Review on Fostex T20RP 🎧 MK3 Open-back Professional Studio Headphones by Brandon Patterson

I rarely write product reviews on Amazon, but they definitely deserve credit. According to some reports I have a decent collection of audio gear and have been a music lover for over 20 years (10 now). It's only been about 5 years that my interest in audiophiles has grown to the point where I spend more than average. A dollar for better sounding music didn't mean much to me. My real journey started with the Panasonic RP-HTX-7 in 2012, although despite being cheap, they really opened my eyes when it came to sound. Since then, other phones have come and gone: Audio Technica M50x, Sony MDR-V6, Sennheiser HD598. Each of them failed in one way or another. The M50x was too unbalanced in the bass/mids and only halfway comfortable, the V6 was too hard in the highs and also had terrible pads. The 598 has a huge bass deficit but is otherwise superior to the other 2. Not entirely happy with these phones, I decided to upgrade to a DAC (Schiit Modi 2 uber) and amplifiers (fiio E11K, Schiit Magni 2 uber, Schiit Lyr). 2). Around the same time I bought Sennheiser HD600, Mrspeakers Alpha Dog, NAD Viso HP50 and most recently Fostex MK3. what do i prefer Each headphone performs different functions, can serve different purposes, and is preferred for certain genres of music. The HD600s can be listened to for hours and have unparalleled comfort and midrange, but no real wow factor (remember they are not fatiguing in any way). Alpha Dog is super isolating and super detailed, but lacks punch. Excellent for mobile devices, the HP50 has great tone and response to low and mid frequencies, but has a slight clipping not only in form but in tone as well. Now Fostex is a whole different beast, and the cheapest of the four (so far). It's not very pretty and it takes a lot of power to get the sound you want. However, all the amps I mentioned are good at powering it. The biggest issue with these Fostexes is that the stock pads are terrible (don't sound, just uncomfortable). I had to replace them with Shure 1540 Alcantara pads (on the advice of a very helpful audiophile friend). They compete with my HD600s in comfort and sound just like standard pads. All those downsides and the need to replace the pads is pretty daunting, isn't it? Well, if they didn't sound as good as they do now, it wouldn't be worth it. In terms of sound quality, they are higher than my other headphones. For comparison: HD600: best mids. Has similar but slimmer bass presence, very small or non-existent soundstage, and isn't as clean. -Alpha Dog: Better sub-bass but lacks power and also a bit less clarity. This reduced clarity is offset by a wider soundstage. It's less focused on soundstage and also heavier than the Fostex.- Nad HP50: As good as it is in portability, it costs twice as much and beats it in every possible area on the T50RP MK3. However, I wouldn't call fostex good portable headphones. The hallmark of the fostex mk3 is fun, clarity and precision. Bass is my favorite part of these headphones. It is very present and focuses on the mid-bass, the sub-bass recedes into the background but is not completely absent. For clarification; Sub-bass is the lowest/lowest notes you'll hear (think rumbling rap and pounding beats), and mid-bass is bass guitar, the deep crunch of electric and acoustic guitars. The mid-bass is typically the backbone of most instrumental music and drums. The MK3 handles it very well. I don't see the mids as a disadvantage, they just sound natural. The highs are exciting and can be a bit harsh, but ultimately clean and never boring or annoying. The sound signature they produce isn't offensive, even if the soundstage isn't very large. The only negative I can think of is that the soundstage itself lacks some separation. Yes, you can hear everything and every detail is visible. It just doesn't have as much "space" around the tools as alpha dogs. However, fostex is so attractive, clear and funny that you don't really focus on it. I spent a month putting these MK3s through my usual torture tests and found them to pass with flying colors. They're compliant enough to stay in your head for hours, exciting enough to make music enjoyable, and fast/clear enough to retain plenty of detail. Best of all, they deliver bass perfectly with no sign of dirt. I prefer metal music (and a lot of rock) but I also listen to a lot of different genres and these MK3s don't sound bad at all. 1/3 of the cost is a real tour de force!Recommended-------------------------------------- - - ------------------------------------------------ - ------------------------------------------------ -- - ----------- ----------------------Update 02/26/2017: These earbuds have proven themselves. In the last 6 months I have done the following: - Selling my Alpha Prime, Fostex are about the same. - Tried new headphones including Audioquest Nighthawk and Audeze LCD-X. Even though they gave me sound enhancement and resolution, they still lost immediacy, engagement and fun. Fostex is still king! Upgrading my amp to Ifi iCan SE; fostex needs power and is worth every watt you can put into it. These stock T50RP MK3s have recently been upgraded to the Mayflower V1 version and they are STILL better than before. Clearer mids and quieter highs. - Made a simple mod for you to boost the bass. - Now I like them so much I added some carbon fiber vinyl to customize their look (picture included). A comfortable MrSpeakers head strap has also been added. Now they are just perfect, perfect!