Yes, I would say they are relatively comfortable headphones. When I first tried them, I was shocked at how light they were given the size and materials used. Furthermore, the weight is distributed well thanks to a slightly above average clamping force applied from the headband.
The headband and the earpads are covered with plush well-padded leather that I love. While this adds some bulk to the head look, they are designed for home or studio use, and if I am working with my headphones, I appreciate this extra padding in exchange for style points.
One thing to note is that the TH900 Mk2 is a closed-back headphone, and as a result, you still suffer from heat build-up over time. The large earcups do go some way to preventing this, but it is still an issue somehow.
Do the Fostex TH900Mk2 Sound Good?
Absolutely. The sound is excellent, and they work very well with a wide range of genres. They are not too fussy about what format your music files are in, and they don’t punish you for not using the latest and most excellent codecs.
Tuning is towards the warm side with powerful bass and treble presence complimented by smooth mids. Yes, you probably guessed that it’s a bit v-shaped, which is a sign I like. As a result, it is best to use an amp and DAC unit or audiophile DAP with a flat balanced response and let the headphones handle the coloration.
The soundstage is large for a closed-back, and while not on the level of the Sennheiser HD820 and Focal Stelia we mentioned earlier, one must remember that these are significantly cheaper. You still get plenty of space and air, so you can easily place instrumentation through the headphone’s strong imaging qualities.
The Bass is strong and capable of producing a lot of sub-bass when needed, yet the upper part f the lows is fast and textured with a lot of depth. The midrange sits back from the low end, but it isn’t swamped and sounds composed and intimate in all scenarios. Detail retrieval in the midrange isn’t as sharp as the others we mentioned. Still, ultimately, it’s a more engaging natural presentation, mostly if you listen to a lot of acoustic music.
Final Verdict: Fostex TH900 Mk2 Review Conclusion
They may be one of the older premium closed-back headphones on the market, but they are just as good a listen now as ever.
Looks are slightly dated when you compare them to other brands’ futuristic stylings, but it is a design that I know from personal experience holds up very well over time.
With a lower price than the HD820, these should be considered if you are in the market for closed-back premium headphones in the 1-2 thousand dollar range.
Update 2023: The Fostex TH900 MK2 has remained on our list of the best-sounding headphones.
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