawke]

  My main amplifier is a Kevin Gilmore's Krell KSA5 clone that I built myself.  It is not a "balanced" amp, but has separate grounds for the left and right channel.  I run a 4-pin XLR and a locking TRS out, with a switch combining the grounds for the TRS.  I like the look and feel of the XLR connector, and that's why I use it.  Honestly, I do not perceive a difference in sound quality between the XLR and the TRS outputs.  This article basically sums up how I feel about "balanced" amps:  https://benchmarkmedia.com/blogs/application_notes/audio-myth-balanced-headphone-outputs-are-better

Yeah, I had read that, and I tend to agree, at least as far as desktop amps are concerned, whereas with some DAPs I could definitely perceive a sonic difference, even at lower volumes (to compensate for the higher output), between balanced and unbalanced.