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...
128x128mahgister
UPDATE about the springs under the speakers

I had an idea....

I think that doubling the springs at the 2 ends of the speakers would be better and an improvement because the removing of resonance would be facilitated...

I put 4 (chinese copy of the nobsound springs) boxes with the 7 springs on top of the speakers adding only a few pounds of concrete to my already heavy load( around 75 pounds ).

More details in the imaging and better bass without negative impact on the higher frequencies...

Now my speakers are between 8 springs boxes each...

Total success....

Very low cost....

I will say it for myself, nobody read my rant, and i am not modest here at all, but all my ideas for the last 2 years were complete freedom for me to liberate my creativity and cut this obsession about pricey electronic components or upgrade to give to myself an audio experience  that is more than good....

Hi Fi cost peanuts my friends but most think really the contrary.....The only conclusion for me is that people had no clue about the way to embed their gear.... They only trust the price they  paid..... I hope to be useful to some who will dare to experiment by themselves....

My best to all....

:)
Addendum:

I will say that the addition of springs on top of the speakers and not only under is an improvement on ALL  counts....

That is a confirmation that resonance are decreased....
Update: Springs boxes for speakers

8 springs boxes (nobsound like but chinese cheap version) 4 under the speakers, and 4 on top of the speakers under around 70 pounds of load.... Then a difference around 10 pounds of the compressing load between the the 2 four sets of springs, because of the speaker enclosure load itself ...

This difference in compressing load is important and decrease the negative power of the standing waves of internal resonance of the speaker.... Anyway i am not a scientist but my ears are able to discern a more natural timbre and this change is impressive...


Second update: The last touch to my room treatment...

I add 2 large sheet of aluminum paper glued to the solid isolation foam that i was using at left and at right of my speakers on the wall....This reflective material addition was one great idea, cost peanuts and effectively increase all for the better the S.Q.


You dont NEED COSTLY MATERIALS to work the room treatment, you need only 2 ears...

For those who dont know it, nobody own the same ears than an other person, the structural dynamical hability to hears is different in all of us.... Then no ordinary computer formula can replace your ears....

You live with these biased ears like with your biased wife, use them like you use her, with the utmost respect and trust...


I am so pleased with my audio system now, then i cannot imagine that i can improve it much.... It is possible for sure but for the time being i cannot....


EMBED it all before UPGRADE, or pay the price....

I smile to any future upgrade... I dont need it at all....

Conclusion: Hi-FI cost peanuts if you believe in yourself and trust your 2 ears....
All contrary opinion is bullshit in my book, even coming from audio specialists....They all want you to throw money out of the window, or at least they has something to sell ... I am lucky to had no money to use for audio then i was in the obligation to trust only my creativity.... :)

If you dont have money and dream about audiophile experience, trust me it is possible and very fun to create it yourself.... No money need only trust in yourself....

My best to all....