Fostex T60RP - The Anti-Argon

Fostex T60RP: amzn.to/3tjqHV6
Austrian Audio Hi-X65: amzn.to/3ktkb9y
Austrian Audio Hi-X55: amzn.to/2RFHE8M
Austrian Audio Hi-X50: amzn.to/3qtZw9b
Topping EX5: amzn.to/3j3LNS1
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Neumann NDH20: amzn.to/3i8p9b8
TIME STAMPS:
The Promises - 1:11
Build & Comfort - 1:43
Sound Test Parameters - 4:45
Bass Response - 5:39
Mids Response - 7:44
Treble Response - 9:51
Detail Retrieval - 11:53
Soundstage - 13:57
Overall Sound Signature - 15:20
Comparisons - 17:42
Value & Conclusion - 22:26
******
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[@DaveTheBird]

I think your dog liked them :) Oh good in depth review as always thanks.

[@MechFrankaTLieu]

I had the T60RP , T40RP MK. 3 , and the T50RP 50th Anniversary and I can safely say that they , while retain similar tuning , still deliver different take on the same formula

[@fei19317]

Pull the trigger yesterday. The weight, beautiful wood ear cups, and unique design are really the main points for my decision. Thanks for your honest opinions.

[@lordfunkatron9732]

I am a sucker for Wooden things but this one seems to have a sound signature I wouldn't be after. My favorite wood cups to this day actually come from Fostex again, the TH-610. I returned those but I almost kept them as I felt they were a work of art. These headphones are proof you can have a planar that doesn't break the bank and is still well built (looking at you, Audeze and Monoprice). I'd be interested in seeing a review of the stock T50 at some point as it's the cheapest option, no pressure though as I'm sure you get endless requests

[@konna200]

Thanks to introduce me the mighty Fostex house sound! I was so pulled off that brand!!! Peace & Love

[@NoThemeReviews]

Thanks!

[@GoblinModeVR]

Thanks for the review! Was looking at these because the audio store I spoke to suggested they would work well with my iDSD Nano LE, but it sounds like I'll need something more powerful to run these.

[@Princeton_James]

I love these. I bought so many headphones at once I dont think I realized that these were balanced. I just used the cable that came with it. Time to make a cable. I have some TRRS connectors coming in the mail.

[@markpomerhn76]

Nice video! Hey that's the first time I saw your dog in a video.

[@ralphbrewster3241]

Add the baffles and accessory house perforated pads makes this an excellent HP. Non perforated had too much bass. The baffles are a must.

[@johnbradshaw5900]

The Fostex planar magnetic series seems to have been around since forever and still rolls on. They're some of the few headphones which really do need a in high power amplifier. They have always been sold via professional studio and musician shops much more than consumer shops and the solid build, good vocals and decent detail means they are pretty good monitoring headphones. They're one of those products which seems to have its own little niche which they fill well. They entered the consumer scene when they picked up a bit of a cult following among be people who like modifying headphones. I think the T50 and T60 are robust workhorses which in that sense still offer a lot.

[@sauhamm3821]

...really do need a high power amplifier... what volume do you listen at? cause the sensitivity of these are 92db at 1mw. my least powerful amp is about 50mw peak and that's max volume, normal listening volume is closer to maybe 5mw during transients... closer to 1 or under continuous. my few "give em the beans" amps? i can't turn any of them up past 10am on the dial or the drivers in the headphones are distorting and they sound like shite. i remember that Z guy years ago saying the beyer 880s 600ohm needed like a clothes dryer connected to it... i listen to those daily on all my amps without any loss of quality from the big daddy balanced full throat ones.

[@konna200]

Thank you NTR for this video

[@ju1cycrackfa1ry]

My lovely wife game me these headphones for my birthday about 3 years ago and I absolutely love them. I got the argon's shortly after and I think they complement each other fairly well. I also have a pair of HD 600 to ground myself every now and then, oh and because I cannot wear leather pads during summer lol I've been tempted to buy other headphones, but unless I'm gonna go all out and get some ZMF's or something else that looks and sounds interesting I don't see the point

[@PushPlayGame]

I love fostex RP series, i own t50 and modded them to sound more neutral than stock... I suggest everyone who is into modding to try yourself a pair!

[@konna200]

Just got the old TH500RP and so far im loving the Fostex house sound so so so much.....

[@bilelbeavis977]

I got these about 2 yrs ago, and never got around to getting them argonised so never really bothered to listen to them much, be surprising to hear you're thoughts. Peace

[@sauhamm3821]

the fostex tXXrp train rolls on - the 50th anniversary edition of these is a pretty impressive set of cans. $200 and limited to 900pcs. oddly i can't find any official information from fostex about them. been waiting what feels like all year for any of my youtube audio reviewers to grab a pair and tell me what they think...

[@JR-ml1qt]

When will we see your review for Cambridge cxn v2?

[@obrien_murphy]

@No Theme Reviews could you review focal clear mg and compare it to your focal clear?

[@soulfulfool]

never heard T60rp even if I own a pair lol they came already as Argon version, excellent headphones and for me zmf suede pads are extremely comfortable, Argons rumble with bass without loosing those details or clarity, just need good source and balanced amp

[@LyK0sa]

I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on the T60 argon. Not sure exactly how much of the difference is down to the suede pads and how much is internal tuning, but they're a completely different experience to the Mk3.

[@NoThemeReviews]

Yeah, I would too. Maybe some day I’ll get a chance to try them.

[@rahulmenon4357]

Foster should have hired Dan Clark. T50RP is insane, so easy to get a sound suitable to you, responds so well to digital EQing. I can get different sound profiles by simply switching the EQ. Only reason I can see for getting this is to supply even more power (via balanced), but really doesn't need it. Also your power requirement depends on the signal that you pass through it, well mixed and produced tracks require less power, if you have stuff from before the 90s (non remastered stuff) it may need more power.

[@kyron42]

The amount of power required depends on the depth x intensity of bass frequencies. Whether it was well produced or not is irrelevant.

[@rahulmenon4357]

@@kyron42 Thanks for the insight, I just noticed that the tracks in my collection that were not exposed to modern compression/mastering practices often required me to increase the volume.

[@popselliott]

Would you consider reviewing the Hifiman Edition XS or the Fiio K9 Pro? Been seeing some hype about these and wonder if they’re worth it.

[@NoThemeReviews]

I thought about the K9, but it’s out of stock everywhere. Thanks to the hype. As for the XS…no. I’m done with Hifiman purchases for now.

[@fei19317]

@@NoThemeReviews I feel like Hifiman hps are considered to be good price if we buy them used.

[@jackdanyal4329]

great review and a lot of information. currently using this pair of headphones and really love them even more than Sundaras. but I drive them through Monolith Liquid Spark connected to the Fiio K3s. Is it a good combo or it will better to pair T60 with something higher end? Which amp will be better in 400 euros price range? Will it give any benefits at all? thanks.

[@NoThemeReviews]

The LS had plenty of power for the T60. Buying a more powerful amp won’t make any material difference other than getting your headphones louder faster. My rule of thumb is that one should buy an amp and Dac only when they have features you actually need. Do you need another amp?

[@jackdanyal4329]

@@NoThemeReviews feature wise nope. I thought maybe new amp/dac will make a sound better(more detailed) maybe? if not, than there is no any reason for me to change the current setup.

[@NoThemeReviews]

Depends who you ask. Talk to Dac fanatics and they’ll do everything possible to convince you dacs make a difference. Talk to amp fanatics and they’ll do the same. The vast majority of modern dacs and amps do not affect sound signature or quality. There’s no justification for people claiming that one Dac has more detail than another-if that Dac is transparent such a claim simply cannot be true. An amp’s only purpose is to obviously amplify the analog signal, nothing more. The only time you might hear differences is when tubes are involved-and THAT has to do with the harmonic distortion tubes add to the signal. The quickest way to figure out when dac/amp homies are being disingenuous is to simply contact a headphone manufacturer and ask an open ended question: does this headphone need a particular type of Dac or amp for its best performance? Any reputable company will give you a very clear answer. They’ll either tell you NO, or merely suggest an amp that has a maximum output impedance or minimum power output.

[@NoThemeReviews]

Actually, I do have a suggestion of a company that produces at least one amp that modifies the sound with the flip of a switch: Bellari. These guys make pro gear, are straight shooters, and actually respond to questions. Fantastic company.

[@jackdanyal4329]

@@NoThemeReviews thank you for the great and detailed response. appreciate it. then I think it make no sense for me to switch my current setup. have a nice day :)

[@gabsriel]

There is an Argon T60RP ! Do you know the LSA headphones brand ? It seems that they manage to take Kennerton headphones and make it affordable. I would like your take on them 🙂

[@victordramis6063]

LSA headphones are still a bit expensive, just like their amps. Just goes to show however that Kennerton headphones are WAAAAY overpriced.

[@gabsriel]

@@victordramis6063 yes indeed !

[@PastorwithoutaPulpit]

Great review with valuable information as always. For those who use Hart Audio Cables, myself included, there's another company that makes very similar cables called Fog City Audio. They both use the modular cable system that terminates in Mini-XLR if you so choose. Both have excellent customer service and fairly to exceptionally fast turn around. I've found that Fog City Audio uses a little heavier gauge wire not so heavy that they are stiff just a little bit heavier while still being soft and supple. Fog City Audio has a slightly faster turn around as in a day or two. Fog City Audio also has the termination needed to run the Sennheiser 560s balanced. Fog City takes a picture of the cable they make for you and sends that along with shipping information. I had an issue with a cable I ordered from Fog City where they had used a full sized XLR termination instead of Mini XLR. I emailed them and they immediately built and next day shipped the correct cable with a return envelope in the package for the incorrect cable. This happened on a Saturday before noon and they had the new cable built and shipped in under two hours, so yes excellent customer service. I own and use both and they're both excellent. I do buy the different interconnect cables from Hart as they often run very good deals on kits of them. I prefer the little bit larger in diameter Fog City cables and the fact you can choose from different colors and patterns without having to do the custom order thing or wait in a Q that Hart uses. I truly enjoy using both and can say from personal experience they both have way above average customer service...

[@popselliott]

I discovered them while looking for a balanced cable for my 560s. Been a repeat customer ever since.

[@PastorwithoutaPulpit]

@@popselliott That's the exact same way I found them. Don't get me wrong I have around $1k worth of Hart cables but I wish I'd found Fog City first. Not that I won't still buy Hart cables when needed but my first choice now will be Fog City as they're just a bit heavier and nicer feeling/looking to me.

[@furhaewe5194]

Hello, i want to buy closed-back or semi-open back headphones. What is the difference between AKG-K361 and Audio-Technica ATH-MSR7b in terms of detail retieval and soundstage?

[@NoThemeReviews]

The 7b has wider soundstage, greater clarity, more separation of instruments, and noticeably greater detail retrieval.

[@marcswinnen9100]

Just put a zmf earpad and balanced cable its great😎

[@epicmike3915]

I had these and I hated them. Just my IMO. They had no bass whatsoever to me. I was driving them off a Jotenheim. How does it compare to the Avantone planar?

[@NoThemeReviews]

The Planar is more neutral. About the same amount of bass response, but the mids and treble are more neutral on the Planar.

[@jackdanyal4329]

don't know what did u listen, but for me they have enough amount of bass, moreover, clear bass. Jotenheim is an overpriced, powerful(but not clear power) amp. you need try T60rp with good amp with at least 2W balanced output. with Jotenheim you will get just sound, but not quality

[@stuka78]

T60rp seems so similar to LCDX for a fraction of the price… good deal I believe.

[@NoThemeReviews]

Well…there are clear differences. If you heard both back to back, you might prefer one over the other. Nevertheless, Audeze is always overpriced.

[@soulfulfool]

@@NoThemeReviews got my LCD 2C for like 650$ its well worth it, Hifiman is overpriced considering poor build quality

[@Baphometus666]

I have Argons and there is no way they need even 1W. With Topping L30 on high gain, cranked all the way to max (should be just about 1W) they become speakers that I can hear from another room. I used JDS Atom before (again around 1W) and max I could tolerate was around 1pm on the volume pot. Apple dongle can drive these no problem.

[@victordramis6063]

Oh god not another Apple Dongle comment. There is no way that an Argon plugged into an Apple dongle performs the same as plugged into an amp that provides more power. Not gonna happen. Yeah, your dongle will make sound happen, but it’s not the same. You’re mistaking volume for peak performance. It’s not the same.

[@Baphometus666]

@@victordramis6063 Forget the dongle for a second. I'm telling you that on amps rated around 1W you will not be able to listen to any headphones on max volume. There is no performance benefit from an amp being 3W if your volume pot is at 10% or under at all times.

[@victordramis6063]

@@Baphometus666 And? Nobody needs a 3w amp for any headphone--I think he's said that many times in his videos. But you listening at 10% volume is not the same as someone else listening to the same amp. Your music and how loud you can handle it are different for everyone.

[@hmst5420]

I like them but sibilant vocals sounds unnatural. Can you advise something that sounds close to them but with more natural vocals?

[@akulinamackenzie4492]

💕👍

[@kyron42]

The T60 has a sensitivity of 92 dB per milliwatt and you want to boost the power to 1 Watt. That means that you're either deaf already or you have a an urgent need to become deaf.

[@NoThemeReviews]

Not true. Same as your argument that voltage doesn’t affect power output.

[@victordramis6063]

@Kyron You do understand that 92db is not particularly sensitive at 50ohms? You get that right? Just because you plug a headphone into a 1w source doesn't mean you'll go deaf...like...not at all. That's the most absurd thing I've read in a while. If your silly argument was true, we'd have a lot of deaf audiophiles stumbling around, considering nearly every modern amp has well over 1w of power available for low impedance headphones.

[@kyron42]

@@NoThemeReviews so you recommend putting 122 dB into your ears. I don't think that's a good idea.

[@NoThemeReviews]

Usually people use that little wheel thingy called a volume knob. I recommend people use that.

[@kyron42]

@@NoThemeReviews Let's be clear. I said input voltage to an amplifier has no effect on the output power as long as the amplifier has sufficient gain to produce maximum power. It's a pity you don't understand basic science.

[@hectorharris5650]

It’s a bit ugly, but so is the t50

[@Canoneosmiami]

They are ugly looking,who buys ugly headphones?

[@kyron42]

" tried to volume match" did you volume match scientifically or just use your ears.

[@victordramis6063]

I'm sure he used his ears. Like most humans. You ASR lurkers don't, that much we all know.

[@chefsteve8381]

You can use a db meter..

[@kyron42]

@@victordramis6063 so you're saying he's a bit of a cowboy when it comes to comparing different headphones.

[@kyron42]

@@chefsteve8381 yes but needs to have some basic rig to get consistent results across headphones.

[@NoThemeReviews]

Just so we are clear and you have a full grasp of what you’re advocating: you’re saying people’s impression of volume is unreliable-which of course varies from person to person and is reliant upon environment. In that case, nobody should say a thing about comparisons. Ever. A rig would be subject to a number of variations: the sensitivity and reliability of the db meter, placement of the headphones on the rig, the seal of the earpad a around the microphone, the music, and ultimately, yet again, the human ear as you’d still need to check volume yourself. There is no way to reliably and consistency place headphones on a rig exactly the same way, at the very least. And what about the variation of volume/loudness in the tracks? So every time there’s a loudness difference in the testing track, I put the headphones on a rig, then try to match, then listen? That compounds the difficulty of assuring exact placement. Frankly, nobody does comparisons like that. It’s unreasonable.

[@kyron42]

Not many people will take this channel seriously when you don't provide frequency responses.

[@NoThemeReviews]

The EARS isn’t reliable or accurate. So how much money should I throw away at a rig just to appease you? I’m curious to hear how much you’d contribute towards that goal.

[@victordramis6063]

😂 Naw, not many people care. Do you have any idea how much money and time goes into properly measuring headphones or IEMs? Clearly not. And, I have no doubt you'd complain about those graphs if he did get a rig. You're a funny little man. Your posts are cute. Wrong, ridiculous, not grounded in reality, but cute. Go Team ASR!

[@chefsteve8381]

Maybe he doesn't want to become the next crinicle, just because you have a measurement rig, doesn't mean you are a audio demi god as some have made crinicle out to be...

[@taylorbergman9898]

He literally said in this video the graphs are few and far between, and all contradict each other. And, on top of that, people like you would complain about the graphs anyway even if he did have them somehow. Here's a novel idea: why not have ASR and Crin graph headphones, which is all they offer anyway. Since neither of them actually listens to gear or compares stuff, it should be an easy task especially since they ostensibly already have the gear. You're seriously out of touch.

[@epicmike3915]

Last thing we need is another boring headphone show about stupid graphs and no actual talk of what music sounds like. There's plenty of boring ass channels for you to go to.