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Miracles in Audio, by luck, by good choices,by design or by tweaking...

I owned a low cost headphone for many years, the Fostex TH7B, first version( a new one close version exist Fostex TH7BK), semi-open headphone...I was never completely satisfied by any headphones I ever owned: Hifiman 400, Stax basic lamda, Stax 5 gold,Akg 340,Akg 701, beyerdynamic 990, and T150... Because in each of them with all their qualities I never listen to at the same times, a confortable headphone with natural timbre and voicing, with a good imaging and a realistic soundstage(not too close to my ears)...


For the last days I tweaked this Fostex, to damp his internal resonance I used sorbothane, I put some shungite stones at the exterior part of the cups and I use some Herkimer diamond in the interior pads( 3 at 120 degree) … Now this low cost headphones crush all my others if I sum all his qualities... For example his mids and voicing cannot beat the AKG 340 but among all my other headphones it is the best that is near that mids and it is more confortable, and with longer cable than the 340...His imaging is better and more realistic than the 340 etc etc...It is the same if I compare with the others...


His most important qualities is natural timbre and clear imaging,very precise pinned point accuracy and natural, so clear it crush for that ALL the others to dust...In the French audio circle the reviews were more than very positive few years ago...Diapason d’or and choc Classica...I am not the only one impressed buy the ratio quality/price... But remember that thesae reviewers dont tweak their headphone...The difference between before and after the tweaks are staggering...


Yes Miracles happens in Audio: cost is under 100 American dollars... Few years ago they cost me 50 bucks new... I never dreamed that I will go back to headphones...


I will enjoy your miracles stories of any kind ….My best to all...
mahgister
mahgister's avatar
mahgister OP
13,752 posts
 
This evening I disconnect 4 of the S.G., and after that 3 others, keeping only one...I disconnect also the three himalayan salt lamps, 2 under my desk and speakers, one near my desk at my right...

Interesting experiment with the expected confirmative results, not a placebo one, the imaging was recessing, contracting, with less flesh to the instrument timbre...The sound was less projected in the room and more attached to the speakers...

I speak of that experiment to say this: each incremental tweaking in the mechanical embedding of the audio system by limitation of vibrations-resonance effects, or each incremental modifications of the room acoustics with different materials and different resonators, each incremental modifications of the electrical embeddings of the audio system by adding the golden plates and different stones or crystals, each one of these incremental modifications and tweaks added some little but very audible effects... Till I reach my actual imaging where the sound is clear, natural and projective in 3 dimension in the room without being attached to the speakers anymore...

Experimental listening is the way... 
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
Most likely the Himalayan salt lamps are placebos. They look pretty, though. Such a nice color of pink. 
thecarpathian's avatar
thecarpathian
5,129 posts
 
I am happy your hard work and dedication are paying off with greater musical enjoyment, my friend. Even though I think that it is less hard work for you and more enjoyable work!
mahgister's avatar
mahgister OP
13,752 posts
 
Thanks thecarpathian for the nodding head on the road... We are 2 travelers in musical spaces...My mate is cold and delicious and wait for you... My best...
mahgister's avatar
mahgister OP
13,752 posts
 
I want to add this... We never know all what we miss in a piece of music when our audio system is not in a controlled and treated embeddings, mechanically, acoustically and electrically; even with very good electronic components...

My estimate , metaphorically speaking in using numbers, is half of the music sounds is veiled or not there at all and if there is only with 2-d imaging, and instruments not at the right place, on the right intensity level ... :)
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