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Drop + Fostex T-X0 II Planar Magnetic Headphones
01 / 19
Drop + Fostex T-X0 II Planar Magnetic Headphones
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Product Description
How do you like your sound? Our latest Fostex collab, the T-X0 II headphones allow you to tune the sound signature just how you like it—from bass-heavy hip-hop tracks to light classical music.
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4133
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Jun 19, 2019
Pre-Launch Production Review **** (Four Stars)
The beloved Fostex T50RP. Well-known for its use in studios and classrooms as a monitor headphone, it’s more than 30 year running history, the planar magnetic drivers, but perhaps known best for being a popular starting point for modding headphones. Mr Speakers, ZMF, Dekoni, and many others count extensively modded variations of the T50RP as their first headphone product, and now Drop is collaborating with Fostex to make everyone a modder.
Disclamer: Drop offered me and others the chance to review production samples, free of charge. There was no paid incentive for this review or influence to give a positive or negative recommendation. Drop staff were available for answering questions, but essentially that boiled down to price, graphs from Head-Fi delivered over the weekend, and the hope that we would finish writing by the time of the announcement.
Gear used during this review:
FiiO X7 with AM2A amp module
Sony ZX300A
PS Audio Sprout II
Sennheiser HDV 820
Construction
For those that don’t know the Fostex T50RP, it has a “late 80’s” aesthetic, with an exposed wire from ear cup to headband, a thick looped wire for slide-adjusting how far down the earcups rest on the ear, and the ear cups are attached to the headband by a gimbal that allows flexible angling up, down, and back and forth to suit practically any head shape.
The Drop TH-X0 mkII is customized with a thick leather headband suspension strap screwed on (looks like a Torx T10 Security screw, which I don’t have) under the rubber Fostex one. The AKG style suspension strap is a nice addition and a comfort improvement, however I wish the screws were regular Torx in the spirit of encouraging further modding, because while it disperses weight better and provides a welcome alternative to feeling the metal bars (and wires) of the stock headband, I find the comfort about average for $200 headphones. Your mileage may vary, as my balding and narrow crown finds the humorously pants-belt thick strap to still mostly focus the weight along the tallest ridge of my head and I need to adjust its resting position every hour… I’m extra sensitive (I can only wear a V-Moda for about half an hour), and I like to use baby seatbelt strap wraps, or more recently the Dekoni Nuggets which I like to use “HD 650” style with a gap for the tip of my head and a wider area to disperse the weight.
Speaking of weight, at about 390g, it is noticeably heavier than an AKG K7XX or Sennheiser HD 6XX (1.5x the HD 6XX), but not uncomfortably heavy on the head, with the weight distributed fairly well between the springy clamp of the ear cups and a bit less than a third of that pressure on the top of the head.
The cable is a fairly thick, detachable, 1/4” (6.3mm Phone Plug) black cable that is 6.6 feet long (2m). I prefer a meter more for connecting to a home theater from a couch or armchair, and half a meter less for using at a desk, but it’s long enough to use for either purpose. A 1/8” (3.5mm Phone Mini Plug) adapter is included, but this is definitely a headphone that rewards a desktop amp (so the native 1/4” plug makes sense), and if you happen to have a fairly powerful portable (like my FiiO X7) I would highly recommend using a ponytail adapter instead so you don’t have a long and heavy “rod” sticking out and providing a lot of leverage on your headphone jack. The earcup connector is wired in Single Ended configuration, so powerful SE amps are better suited than balanced ones.
Included Mods
Many people just look at pads as objects of comfort… The all “artificial leather” pads are pleasant as sealed pads go, while the hybrid pads have the same artificial leather on the inside and outside but are capped with a velour/velvet material where it faces your face. I believe it’s a protein leather, not Vinyl/Polyurethane (PU), so its more soft and better breathing than cheap “plastic” pads, and while perhaps not as premium as “real” leather it does have a more uniform smooth texture, and seems to be about equal to real leather in retaining heat. I would dare to say I prefer these over cow hide, which would be thicker, hotter, and not as supple. The velour on the hybrid pads is a “thicker carpet” with longer “hairs” than I’ve seen on Sennheiser, AKG, or Dekoni pads, but thankfully not as itchy as Hifiman “focus” pads. However, pads are not just comfort-couplers, and their shape and material makes a small but noticeable effect on sound.
For the purposes of modding, the box includes two sets of pads, and two sets of foam “baffles” to place around the square PM driver opening and behind the pads. These enable four tool-less variations (6 if you don’t use baffles at all, or 12 if you open the ear cups and put the foam rings behind the driver as dampening and an educational introduction to the small changes that add up to a final sound. Most T50RP mods of the past tried to tame the strong treble presence and lift the “studio monitor” flat bass to something more familiar to what we hear from speakers in a room, but the TH-X0 mk II here is based off of the Fostex T50RP mk III which has Fostex’s own developments in tweaking those areas. The hybrid pads are flat, while the all pleather pads are “angled” with the “front” of the pads (with the seam) less tall than the back. Angled pads lead to drivers pointing more directly at your angled ears, which leads to the driver sitting a tad closer to the ear (so more SPL, feels like more volume) and a more “direct” sound because the sound that you feel on the outer parts of your ears and the waves that bounce off of your ears feel more natural (I’m more easily able to perceive soundstage and separation of distance within that soundstage). The flat pads are taller and keep the driver further from your ear, offering a softer impact to the midrange, but the treble (the really high treble, like bells and piccolo) is stronger and may affect those with stronger sensitivities to these regions. The two baffles are the exact same size (with a semi-circle cut-out), but the darker grey one is a denser foam which reflects more waves.
Further mod ideas (beyond the scope of this review to test) to whet your appetite: removing the foam in the ear cups (essentially to make it Open like a T20RP), applying Sticky Tac/BlueTac or Silly Putty to the earcups or into the vents, wedging rolled-up paper towel under the pads (or between the hair filter cloth and the space under the inner face of the pads), applying different materials in front of the drivers… experiment, maybe you’ll invent something new! Also, keep in mind that this headphone will be “quieter” and require a higher turn of the volume dial to sound as loud as more sensitive headphones… a more powerful amp will better be able to sustain the energy of a note beyond the initial impact, leading to a more full-bodied, richer, and more dynamic and realistic sound.
Great! Easy mods! But how do they sound?
With a well-mastered track, and a good amp/DAC, the TH-X0 has a clean, yet rich sound. With the angled artificial leather pads and more dense (darker) foam baffle, the driver sits fairly close to the ear and gives a good emphasis to the mids and treble, so the sound is energetic and detailed. The artificial leather also makes a great seal (increasing the pressure for bass) and reflects some of the sound waves, so the bass also has strength. The bass has some weight to it: a little bit of resonance but not enough to muddy the sound, and it doesn’t overshadow or mask the other regions. Where a stock T50RP mk II might sound overall treble and upper mids-weighted and airy, and a ZMF Vibro might sound a bit dark, or a Dekoni Blue v-shaped (all of these things might suit a particular preference or set of ears), here the TH-X0 with artificial leather and denser baffle has an energetic and musical midrange, well supported by the bass and treble.
Swapping to the Hybrid pads, there is a noticeable drop in the emphasis of some of the mids, creating a slightly more distant and relaxed sound, though listening longer you might notice the higher notes (high-hats, high pitched notes in wind instruments, and the higher order harmonics of instruments) are stronger. Ready to get techy? If you look at the graphs generously supplied by Head-Fi, you might note the hybrid pads have about 5-6 dB more “sound pressure” than the all Artificial Leather pads in the 3kHz-8kHz range, which represents a doubling in “volume,” but it’s not a sharp rise, and remember that our ears are much more sensitive to the midrange (this is referred to the Conchal Bowl, if you want to look it up!) and changes in that region. Also, remember that the upper ranges of these frequencies are approaching “buzzing mosquito” pitches, they aren’t typically notes used as part of a melody, but more often used by our brains to interpret size and direction (because these short wavelengths fade fast over a distance). This might be good if you are seeking to create a sense of a larger soundstage, want a more relaxed sound with intimate songs, or if you are treble fan and you want a more airy sound, but you might want to try the artificial leather pads if you are sensitive to sibilants.
Finally, the foam baffles offer subtle refinements of your favorite pad. Placed in front of the driver and under the pads (where they come stock), the lowest lows and highest highs will be less emphasized with the lighter density (and lighter gray) foam, leaving the midrange a little more present. Meanwhile using no baffle makes a VERY significant difference, droping a significant amount of lower mids and bass energy. I’m not using a graphing tool here, but listening to “Weird Fishes/Arpeggi” by Radiohead without the baffles almost completely removes the kick drums from the song! I could see experimenting with baffle materials could make significant differences to the midrange and bass.
TL;DR
Overall, the TH-0X comes stock as a fairly balanced do-all headphone out of the box, and encourages a little light experimentation with the easy included mods that take less than a minute to test out. As just a listening headphone, it is highly capable and suits most genres, and there is much to appreciate in Fostex’s design expertise. This is most likely a home headphone due to the not-quite-smartphone-friendly hunger for power, though the all black looks and unique “exposed” design might get the nod from people that appreciate function over fashion. I think the thick leather “comfort strap” is hard and does not live up to its name, but otherwise the headphone feels good and I actually like the artificial leather pads. However, the beauty of encouraging mods is that the user can take this solid starting point and tweak the sound to their preference, and possibly bring more people into appreciating headphone design.
(Edited)
Overview - The Good and The Bad
These very affordable entry level planar magnetic headphones are a stellar deal with huge bang-for-your-buck. Overall these are a very solid 4/5.
Included in the box:
"A Modders Delight"....and what this actually means for you. You'll see/hear this pasted all over the place with these headphones. "A modders delight." What does this mean? Well, really two major points. It means you have quite a few options (included in the box and even more aftermarket) to tune these headphones to your personal taste, and it also speaks to the out-of-the-box audio and build quality. Do you have to mod these to sound good? Absolutely not. Are the mods difficult to do? Not in the slightest, no tools are even required for the out-of-the-box options, making it easy for anyone to quickly change up the options and test out the included mods. The out of the box options are actually surprisingly impactful on the overall sound. I ended up liking the artificial leather pads with the lighter foam the most. The bass wasn't exaggerated or overwhelming, and the highs came through very clearly, giving one of the flatter response options. I could definitley tell the bass got a decent boost with the hybrid pads, and the heavier foam did cut treble a noticeable bit as well. For certain styles of music I did really enjoy some of the other options and have modded my original pair with the hybrid pads and heavier foam to give me even further options. One great thing that comes out of toying around with modifying these headphones, if you have never done anything of the sort before, is that you start to learn a bit of theory behind what actually affects the sound of headphones. This information will not only help you to continue to tune the T-X0's to your liking, but will also help you know what you want to look for when purchasing headphones in the future. Sound Like most planar headphones, the soundstage isn't going to be massive. The imaging is above average though. The flatter response made these pair quite well with tube amps, and allowed the color the tubes added to really shine. The bass is not overwhelming, certainly not overly exaggerated. It is more present than say the 6XX's, and plays quite nicely with bass heavy music. The neutral and relatively flat mids were enjoyable pretty much throughout with all genres of music. The treble is not overly sparkly and present, but this also helps make them comfortable over extended sessions. There is still enough airiness to bring out more intricate details in recordings that were mastered well - a finger slipping on a guitar string, the breath between a blow on a saxaphone, a brush lightly swirling around on a snare drum. Again, overall these are rather flat and overall that is something that I am rather fond of. If the modifications don't tune these exactly how you want, they do take to EQ quite well. I used a 482i Sonic Maximizer for some instances and that alone really brought out the bass and treble when I wanted/needed it in a very pleasing way. Sunn 0))) rubmled and my hammered dulcimer music sparkled and came to life. Quality and Comfort The T-X0's have a light clamp, are not exceptionally heavy, and are extremely comfortable. I enjoyed the hybrid pads best on a comfort level. Build quality is excellent. The metal adjustment bar is extremely sturdy, and the leather headband strap is a substantial peice of leather. The actual plastic body of the headphones is good quality and overall nothing struck me as a weak point that would wear out with normal use. It is worth mentioning that the headphone cable is a locking T series connection, so if you have to replace the cable you can but will just have limited options. The included 1/4 to 3.5mm adapter Summary Overall, I think these are pretty much a no-brainer for the $180 asking price. You get a very solid entry into magnetic planar audiophile grade headphones at a very low price. You are provided with more than enough options to further dial in the sound to your liking that don't require any prior knowledge to modifiying or tuning headphones. They play nice with lower powered amps, but really shine with higher powered ones. I would put these in my recommended/highly recommended line of heaphones.
- T-X0 II PLanar Magnetic Headphones
- Locking T series angled cable
- 1/4 to 3.5mm adapter
- Artificial Leather Pads
- Hybrid Pads
- Heavy Damping foam
- Light Damping Foam
- Fiio X5 III
- Fiio A5 amp
- Pro-Ject Debut Esprit
- Ortofon 2M Bronze
- Schiit Valhalla 2
- Sprout II
- lossless audio with a few lower quality tracks for comparison of detail (Pet Sounds is my go to A/B for lossy/lossless)
"A Modders Delight"....and what this actually means for you. You'll see/hear this pasted all over the place with these headphones. "A modders delight." What does this mean? Well, really two major points. It means you have quite a few options (included in the box and even more aftermarket) to tune these headphones to your personal taste, and it also speaks to the out-of-the-box audio and build quality. Do you have to mod these to sound good? Absolutely not. Are the mods difficult to do? Not in the slightest, no tools are even required for the out-of-the-box options, making it easy for anyone to quickly change up the options and test out the included mods. The out of the box options are actually surprisingly impactful on the overall sound. I ended up liking the artificial leather pads with the lighter foam the most. The bass wasn't exaggerated or overwhelming, and the highs came through very clearly, giving one of the flatter response options. I could definitley tell the bass got a decent boost with the hybrid pads, and the heavier foam did cut treble a noticeable bit as well. For certain styles of music I did really enjoy some of the other options and have modded my original pair with the hybrid pads and heavier foam to give me even further options. One great thing that comes out of toying around with modifying these headphones, if you have never done anything of the sort before, is that you start to learn a bit of theory behind what actually affects the sound of headphones. This information will not only help you to continue to tune the T-X0's to your liking, but will also help you know what you want to look for when purchasing headphones in the future. Sound Like most planar headphones, the soundstage isn't going to be massive. The imaging is above average though. The flatter response made these pair quite well with tube amps, and allowed the color the tubes added to really shine. The bass is not overwhelming, certainly not overly exaggerated. It is more present than say the 6XX's, and plays quite nicely with bass heavy music. The neutral and relatively flat mids were enjoyable pretty much throughout with all genres of music. The treble is not overly sparkly and present, but this also helps make them comfortable over extended sessions. There is still enough airiness to bring out more intricate details in recordings that were mastered well - a finger slipping on a guitar string, the breath between a blow on a saxaphone, a brush lightly swirling around on a snare drum. Again, overall these are rather flat and overall that is something that I am rather fond of. If the modifications don't tune these exactly how you want, they do take to EQ quite well. I used a 482i Sonic Maximizer for some instances and that alone really brought out the bass and treble when I wanted/needed it in a very pleasing way. Sunn 0))) rubmled and my hammered dulcimer music sparkled and came to life. Quality and Comfort The T-X0's have a light clamp, are not exceptionally heavy, and are extremely comfortable. I enjoyed the hybrid pads best on a comfort level. Build quality is excellent. The metal adjustment bar is extremely sturdy, and the leather headband strap is a substantial peice of leather. The actual plastic body of the headphones is good quality and overall nothing struck me as a weak point that would wear out with normal use. It is worth mentioning that the headphone cable is a locking T series connection, so if you have to replace the cable you can but will just have limited options. The included 1/4 to 3.5mm adapter Summary Overall, I think these are pretty much a no-brainer for the $180 asking price. You get a very solid entry into magnetic planar audiophile grade headphones at a very low price. You are provided with more than enough options to further dial in the sound to your liking that don't require any prior knowledge to modifiying or tuning headphones. They play nice with lower powered amps, but really shine with higher powered ones. I would put these in my recommended/highly recommended line of heaphones.
(Edited)
LuffyFiasco
1
Jul 29, 2019
Hey, thanks for the feedback/input. Yes, I do get decent volume on the HE4XX, which cannot be driven by my LGV30 phone. I think you are right, ES100 works better for most iems, I currently use it with moondrop kanas for my daily train commute. Unfortunately/Fortunately,I didn't jump on the pre-order. Thanks again for the feedback.
ElectronicVices
2940
Jul 29, 2019
LuffyFiascoYou are most welcome, the LG V series are great with a lot of cans but they don't handle planars well (due to the combination of low impedance and current needs). I don't like my V20 with the HE500, Sine or T-X0 II as none of them trigger the high out put mode.
dBel84
20
Jun 18, 2019
ad hoc review of sample sent out by the kind folk at DROP
I give this 5 stars for effort and delivering excellence to the masses
I am fairly familiar with many various iterations of the TP50RP, from the early modding of the Thunderpants through the MadDogs and many other "small batch" versions of these legendary headphones. I would be remiss not to mention that I actively modified these headphones for myself and others in the early days of the orthodynamic resurgence. When Christian and Duncan mentioned that a newer iteration of the T-X0 was in the making, my interest was immediately piqued. Not because I think that these headphones are underappreciated giant killers but because I know they can be. Fostex designed an excellent driver for the T50RP and from a technological perspective, they still overshadow many of the new comers who are trying to implement this technology.
I own the original T-X0 and use them for casual listening in my office. Before the T-X0II arrived, I thought to familiarize myself with all the subtle aspects of the headphone and thus when the box arrived from Drop, I expected to hear a slightly tuned version of the same headphone. What I was not expecting was the dramatic difference that I experienced. It was akin to the first time I heard the Paradox (imho, the best ever implementation of the T50RP mods. BUT it is custom modified unit by unit and comes at a price premium~ $600+) - quick, detailed, yet not sterile and a good bass presence without being overbearing. AB'ing the 2 I could easily discern which was which and I really liked what the new iteration brought to the table. The very slight "plastic" tonal sense was gone - mids were slightly elevated to seem to be floating in their own space, no major left / right dominance but not the complete disappearance that occurs in the Paradox. Bass notes are very present, more formed and focused with the solid pads in comparison to the velour pads which tend to emphasize the bottom end a little. (bassheads will find more synergy here)
Over the past week, I have listened to numerous genres and there is no real failure, the fast transient response of the driver enables it to cope with the most complex of musical passages and the planar midrange gives a sense of realism to vocals and wood instruments that have to be heard to be appreciated. Microdetails can be appreciated and the dynamic range of the headphone reproduction covers all normal music. Highs are light and airy, mids offer realistic presence and bass is tight and detailed without bleeding into the lower mids. I did not appreciate any sibilance and listened to tracks that I knew could get hot. Perhaps this is a sign of my not being 20 anymore but for my ears, they presented a very pleasing and engaging sound.
The one limitation for me is it's headstage - not closed in but not comparable to open headphones which in turn cannot hold a candle to decent 2 channel set up. For a mostly closed headphone, offering some isolation, they are truly superb.
I honestly didn't think a mass-produced version of the T50RP could be improved beyond the original T-X0 but I am humbled by the improved sonic characteristics of the T-X0II. Forget the "it is good value for money", it is good, in fact it is exceptional regardless of the cost. I mentioned to Christian that they reminded me of an early positive audio experience; the first time I ever heard the BBC LS3/5a monitors driven by NAIM front end. Some auditory memories live on forever and the sound reproduction from the T-X0II brought this memory flooding back.
Hop on board the hype train, you won't regret this one.
..dB
Pinkyusaf
185
Jun 25, 2019
no it was literally just a question on whats the meaning of thar saying as it's literally the first time i heard it
ElectronicVices
2940
Jun 18, 2019
Overall Rating: 4/5 Stars
Summary
Pros:
In box tuning options actually impact sound
Reasonably comfortable for longer sessions
Works well across variety of music and movie genres
Great platform for additional modding/tweaks
Cons:
Needs power
Single-ended, balanced would add more portable options
Fit/pads may not work for some
Not optimal for gaming
Bottom Line:
Good for those wanting a reasonable entry into planar technology or to dabble in headphone modding on a highly supported platform. Small niggles in design, amping and sound preventing a perfect score.
Packaging/Accessories
My T-X0ii came in a plain white box with the only exterior markings being the serial number but this a review unit. I've seen the production packaging and it looks to be a fairly standard box with graphic + specs affair. No presentation box or storage pouches are included but that's not out of the norm at this price point. A generic 6.3mm to 3.5mm adapter is included but I do prefer the Sennheiser style adapter with a bit of cabling to relieve pressure on the jack. My only issue was a slight blemish on the left cup where the screw in the comfort strap rubbed the cup during transit. The production packaging may wholly alleviate this concern. Two sets of pads, an angled protein leather and "flat" hybrid, are included. Drop also includes two sets of foam tuning disks that slot in between the pads and the drivers. My pair came with the angled pads + denser foam discs installed. The cable appears to be a pretty standard SE cable with the locking Fostex T series connector on the headphone side and 3.5mm TRS connector.
Build/Comfort/Aesthetics/Isolation
I've been tossing them in my bag and hauling them between work and home for the last couple weeks, no issues thus far. The T50rp has been an industry workhorse for years, I don't have any concerns over the general durability.
Hybrid pads are the more comfortable of the two pairs. It offers additional space between the drivers and your ears as well better foam padding. Angled pads work well for me but may be a tad small for those with larger ears. Overall the comfort is pretty solid, I've been able to wear these for 3-6 hours without any comfort issues(no time for a marathon session yet). I do feel the headband strap could be softer as it doesn't quite conform to my head contour as much as I would like. They also have a tendency to slide a bit when leaning forward, not a big issue but worth mentioning.
I'm not one for "flashy" headphones and the matte black colorway suits me just fine. The lack of the stock t50's orange accents and white lettering is a welcome change. The only branding on these is on the interior strap, Drop appears on left side with Fostex T-X0 II on the right.
My coworkers had no complaints at my normal listening volume and some noise blocking is present. If you are looking for complete isolation, these are not the cans you are looking for.
In the Box Tuning Options
The default tuning of denser foam + PL angled pads was enjoyable straight from the box. The soundstage and imaging were what I anticipated for a semi-closed planar. The bass was decently extended if a little light on impact. The bass tightened up a bit over the next couple of days and the mid-range came a bit more forward which was an initial complaint straight out of the box. No major changes were noticed after 10 hours or so.
I next switched to the same pads but lighter foam. This was more like what I was looking for, the bass came down a shade, firmed up even more and the whole frequency response sounded more linear. I then took the foam out all together and listened for about 30 minutes, yeah this wasn't really enjoyable but it certainly illustrated what difference a bit of foam in the right place can make.
Now on to the hybrid pads with lighter foam (since it was preferable to me on the PL pads). This combination was pretty enjoyable, guitars had more bite, the bass went up a notch but lost some of its clarity/impact. Then I started to listen to some vocal tracks and the sibilance smacked me hard. I'm not overly sensitive to sibilance but I hit enough problem tracks to scratch this one off as a possible favorite.
Next up I swapped in the denser foam with the hybrid pads. This combination seemed less sibilant but the bass was also the greatest quantity of any pairing. It wasn't the tightest bass either. I could see this option being a bit polarizing. Those who like it's specific W sound profile could get a lot of enjoyment out of this pairing and certain tracks. I tend to value impact and control in the bass over quantity. The sibilance region was still a bit hot for me so I settled in to the PL + lighter foam for the remainder of my review period.
Sound Impressions (PL + LF unless noted)
Bass
These have a bass peak at 60ish Hz that adds emphasis but strays from bleeding into the lower mids. The bass to mid transition is pretty linear considering the amplitude of the peak. The impact and transients are well done, especially when paired with the iHA-6 on high current mode. I am a bit of an extension junky and these roll off a shade sooner than I would like (most headphones do for me). It's a minor quibble and these respond quite well to an extra db or two in the lower sub bass. The bass tuning works well with a variety of material and should satisfy most listeners. These run the north of neutral in the bass region, especially with some of the tuning options available.
Mids
Generally speaking I found the midrange response to work well with most genres and recordings. It's not perfectly linear and as such some tracks sound a little more forward/recessed than they should. It's never overdone or grating and more tracks sound accurate than not. The resolution and clarity in the vocal range is quite respectable at this price point. I enjoy a variety of genres and all work well with the angled/lighter foam combination. Acoustic strings have nice texture and instrument separation is above par. Vocals are a strength for the planar headphones I've tested, including this one.
Treble
I don't have much love nor hate for the treble on these. It's a touch hot in 4-8kHz for my tastes with the hybrid pads. I have no such issue on the PL pads but they do roll-off fairly quickly after a peak around 10khz. I would like a touch more extension/linearity but overall it gets the job done.
Response to EQ
I'm not a big proponent of EQ but I'm also not against it. I tend to use it sparingly to adjust peaks or roll-off. Most of my time was spent sans EQ but when I did adjust it in JRiver I added +2db at 35Hz and cut 4-8kHz by 2db. This yielded some improvement but I would need more time to settle on the adjustments. If EQ is your thing these should respond just fine.
Imaging/Soundstage
I've never found a planar with an especially large soundstage. I do feel they generally excel at soundstage depth, imaging and a three-dimensional presentation. With my preferred combination (angled pads + light density foam) the presentation is very cohesive with good height/depth and decent width for a semi-closed design. The hybrid pads expand the soundstage width but it develops gaps/creates clusters in the instrument placement. The cohesive "wall of sound" of presentation of the PL pads is my preference. The Lyr brought out the best of the soundstage and 3-dimensionality, but these tubes tend to have that effect on other cans as well.
Quick Comparisons
Audeze Sine
I don't have much in-house competition to this style and price of headphone. I briefly compared it to my Audeze Sine as that gets duty at work, a use which the T-X0ii also fits. The Audeze was a more forward presentation with a more linear response from the bass through the lower treble. The soundstage was smaller and not quite as deep on the Audeze. Comfort was easily in favor of the Fostex. Fostex has a slight lead in perceived bass extension and a greater bass presence, the Audeze does present more control in the region. The Sine was more classic reference aimed while the Fostex added a bit more flavor/fun to the source. The Fostex will continue to see work duty due to comfort and balance of ambient awareness/isolation.
HD650/6xx
Very briefly compared the T-X0ii to my HD650 as they now fall in a similar price class on Drop. Better bass extension and more forward presentation on the Fostex. I prefer the imaging/instrument separation on the Fostex but there is still something special to the Sennheiser classic. Pop, EDM, Hip-Hop/Rap go Fostex, Acoustic, Orchestral, Jazz go Sennheiser. Rock could go either/both ways depending on your specific tastes.
Amp/Source Pairing
These are not going to work well with many portable sources, planars like as much current as you can throw at them. Having said that I did spend the first several hours of my time with the T-X0ii using my V20 as a source. The T-X0ii didn't trigger high impedance mode so I was missing out on the 2V output (yes you can trick this option but portable really isn't the niche for these). Bass lacked impact and I had to run them at near max output. Like the Sine, this headphone isn't an ideal pairing for the V20.
After my phone I decided to test the HP out of my Marantz receiver as another budget option for these. While this had sufficient power I found it to be a bit bass emphasized and warmer than I like. Receivers aren't a bad option for planar/ortho headphones as they can typically deliver decent current and the almost universally high OI doesn't matter for this driver type.
I next tried the Fostex on my Lyr + Marantz as source and really liked what it did to the soundstage. These tubes have a nice bottom end but it isn't the tightest and didn't help the soft bass presentation with dense foams. More than enough power, better bass impact/control than either previous combos, still not tight enough for me but I didn't circle back after settling on the PL+lighter foam combo.
Last up was the Cayin iHA-6 with Marantz/TEAC as sources. The Cayin was ran in high current mode which lowers the overall wattage output while "enhancing current delivery". Whatever they are doing with that button it does squat for 9/10 of my headphones. The exceptions being all three planars sound fuller and the Elex sounds thinner (other dynamics show no change). This is by far my preferred amp for the T-X0ii but we aren't talking a proportional increase in performance over my work chain of Dragonfly 1.2 to Massdrop O2 (Original ver.). Any headphone amp of roughly 1 watt into 32 ohms should do just fine. If these were balanced (I may get them converted) I could tap into the 5 watt, high current mode on the Cayin and compare further. I also think balanced would take advantage of the more powerful 2.5/4.4 outputs on modern portables.
An amp is needed for these, Mobo and phone users be warned.
Modding
I've spent most of my time playing with the default options but fully plan to explore additional pads and tweaks as I go. I see some blu-tack in my near future. A certain mod purveyor offers a balanced option for these headphones as well as a reduced price for their tuning conversion due to the TX-0 already including the comfort strap. If you don't feel comfortable modding these yourself there are definitely reasonable sources for additional tweaking beyond the in-box options.
Conclusion
I think the T-X0ii represents a solid value for someone looking to get into planar magnetic headphones and has a need for some isolation/noise blocking. It is also a good match for those looking to get into modding or having a pair modified. The T50 has been a staple of the headphone modding community for many years. As someone who seriously considered various pairs/iterations of Mr. Speakers Mad Dog modified T50's I'm glad I finally got the chance to audition a modified T50 in my own system. The included mods will accommodate a greater variation of sound preferences and are a nice introduction to the effects mods can have. I have not listened to the first iteration of this collaboration but based on my time with the current release and what I do know about the reception of the previous gen, it should be a notable improvement.
Additional Details:
The T-X0ii was provided free of charge for the purpose of this review.
Gear Used:
LG V20, Marantz SR6012 Receiver, TEAC UD-501, Dragonfly 1.2
Lyr w/Phillips MiniWatt SQ tubes, Cayin iHA-6, Massdrop O2 (Orig. Version)
Test Sources/Tracks:
Tidal HiFi & Master up to 96kHz, Spotify, various lossy, lossless and hi-res formats via JRiver
JanJanSax
0
Jul 10, 2019
ElectronicVicesHow much sound do they leak?
You said your coworkers didn't complain. Would it bother someone sitting right next to you on a bus for many hours (who is trying to sleep)?
ElectronicVices
2940
Jul 11, 2019
JanJanSaxI think in that scenario it might leak a tad too much unless you normally listen at low levels. It would also let quite a bit of sound in. When it comes to public transport I recommend fully closed pairs or IEM's sans venting.
jaydunndiddit
3263
Jun 18, 2019
Disclaimer: The Fostex T-X0 II were sent to me as a sample for the purpose of this review. Kudos to Drop for the opportunity to check these out.
The Good - Great entry point to planar headphones. Great starting point for modding and customizing. Additional damping material in cups behind driver (a good bit). Low distortion overall. Lightweight with a low clamp. Pad options and tuning foam. Very large differences between pad and foam combinations. Good detail retrieval. Good dynamic separation of micro details. Hybrid pads are super comfy. Bass is relatively tight & punchy. Capable of a sound profile for anyone -- linear, V-shaped, U-shaped, etc. The Meh - Lows lack real grunt and impact (without more serious mods). Semi-closed, so they leak a fair bit and do not isolate so well. The upper mids and treble throughout is emphasized; for better or worse (it’s the worst with the hybrid pads). Pads are a nuisance to swap due to how they mount. Headband strap is quite stiff. Headphones tend to shift constantly due to low clamp. Protein leather pads put ears too close to drivers (for me). Power hungry, so a capable amp is mandatory. Unforgiving of poorly recorded tracks. Stock cable terminating to 6.35mm. Provided 6.35 mm to 3.5mm adapter (compared to Sennheiser adapter). The Ugly - Unforgiving of poor, overly compressed recordings (seriously). No matter the pad/foam combo, there is always some degree of sibilance. Highs can get hot on some tracks, just too sizzly on vocals and cymbals. Stock cable and locking mechanism. No option of balanced wiring (stock). Some cup resonance on very bass heavy songs. Needs mods for true potential/max benefit -- this is just a caveat for those not really into experimenting and modding. Build, Fit, & Finish If you’re familiar with any of the Tx0RP family, you know what to expect here as little has changed. The baffle and driver housing appear to be from the mk3. And the angled pads are similar to those on the T60RP. The headphone itself is almost entirely made of (durable) plastics. The sliders on the cups are metal. The headband is made of a thick, semi-flexible rubber with “FOSTEX” stamped in big, prominent letters. The comfort strap is made of a thick slab of leather. There are logo imprints on the left and right of the strap that reads, “DROP” and “FOSTEX T-X0 II,” respectively. The T-X0 sport a nice blacked-out paint job with the brown leather strap adding a welcomed pop of color. The cable is also black and little over 6’ long. Not terribly thick and pliable enough to not kink. Cable is “proprietary” due to the locking mechanism on the angled jack. The cable isn’t microphonic at all, so that’s always a plus. Sadly, these headphones are not balanced-capable like the T60RP without some rewiring. It’s not the end of the world, but I won’t lie that I wish it were offered here. Two sets of pads and tuning foam inserts are provided. One pair is made of protein leather and a firmer memory foam, are shorter overall, and angled. The other is a pair of hybrid’s made of a taller protein leather outer, fenestrated inner, and velour on the top of the pad. Being taller, the hybrid’s move the driver further away from the ear. They also have a larger oval shaped opening compared to the angled pads and feel more comfortable over long sessions. Both feel nice on the skin and breathe surprisingly well. I have larger ears and just prefer the hybrid’s due to their larger opening and distance from the driver (tops of my ears rub). The headphones themselves have a wonderfully peculiar and retro look. You either love or hate their aesthetic but can’t deny their look is definitely unique. I personally think this adds to their charm and in/famous history. However, I do wish in base form they looked more premium as they are entirely made of various plastics. This does lend to their very light weight, low clamp, and longtime comfort. And they do feel quite durable despite their low weight and plastics. The sliders feel good and have enough resistance. Most importantly, they hold position and don’t budge from movements. No creaks, pops, groans, etc. from the cups or sliders from my extended use, either. Portability & Isolation Pretty poor on both fronts if you’re intending to use these as a traditional closed back. Due to them being semi-closed, they leak a fair bit at an arm’s length away. They also don’t isolate the best, so typical office conversations and noises interrupt your listening. They offer very little in keeping outside noise out. They also like a good amount of power. These are going to offer a very limited experience when being powered from a cell phone or laptop compared to a desktop amp. While not mandatory, I think it is highly beneficial to the overall enjoyment of this headphone. Given that these are truly best used at home, I don’t think will be an issue for most unless you have a beefy portable amp. Equipment Used At work, an iFi xDSD paired to a Fiio A5 was used via USB into my laptop running Spotify. At home, a THX AAA 789 paired to an SMSL SU-8 (balanced interconnects) connected to my phone or laptop via USB running Spotify and ripped FLAC files. Listening Preferences My taste is pretty eclectic and all over the place, but this is a rough idea of what I listened to with the T-X0: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6dhI64BEeqQIdFlcodklma . Sound Just to note, I preferred the hybrid pads with the lighter foam. The only mod I applied (and kept) was using 2-pieces of tissue over the driver (to tame the sibilance). With that issue resolved, I thoroughly enjoyed the more gentle W-shaped response. Lows - Rolled off a bit in the sub bass region. Smooth overall and boosted just enough. Not a lot of rumble and impact, more boom and punch. Fast and clean, otherwise. Drums have enough pop and guitars have plenty of body. Vocals sound full. Most will be pleased. Bassheads will need to apply mods to get their desired level of bass without mud and bloat. Mids - Pretty smooth through here overall until the rise in the upper mids. I find them just forward enough with the vocals as nothing sounds recessed or too laid back. They just jump out at you and sound full and well textured. With that rise in the upper mids, we start to get a sharp edge to some vocals and instruments. Depending on the track, it walks a fine line between a tasteful coloration vs. annoying sibilance. I prefer a little edge in general but think it fits well with the performance of the T-X0. For me, it’s just enough coloration to round out the overall sound presented here. Brass sound bright and energetic, strings whine and have plenty of twang. Highs - Boosted. They can get hot and some artists will sound as if they’re literally throwing bacon into a skillet. Just excessive sibilance. After putting some kleenex over the driver, it tamed the sibilance by about 95% without murdering all the other details. The treble is also smooth, just relatively bright overall. I feel there is a greater sense of air and space around everything with the hybrid pads and gives the sound a more open presentation. Cymbals have enough sizzle and glare to sound intense without coming off as overpowering and artificial. Triangles can sound pretty intense on some tracks. Soundstage & Imaging Their soundstage is average. They’re not big sounding but they’re also not claustrophobic. They sound somewhat boxy and flat. Not a great sense of height or depth. A much more intimate, up-close presentation. However, there are a lot of details confined within this space that these drivers are able to bring out. They’re pretty dynamic and pull details out of nowhere and place them in front of you with ease. They sound very clean and will make any imperfections in a track known (for better or worse). Everything is present if you listen hard enough and they can really sport their level of resolution when setup properly. Unfortunately, the flat stage leads to things getting lost on more complicated pieces as everything just gets a bit congested. Panning left to right is excellent and helps give some life to room acoustics and effects. The cups are otherwise pretty well damped, so you shouldn’t experience any ringing or cup resonance. Value and Conclusion I think this is one of the best “base” offerings for the Tx0RP family and those wanting to dip their toe into what the planar sound is. These headphones are a gateway drug. Affordable, comfortable, moddable to taste, and they’re genre agnostic. They have a very dynamic sound and have good detail retrieval but do battle with sibilance and sharpness due to the boost up top. Once tamed a bit, I enjoy the coloration here but others may not. That’s the joy of this headphone is making its sound yours. The plethora of guides out there on the web should be a strong enough indicator of that. Now, with customization options and mods, it makes it somewhat hard to review these headphones. For me, my score is indicative of the inherit abilities of the driver and the options at hand while tuning them to a more preferred signature to my ears. I think that even in their base form, this headphone is quite capable of more if you’re willing to tinker and experiment a bit. This is one of the few headphones that’s such a great entry to modifying headphones and learning about sound signatures and what appeals to you. The process brings you closer to the music and how you listen as you tinker and craft until you get to your “perfected” signature. I enjoy that process as it has given me a better appreciation of what I enjoy and loathe in a sound signature. This is a really fun headphone. They may not be as wide, or linear, or resolving, or all encompassing as some others, but they can still deliver a high level of resolution with a low distortion and have fast, punchy bass. Flat out, they sound good in any configuration. Even more so once dialed in perfectly to your ears and tonal preferences. Rating: 4/5 (once modded to taste)
The Good - Great entry point to planar headphones. Great starting point for modding and customizing. Additional damping material in cups behind driver (a good bit). Low distortion overall. Lightweight with a low clamp. Pad options and tuning foam. Very large differences between pad and foam combinations. Good detail retrieval. Good dynamic separation of micro details. Hybrid pads are super comfy. Bass is relatively tight & punchy. Capable of a sound profile for anyone -- linear, V-shaped, U-shaped, etc. The Meh - Lows lack real grunt and impact (without more serious mods). Semi-closed, so they leak a fair bit and do not isolate so well. The upper mids and treble throughout is emphasized; for better or worse (it’s the worst with the hybrid pads). Pads are a nuisance to swap due to how they mount. Headband strap is quite stiff. Headphones tend to shift constantly due to low clamp. Protein leather pads put ears too close to drivers (for me). Power hungry, so a capable amp is mandatory. Unforgiving of poorly recorded tracks. Stock cable terminating to 6.35mm. Provided 6.35 mm to 3.5mm adapter (compared to Sennheiser adapter). The Ugly - Unforgiving of poor, overly compressed recordings (seriously). No matter the pad/foam combo, there is always some degree of sibilance. Highs can get hot on some tracks, just too sizzly on vocals and cymbals. Stock cable and locking mechanism. No option of balanced wiring (stock). Some cup resonance on very bass heavy songs. Needs mods for true potential/max benefit -- this is just a caveat for those not really into experimenting and modding. Build, Fit, & Finish If you’re familiar with any of the Tx0RP family, you know what to expect here as little has changed. The baffle and driver housing appear to be from the mk3. And the angled pads are similar to those on the T60RP. The headphone itself is almost entirely made of (durable) plastics. The sliders on the cups are metal. The headband is made of a thick, semi-flexible rubber with “FOSTEX” stamped in big, prominent letters. The comfort strap is made of a thick slab of leather. There are logo imprints on the left and right of the strap that reads, “DROP” and “FOSTEX T-X0 II,” respectively. The T-X0 sport a nice blacked-out paint job with the brown leather strap adding a welcomed pop of color. The cable is also black and little over 6’ long. Not terribly thick and pliable enough to not kink. Cable is “proprietary” due to the locking mechanism on the angled jack. The cable isn’t microphonic at all, so that’s always a plus. Sadly, these headphones are not balanced-capable like the T60RP without some rewiring. It’s not the end of the world, but I won’t lie that I wish it were offered here. Two sets of pads and tuning foam inserts are provided. One pair is made of protein leather and a firmer memory foam, are shorter overall, and angled. The other is a pair of hybrid’s made of a taller protein leather outer, fenestrated inner, and velour on the top of the pad. Being taller, the hybrid’s move the driver further away from the ear. They also have a larger oval shaped opening compared to the angled pads and feel more comfortable over long sessions. Both feel nice on the skin and breathe surprisingly well. I have larger ears and just prefer the hybrid’s due to their larger opening and distance from the driver (tops of my ears rub). The headphones themselves have a wonderfully peculiar and retro look. You either love or hate their aesthetic but can’t deny their look is definitely unique. I personally think this adds to their charm and in/famous history. However, I do wish in base form they looked more premium as they are entirely made of various plastics. This does lend to their very light weight, low clamp, and longtime comfort. And they do feel quite durable despite their low weight and plastics. The sliders feel good and have enough resistance. Most importantly, they hold position and don’t budge from movements. No creaks, pops, groans, etc. from the cups or sliders from my extended use, either. Portability & Isolation Pretty poor on both fronts if you’re intending to use these as a traditional closed back. Due to them being semi-closed, they leak a fair bit at an arm’s length away. They also don’t isolate the best, so typical office conversations and noises interrupt your listening. They offer very little in keeping outside noise out. They also like a good amount of power. These are going to offer a very limited experience when being powered from a cell phone or laptop compared to a desktop amp. While not mandatory, I think it is highly beneficial to the overall enjoyment of this headphone. Given that these are truly best used at home, I don’t think will be an issue for most unless you have a beefy portable amp. Equipment Used At work, an iFi xDSD paired to a Fiio A5 was used via USB into my laptop running Spotify. At home, a THX AAA 789 paired to an SMSL SU-8 (balanced interconnects) connected to my phone or laptop via USB running Spotify and ripped FLAC files. Listening Preferences My taste is pretty eclectic and all over the place, but this is a rough idea of what I listened to with the T-X0: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6dhI64BEeqQIdFlcodklma . Sound Just to note, I preferred the hybrid pads with the lighter foam. The only mod I applied (and kept) was using 2-pieces of tissue over the driver (to tame the sibilance). With that issue resolved, I thoroughly enjoyed the more gentle W-shaped response. Lows - Rolled off a bit in the sub bass region. Smooth overall and boosted just enough. Not a lot of rumble and impact, more boom and punch. Fast and clean, otherwise. Drums have enough pop and guitars have plenty of body. Vocals sound full. Most will be pleased. Bassheads will need to apply mods to get their desired level of bass without mud and bloat. Mids - Pretty smooth through here overall until the rise in the upper mids. I find them just forward enough with the vocals as nothing sounds recessed or too laid back. They just jump out at you and sound full and well textured. With that rise in the upper mids, we start to get a sharp edge to some vocals and instruments. Depending on the track, it walks a fine line between a tasteful coloration vs. annoying sibilance. I prefer a little edge in general but think it fits well with the performance of the T-X0. For me, it’s just enough coloration to round out the overall sound presented here. Brass sound bright and energetic, strings whine and have plenty of twang. Highs - Boosted. They can get hot and some artists will sound as if they’re literally throwing bacon into a skillet. Just excessive sibilance. After putting some kleenex over the driver, it tamed the sibilance by about 95% without murdering all the other details. The treble is also smooth, just relatively bright overall. I feel there is a greater sense of air and space around everything with the hybrid pads and gives the sound a more open presentation. Cymbals have enough sizzle and glare to sound intense without coming off as overpowering and artificial. Triangles can sound pretty intense on some tracks. Soundstage & Imaging Their soundstage is average. They’re not big sounding but they’re also not claustrophobic. They sound somewhat boxy and flat. Not a great sense of height or depth. A much more intimate, up-close presentation. However, there are a lot of details confined within this space that these drivers are able to bring out. They’re pretty dynamic and pull details out of nowhere and place them in front of you with ease. They sound very clean and will make any imperfections in a track known (for better or worse). Everything is present if you listen hard enough and they can really sport their level of resolution when setup properly. Unfortunately, the flat stage leads to things getting lost on more complicated pieces as everything just gets a bit congested. Panning left to right is excellent and helps give some life to room acoustics and effects. The cups are otherwise pretty well damped, so you shouldn’t experience any ringing or cup resonance. Value and Conclusion I think this is one of the best “base” offerings for the Tx0RP family and those wanting to dip their toe into what the planar sound is. These headphones are a gateway drug. Affordable, comfortable, moddable to taste, and they’re genre agnostic. They have a very dynamic sound and have good detail retrieval but do battle with sibilance and sharpness due to the boost up top. Once tamed a bit, I enjoy the coloration here but others may not. That’s the joy of this headphone is making its sound yours. The plethora of guides out there on the web should be a strong enough indicator of that. Now, with customization options and mods, it makes it somewhat hard to review these headphones. For me, my score is indicative of the inherit abilities of the driver and the options at hand while tuning them to a more preferred signature to my ears. I think that even in their base form, this headphone is quite capable of more if you’re willing to tinker and experiment a bit. This is one of the few headphones that’s such a great entry to modifying headphones and learning about sound signatures and what appeals to you. The process brings you closer to the music and how you listen as you tinker and craft until you get to your “perfected” signature. I enjoy that process as it has given me a better appreciation of what I enjoy and loathe in a sound signature. This is a really fun headphone. They may not be as wide, or linear, or resolving, or all encompassing as some others, but they can still deliver a high level of resolution with a low distortion and have fast, punchy bass. Flat out, they sound good in any configuration. Even more so once dialed in perfectly to your ears and tonal preferences. Rating: 4/5 (once modded to taste)
jaydunndiddit
3263
Jun 18, 2019
I was sent a pair for review per Drop, yes. This is actually the 3rd formal review I've done for them so far alongside the 177X GO and Drop Move's, amongst the other reviews I have left for stuff I've purchased over the years here.
If you want to know all of my gear, look at my profile. I also included a playlist of my musical taste here so you can get an idea of that as well.
bloodpig
157
Jun 19, 2019
Its suck a cool thing to be a reviewer. From a customer to become one that is. You get all the things before the others for free only for your "honest" words. We should both apply for one plus to inspire more ppl like Jay does.
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