[Curly21029]

 
Quote:

been working with a few different finishes this week finally found one that i like
 
 

 

I dont' normally quote pictures, but these deserve reposting.  Damn do I love those cups!  Amazing work and I can't wait to see the finished product! 

 
EDIT:
 
And the top of the page... right where these green stunners belong.

 

[dmcs414]

Question for you noble Thunderpantsers...if you were willing to spend around $500 on a pair of orthos (which incidentally would be your very first orthos ever ) , would you either contract Mr Smeggy to create a pair of TPs or buy a legitimate Smeggy TP from someone else, or go for one of the less expensive Hifiman orthos like the HE-4, HE-5LE, etc? Why or why not?

I ask this here rather than in the Ortho roundup thread because I really want to hear from TP owners who have had experience with the Hifimans. Also for the sake of argument let's assume a proper amp and DAC would be available for optimum synergy with whichever route one took.

Edit- I should mention that I presume most everyone in this thread believes that properly modded, legit Smeggy TPs are at or close to the best of the best orthos around. So I'm not asking if you think the TPs are "better", that's silly. What I'm really wondering is whether you all think it would be wise should I make my first owner experience with orthos of any kind be a modded ortho with (at times; albeit infrequent) varying results -- versus retail, factory cans that I can be reasonably sure will sound just like every other can that bears the name. (HE-5LE for example).

To put it another way, I know I want my next rig to be based around an ortho, which will be my first. I'm a tad worried that I might be unlucky and for whatever reason find myself unhappy with my TP and then my whole ortho experience starts out on the wrong leg and I end up doing something stupid like go back to dynamics. I'm absolutely positive I'll acquire Thunderpants at some point. I'm not sure I've ever wanted a headphone more. I'm just wondering if it wouldn't be wiser to start my ortho journey with something "safer" to get my feet wet, or something along those lines.

Jeez sorry for the rambling post. Thanks if you stuck through my long-windedness. Hours of reading this thread does strange things to the mind

 

[sbradley02]

I have not had an opportunity to compare them. The black pads have memory foam and are more comfortable and hold up better.
The only person I know who has compared them besides smeggy is sachu (might be others on the site). Sachu preferred the brown pads (I am not having much luck finding the thread), but I love the sound on the black pads. I would imagine that since seal is a factor there will be a high degree of personal preference in this area.
 
As per the price, yes they are expensive but beautifully made and should last pretty much forever. The cost is understandable considering that the headphones these are made for cost $2400 (and that is without the required drive unit).

 
Quote:

Being the that both Stax pads use different materials, do they sound different or is comfort the only difference between the two?

 

 

[Teejaay]

Quote:

I have not had an opportunity to compare them. The black pads have memory foam and are more comfortable and hold up better.
The only person I know who has compared them besides smeggy is sachu (might be others on the site). Sachu preferred the brown pads (I am not having much luck finding the thread), but I love the sound on the black pads. I would imagine that since seal is a factor there will be a high degree of personal preference in this area.
 
As per the price, yes they are expensive but beautifully made and should last pretty much forever. The cost is understandable considering that the headphones these are made for cost $2400 (and that is without the required drive unit).

 


 

 
i have both brown ones have more foam in them or harder foam.
 
 

 

[sbradley02]

What do you perceive as the sound difference(s)?
 
Thanks
 
Quote:

 
i have both brown ones have more foam in them or harder foam.
 
 

 

 

[Teejaay]

Quote:

What do you perceive as the sound difference(s)?
 
Thanks
 


 

 
black ones look nicer they sound the same.
 
 

 

[warubozu]

Thanks Teejay, guess it's a matter of personal preference. The black sheep skin with memory foam sounds interesting though, I do know both sheep and lamb skin are very comfortable and remain cool during long listening sessions.

 

[Teejaay]

Quote:

Thanks Teejay, guess it's a matter of personal preference. The black sheep skin with memory foam sounds interesting though, I do know both sheep and lamb skin are very comfortable and remain cool during long listening sessions.

brown ones are fake leather junk i never plan to use mine but give them to a friend lol...

 

[warubozu]

I didn't know that, I thought the brown ones were made of sheep skin.

 

[ontherivet]

I jumped right in and my first Ortho was a TP. I'm still trying to "come to grips" with them but I learned I like the Ortho sound and have since bought 2 pair of stock T50RPs to mess with and will probably end up with a set of LCD-2s or HE-500s to further explore. That said, the TPs are a special animal being a fully sealed can, modified to produce a unique sound signature...that's where I'm trying to sort things out. Not having other cans to A/B against and also being fairly new to semi-serious headphonia doesn't help.
 
Frankly I think the cheapest way to dip a toe into the planar mag waters is to grab a pair of T50RP and work through some of the various mods. They sound decent even stock and will give you an idea of whether you like the ortho sound. For $75 you can't go wrong and may give you a better idea on where you want to spend real money.
 
BTW, you will need decent amping with a T50RP driver.

 
Quote:

Question for you noble Thunderpantsers...if you were willing to spend around $500 on a pair of orthos (which incidentally would be your very first orthos ever ) , would you either contract Mr Smeggy to create a pair of TPs or buy a legitimate Smeggy TP from someone else, or go for one of the less expensive Hifiman orthos like the HE-4, HE-5LE, etc? Why or why not?

I ask this here rather than in the Ortho roundup thread because I really want to hear from TP owners who have had experience with the Hifimans. Also for the sake of argument let's assume a proper amp and DAC would be available for optimum synergy with whichever route one took.

Edit- I should mention that I presume most everyone in this thread believes that properly modded, legit Smeggy TPs are at or close to the best of the best orthos around. So I'm not asking if you think the TPs are "better", that's silly. What I'm really wondering is whether you all think it would be wise should I make my first owner experience with orthos of any kind be a modded ortho with (at times; albeit infrequent) varying results -- versus retail, factory cans that I can be reasonably sure will sound just like every other can that bears the name. (HE-5LE for example).

To put it another way, I know I want my next rig to be based around an ortho, which will be my first. I'm a tad worried that I might be unlucky and for whatever reason find myself unhappy with my TP and then my whole ortho experience starts out on the wrong leg and I end up doing something stupid like go back to dynamics. I'm absolutely positive I'll acquire Thunderpants at some point. I'm not sure I've ever wanted a headphone more. I'm just wondering if it wouldn't be wiser to start my ortho journey with something "safer" to get my feet wet, or something along those lines.

Jeez sorry for the rambling post. Thanks if you stuck through my long-windedness. Hours of reading this thread does strange things to the mind

 

 

[Saintkeat]

how much are smeggy made TPs? I'm just curious since the price of DIY is pretty high anyways, and then theres every chance you're not doing it right and someone here will say you don't have a proper thunderpants. =P

 

[sbradley02]

For me there was basically no question. The Thunderpants are the only closed Ortho around. If you want/need isolation (and I most definitely do) they are the only choice.
And when I compared the 'Pants to the commercial Orthos (HE-5, HE-6 and LCD-2) at a Head-fi meet, the 'Pants were my favorite of the bunch. This is of course a matter of personal preference and YMMV.
 
Quote:

Question for you noble Thunderpantsers...if you were willing to spend around $500 on a pair of orthos (which incidentally would be your very first orthos ever ) , would you either contract Mr Smeggy to create a pair of TPs or buy a legitimate Smeggy TP from someone else, or go for one of the less expensive Hifiman orthos like the HE-4, HE-5LE, etc? Why or why not?

I ask this here rather than in the Ortho roundup thread because I really want to hear from TP owners who have had experience with the Hifimans. Also for the sake of argument let's assume a proper amp and DAC would be available for optimum synergy with whichever route one took.

Edit- I should mention that I presume most everyone in this thread believes that properly modded, legit Smeggy TPs are at or close to the best of the best orthos around. So I'm not asking if you think the TPs are "better", that's silly. What I'm really wondering is whether you all think it would be wise should I make my first owner experience with orthos of any kind be a modded ortho with (at times; albeit infrequent) varying results -- versus retail, factory cans that I can be reasonably sure will sound just like every other can that bears the name. (HE-5LE for example).

To put it another way, I know I want my next rig to be based around an ortho, which will be my first. I'm a tad worried that I might be unlucky and for whatever reason find myself unhappy with my TP and then my whole ortho experience starts out on the wrong leg and I end up doing something stupid like go back to dynamics. I'm absolutely positive I'll acquire Thunderpants at some point. I'm not sure I've ever wanted a headphone more. I'm just wondering if it wouldn't be wiser to start my ortho journey with something "safer" to get my feet wet, or something along those lines.

Jeez sorry for the rambling post. Thanks if you stuck through my long-windedness. Hours of reading this thread does strange things to the mind

 

 

[Ikarios]

The Thunderpants name is basically "owned" by smeggy, and every "Thunderpant" is inherently a smeggy design/build. Anything else done by anyone else can't really be called "Thunderpants" - just woodied T50RPs or "DIY-pants". I took to calling the last one I owned "Darthpants", due to the dark color of the paperstone. I haven't decided what I'll call the one I have now yet.
 
If you want the prices you should PM smeggy about them. I don't know if we're allowed to "advertise" his prices in public, given the strict rules on Head-Fi and the fact that he isn't a MOT.

 

[Teejaay]

o2 pads
 
4 1/8'' dia
inner hole is 2 1/4''x 3 3/8''
 
 
1 1/8'' tall back side 1/2 foam medium density 1/8th memory foam
3/8th front
3/8th padding all around
 
 
all stocked up on them now as my paypal weeps in agony.
 

 
what i did today

 

 

[sbradley02]

Since I bought my O2s with my Thunderpants I have never seen the boxes before.
is that 4 pads or 4 sets?