[i_djoel2000]

*I'm starting to miss my wharfedale..

 

[SP Wild]

Looks like my T40V2 are at the post office.  I will pick them up tommorrow and post impressions.
 
On a different note, today a received a pair of mint vintage Sansui SS+2 8ohm dynamic headphones that I picked up for 25 bucks on ebay.  I think this thing is from the 70s. 
 
Somehow after hearing these vintage cans - other than the massive closed cup resonances or sound pressure buildup or whatever it is......the drivers aren't so bad - as good as any modern driver from today's consumer headphones.  I get the feeling in all honesty, that driver technology hasn't progressed as fast as I'd thought.  Main progress seem to be cup in design.

 

[i_djoel2000]

Quote:

Looks like my T40V2 are at the post office.  I will pick them up tommorrow and post impressions.
 
On a different note, today a received a pair of mint vintage Sansui SS+2 8ohm dynamic headphones that I picked up for 25 bucks on ebay.  I think this thing is from the 70s. 
 
Somehow after hearing these vintage cans - other than the massive closed cup resonances or sound pressure buildup or whatever it is......the drivers aren't so bad - as good as any modern driver from today's consumer headphones.  I get the feeling in all honesty, that driver technology hasn't progressed as fast as I'd thought.  Main progress seem to be cup in design.

the ss-2 shows up frequently on the auction right? is it orthodynamic headphone as well?
 
the design looks very odd to me..

 
how do you rate the level of the ss-2 driver to modern dynamic headphone? they went pretty cheap and i might grab a pair if the driver worth the price

 

[DefectiveAudioComponent]

No.
 
Quote:

the ss-2 shows up frequently on the auction right? is it orthodynamic headphone as well?

 

[sachu]

Quote:

*I'm starting to miss my wharfedale..

Hope you get it back soon man..

 

[dBel84]

I have the cable to test , now all that needs to be done is test it and it can be shipped 

 ..dB

 

[sachu]

Is it going back with zebrawood mods or back in stock enclosure?
PLease post pics of the cable jobby Don.

 

[jageur272]

Quote:

how do you rate the level of the ss-2 driver to modern dynamic headphone? they went pretty cheap and i might grab a pair if the driver worth the price

They're pretty bad compared to even substandard modern dynamics.  But they are very interesting looking if you want to wear them out and about

 

[i_djoel2000]

 
Quote:

I have the cable to test , now all that needs to be done is test it and it can be shipped 

 ..dB

GREAT!! you're the best don..

 
Quote:

Is it going back with zebrawood mods or back in stock enclosure?
PLease post pics of the cable jobby Don.

i'm thinking about a whole new housing actually if you remember calico who made lcd-2 woody grill

 
but i'm not sure yet..maybe i will still plug and unplug the driver 2-3 times to test my spare black dragon cable and the woodie housing on my wharfie

 

[sachu]

Quote:

i'm thinking about a whole new housing actually if you remember calico who made lcd-2 woody grill

 
but i'm not sure yet..maybe i will still plug and unplug the driver 2-3 times to test my spare black dragon cable and the woodie housing on my wharfie

Nice...this is what I want to do eventually. Put them in TP tyle cups so I can slap on O2 pads on it.  I will take some measurements of the zebrawoods for you to get cup volume right.

 

[i_djoel2000]

Quote:

Nice...this is what I want to do eventually. Put them in TP tyle cups so I can slap on O2 pads on it.  I will take some measurements of the zebrawoods for you to get cup volume right.

great, appreciate that..actually, i was thinking more like he-5 tyle cups

but again, this is still a raw thought..
 
however, i still don't have the right idea on how to make proper housing for ortho driver..any thoughts? i read on TPs thread but i want an open design housing, hence the TPs thread would not be useful..

 

[dBel84]

Quote:

PLease post pics of the cable jobby Don.

 
nothing fancy and everything seems in order ..dB

 

[SP Wild]

I think I may be done with traditional dynamics.  That's because I just got my T40 V2s - all I can say is What?

 

[SP Wild]

Ok a quick impression of the T20V2s with the 45mm ortho drivers.
 
I am at a level these days that when I put a can on, I know immediately if they are suited to my preferences or not.  When I first got  them I was praying that they wouldn't exhibit that awful sound pressure buildup, or resonance that the vintage Sansui's exhibit, that would just kill it for me (the Sansui's looking like new is going straight into storage). 
 
When they arrived the Corrs was playing, the album "talk on corners"...so on the headphones go, and connect the plug to the amp.  Not bad!  the first thing that stands out is the amazing smooth and full midrange.  This Irish babe sounds as hot as she looks right about now, and that's a good thing!  The overall signature was "full" or not bright...OK "dark" if you will.  I glanced at my HD595's and immediately cursed them in my mind.  How can Senn release those horrid things when 20 years ago these T20 cans were significantly better overall.
 
I feel that these cans legitimately compete in the HD650/K701 category...and surpassed the lowly HD595 with relative easy (for me anyway).
 
Firstly, overall driver agility seems to be a tad quicker than either HD650s or K701s - incredible but true.  Treble was more extended and refined than both of these highly praised cans.  Piano notes show that sharp outline which indicates very good superior speed, ride cymbals, my other giveaway, were crisp and clear.  Tonality overall was to me...excellent.
 
I'll compare these to the HD650s because they share similar tonalities - the K701 are polar opposites.  OK having established that the drivers in these T20s are in fact technically superior to 1 former and 1 current flagship - what gives?
 
The bad thing about these exist within the semi-closed cup enclosure this will be true to all closed cans.  Detail retrieval is not on par with the HD650, soundstage and imaging is not as good.  The HD650 exhibit better subbass extension and tighter control in that bass region.  How much the closed cups throttle the T20s bass speed, I do not know - because through the mids and treble its clear to me that the Fostex is a tad quicker - the low detail may also be throttled by the closed cups (occurs with D7000 also).
 
Compared to the HD650, the vocals sound fuller and more emotive over the Fostex...only the LCD2s portray this sort of fullness.  Vocals on HD650 seem thin and analytical in comparison.  Bass levels are very adequate on the Fostex - similar presence in the bass region as HD650, maybe even more.  The Fostex treble is also at similar levels but is certainly more extended and actually has a upper most treble peak - recorded sibilance can be noticed on some tracks - treble presentation, for me, is better than the HD650 - crisp, precise, extended and accurate treble - without it being peaky and thrust in your face.  So in a way these are not as dark as the HD650 in the treble sense...however in the midrange sense the T20s are kinda darker - in that there is virtually zero upper mid glare.
 
So basically the HD650 is very analytical compared to the T20s.  The HD650 were never anayltical to start with, they were always my preferred relaxing can....I prefer the T20s more...the vocals, the Irish babe that fronts the Corrs have never sounded hotter - only the LCD2s can accomplish this vocal treat....none of my other conventional dynamic cans can achieve this.  This can is full midrange beauty with gorgeous full bodied realistic and sexy intimate presentation matched by few - even the HD650 falls behind in this regard, and this is the HD650s core strength...go figure?
 
Is there a reason I shouldn't place an order for the new T50RPs and place these rare T20s in storage?
 
P.S.  Just like it's relative, these ortho's change signature significantly when placed on the ears.  Placed further back on the ear their signature falls between HD650 and K701 - this way they are certainly "neutral" with little loss of vocal romance and a marked improvement in clarity.  Placing them forward of the ears once can render them darker than HD650s in a midrange sense - this way intimacy and romanticism is maxed out.  These cans in particular change signature the most according to ear positioning - even more than the LCD2s.

 

[gurubhai]

^^Try sticking a couple of felt pieces behind the driver & be prepared to be gobsmacked even more.