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Savis
0
Mar 29, 2017
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Is the finishing hand polished lacquer (like th900x)? or Industrial polythene.
Lyer24
36
Mar 29, 2017
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SavisShort answer: nope.
Geeky answer: The TH-900 is finished in red urushi on top of a base of silver flakes, with the lettering being executed with more lacquer and platinum foil. Urushi is rather hard to come by, and is used for all sorts of fancy pieces (non-disposable utensils and bowls, decorative cases, and fountain pens, among many others). On top of being immensely beautiful (see http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XZNNPoPFCXs/U8OQwIeQnJI/AAAAAAAAGow/mZZuc9rMdog/s1600/IMG_9928.JPG and https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0215/7612/products/Pelikan-Fantasia-Maki-e-Fountain-Pen-Limited-Edition-930313-5.jpeg?v=1422157280), it has great mechanical and chemical resistance, making it a hardy finish that can stand up to a reasonable amount of wear. Its only real weakness is UV radiation, as evidenced by the discolouration and embrittlement found in items given prolonged exposure to direct sunlight; there are several other light sources that can weaken urushi besides the sun, mind, such as blacklights and incandescent lamps. For this reason, most precious urushi-ware is stored in dark places. I get the feeling that part of why the 900 is so expensive is the use of said lacquer, on top of the higher cost of skilled labor in Japan.
The X-00, being a less rarefied headphone, makes do with less. The gloss on these is pretty, but picks up scratches and chips like it's hoarding them. Mine already has a fair amount of wear, but I don't really let it bother me. It's easy enough to strip, though, and I'm tempted to bare the wood and just re-coat it with something nicer myself.
Hope that helps!
Geeky answer: The TH-900 is finished in red urushi on top of a base of silver flakes, with the lettering being executed with more lacquer and platinum foil. Urushi is rather hard to come by, and is used for all sorts of fancy pieces (non-disposable utensils and bowls, decorative cases, and fountain pens, among many others). On top of being immensely beautiful (see http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XZNNPoPFCXs/U8OQwIeQnJI/AAAAAAAAGow/mZZuc9rMdog/s1600/IMG_9928.JPG and https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0215/7612/products/Pelikan-Fantasia-Maki-e-Fountain-Pen-Limited-Edition-930313-5.jpeg?v=1422157280), it has great mechanical and chemical resistance, making it a hardy finish that can stand up to a reasonable amount of wear. Its only real weakness is UV radiation, as evidenced by the discolouration and embrittlement found in items given prolonged exposure to direct sunlight; there are several other light sources that can weaken urushi besides the sun, mind, such as blacklights and incandescent lamps. For this reason, most precious urushi-ware is stored in dark places. I get the feeling that part of why the 900 is so expensive is the use of said lacquer, on top of the higher cost of skilled labor in Japan.
The X-00, being a less rarefied headphone, makes do with less. The gloss on these is pretty, but picks up scratches and chips like it's hoarding them. Mine already has a fair amount of wear, but I don't really let it bother me. It's easy enough to strip, though, and I'm tempted to bare the wood and just re-coat it with something nicer myself.
Hope that helps!
Savis
0
Mar 29, 2017
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Lyer24Thanks. I am quite familiar with wood finishes and wood. I assume this is standard polyurethane or polyester finish. (which is more durable than urushi but less pretty). Ebony is on the wrong side of acoustics, pure acoustic wise high quality spruce has about best acoustic quality, most famous example is spruce from Ciresa forest, Italy, its where multi-million dollar Stradivari violin made of. Best pianos like C.Bechstein Fazioli, Bosendorfer all uses spruce from Ciresa forest for their soundboard. Ebony, is one the heaviest spectrum of wood, is way too dense for acoustics, they dont even flow on water.. They also tribute to the extra weight. But For close headphones, the chamber material does not make night and day difference, I think the material is worth the effort, just a little disappointed they do not receive a finishing they deserves.
Dreams-Visions
50
Mar 29, 2017
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Lyer24+1. Definitely be aware of how easily these can chip/scratch. The finish is NOT what anyone should consider "durable". In fact, I'd describe the finish as "fragile" and "thinly applied".
Lyer24
36
Mar 29, 2017
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SavisSorry, I geek out over lacquer art, and art in general, haha. Headphones aside, fountain pens have made a significant dent in my savings. Urushi is lovely, but I do wish it weren't quite so pricey.
Doesn't seem like polyurethane, but I'm not speaking with any great amount of authority (used to DIY stuff, don't do it so often nowadays). All I can say with certainty is, as @Dreams-Visions below mentioned, they use a rather sparing amount. These are to be handled with kid gloves.
I don't play an instrument (unless singing counts), so I'm unfamiliar with the relative acoustic merits of various woods. As far as these go, anyway, the Ebony were found to be the most balanced-sounding of the TH-X00 variants, though still far from reference-level neutrality. Wondering what these would sound and measure like if the cups are taken off (eliminating whatever colouration the ebony cups may add to the drivers' own sound), but that's a project for another day.
These impressions are more eloquent than my own, and may be of use to you: superbestaudiofriends.org/index.php?threads/massdrop-fostex-th-x00-ebony-measurements.2434/
Cheers,
Doesn't seem like polyurethane, but I'm not speaking with any great amount of authority (used to DIY stuff, don't do it so often nowadays). All I can say with certainty is, as @Dreams-Visions below mentioned, they use a rather sparing amount. These are to be handled with kid gloves.
I don't play an instrument (unless singing counts), so I'm unfamiliar with the relative acoustic merits of various woods. As far as these go, anyway, the Ebony were found to be the most balanced-sounding of the TH-X00 variants, though still far from reference-level neutrality. Wondering what these would sound and measure like if the cups are taken off (eliminating whatever colouration the ebony cups may add to the drivers' own sound), but that's a project for another day.
These impressions are more eloquent than my own, and may be of use to you: superbestaudiofriends.org/index.php?threads/massdrop-fostex-th-x00-ebony-measurements.2434/
Cheers,
qua2k
152
Mar 29, 2017
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Lyer24My 900 MK2 sure is beautiful to look at, the youtube video is pretty great as well..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29iTkYSZ1qk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29iTkYSZ1qk
Pierre111
413
Apr 5, 2017
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SavisI would say I disagree. In acoustic Instruments, the choice of wood is part of the sound, you want a wood that vibrate, that as a tone. If you do that with headphones you would have a very colored sound. In a word you would have a headphone with a very strong personality but then it would be very hard to perform well with all kinds of music. You want to listen to the music, not the tone of the headphones. So no such thing as "best for acoustic" It really depends what you want to do but the last thing you want is a cup that create it's own sound wave, that vibrate. That added to the real reproduced signal by the driver would be a strong distortion. In fact for speakers or for headphone, vibration is the thing you really want to avoid.
WildChinoise
241
Apr 7, 2017
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SavisI have the Ebony on order, soon to show up.
I have had my purplehearts for a few months. I lay them down on my desk between listening sessions. I stored them away in a soft case for a couple of weeks when another pair were out , but they are back on my desk now. There aren't any scratches that I can see. I think the finish is a couple of coats of polyurethane. With a minimum of care, it's held up pretty well for me.
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