I would rather not go with the T60. Though I like the wood design they are much more expensive(in that price range I would just stick with my aeons considering how high that price jumps with modifications). Just mainly stuck between argon, t50rp mk3 base, or dekoni blue. Not sure if modhouse would be willing to balance out a dekoni blue though. Same headphone so I would hope they wouldn’t have issues with that. Just dunno based on tuning which would be the best route which is troubling. I do like the argons but, less it’s just the pads as these have the zmf lambskin on them, they aren’t bright enough they sound like a very warm headphone and not a V signature right now. All for having a bass cannon in house but it’s not what I am looking for at this moment ya know? If I wanted a bass cannon I would go grab the T20rp and pay modhouse to have it converted since they convert T20/T40/T50RP.
I’ve heard of people sending in their Blues since they’re a T50 derivative, but Dekoni has already done some tuning of those themselves to match up with the 2 sets of pads they provide with them. The T60 really doesn’t have to be modified, as it already has a comfort strap and is balanced out of the box (once you get a balanced cable), and they do technically fit your $300 and under budget…just sayin. In this price bracket, these are likely some of your best contenders, but mileage may vary on preferences and perceived vs measured sound signature.
This headphone itself is priced at $300 and would require a change in pads from the looks of it as well as an additional cable purchase with pushes that cost past the budget limit. Interesting idea just out of budget is the issue.Though I do like that different detachable cable design. just noticed it also looks more closed in comparison. less vents
Ooo. Me. Me. I do! 
As far as tuning…looking at pictures of the ear cup of a stock T50 and then my Blues the only thing I can think of is they changed either the thickness or density of the foam over the vents on the outside of the earcup. That’s not nothing, but it’s also not a lot of “tuning”.
The Blues change their sound wildly with different pads. The stock hybrid pads turn them into bass cannons, but to me the treble always sounds thin and brittle; almost like that treble sound you get on a low-bitrate mp3. The velour pads narrow the soundstage a bit and bring out more overall detail, sweeten the treble, but don’t eliminate that treble compression sound. They are still bassy with the velours, but not near to the level of the hybrids. I also tried Dekoni’s protein pads. Those fixed the treble issues almost entirely while still causing them to be bass cannons. I was happy with the proteins for awhile but noticed that the upper-bass bled into the lower mids a little too often and gave everything a bloated sound. Finally, I got Shure 1540 pads - the same ones @ZeosPantera uses on his T50 - and have used those ever since. The 1540s give good bass slam and extension, detailed and natural sounding mids, and accurate, detailed treble. With the Shures, I did have some piercing sibilance issues when I had my SP200. On the Asgard 3 the sibilance is less frequent but still present. The Liquid Spark and the Blues with Shure 1540 pads were made for each other, though.
Learning all of that was super fun and exciting, but I also could have saved over $100 if I had just gotten a stock T50 and put the 1540s on it right away. AFAIK, the stock and the Blues are very, very similar with those Shure pads.
Interesting to know this thank you. so it sounds like you are pretty much paying for the different housing and extra pads? when I looked it up they say they changed it sonically and changed the housings amongst a other few things inside which alters its sound. looking at the price it’s like… around $60 more? by chance do you have the Shure 840 pads to test on those blues? That’s the recommended pad @LeDechaine made to me to make it a great V signature since I want a leather based pad, not hybrid or anything. Whether its leather choice protein whatever just a nice thicker soft leather based pad, could even be perforated as I know that tends to reduce bass a little bit… By chance do you have a leather pad that fits in house to test?
Mind you I do really like the T60rp design and the new cable is nice(pretty sure you can pair one of these headphones with the V-moda Boom pro?). I watched josh’s review on the dekoni blues he said the highs were weak and didn’t have a lot of depth which worries me as someone who really likes highs
Naw, I don’t have the 840 pads. As for the housing, here’s a picture from [InnerFidelity](https://www.innerfidelity.com/content/diyers-delight-fostex-t50rp-mk3#:~:text=The%20Fostex%20T50RP%20Mk3%20(%24,bears%20a%20strong%20family%20resemblance.), T50RPMK3 on right:
Here’s a pic of the Blues’ housing by our own @XmetaldaveX:
huh, so really not much different between the two at all. bit of foam extra dekoni pads(which come to think of it no idea if those pads would fit my other headphones? probably won’t fit my beyers lol) which are nice but I normally don’t buy a bunch of fostex sooo eh, plus the 840 pads are like $12. SO I would be spending like $60 extra for foam, pads, and a blue housing
Don’t forget that cool waveform graphic on the outside! You get that for the extra $60 too. 
Well, I suppose theres only one thing left to do. order both the headphone and the pads and try them myself. Which is a job for ANOTHER DAY.
I know I was suggested the HE-35x but also told and even read that those headphones show a lot of sibilance which is a dilemma? I suppose changing the pads may fix that? going to add that as another headphone to try as well. I can get these right now for like $50 so my question is ARE THEY WORTH IT. I have extra drop dollars from all my stupid purchases lol
One other thought…as I’ve been pad swapping a bit. If you can find where to get them with a return policy you’re good with, give the Helios with a thick angled leather pad a listen. I’m currently listening to the Deadmau5 curated playlist on Tidal with my LCD-2F leather pads, and if that’s not a V with plenty of air and treble sparkle, I don’t know what is. It’s right at my treble threshold, and I’m not overly sensitive, but generally prefer a warmer tone so I’ll probably go back to my suedes that seem to tame the treble a bit. Would be looking at something like $250 all in, as they can be run balanced inherently (if you have a balanced cable compatible with Sundara/4xx/Focal). They do somewhat fail the wide soundstage test, I suppose, though the thicker angled pads help a bit.
So I have placed and order on both the dekoni blue as well as he-35x that @joshua_g recommended for auditoning alongside the pads recommended here. All have proper return policies. I should recieve the dekonis next week while the 35x will be in a couple days. All that leaves is just how much I enjoy the headphones and if they can hold a candle to the results I am waiting on from @DeeDrick as apparently the dt 1990s and 990s can respond well to very specific leather pads and keep their V signature.
This was one of my first thoughts and something I mentioned during the beginning of this post actually as I already know the Helios is said to either be a W or V signature. However, for the life of me I cannot find a good return policy on them. I REALLY want to try this damn headphone but biting the bullet isn’t how I do things. I already expected @Antpage2 to chime in recommending that headphone dead on. I don’t think it’s a bad headphone at all and I do want to try it. I have been keeping an eye on the market but came up short. I really mainly just want to audition one for now if I like it, pick it up later as even the dekoni blues are more of a potential later purchase due to some financial complications on my end. 35x though is cheap enough so I am not worried on that.
everywhere I have read says they aren’t very wide sounding but are decent at it. Going to assume it’s somewhere on the level of the 58x jubilee or HD 598 sound stage… not REAL wide but large enough.
See I am definitely okay with this price too, just I need to find a way to audition them. This is an issue with some companies and return policies… you can’t really audition them and know if youll like them without biting the bullet and shelling out cash. In helios’s case its you have to pay return shipping to china which is insanely high especially right now plus the restock fees they incur.
Can’t see the specific return policy for Linsoul’s storefront, so not sure if the 35% restock fee still applies, but looks like you can currently get them on Amazon, covered by the A to Z guarantee…just won’t get them until August, looks like, even though it shows 18 in stock.
I’d say they’re on par with the 58x soundstage, maybe a touch wider with the thicker angled pads.
Waiting that long just to try a headphone is horrendous lol. I didn’t realize them on amazon. I would order them but I really wouldn’t want to wait that long.
Edit: so there on ebay with a return policy from virginia. Buyer pays return but that’s not too expensive for me just for an audition. I will bite that, it’s like $10. I don’t plan to buy any pads just yet. @Antpage2 hopped on the hype train for now. Choo Choo time for an audition. Arrives in a week
Well i cant say much for the 35x but glad your trying the Helios finally lol. i’m sure you’ll like them
I thought it was interesting considering I was able to pick it up for only $50 and looking at it’s frequency it’s strangely a Dynamic driver from hifiman with a V signature. Going to swap the pads out. Not very demanding either so hoping it turns out pretty good though for $50 it doesn’t have the most competition other than like porta pros and kph30i of course in that market
as for the helios, I would hope that I like them? you hype them up so damn much I have rather high hopes for them. Hearing they have a soundstage close to the 58x jubilee is a tad worrisome but it’s still not too bad so we will see. I can let you know my thoughts on it later but I want to give it a true sit down and test. I have been curious to see how they measure to my other beyers
yeah i just got the dt770 and i really liked it. especially after using APO EQ to control the treble. But after listening to it for a while i plugged in my Helios and yep, sounds better. I dont know what the germans did with those drivers but man, it blows me away. its only weakness i can see is the stainless steel caps on the cups. i think it effects the frequencies. but its not really that noticable to me. but theres people out there that are very picky about frequency response so idk.
but dont expect too much. high expectations ruin everything
I don’t know if the Germans did anything to the drivers in regards to tuning that would be on the Chinese or who ever they hired to tune the headphone.
Is it more detailed and controlled or just a frequency response you prefer more? I have been eyeing those since Z put the video up.
Theres a lot of things i like about them but mostly its the presentation. they have this open big kind of sound. just sounds move lively. then its a good U shape. most u or v shaped headphones are mildly u or v shaped. Then also its the treble. i never heard treble done as well in a headphone for me its a lot but not too much like the beyer or too sibilant like the t50rp’s and others. its also highly detailed. and i like the separation on it. It’s different from all the headphones i own.
I also kinda like its tone or timber. I think the steal caps give it a unique timber. I really like it.