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
UPDATE:
The 9 copper bowls resonators plate is connected now...

I connected it with a thin copper phone cable to the Schumann generators grid.... I use a tiny "golden plate" with tourmaline and a micro Herkimer diamond which was already on top of the S.G. and connected it with copper tape to glue the cable to the 9 copper bowls plate.... "Et voilà ! "

Remember that most of my devices controls for the acoustic embedding are really all connected like a SINGULAR grid.... That increase very much the power to transform the sound for the best on ALL counts....This new connection is no exception and increase the positive effects of this last plate addition to my grid....

I feel pity for many of you who will throw their money to costly electronic new supposedly superior components.... They are superior sometimes indeed because of the progress of engineering.... But for most of us with system under 25 thousand dollars, the embedding process and controls is way more powerful for the S.Q. than the upgrading of one or even 2 components barring the fact that the past components we owned would give only a not so good performance already, but anyway waiting before upgrading is the golden rule...

The reason is simple, good speakers are good speakers whatever the price, good amplifier are good amplifier whatever the price.... Embed them rightfully and their S.Q. will skyrocket on another level....And most upgrading will appear side-grade only....

I hope to be helpful to a few souls here ....I am perfectly conscious that most people dont have a clue about the 3 embeddings even pro reviewers.... Those which are in audio to sell are not here to educate people about how to keep their money, but mostly they are of good faith with good reasons also like new engineering great products.... But my experience is contrary to most of them about this upgrade myth.....

Audiophile experience dont need big money first and last at all, but ears connected to a brain.... i called that listenings experiments....

:)

My best to all.....

« My 2 ears are biased  and like my 2 imperfect dogs they are trustworthy  » _ Groucho Marx

Mahgister, please post a photo of your latest iteration when you have time. It seems you are integrating your past findings into a Moab product that is a culmination of all your past individual experiments. Lucky us.
It is difficult to post a clear photo....

But i will try in the week to come....

My best to you....
UPDATE:

The 9 copper bowls boxes plate is now not simply but triply connected to 3 Schumann generators....



Is there better than better? Yes! a little more better.... :)

The audible end result with no negative trade-off on a any aspects of the S.Q. is a more dynamical, living, holographic sound, completely detached from the speakers and waving in all my room when listening in regular position...In nearfield an increase also particularly of the best natural imaging possible and a better timbre perception...


The reader of my post must realize that my main active acoustic device control is a connected grid consisting of 3 integrated different grids: a grid of stones, mainly composed of mini "golden plates" (shungite +copper tape on a side with herkimer diamond and sometimes tourmaline) and a grid of 12 Schumann generators connected also to a grid of copper resonators of different size....Then 3 grids intergrated in ONE around all the walls and ceiling of my audio room...

Then my main active acoustical device, except for reflective, absorbent materials and diffusive devices which are the usual passive acoustical treatment, is ONE grid encompassing all the other 3 grids with cables....

After my 2 years of intensive listening experiments i can affirm that almost NO UPGRADE of an electronic component can rival the transformative effect of just the rightful acoustical embeddings....Nevermind the other 2 rightful embeddings....If we add the 3 embeddings any audio system reach a new level, then no more need to upgrade at all most of the times....

Conclusion: Dont upgrade before embedding them all... Or pay the costly price of ignorance born from the marketting hype contagious disease.... :)

Simple: when the pianist seems to be in the room why upgrading? When piano notes are there with a clear distict timbre and tone why upgrading?

Understand me right tough: a good upgrade is always an interesting experience , and for me also, if we can invest the necessary money, but when you have it right already like i have it now, you dont think about upgrading like i was thinking 7 years ago about a lifeline in the sea of my unsatisfaction....  :)

My best to all....
UPDATE:

The 9 copper bowls boxes plate is now not simply but now connected to 5 Schumann generators ...

I added 2 cabled new connections to the last 3 one to the S.G. grid...

The result is a more refine audible effect encompassing all S.Q. aspects...

I proove for myself now that passive materials acoustic treatment take charge of the acoustical CONTENT of a room and secondarily of the geometric aspect of the room....
But active acoustical control take charge more of the GEOMETRY of the room and only secondarily of the acoustical content...

( acoustical content is the acoustical properties of the different elements in the room and the materials constituting the room itself, and the geometry of the room is the constraints linked to his particular dimensions and topology)

The passive treatment and the active control work one with another complementarily....

Remember what i call active control is not an electronical device control or a computerized one but an integrated grid of 3 sub-grids connected by cables: a grid of stones, a grid of resonators and a grid of S.G.

You dont need money to upgrade if your basic system is well choosen and good, you neeed to EMBED it in his mechanical, electrical and acoustical working dimensions......


My best to all...