T50MKIII

Discussion in 'Headphones' started by MuZo2, Oct 4, 2015.

  1. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

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    When you tried the Shure pads, did you insert the rim of the pads into gap? Maybe the Shure pads are too thick and won't go in. I just reread your post and that weird cavernouse sound might be the same as what I heard with the ZMF pads installed over the cups and blocking the vents from the foam inset.
     
  2. donunus

    donunus Friend

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    Any fans of the Senn HD598s here that has tried the T50mkIII? For someone just starting up, would you recommend getting these orthos over the senns if powered with a schiit vali for instance? This is based on sound quality alone by the way and open/semi-open/etc... doesn't matter.
     
  3. MrTurtle

    MrTurtle Facebook Friend

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    Sorry I haven't been around with updates - work has been crazy and I haven't gotten around to testing mods as much as I'd like.

    The 840 pad rims were slotted into the gap, yes. Perhaps the rims are too thick, blocking off airflow (stitched edges)?

    I do agree that sub-bass for the stock setup sounds a lot more extended than the measurements suggest.

    HM5 pads have been a pain and a half to stretch, so I did some preliminary listening by just sandwiching the pads between my ears and the headphone. With both hybrid pads and angled pleathers, the classic 4k midrange dip seems to come back. The Mk3s seem to have been designed to sound best sitting right on your ears, unfortunately. Looks like more extensive mods are in order if we want these puppies to be comfortable as well.

    On a side note, HM5 angled pleathers (taped on) seem to work well with my Mk2 open cell foam + gauze wrapped rockwool inside cups and 1 layer earside micropore tape mod. Nice warm downward FR tilt with treble that doesn't stab your ears. I'm hoping to find a mod config for the Mk3 that has a similar but more open sound...
     
  4. spoony

    spoony Spooky

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    Try the velours.
     
  5. MrTurtle

    MrTurtle Facebook Friend

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    I have, on both the Mk2 and Mk3. Lost too much bass and overall sound was too thin and bright for my liking. YMMV though!
     
  6. spoony

    spoony Spooky

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    Interesting, I would try the velours again with the Mk3, but sealing the baffle vents.
     
  7. Bagged Milk

    Bagged Milk Friend

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    These have an uncannily similar response to the Sextett on IF... Just open up both the Sextett and T50 MK3 and switch back and forth between the tabs.
     
  8. Quart Bernstein

    Quart Bernstein New

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    Mine arrived broken, but i'd venture to say that the sound escapes in the new pad configuration. I believe the slip in method, leaves a small amount of air to escape at the sides.
    With enough stretch, you can still wrap a larger pad over the entire cup, akin to the older mk2.

    They may measure like a turd, but they sound real dern good to me. The T40RP has a bit of a frag effect on the ears to me though.
    I just wish I could put my headband pad over it, like I could with the older one.
     
  9. JK47

    JK47 Guest

    Some pics of my T20RP MkIII's I picked up this morning from USPS...

    Comparing the vent to the T50RP MkIII, it looks like the only difference is the T50's vent is covered by what looks like felt, where as my T20 has a mesh screen. I orginally thought that maybe the upper portion that looks like a vent would be open as well, but no, it is still fully sealed on the upper.

    Tried my Mr. Speakers Alpha pads, and just like it was posted earlier with the ZMF pads, the mids get sucked out. So the stock pads will stay on. The stockers don't reallly bother me.

    Great budget can that needs power to reach it's full potential.
     

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    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 30, 2015
  10. JK47

    JK47 Guest

    Oh, and to make sure they get the power they deserve... I modded them to run fully balanced... My Mjolnir 2 now feeds them balanced and they are happy :punk:

    Going to replace the blue tape with either JB weld or hot glue.

    Link to the balanced mod (gotta give credit where credit is due)

    https://robrobinette.com/HeadphoneMods.htm
     

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  11. drfindley

    drfindley Secretly lives in the Analog Room - Friend

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    I randomly picked up a pair of these just to give them a shot. Listening out of the SE output of my Yggdrasil/Rag and VPI Classic/Rag, they are pretty neutral, though I'm not nearly as sensitive to treble as some (unless it's coming through as digititus). The treble is definitely smooth as tracks that usually give me trouble are not ringing like with my HD800s. I wonder if power helps tame some of the treble. In either case, I do hear that treble peak, but it's not terrible.

    The bass and the treble are definitely rolled off. I was listening to a track (Alt-J) on my VPI and with the UERMs, it was full and extended. With the T50RP III, that was noticeably the first thing missing. The highs do seems to be rolled off as well. That plus the lack of soundstage and resolution make them seem a bit closed in, but not terribly.

    Overall, they sound alright for a budge-fi headphone. With a bit more extended bass and treble, this could be my goto recommendation for my friends asking for a good, cheap closed headphone. Actually, it'd be the T40RP III, assuming the sound is comparable.

    Truly, they just make me miss my Enigmas, which do everything better.
     
  12. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

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    I opened mine up to play around a bit with damping in the cup and felt depressions under the felt. If you look into the corresponding vents on the ear side of the baffle, there are 2 holes for each felt pad. So I guess this is the Mk3 version of the Mk2's baffle port.

    I sealed the jack with silicone and am waiting for it to dry before trying some acoustic foam and cotton in the cup.

    I searched through the HF mod threads and couldn't find a definitive answer to what mass loading the baffle actually does (if anything). I found some teardown photos of the Mad Dogs and they don't have any.

    http://www.hifi-forum.de/viewthread-211-677.html
     
  13. spoony

    spoony Spooky

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    BMF did a test specifically on mass loading, it seems using dynamat can lower D3 distortion in the bass.
     
  14. JK47

    JK47 Guest

    Here are the measurments for the T20Rp mkIII from my rig. With a measurment from the same rig for the HD650 with coin mod and rear dampening removed for reference.
     

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  15. Bagged Milk

    Bagged Milk Friend

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    Not bad. Not bad at all...

    Got a CSD for us? :D
     
  16. JK47

    JK47 Guest

    Not yet, I got it up and running yesterday. Will be playing around with them some more this week. Still learning how to use REW.
     
  17. Hands

    Hands Overzealous Auto Flusher - Measurbator

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    Nice, those relative differences shown in your measurements are about what I'd expect comparing the two headphones.

    Where as you won't get the same level of refinement from the T20/40/50RP MK3 headphones as you would from the HD650, especially with a good DAC and amp, I do think Fostex did a great job with the tonal balance on the MK3s for a very reasonable price.
     
  18. JK47

    JK47 Guest

    The HD650's are definitely a step or two up, with a much smoother overall sound. The only place the Fostex may better the HD650's is in the placement of instruments and vocals, they sound more defined/precise, and less blended together to me.

    Everything was done through my Gungnir Multibit --> Mjolnir 2 w/tubes. I think in the future I will use the LISST's I have for a HP measuring reference.

    Added a shot of the mini-XLR I mounted to my T20RP mkIII
     

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  19. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

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    I played around with some damping inside the cups using teased-out cotton balls. For me, about 4 small balls laid out inside the cup was enough to compensate for the effect of covering the front baffle "side vents" with ZMF Cowhide pads mounted Mk2-style. The highs were also boosted (by the pads and/or covering the vents), so 3 layers of 2-ply Kirklands TP over the front of the drivers got the sound pretty much back to stock, but with the super comfy feel of the ZMF pads.

    I will try inserting some felt circles into the baffle ports from the outside of the baffle or taping one of them off to see if I can get some sub-bass increase without affecting mid-bass and lower midrange too much, as I like the sound of those as they are.
     
  20. JK47

    JK47 Guest

    Here you go.
     

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