Fostex X Massdrop TH-X00

EQing in a little extra bass with the spotify internal EQ shows what these things are capable of. Some of my electronic music deserves a little extra 'f**k yeah'

 

These are amazing for EDM! They are very bassy and yet the mids are not too recessed (like Sony XB's) and the highs are not piercing (like Ultrasone).

 

Just got my pair and my first impressions are that they sound similar to the MDR-Z7 but without the hollow reverb sound the Sonys exhibited. So far I think it's a great all rounder and am really enjoying them. Fast, complicated tracks hold together better than I was expecting based on other comments. Again, compared to the the Z7s, the Fostex is much more cohesive where the Sonys just fell apart. I can't wait to try them with some gaming and movies.

 

EDM I hear mention a lot has anyone a good example. Is it like Yahel? I listen to just all but pure bass music. Era is my definition of bass music

I have the problem that I like the X00 mostly when there isn´t a lot of bass involved. It´s not that it´s really bad though the organ notes is quite uncontrolled in the also sprach Zarathustra intro. Just that my modded DX 1000 and LCD-2 have better quality and that the bass on my X00 drown the midrange to much. That said it´s very close to my modded DX 1000 in signature so of course I enjoy listento it just nitpicking.

However I mostly registered because I am hunting for TH-900 pads to try on them. Anybody know where to get them outside the US? Would be more convenient if I can tame the bass which is the main problem with these with a pad change rather then EQ

 

Try some:
Axwell Λ Ingrosso
Pryda
Steve Angello
If you wanna hear some mainstream EDM, made by people who's been in the scene for many many years, and is regarded as some pretty good producers. Not some kid who's just been sitting some years in FL Studio!

 

Thanks trying them now. Probably not my type of music I am not much of a dancer . Bass is softer on these records I noted the X00 do hold itself to go from total boom like on a lot of movie soundtracks, ERA, gregorian etc but still occasionally booming and whenever there is singing or else things going on it get drowned. I am trying CD 3K now and it´s more fun. I must confess I don´t quite understand the tuning of the X00 but I guess if I catch a serious cold I can always get the bass lol

 

I think the thing that impresses me the most about the X00 is that they don't really have a hazy coloration to the treble like I've heard in a lot of closed headphones, especially T50RP variants (Alpha Dog / Alpha Prime are notable offenders). While perhaps a tad hot for some recordings, it's a very pleasing coloration that I find to be dramatic when the situation calls.

They've proven to do quite well for gaming in my testing, soundstage isn't the best but the bass response in particular makes things quiet exciting. And the midrange is just about what I wanted fixed from the 900.

 

Since a lot of people here have been asking for a comparison between TH-X00 and HD650 (both of which won the Best of 2015 Award), here's my take on these two.

Source is Yggdrasil and amp is ZDS with Mullard ECC35 and RCA 5691 tubes.

Disclaimer: I've modded my HD650 by removing the back foam covers and cutting a coin-sized hole through the foam pads (sans the Dynamat mod). Although I no longer have a stock HD650 for a side-by-side comparison, the mod was done fairly recently and I'm familiar with the sound of an unmodded HD650 for comparison's sake with TH-X00. I know most folks here have modded their HD650 like me, some went further and applied Dynamat, but I thought I should mention it for those who are still reluctant to mod their headphones (ain't no shame in it, I was afraid of modding for a long time myself). As usual , YMMV.

When I first took the TH-X00 out of the box and gave it a fresh listen, I was genuinely surprised. It had been a long time since I've encountered a headphone with such "wow factor", I think I had a similar impression with the TH900 when I heard it for the first time several years ago. Compared to the modded HD650 (and stock HD650 for that matter), I could not believe how clean it sounded, in fact I daresay it even makes the HD800 somewhat grainy sounding in comparison. So clean that I immediately thought this headphone might be superior to HD650 in terms of sheer technicalities. Very impressive.

Also, I don't think I've ever heard a closed-back headphone that sounds as open and airy as the TH-X00. Airier sounding than modded HD650 which is already airier than stock HD650. If I hadn't known any better in a blind test, I would've bet the TH-X00 was an open-back headphone through and through. I suppose the trade-off for this open sound is the relative lack of isolation for a closed headphone, but heck, isolation is the last of my concerns as long as I intend to use it strictly at home only.

Not surprisingly, the TH-X00 excelled at bass. Slammed harder and digs lower than the HD650, but very tightly controlled without sounding loose, muddy or bassy. I'm no hardcore basshead but I have to admit I incredibly enjoyed the bass presentation of the TH-X00, which was superior to that of the HD650 both in quantity and quality.

However, while you could see initial impressions were overwhelmingly positive, after hours of critical listening and eventually getting myself off the excitement train, I did find some flaws. And these flaws were not minor, at least not for me. In the end, I concluded that the modded HD650 was an overall superior headphone and the headphone I would choose if I had to own only one. For stock HD650, I'd it is more of a tie with strengths and weaknesses in either phone. Still, whether your HD650 is modded or not, I found the TH-X00 to be an exceptional complimentary headphone to the HD650, when you're in the mood for a more fun sound. It is definitely more fun and colored sounding, but not too much at the expense of technicalities.

So what did I have to nitpick about the TH-X00? First of all, I've seen it has done a good job bringing its mids more forward compared to the TH900's recessed, sucked-out mids, but when it comes to treble I still thought the TH-X00 is bright. Maybe a tad less bright than TH900, but bright enough that it becomes fatiguing and eventually unbearable with about 20-30% of the recordings I own. With the HD650 I can listen to any music in my collection for as long as I want. In that respect, the TH-X00 reminds me of an unmodded HD800. I know many of you may disagree with me on this, but for my personal tastes, it's gets bright and sibilant. With less bright recordings, the TH-X00 is completely acceptable sounding.

Also, while I did point out that it sounds more open and airy than the HD650, critical listening revealed that it still falls behind in regard to staging compared to the open-back HD650. A very clean, airy sound had given me the initial false impression that the TH-X00 may have a bigger soundstage than HD650, but that was not the case. While being grainier sounding, the HD650 does throw a larger, wider, deeper, and more holographic soundstage at you, and this becomes evident on live recordings. I wouldn't call this a flaw of the TH-X00 though, it is still amazing in this regard for a closed set of cans. It simply doesn't scale as high as HD650. But then again, how many headphones do?

Lastly, I'm not sure if everyone encounters this problem, but I noticed some distortion with TH-X00 in certain tracks whereas HD650 played them just fine. Now I'm no tech geek but my ZDS's output impedance is 3 ohms at low gain and 20 ohms at high gain. Although the TH-X00 is not a planar magnetic headphones, its driver sensitivity of 94dB/mW makes it actually less efficient than many orthos out there. Unlike the TH900 (100dB/mW), I felt the low gain of ZDS was lacking raw power to deliver a full-bodied sound to the TH-X00. So for most of my listening sessions, I used the high gain output. The problem is, the load impedance of TH-X00 is still quite low at 25 ohms, and ZDS's output impedance of 20 ohms may be too high and not provide sufficient damping factor despite the TH-X00's relatively flat (or should I say W-shaped) frequency response. Like I said, on boomier tracks or at parts when the music got loud, I definitely heard distortions in the sound (not reverbs) in the TH-X00 that was not heard in the HD650 at the same volume level. While many say the ZDS is one of the best amps for the TH-X00 (it sure is for HD650), now I'm not so sure. Those who use a solid state amp with a lower output impedance may not encounter this issue. I wish I had another amp to confirm my theory, but unfortunately the ZDS was all I had.

So, in my current rig of Yggdrasil and ZDS, while the TH-X00 definitely brought a lot to the table, it ultimately failed to win me over my love with the modded HD650. But, since it makes an excellent complimentary headphone with some of the more fun music, not to mention its exceptional clarity, it is nevertheless a tremendous headphone, especially in terms of value considering its $400 price tag. Yes, it is superior to the 3-4 times more expensive TH900, and I would also take the TH-X00 over any Audeze headphones I've heard. Well done.

P.S. Did I mention how gorgeous the TH-X00 looks in person? While it doesn't have the extravagant urushi lacquer of the TH900, the shiny mahogany cups looks stunning by themselves. Too bad the HD650 doesn't look half as beautiful as this...

 

FYI for those using the TH-X00 with Schiit tube amps - I swapped out my Valvo E18CCs (Philips miniwatt equivalent) for a pair of Siemens CCa in my Mjolnir2 and found them a better match for the TH-X00. The Siemens have cleaner, slightly thinner bass and more treble energy at the cost of some bass and midrange texture (which isn't really noticeable with TH-X00 anyway).

The Siemens CCa are really expensive at upscaleaudio, but I was able to get a pair for $130 on Ebay.

Also I've never been much of a believer in long term burn-in, but I swear these keep sounding better after 30+ hours. The bass seems to be getting tighter. Very impressed with these headphones.

 

I stuck my TH X00 into the ZDS (paired to Gungnir Multibit/Wyrd). To my ears, these sound better overall compared to my UNMODDED HD 600 and 650.

 

I just bought a set of these used from a head-fi member.

I was looking for a set of warm, bassy closed-back headphones to complement my more neutral higher-end headphones. a different flavor.
Listening to them on my Lyr 2; some seem to say that they're paired better with a solid state amp due to the warm tube sound. Maybe I'll try that at some point.

The stock ear pads didn't work for me. My ears just barely don't fit in the openings, and the weak clamping force made everything feel flimsy.
I swapped in a set of pleather HM5 pads, which I think are best used on headphones with large cups like these. I don't detect any major difference in the sound, and it's much more comfortable.

They desperately need a detachable cable. I'm surprised that I'm not seeing lots of people doing this yet.

Overall I like them.

 

Has anyone tried some velour pads with them (if they exist at all) ? Or is velour/foam a no go ? I don't care about isolation, but I was curious if those would make the bass less clear. The stock ones really don't seem to fit big ears though.

@Luckbad you seem to know your bass really well , as a matter of curiosity, have you ever tried X1s ? Would have liked to know how their bass compares. Also as a last thing, how do you think th-x00 scales against hd650 and your DX1000s ?
Ty for your time !

 

I really like the sound of the TH-X00 but the comfort is killing me!

 

@YtseJammer could you give us a few details ? I'm wondering whether it's the small ear pads, or is there clamp force ?

 

HM5 pleathers?

 

The ear pads are a little bit too small for my ears and there's not enough padding on the headband.

It's a shame because I like the sound.

 

Are you angling them right? I have large ears and the top back of my ear in and rest the front of the pad just in front of my ear. They have to be angled back to work. If they are straight up and down it your ear won't fit and there will be major discomfort.

 

I just handed the loaner TH-X00 off to drfindley tonight and the AT pads he put on there are seriously comfy to me anyway. I do have a small head and small ears. Didn't bother to put the stock ones back on to compare. Sorry no pics.