šŸ”¶ Fostex TH909

Honestly I wouldnā€™t call really any of them super clinical, although some might feel the treble on the 900 gets a bit too sharp and reveling for them at times (depending on the amp or track, out of the three they have the highest potential for sibilance)

That will change when I get back to my house lol

I think they will do a pretty good job for the time being and match fairly well. They can scale higher, but the jump would most likely be in that 1.5-2k range to get a really strong upgrade for these headphones.

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Hype up!!!

Now this is what Iā€™ve read elsewhere and why I moved towards the 909. It being said that it (909) tamed the treble a bit. But, I also donā€™t want something ā€œtamedā€ to the point that it removes the ā€œfunā€ either. Clearly I need to back off the ā€œbuy nowā€ button and think this outā€¦

I know my current DACs donā€™t have good synergy with v200 or v280 - but is that the level of amplifier you are referring too?

Correct. But itā€™s still plenty extended and prominent, but it is not as forward. Also with the source gear you have that should really help with any potential problems with th900 treble

Moreso v280/281, xi audio broadway, pass hpa-1, among others

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Ahh OK, that puts everything a little more into perspective. Thank you!

Since you have the Denon D5000 as a Lawton mod, is the jump to the th 909 really big or just minimal?
If I remember correctly, you werenā€™t quite so happy with the D5000 mod.
And maybe it would be a bit cheaper for you to think about a Lawton Cup again, if thatā€™s the case.

Just as a thought process without wanting to awaken evil spirits.:innocent:

Iā€™ve had the D7200 that Iā€™ve parted with for a few weeks now, and I didnā€™t like it as much as the Fostex/old Denon.
And you hear similar things about the D9200.
I think if you donā€™t like the D7200 the D9200 is nothing either.
The D5200 totally surprised me at the Mcintosh tube amp in the audio shop.
It was just right, smooth, charming, not too thick, not too thin.
Iā€™m still puzzling today: is it the Mcintosh or really the headphones or both?

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That I donā€™t know, but I am curious.

That was true at first, but overtime that Lawton D5000 has become one of my favorites and I am wondering now if there is even more magic by stepping up to the 1.5T drivers. Iā€™ll also admit that I think they are really good looking, both the 900 & 909. True, these may not be the most ā€œpracticalā€ of reasons.

No problem, I appreciate that you are looking out for my well being. Youā€™re assessment is logical, and you raise valid points for consideration.

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Just to add an update the iFi micro iDSD Black Label proved to be a success. Have a set of Dekoni fenestrated pads and the Yaxi pads which offer two distinct flavours to the sound. Preferring the more open sound from the Dekoni pads with just a little EQ to add some bass impact. Annoyingly the Yaxi pads seem to flutter against my ear when the volume goes loud which proves to be an irritation.

Anyway these are excellent headphone and worth the tweaking to get the sound they are capable of.

Fostex by Andrew Ford, on Flickr

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I want to update my source, it is inevitable. I have been putting off picking up a th9xx because of that but, Iā€™ve decided that I will get a headphone first. What if for some reason I really donā€™t care for a 9xx after I built my source around it? I could be in a similar situation to that Iā€™m in now, albeit at another level up.

For conversation lets assume weā€™re new retail. There is just too much variation in the used market condition/pricing. If a th909 was @$300 below average retail (puts it @$75 less than the th900) would that make it more attractive than a th900, if you were considering one or the other? Especially if you knew you already had a Fun signature closed back Fostex, even if the drivers were not as good technically?

Potentially, you can avoid that to an extent though if you also build around other planned upgrades, it all depends on what you end up going for. Once you move up to the next performance bracket for amps, it gets hard to really get something that I would consider an all rounder chain, but you arenā€™t locking yourself into one specific headphone either

I guess it would all depend on what you thought you were after, as if you wanted to have a more direct replacement for that fun use case, than the th900 would make more sense, but if you wanted an upgrade in a slightly different use case and direction but still share some characteristics, if you felt satisfied with your current fun fostex, the th909 would make more sense

This may appear to not be the correct thread - but in an effort to bring closure to my questions and debate surrounding the Fostex TH-909 and related discussions; After much consideration and re-consideration I made a decision and ultimately ended up picking up a Fostex TH-900mk2 Pearl White. The deciding factor was the ā€œAnniversary Tuningā€ available on this model and the Sapphire Blue.

The set is currently shipping to my location now so I do not have any initial impressions to report, and when I do I will be posting in the official TH-900 thread.

Thanks to all for the great information and guidance.

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Weā€™re going to need some good pictures of those cans when you get them.

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Curiosity or a passion for Foster dynamics? Whateverā€¦ TH909 ordered / inbound.
More to come.

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I repeat my last post.

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I am not good with pictures or setting them up with lighting etc. and I use an iphone 8ā€¦ But, here are some attempts with hopefully different lightingā€¦ These things are Gorgeous you really need to see in person to fully appreciate. I hope they sound half as good as they look.

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I am not sure why this headphone does not get more attention. The imaging and layering capabilities are incredible and keep up with complex arrangements without blurring. I get this sense of ā€œspaceā€ that allows me to hear each instrument and vocal when they hit the stage together, as well as having a sense for where they are positioned. Staging is tall, moderately wide and deep and itā€™s ability to conform orchestrally to what is being played amazes me. I find this phone overall to be very dynamic, impactful, clean and clear. I still need more time with it but this is whatā€™s been standing out to me so far.

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Does the TH900 share the same problem with amp pairings as the 909?

I have a monoprice monolith portable that seems to be my favorite thing ever. Would this pair well with either?

Hey guys, so i have just purchased these and i am loving them so far, have you guys tried any pad rolling with these?

I am looking to get the most of the bass slam these can deliver without compromising all the rest of the sound presentation.

So far i had tried to add the Dekoni attenuation rings to the original pads and i like the results, the bass sound a bit tighter and more present, i am sure there are lots of other things to try here.

BTW, they are so beautiful!

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How does the 909 react to Burson amplifiers?

Hello, do you much preferred these over the Th900s?
Also. What amp delivered the best sounds for you?

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Hi,

For my tastes and music preferences I prefer the TH909 over the the TH900s. I feel placement and layering is is better with more room around each sound. The timbre also is better suited to my liking as well. Donā€™t get me wrong I like the TH900s too but, the TH909s are the only headphone Iā€™ve purchased twice - I like them that much.

Iā€™ve had really good luck with them on a Violectric v281 paired with a Soekris 1541 DAC and currently Iā€™m running them from a Violectric v550 paired with a Schitt Yggdrasil DAC and thatā€™s my favorite setup for them.

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