No first hand experience but I really like Yaxi Alcantara pads on 1T Fostex models
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You win sir you win
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Iāve been using my TH900MK2 for a month now and Iāve been totally loving them. Iāve had this issue that Iāve literally forgotten I owned some other headphones, like this set knocks other headphones in my collection completely off my radar.
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They have an uncanny ability to do that.
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Hey guys, looking for some advice,
My current setup is Qutest > V280 > TH900MK2
I find my listening habits have changed a lot; listening to a lot more acoustic pop music with real instruments and vocals with simple reverb effects (kind of gospel singers and bands but singing acoustic pop), and almost hardly listen to pop, hip hop, edm etc.
My issue is my current setup is a bit too dry (wiry), analytical sounding, and a bit too shouty in the top end. I do however enjoy the detail of this setup.
What are best options to give it a bit more musicality and smoothness? I donāt want to veil the treble, just want reduce the energy just a tad bit.
- Lawton cups - going by descriptors the type 2ās sound appealing
- Lawton pads - no preference or experience
- Headphone cables - I had custom made copper balanced (non silver) and it pushed everything even more analytical sounding and extra bright! There was zero reverb and decay. Much prefer the stock SE cable.
- Change dacs? Iām not sure if I want to do this, as Iām pretty happy with qutest at the moment.
- TH900mk2 anniversary - should have gone for the PW but it doesnāt make sense to buy these now.
Appreciate any advice. Thanks.
EDIT: I also have a pair of Clear OGās, running it through the same setup, I much prefer the TH900. Iām not very experienced and apologies for the lack of better words, the Clearās have a Sennheiser type of veil over it, and switching to the TH900ās the vocals are glorious-sounding, more real sounding.
damn if your OG clears have a āveilā then I really need to try the TH900 at some point. Mine OG clears are far better than the HD800s and have nothing close to what I would consider a veil over them.
I wonder if you have a bad pair or something was damagedā¦ Or perhaps with the TH900 which has a deep v curve tuning youāre attracted to the treble response between 8k - 12k where it peaks.
Iām not surprised by your edit statement. The TH900 line is a bit source picky but can sound glorious with the right source gear. Vio amps are a good start and the Chord signature complements Vioās well.
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I got my Pearl White pair of 900ās a few months ago. After listening (adjusting) to them for a couple weeks, my Andromeda 2020ās had an unlistenable āveilā as well. I loved the Andros for a year prior, and they were my primary earphone. I ended up selling the Andromedas about a month after I got the TH-900mk2. Thereās nothing (that Iāve heard at least) that has the same level of treble clarity.
I originally ran the 900ās off of an RME ADI-2, iBasso DX300, and iFi Diablo. Iāve finally landed on a Schiit Bifrost 2, running through a Burson Soloist 3XP. My pair of TH-900 sound exceptional with this setup. The Bifrost tamed the highs just the tiniest bit, and smoothed everything out. The Soloist really added a ton of space and stage to the music. I was honestly pretty shocked at the difference in sound when I added each of the components. The 900 is a fantastic headphone, but you really need to consider the pieces in your chain because it legitimately matters.
Iāve sold all of my other gear, because this is the most enjoyable setup to my ears.
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It could be the tuning but I think itās the drivers too. I get the same experience when I tried Denonās (same drivers but could be mistaken). Switching to Clearās then to Denonās, the vocals are freed and glorious, similar to the Fostex but a lot less fun.
Agreed, thatās why Iām a little hesitant to swap the dac. What would be your suggestion? Should I try the Lawton chambers?
Nice. I would say the V280 is like as you described too. The dac however, do you think Iāll lose the Qutestās details, imaging, and separation if I go to a Bifrost 2? I think Iām a bit hesitant on a dac change hence Iām considering other options?
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I have Lawton purplehearts on mine. I like them but not for all kinds of music. Lawton chambers are an upgrade, though.
Budget? I used a Chord Hugo 2 on my desktop for a stretch, still have it and love it, using it elsewhere now. Now I have a Berkeley Alpha S2 I bought usedā¦but it aināt cheap.
Have you considered EQ? Reducing the treble (5-6KHz) might help a bit. I also heard the TH610 pads should help while maintaining the original sound signature, but I havenāt tried them. The TH900 are extremely detailed and clear sounding making most things sound āveiledā in comparison.
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When I picked up my TH900mk2 Pearl White I was running a Violectric HPA V281 + Schiit Bifrost 2.
I actually liked that pairing quite a bit.
TL;DR
I believe that if you do decide to try another DAC that the BF2 might do well, possibly an Ares II, but I have not heard one personally, nor have heard the Qutest FWIW.
For context: I was using the Unison USB input to the DAC from a PC, and using the balanced outputs from the BF2 into the balanced input on the V281 as it utilizes a true balanced topology. (I am not wanting to get into the debate SE vs Bal ā just attempting to be transparent with my configuration.) I used the balanced headphone 4pin output with an Oidio Sound Mongrel cable using the SPC wire.
Note: also have Grave Digger Corpse cables and a few other all copper Litz cables. All cables terminated 4pin XLR. For conversation here, all references can assume I was using the TH900mk2 PW with the Oidio cable.
Before I received my TH900mk2 pw, I had already also begun the hunt for another DAC for other reasons. I found a Soekris dac1541. I matched it up with the V281 and moved the Bifrost to another desk setup.
Using the V281, now with the dac1541 and working the TH900mk2 pw, there was an improvement or, rather maybe a side grade as there were some trade-offs. The Soekris brought with it an expanded stage and greater sense of spaciousness, tighter more accurate bass control but at the sacrifice of punch/slam (You canāt beat the BF2 punch/slam for the money IMO). Detail retrieval, attack/decay also gained a slight advantage with the dac1541 and technically better timbre but again loosing some of that sweetness that the BF2 brought. I remember commenting to someone I felt the Soekris/V281 combo was a little too dry for my tastes ā while using the TH900mk2 pw.
Although technically the dac1541 is a better DAC, I think If I was only running the TH900mk2 or, now also the 909ās ā I would prefer the BF2. Realizing that I may sacrifice a bit stage width and technical accuracy for a more fun engaging experience while still benefitting from high quality TOTL sound quality youād expect from a $1.5K phone ā and thatās what the Fostex 9xx series is about for me, TOTL Fun.
Using the HEK v2 with the Bifrost 2 and HPA V281 was a different story ā with that phone clearly the Soekris/Vio match up was superior to the BF2/Vio, no question. So, I guess all Iāve done is example one more time that synergy plays a huge roll and its not often we can get one dac/amp combo to work well with every phone you bring them.
Cheers
Edit: @reuben3
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Itās great hearing your experience. I think how you described the Soekris maybe similar to the Qutest. On certain tracks it sounds great however itās a little too dry sounding at times. Will give the BF2 a shot.
Thanks!
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Iām using a REM ADI-2 to address that issue I went the route of a pad tuning. I picked up the Dekoni Attenuation Ring and the Elite Hybrid replacement pads for theTH900. It ever so slightly modified the the top end, while enhancing the mid performance with out change the sound signature.
Does anyone mind describing to me how the bass is different between TH900 and a good planar bass headphone? I think I have a good grasp on how the TH900 sounds now having owned it for several months. Iām also curious what exactly makes it fun say compared to a V-shaped planar? Hoping to hear from other TH900 owners.
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For myself āFunā is more a presentation of the music/sound made up of a number of qualities with an emphasis on the bass ranges and could be used to describe either a dynamic or planar headphone that exhibits these qualities.
Fun (d9kās version) An energetic sound (Dynamics, Speed, Punch) coupled with, but not limited to, enhanced bass and sub-bass
- Dynamics - Variations in the loudness of sounds within the music
- Speed - How fast is the response to changes in dynamics
- Punch - Fast attach with short decay that gives that sense of power and control
I think that āFunā can be used to describe either. There may be some differences in how that is accomplished between the two driver types that are inherent to their respective tech. Also, cup type - open-back vs. closed or semi-open factors into consideration as well.
Still for myself, the combined qualities of Dynamics, Speed, and Punch in a set that has an emphasis in bass/sub-bass region makes for āFunā and the differences in driver and cup types affecting stage, spatial recreation etc. are nuances and donāt limit a phone from being fun or necessarily make it fun either.
EDIT: Not sure I was clear enough, what makes a phone āfunā is not limited to just the Bass regions - How well the rest of the FR balances and compliments the bass factors in.
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There isnāt one answer to this, tbh. Most planars that Iāve heard donāt match the TH900 in physicality; meaning punch/slam. Itās a hard-hitting can. There are a few that can punch at the same level or more (Diana Phi, LCD-24, LCD-R), but most donāt. The TH900 is actually somewhat of an exception for dynamic-driver headphones in how excellent its bass extension is, maintaining impressive presence and rumble in the true subbass. Planars as a general rule are better at bass extension than dynamics, but there are exceptions. The 2 planars Iāve heard match the TH900ās combination of subbass extension and presence are the HiFiMan HE1000v2 and the Diana Phi. The advantage those have over the TH900 is in bass detail and texture. The TH900 is no slouch on those things, but it doesnāt have quite the level of pitch definition, speed, or texture that those two have, the DiPhi being easily the highest of the 3.
Is that a round-about enough answer? Lol
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Those are fantastic explanations, really helpful guys!
I agree with @Delta9K that you have to compare headphones as a whole package, so it would of been much easier if I mentioned a specific planar headphone.
And @WaveTheory I think this the explanation I needed. Now that Iām familiar with the TH900 bass, I wanted to understand how a good planar bass would differ. My curiosity began when I read a certain post by a user that preferred the LCD4 bass and in comparison the TH900 lacked a lot of punch to him. So I wanted to decipher what he meant by that.
Hi all, Iām about to buy a red or pearl pair of th900s and just want to be sure of the sound differences. From what Ive read the pearl have a bit less bass and a bit less treble bite? They are smoother with more mids? I love lots of bass and slam but donāt like percing highs so not really sure which way to go, the red or the pearl. Has anyone tried both? and preffer one over the other? Cheers.