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Fostex TH7BK Headphone Review – Staying Sober for the Studio

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Fostex TH7

Fostex TH7BK Studio Headphone Review

The Fostex TH7BK seems to be a revision of the former model, the TH7BB. However, the older TH7BB had a semi-open design whereas the new TH7BK is closed. This lends itself better to the studio applications it’s designed for, but the 1.2m cable may require an extension cable. The TH7BK can be used for portable applications but will require a little help with amplification if being used with most handsets.

Pros:

  • Decent low cost studio cans
  • Good for monitoring

Cons:

  • Cable could be longer for studio use

Design and Appearance

The Fostex TH7BK is exactly like its older counterpart in terms of looks; it’s a plain design which doesn’t draw attention and doesn’t want it either. There is nothing unattractive about it, but it’s not going to suit you if you are planning on making an impression!

The plastic material has a rubberised coating of some sort, giving a matt finish all over.

Durability and Build Quality

Build quality is satisfactory, but the TH7BK is not designed for particularly heavy use. Sit on these and you’ll be looking for new headphones, but with care these will last for a good while.

Comfort

The TH7BK might be classed as an over-ear model but things are a little snug in there; if your ears are on the large side, they might also be partly on the outside, but most should be fine.

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READ MORE: Dunu DK-3001 Hybrid Quad Driver IEM Review

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Sound Characteristics

The Fostex TH7BK is designed to be a low cost solution for project studios and the like; the overall sound signature is fairly flat and dry, but with enough to work as a headphone for listening to music as an end user too.

  • Bass

Bass is not as emphasised as with most consumer headphones, but is well controlled and fits in with the rest of the presentation. It starts low and gives a bit of a thump, but no bruises are formed.

  • Mids

The midrange is clear and fully present without any troublesome peaks. Very good for monitoring and spotting details; vocals are clear enough but there is a slight raspy quality to them. Similarly, harmonics are not as clear as with higher priced offerings from Fostex, affecting imaging a little.

  • Treble:

Treble is clear too, but as with the midrange there is a grainy element to it. These are under £70, so it’s not meant as a criticism so much as a description of the sound. Hi hats and cymbals still sound good, but with an element of ‘rock ‘n roll’ roughness about them.

  • Soundstage and Separation

Soundstage depends on the production; some genres can seem a little flat and narrow, but others widen out quite a bit, such as classical. Given that these headphones were designed for monitoring and the like, this is not really an issue.

Separation is fairly good; everything has its place in the mix but it’s not completely distinct all the time.

Music genres good for and why

From the standpoint of an end user rather than a studio user, the Fostex TH7BK works well with electronic, dance and similar genres. Live music, classical and acoustic performances may seem a little two-dimensional however.

Summary

The Fostex TH7BK is good value as a tool for use in the studio, and can be used as a general listening headphone too. Any criticisms regarding the sound involve the TH7BK’s perceived use as an ‘end user’ headphone and so should be taken with a grain of salt; this model is not primarily designed for that purpose.

Best headphones for bass to buy in 2015 – Expert Reviews

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Best Headphones For Bass

Are you looking for headphones with powerful bass?  Would you consider yourself a bit of a basshead?  Thanks to headphones with emphasised bass like Beats by Dre we’ve noticed that a popular requirement for new headphones is big bass.

Often powerful bass response in headphones comes at the cost of clarity, so we’ve reviewed some models that handle strong bass – well defined, big, punchy bass!  With this in mind we’ve compiled a list of our 10 best headphones for bass from the selection that we often recommend to our customers.

The list is in price order (low to high) so there is something for everybody with in-ear headphones and earphones, full size, portable and IEMs all covered.

Scroll down and read our expert reviews of the best bass headphones available in the UK.

 

 

Best headphones or bass under £50

1. DUNU DN-22M Detonator

This entry level in-ear is the bassiest we have heard! Not only do they have big bass, top end clarity and build quality is great for a sub-£40 earphone.

2. FOSTEX TH-5BB

Fostex have been in the audio business for a long time, and it shows with their entry level headphone. For under £50 you will struggle to find a full size headphone with as much good quality bass and build.

 

Best headphones or bass under £100

3. SOUNDMAGIC P30S

If in-ears aren’t for you then the P30S is the best for the price. Portable, comfortable, great isolation and most importantly – they’ve got that bass!

4. FIDUE A71

These dual driver IEM’s go low. Very low! They have a mini sub-woofer as well as a smaller dynamic driver inside each earpiece – supplying not only great bass but lots of detail too.

5. DUNU Titan 1

Our Full Review, including video unboxing

These beauties are one of our favourites! For under £100 you get extremely sturdy build quality, amazing sound – bass, detail, soundstage, separation and energy. They have it all.

 

Best headphones or bass under £200

6. RHA T10 / T10i

Built like a tank, the RHA T10 is built to last. They come supplied with a filter system which gives you 3 levels of sound – bass, bassier and blow your head off!

7. BEYERDYNAMIC Custom One Pro

Beyerdynamic are best known for their studio headphones – The Custom One Pro has studio build quality but can be used with portable devices. They have superb isolation and most importantly great sound! With the 3 bass port settings on each earcup you can customise your sound to suit your music.

 

 

Best headphones or bass over £200

8. AUDIOFLY AF140

The AF140 gives you three drivers inside each earphone housing – one 9mm dynamic driver for the low end power and two balanced armature drivers for crystal clear detail. The resulting sound has punchy bass and lots of energy.

9. PIONEER SE-MX9

Our Full Review,

These are real Beats beaters. Not only do they have lots of bass, it’s good quality bass. It goes as low as you like with no distortion. That’s not all – unlike their competitors they also have great detail and separation.

10. AUROSONICS ASG 1.5

Finally, the ASG-1.5 delivers a full-bodied, warm, organic sound with an incredible and articulate bass response that is captivating and powerful. Each housing holds a 14.2mm dynamic driver and the build quality is what you would expect and more from a high end IEM.

 

The Big Apple Rig Shootout – Which DAC and Amp is the Champ?

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Here at HiFiHeadphones we’re asked regularly about what amp/DAC combo might make the best job of converting and amplifying your Apple binary music collections. Would it be best to get an all in one solution like the Cypherlabs Theorem or Fostex HP-P1, or get a DAC such as the Cypher Labs Algorhythm Solo with a separate amp?

Further, how does the DAC in the Fostex compare with the DAC in the Theorem if both are connected to the same amp?

The proof of the audio pudding is in shoving the thing into your ears, so here’s our thoughts about how each solution compares!

Firstly, why even bother? The Apple iPod/iPhone has a headphone socket (just) so let’s plug straight in right? There’s nothing wrong with this, and most people find the internal DAC/Amp to be quite satisfactory when used along with their stock white earpods, or any low impedance headphone designed for portable use.

However there are those awkward types who require more power for their chosen headphones; more than the iThingy can put out. Others include those with high value in-ear headphones who will not compromise on audio quality when it comes to the digital to analogue conversion.

The wonderful full size Beyerdynamic T5p and in-ear Sennheiser IE800 were used to ascertain what might comprise the best sound and value for the average portable audiophile.

Fostex HP-P1

The original combined dac/amp for Apple; how does it fare with the new available equipment? When tried with both the Beyerdynamic T5p and Sennheiser IE800 the Fostex HP-P1 does a splendid job. Certainly better than the on-board Apple kit, but other makers have been doing their best in the intervening years of course. With this setup, the HP-P1 filter was slightly more natural sounding so assume the filter is in postion one throughout this test. Being the first up in a comparison, there’s not much to be written now but read on..

Cypher Labs Theorem 720

With the Sennheiser IE800, the Theorem gave a much better impression of control and there seemed to be more space within the midrange region. In comparison, the HP-P1 just got a bit cluttered there and the result was a loss of detail and imaging.

The Theorem compared favourably using the Beyerdynamic T5p too – the soundstage was wider and deeper with better imaging leading to a more immersive 3D sound. The detail level appeared to be the same, but with the Theorem this was smoother and more lush sounding; the Fostex HP-P1 was a little brittle next to this.

Cypher Labs Algorythm Solo with Just Audio AHA-120

I’ve compared this Class A amplifier with the Theorem before; I put it as the Theorem’s spandex versus Just Audio’s silk. Not to say the Theorem is a slouch, but when compared to a Class A amp it sounds slightly less good! And that’s the tradeoff – if you want no compromise in sound quality and wish to pick every component you will pay for it, and you will have to carry it around as well!

DACs Compared Only

For this test I decided to get a decent portable amp (Fiio E12) and compare the Line-Out features of the HP-P1 and Theorem. Things were not all that different in comparitive terms.

  • The HP-P1 had good detail but the presentation was flat with a limited soundstage; a bit on the dry side.

 

  • The Theorem had a wider soundstage but was still a little dry sounding. Detail was similar to the HP-P1 but again with more control.

 

  • The Algorythm Solo was a slight let down used in combination with the E12; soundstage was decidedly average with a flat feel to proceedings. Detail was comparitively muddy sounding.

And compared with the E12 amp (with no bass boost), the internal amp of the HP-P1 was slightly darker and more laid back, while the Theorem amp was much fuller and lusher sounding than the Theorem DAC + E12 combo.

Conclusion

The best solution in terms of sound only is the Algorythm Solo/AHA-120 pairing, but this scores lowest in terms of cost, bulk and convenience. Having to keep 3 separate battery operated devices charged is worth considering, and then there’s the interconnects which add cost and lengthen the audio chain. The sound is rich and effortless – a real treat which is earned by those having to carry all that gear!

The Cypher Labs Theorem 720 is the best all-rounder in my opinion – there’s an engaging, exciting energy about the sound from the Theorem which is close to the Solo/AHA-120 combo but it swaps the silky smoothness of the AHA-120 for a more in-your-face powerful sound. Also the amp in the Theorem gives a lushness which is really attractive.

The Fostex HP-P1 is the least impressive of the three; given that it was the first to be introduced this is no surprise. It is still a very competent and fine-sounding unit but has been surpassed since its introduction.

Audeze LCD-XC Review – Take a Shine to Closed Backs!

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Verdict

The Audeze LCD-XC is definitely one of the top-tier headphones available now, and is a worthy stablemate to the similarly closed-back but smoother Fostex TH900.

Pros

  • Exceptionally comfortable
  • Sumptuous build quality
  • Amazing detail
  • Well balanced
  • Separation and imaging fully immersive
  • Sturdy travel case

Cons

  • May be too heavy for some

In the world of headphones we get the odd celebrity now and again; the flagships sail in and are esteemed due to their value if nothing else. But as with everything, a high price needn’t necessarily equate with a good product. Is this particualr celebrity just famous for being famous, or do they actually have some talent?

Key Features

Those shiny wooden earcups are a treat for the eyes, and the build quality is exceptional. Solid is definitely the word, but this may count against the Audeze LCD-XC as some necks may suffer under the 650g/1.4lb weight; those with the fortitude to ‘press a head’ should be well rewarded though. The tough carry case protects them in transit, and the supplied ribbon-type cable is ‘tangle free’. Also in the case is a little bottle of wax for keeping the shine on the earcups.

First Impressions

Having tried Audeze’s offerings before, my appetite was suitably whetted and it was not disappointed. By now the obvious build quality and good looks are meeting with blasé reactions – we all know what to expect from Audeze! The weight issue was in my mind, but since I’ve been enjoying the HifiMAN HE-400 for some time now with no issues I was not worried, and indeed the LDC-XC’s weight did not bother me.

Sound Quality

I first tried the Audeze LCD-XC with a Chord Hugo; both to feed as good a signal in as possible, and to try the Hugo’s resolution with the LCD-XC. The presentation was very accurate and crisp; I found it just a little too far into bright territory for my tastes. Then I tried the LCD-XC with my humble Fiio X3; the X3’s output is a little warmer than that of the Chord Hugo, and this was reflected within the sound of the headphones. Where before it was a little cold and uncompromising with the K120, it came to life and into colour for me with the X3. The LCD-XC is like a mirror for the amp; it brings out the best traits of the available equipment.

The closed-back nature of this model is possibly a down side, if only because so many great headphones in this price range are open and so have an advantage in terms of soundstage. As we all know however, isolation is often necessary if we aren’t to be distracted (and don’t want to disturb others), and the LCD-XC does not sound like a closed headphone. The soundstage is appreciably wider than the physical limits of the headphones, and the closed nature of them does not remain so obvious when in use.

Summary

With the asking price in mind, it’s no surprise to learn that this is an exceptionally competent headphone which can hold its own among some cutting-edge competition. If you are considering a highend closed-back model and you find the Fostex TH900 a little smooth, the Audeze LCD-XC may be just for you.

Score: 9.5/10

Chord Cable Interconnects – To The Test

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The overriding opinion of those who stick with their free RCA interconnects (often provided with Hi-Fi seperates) is that any money spent on upgrading them is wasted. Quality cabling is a slightly alien concept to be fair; the signal passes from A to B anyway, why spend money on cables which will achieve the same end?

Speaking as someone who has thought exactly this in their time, I was interested to know the actual difference between some of Chord’s offerings, and the skinflint equivalent. Is any improvement noticeable at all, how is it better, and is it worthwhile?

To determine this, my colleague John set up a blind test between a studio grade RME audio interface taking a signal from a computer, and a Graham Slee Solo Ultra Linear. These great amplifiers can switch between two inputs using a control on the front of the unit so is perfect for A/B tests. The inputs of the Slee amp came from the same source but using either the high end Chord Anthem Reference cable, or the entry-level Crimson cable.

Being an informal and quick test, rigorous procedures were not followed; I was aware of the cables being compared and it was just me doing the test. I operated the switch myself to select the cables, but I did not know which cable was feeding which input.

Feeling a little nervous, I noted down some of the impressions I got from listening to Level 42’s ‘Something About You’ through a Fostex TH900, with a Grado PS1000 ready for another listen later. I was encouraged to find that perceived differences were quite easy to spot.

  • Bell sounds which are pure and stand clear of the mix sound flatter and harder to pick out.
  • A synth with a bit of distortion on it (starts on beat 3 of the song) sounds as if it is going through a bit-depth reduction effect or ‘bitcrusher’.
  • The bass is slightly muddier with less definition.
  • Backing vocals are blended together and less distinct; voices are cleanly separated with the Anthem Reference cables.
  • Hi-Hats are more splashy and ill-defined.

Not surprisingly I guessed the correct channel for the cheaper Crimson cable; the blind test showed very clearly the differences between the cables.

I then swapped headphones to the Grado PS1000 – an open headphone of similar quality to the TH900. I found that the PS1000 made it more of a challenge to spot differences but they were still there. Another thing I noticed was a loss of soundstage height with the PS1000 when listening to audio through the cheaper Crimson cable.

In the spirit of further thorough experimentation, the “free with hifi separates” cable was tried. Predictably, the differences were more marked.

  • The bells sounds are flat and dull.
  • The distorted synth sound requires focused attention to hear through the mix.
  • Bass is flatter and flabbier.
  • Backing vocals are more blended; both blended together and with the rest of the music.
  • Hi-Hats sound more like brief bursts of white noise than cymbals.

The overall impression was of an old cassette recording, relatively speaking. The soundstage was practically limited to the width of the headphones , and high frequencies are messy and splashy. There was a large portion of distortion throughout.

Verdict

Although premium cables like the ‘Anthem Reference’ cables may be out of immediate reach for the average listener, I found that the entry-level ‘Crimson’ model is certainly a worthwhile improvement over the generic black/grey RCA cables. At £55, it is clear to see that this represents great value considering the sonic improvements it offers.

Fostex TH600 Premium Closed Back Reference Headphones – Announcement

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The HifiHeadphones team is pleased to announce the new Premium Closed Back Reference Headphone from Fostex, the TH-600 is now available to be purchased on our website.

Introducing the latest addition to the highly acclaimed Fostex high-end headphone line: TH-600. With reputable bio-dynamic diaphragm drivers, Tesla magnetic flux circuit and magnesium die-cast housing the TH-600 delivers supreme audio reproduction. Special textured earpads and headband made of soft ‘Idemitsu Grancuir’ material offers a comfortable listening experience.

The TH-600 features Fostex’s renowned bio-dynamic 50mm diaphragm and powerful 1 Tesla magnetic circuit as well as the magnesium die-cast housing to deliver supreme audio reproduction. With unique bio-dynamic diaphragm the TH-600 offers rich lows, natural mid range and smooth highs.

Fostex TH600 headphones incorporate an innovative Piezo sheet inside the housing for dispersion of resonance as well as high damping treatment. Thin vacuum sputtered nickel electrodes produce extremely low current leakage and low magnetic permeability.

Earpads and headband of the TH600 are made of ‘Idemitsu Grancuir’ material with comfortable textured protein combination derived from egg, which is 60% lighter than genuine leather.

  • 50mm driver units with 1 Tesla (1000 gauss) magnetic circuit
  • Superior audio reproduction with low distortion and wide dynamic range
  • Bio-dynamic diaphragm that offers rich lows, natural mid range and smooth highs
  • Light-weight and highly rigid magnesium die-cast used for the housing material
  • Piezo sheet inside the housing for dispersion of resonance as well as high damping treatment
  • Earpads and headband made of ‘Idemitsu Grancuir’ material

To purchase the unit, please visit our website:

Buy Fostex TH-600 Premium Closed Back Reference Headphones