Thank you for the compliments!
Do you own a Fostex/Denon? Have you tried them open/semi-open? Are you interested in such a mod?
I can walk you through the plans to make something like this for yourself, too, if you so desire.
I ended up pulling the trigger on the Fostex for about 1000$ and after 3 listening sessions so far , I’m simply just blown away… They make me smile and that’s what matters most for me.
But I also got the Cascades from the store for 500$ . Why? Because I don’t think I’m able to use the TH-900 regularly. I want to treat this pair like a gem and the Cascades are the perfect sidekick for general use.
One thing I want to say is that the Fostex only has harsh treble in poorly mastered tracks. I can listen to them fatigue-free on most songs that don’t go overboard with the treble. I actually find the Cascades more fatiguing to listen at high volume. Both paired with the iFi Micro iDSD BL so maybe this could also contribute to my experience with them.
After spending time with these headphones , I went back to my higher end IEMs to compare. Repacked them and put them out for sale.
As for the CFA Honeydew (which is my cheaper pair) , they simply just sound like a lesser version of the Cascades. I’m debating whether I should keep these or not… I still kind of enjoy their sound.
In the end , I’m very happy with both headphones. The Cascades are very well built and the only issue I have with them is gettting a proper seal. In comparison with the TH-900 , the Cascades simply just lack the “magic feel” I get from the TH-900 in some tracks. Fostex take the crown for sub-bass presentation and overall bass quality , pristine highs , soundstage/layering and other tehnicalities. On the other hand , Campfire take the win for the sheer quantity of mid-bass that hits like a mule while still keeping decent quality compared to other headphones and decent mids, I guess… but I haven’t used them enough , they might need a bit of burn in to shine more.
Hope I won’t be missing the Klipsch HP-3 , which was my #1 priority initially. I just couldn’t pay that much for them when I found out that they were once being sold for 600$. ZMF headphones like the Eikon seem interesting too , but I might be paying too much with shipping , duties and all.
Any pad suggestions for the TH-900? I was looking at Eikon pads but I’m not sure…
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Here’s a thought (for the pads). Just got mine. Remember - they’re not quite TH900 spec (which are quite open inside), and may not even be that comfortable in comparison. But they surely provide the best low end, and improved imaging (since I’ve tried other, open pads on my EMUs resulting in bass loss - pads like the 900s type):
Also, they’re $20 - and they’re sheepskin!
There’s other $20 fenestrated sheepskin pads out there too on AE. And then the non-fenestrated ones.
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Thank you for the pad suggestion.
Quick update:
I was so excited about the Cascades when they arrived until I just found out that it wasn’t the seal I was having problems with , it was the driver itself. The bass coming from the right cup is weaker in comparison to the left cup. It was obvious during L/R testing.
I don’t think they’re able to send me another pair because it was the last in stock and probably won’t come back. Did Campfire stop producing this model?
Well…that’s how it went. I really liked these headphones and now I have to send them back. Unfortunate.
I would appreciate some help on this.
I’m thinking that it might be a cable problem but I’m not sure. How can I tell if it’s the driver or the cable?
Hm, with those connectors it’s not cheap to try to find some aftermarket cables so your best bet would be a multimeter with alligator clips and see if you can measure a resistance of more than 0.1 ohms when you move the cable around
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That’s so bad 
it really sucks when you get a bad product. It can happen with any brand.
I have really enjoyed the Cascades, but I have almost abandoned them after purchasing the Z1R-IER. All bass heavy songs sound so great with these. They have something special difficult to describe. It’s not just the just bass quantity coming from a good quality driver, they seem to have created a small resonance chamber that makes the bass sound amazing.
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Yeah , it was my only chance to get the Cascades. I was looking at some other options available here to replace them.
Hifiman HE-R9 (400$)
iBasso SR2 (570$)
AQ Nighthawk (530$) - bad price?
Hm if you’re still looking for other biodynamic cans maybe search for some used zmf eikon for a bit smoother sounding HP than the th 900
And 530 for nighthawks o_0 remember those on the used market for 200 - 300 bucks but they might be in short supply nowadays 
Someone was selling a Cascade and a Nighthawk Carbon recently in buy and sell here. Might still be available?
Where are you located?
In Romania , why?
Just trying to get an idea of your shopping options. I just recently saw a set of used Cascades going for about $600.00 (Canadian $'s) on Canuck Audio Mart (CAM). That is about $450.00US.
The Canadian dealer still seems to have them in stock.
Just an FYI.
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I’m almost settled on the HE-R9. Is the sound comparable to the Cascades?
The headband felt uncomfortable after longer periods , but the sound was amazing! Almost as amazing as the TH-900. Makes me wish they would make a Cascade V2 model.
There’s also the Denon D5200 similarly priced to the R9 , but I’m not sure. I’m open to hear more suggestions.
Those two are my only “keepers” for now. They are very different sounds. The only things they have in common, IMO, is bass and being closed backs.
What do you think about the differences in sounds and comfort?
Haven’t ordered yet as I stumbled upon this on the official Head-Fi thread for the Cascade:
I have a little tip for you all which don’t feel the headphones sit perfectly on their head:
Take off both earpads.
Hold the Cascades with one finger in the middle of the headband.
Look if the Cascades have any tendency to go more inwards on the right or left. You do this because there might some imbalances in the headband steel which will result in more pressure on one side of the Cascades, which can ultimately cause a “fake channel imbalance”. Really, my Cascades had just a bit more pressure on the left side and the bass seemed a bit panned to the right, now the bass is almost perfectly centered as is everything else.
Bend the headband in way that makes the Cascades (look) symetrical.
Put on the earpads again and enjuuuy ya holy Cascades!
I hope this will help someone. A slight tilt of the bass to the right drove me a bit mad, especially in the beginning, because I constantly thought they weren’t matched really well, which they are.
I will see what I can do about this. Can’t wait to get home from work , my hopes are rising! I will buy Dekoni nuggets for comfort if things go well.
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Sadly I couldn’t do much about them , sent them back after all. They said the HE-R9 are not in stock yet.
I’m almost set on the R9s but the recently released Meze 109 Pro also caught my attention. Not enough impressions on those and they’re more expensive.
I also found an used pair of HE-500 and heard they can deliver slam but I’m a bit skeptical on planars when it comes to bass.
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depends what you’re looking for really, generally Dynamic drivers bass sounds a bit more natural but planars are faster and cleaner
if you listen to really fast paced music planar is worth a shot
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At this point, you’re just looking at too many options and you’ll only confuse yourself.
Go back to the drawing board and condense your list again. TH900, He500, Cascades, Denons, EMUs, He-R9 - that’s quite far and wide.
Best to try some of these cans somehow before you make your decision.
That said, the denon 5200 seems like an appropriate choice. new hifiman dynamics may be good, but Biodynas have stood the test of time. remember that the all time favorite and legendary Sony and JVC wooden headphones have biodynas.
The denons are even more solid built than Fostex (there’s even lesser failure points in the new ones, 5200, 7200, 9200). You get same great biodyna bass. High magnetic flex (at least 1+ tesla) will make it faster than average dynamic drivers. And build quality is better than either Hifiman or Fostex. So there.
PS: Do remember one last thing. Everyone’s Endgame is going to be different. My endgame is not your endgame. So ultimately, you decide what really hits all the notes right - for YOU.
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Well , my list got narrowed down to:
Hifiman HE-R9 (400$) > tried to order these and was told they aren’t in stock yet.
Denon D5200 are no longer on sale (600$ now) but take a look at these, which claimed to be in perfect condition:
Wondering if it’s a better buy than the 5200s.
And this pair of HE-500 for 500$
Claimed to be lightly used , the wear on the box bothers me a bit when they are being sold for that price. Seen them go for 350-400$ in other places.
For 450€ the Denon 7000 would be a good price with that nice biodynamic punch 
You’ll just have to see if that site has any buyer protection because I would be a bit sceptic for that price with that condition 
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