The segment of top-end headphones for lovers of high-end audio is a rather conservative environment. By top-end headphones I mean products that stand out for their outstanding musical abilities and charismatic presentation, and not just for their expensive finishes. During the boom in wireless data technology, it's nice to know that there are new additions to the ranks of classic high-end headphones. The heroes of today's review come from Japan - these are premium headphones Fostex TH900 mk2. As the name suggests, “ears” are already in their second generation. The flagship model Fostex TH900 was first introduced in 2012.
Design and first impression of Fostex TH900 mk2
The first impression was very contradictory. The headphones are certainly beautiful, but they are perceived as ordinary. Upon closer examination, everything turns out to be not so simple. The earcups are made of birch and hand-coated with a special varnish. Due to a unique processing process, each ear pad has a unique texture that looks great in a bright shade of ripe cherry or blue sapphire. The cups are attached to the headband using a small one-way hinge. All mechanical parts of the design are quite simple, but they are made thoroughly, and the build quality corresponds to the title of a flagship. The headband is moderately thick, quite soft, made of
Same synthetic material as the ear pads.
By the way, the ear pads are quite easy to replace if necessary. Thanks to the use of natural materials, Fostex TH900 mk2 are lightweight, with a soft and comfortable fit. It is worth noting that I had to tinker to find the most comfortable position for the headphones: they literally sat on me, the fit of the ear pads was quite soft and the main point of support was on the headband. At the same time, the ear cushions themselves have sufficient softness and depth, thus ensuring comfortable listening for a long time, my ears do not sweat and I did not experience any discomfort. The seating position is generally quite comfortable, but if you like to vigorously bob your head to the beat of the music, I advise you to be careful.
The headphones are supplied with an oxygen-free copper cable 3 meters long. The connection to the headphones is two-way, the connectors are tight and securely fastened. An optional cable with a balanced design and an XLR connector is available. The cable braid is fabric and, in my opinion, not the most successful: if handled carelessly, this type of braid will lose its attractive appearance over time. The headphones also come with a small soft pouch-bag.
A nice final touch to the Fostex TH900 mk2 headphones is the stylish stand included, which is neat and doesn’t take up much space.
Headphones Fostex TH900MK2
Reviews
— Maxim R.
Pros: Sound. It's just an extravaganza. I previously listened to Abyss, Snorri, Focal Elegy, Sony R1, and other tops. Only Denon 9200 is close to these Fostex - also cool, but with a slightly different character. TH900 is captivating, inviting to listen to music, stomp to the beat, shake your head, and improve your mood. The headphones have a very curved frequency response - they are not monitor headphones at all, and are not suitable for sound mixing or studio work at all. They're for fun. V-shaped sound. For those who write about the headphones being “bright” and “sawing the brain” - change the path. With a decent source everything is more than comfortable. I listen to symphonic music, instrumentals, classic rock, jazz, blues. In all genres - delight! The design is comfortable. For those who, in a drunken stupor, stumble over wires and smash 120 thousand headphones on the floor, and then complain that the design is frail, I advise you to reconsider your attitude towards things...
Cons: For the money, the ear pads could have been leather. But in any case, it is a consumable item.
—kudayrag
Pros: Bass is very good, separation too! The scene is read clearly. The instruments, especially the classical ones, are very good. The ears do not get tired after listening for a long time; the structure is excellent in this regard. The mids are muffled, due to this, the bass is very decent.
Cons: High ones are unrealistically bright, they literally squeal. Even after 3 years of listening. The quality of the ear pads is disgusting, the leatherette used after 2.5 years, in comparison with the anniversary Audio-Thechnica 1000, where the ear pads are made of leather, nothing to say. Not to mention the price. After 3 years, the right plug failed, the spare part could not be disassembled, the “doctor” offered to buy a pair of plugs from a Chinese company (included) for 5900 rubles. I refused, they repaired it somehow in another place. Now the left plug is acting up. Listening is carried out on a DENSEN 410 XS source through a Leman-Audio Black Cube amplifier. I thought I’d take one with removable connectors, MK 2, but as it turned out, there are more problems with them.
Comment: I really regretted the purchase, there are only problems with them. I was captivated by the appearance. The price is inadequate!
— Ilya K.
Pros: Pleasant, clear, well-balanced sound. There is plenty of everything: high, mid, low frequencies (which, of course, is entirely subjective). Before purchasing, I listened to different headphones in this price segment and the Sony Z1R, for example, for similar money, sounded like a hollow sound - dull, dry, with boring highs. It is useful to listen to such a difference in order to understand the difference in sound clearly. Weight. Lightweight headphones for their class. The neck doesn't get tired. This is probably partly due to the wooden cups. Long, high-quality cord in textile braid. Quite modest packaging (compared to the same Sony), which is perceived rather as a plus, because... money that could have been spent on packaging probably went towards the quality of the product. Made in Japan. Something I always enjoy every time I use it.
Cons: Appearance. I don't like the frilly, shiny cups from the first minute, but the sound forces me to compromise. I should immediately note that they decorate these cups by hand at the factory. The package contains an insert demonstrating the process of gluing these glitters onto wood and then varnishing them...
Comment: I listen from the Marantz HD-DAC1 amplifier.
Show all reviews of Fostex TH900MK2 headphones
Reviews of Fostex TH900MK2 headphones Show all reviews of Fostex TH900MK2 headphones
Constructive
The Fostex TH900 mk2 are closed-type headphones, while their closest competitors are usually open-type. The headphones use a 50 mm diaphragm as a driver, which is manufactured using a unique technology using biocellulose. “Religious” warriors do not stop talking about diffuser materials on forums, so I see no point in commenting on the use of materials, since it is better to judge musical abilities based on listening experience. If I like the way my headphones play, what difference does it make to me what the driver is made of? Despite the low nominal impedance of 25 ohms, the headphones are best listened to through an amplifier.
A few words about the Fostex HP-a8mk2 amplifier
The Fostex HP-a8mk2 headphone amplifier is a fairly massive and heavy device with a rich range of switching capabilities. In addition to standard digital inputs, there is a card reader for SD cards on the rear panel, so the Fostex HP-a8mk2 can be used as an independent device. The only pity is that the amplifier does not support network functions. The AK4490 chip is used as a DAC, which provides signal support up to
32 Bit PCM and 11 kHz DSD.
Among stationary headphone amplifiers, the Fostex HP-a8mk2 stands out for its design. Due to the glossy glass front panel and gold-plated headphone inputs, the device looks truly stylish. A small OLED display displays information about the current signal characteristics. Convenient organization of information on the screen, despite its compact size. Setting the amplifier parameters is easy. The amplifier supports a whole range of digital filters that allow you to customize the sound according to your preferences. Since a detailed analysis of the amplifier is beyond the scope of this review, I will only note that components and capacitors are used as the elemental base, which have proven themselves well among audiophiles and amateur music lovers.
Scene
The stage is larger than average in both directions, there is enough air between the instruments, they are well localized in space, outlined and interact well. The separation of plans is also very good. The closed design has almost no effect on the structure of the stage. Its width is one of the best in a closed form factor.
In terms of source criticality, the headphones may seem unpretentious - 25 Ω is nothing at all. In fact, it’s not for nothing that the solid cable and full-size design clearly hint at stationary use. The headphones do not require much power from the amplifier, but they do require good control. This is especially true at the edges of the range. Insufficient HF control can result in unpleasant distortion and mud in the recording.
Listening
The pairing of Fostex HP-a8mk2 with TH900mk2 headphones turned out, in my opinion, to be extremely universal. Subjective perception of various musical genres evokes exclusively positive emotions; there is no desire to dwell on anything specific. This is not always the case, especially with high-end components, since truly brilliant charisma is rarely universal. It is important to note that the headphones cannot be called linear or neutral; the configuration of the drivers and the system as a whole provides a unique and original reproduction, and the sound character is far from a classic monitor one.
The system exhibits a lively and open sound that is surprisingly easy to develop for closed-back headphones. The headphones and amplifier paint a beautiful musical scene, accurately conveying the scale. Their level is not inferior to their competitors; in my opinion, this is the strongest feature of this system. The sound character of the headphones began to appear, as expected, after a short “warm-up”. Revealing their character, the headphones demonstrate a fairly bright sound with a somewhat accentuated high-frequency range. This is an important detail, since high detail in the HF spectrum can be a plus for many, but at the same time, such a musical style can be tiresome for some. In terms of bass, the system demonstrates high dynamics and density. Energetic and dynamic tracks with powerful bass support sound big, charging with energy across the entire low-end spectrum. The lowest bass levels have decent detail and good volume for closed-back headphones.
Against the backdrop of dynamic bass, the mids seem quite calm, slightly accented female vocals sometimes sound a little brighter than I would like, but at the same time they stand out well against the background of the overall composition. This playback feature is clearly visible on jazz compositions and in female vocal solos. For example, Louis Armstrong's tracks performed by the TH900mk2 were perceived in a completely new way by me. This is an interesting experience, since a new reading of already known material gives absolutely unique emotions.
Low frequencies
The bass is quite extended - almost standard - and just as well controlled. The headphones do not smear and cope with any high-speed games. At the same time, they are not lacking in massiveness and persuasiveness - in terms of fullness and weight, the 50-mm speaker with a biocellulose membrane fully demonstrates all its advantages. Perhaps we can even talk about a slight accent in this range. On the one hand, thanks to good control and full-bodied sound, sometimes a feeling of a slight dryness of the sound is created, but in reality the bass is rather neutral, and the emphasis is achieved by the pronounced massiveness and physicality of the beats. It’s just that his presentation is characterized by good transmission of the nuances of the range and its naturalness. Moreover, this amazingly has almost no effect on either the speed or the density of impacts.
Good texture rendering and dynamic range complete the picture.
Mid frequencies
Midranges are characterized by good detail. They do not have obvious accents and are not prone to embellishment - on the contrary, the headphones sound expressive, transparent, with good fullness and physicality. They are also good at conveying the nuances of recordings - they are very reliable both in terms of emotions and timbres of instruments.
Treble
HF , as I already mentioned, have an emphasis in quantitative terms. But this is also reflected in good quality elaboration of the range. Excellent detail, natural transmission of small nuances, good elegance. Attack speed is at the appropriate level. Fade-outs and after-sounds are just as good.
Of course, accents impose limitations in terms of recording quality, but I think this is normal for good headphones.
