Recording - March 2016 - 45
If you're worried about mixing bass-heavy, these phones will
prevent that; you'll hear enough low end to pull back on the
boom as you work. I could see tracking and editing with them
to hear important details in the lows without losing clarity and
focus in the mids and highs, and then checking one's results on
reference monitors. If you're looking for headphones that "give
good client" in the EDM or Hip Hop realm, these will do the
job beautifully-they rock hard and make you want to dance!
In the same vein, they make for very exciting casual listening.
These phones won't be a perfect fit for everyone's studio,
but if you're looking for a phone that deliberately gives you
lots of lows, they're a heck of a lot of fun.
The T40RP mk3
Taking off the T20RP and moving to the closed T40RP is
almost a letdown in the first few minutes of listening; where'd
all that lovely bass go? These phones run a little quieter than
the other two models, and they don't have the 20's hefty bass
extension. After a song or two, though, you start to hear what
makes these phones so special-they're the polar opposite of
the 20, with no hype at all anywhere. These are the quintessence of honest and unexaggerated studio phones!
Everything's right where it seems to be, and I found that mix
decisions made on these phones translated well to other
phones and to my reference monitors. The soundstage is nicely
gelled, not hyper-spatial but not overly flattened either. Bass is
a bit pulled back, but is clear and believable, with plenty of
the right kind of detail. The mids simply sing-guitars, sax,
and lead vocals are clear and defined without being pushed
forward. And without the bass getting in the way, it's very
obvious how crystal-clear the highs are, from guitar harmonics
and cymbals to the tiny touches of hand percussion and that
elusive "air" we strive for in our mixes.
How can a headphone that's "not exciting" be so exciting? It's
always fantastic to hear a new contender in the constant race for
better, flatter monitoring in the studio, and the T40RP mk3 will
wow you by, well, not wowing you. Does that make sense?
The T50RP mk3
And then we get to the headphone for the people who can't
make up their minds between the 20 and the 40... the semi-open
T50RP mk3, which treads a very diplomatic line between the two
other phones' response. It definitely leans more toward "best of both
worlds" than "a compromise that doesn't satisfy anyone", though.
The bass in the T50RP mk3 is nowhere near as aggressive
as the 20's, but it's definitely more extended and stronger than
the 40's. As is the case with the other two phones, the bass
has no one-noteness or flab, and it's easy to pick out details in
acoustic bass and piano at the very lowest frequencies. The
mids are set nicely in an expanded and airy soundstage, not
at all forward but easy to hear, and the highs float above it all
with the unhyped distinctiveness that is present, but not always
as easy to appreciate, on the other two phones.
While there will unquestionably be engineers and producers
who will adore the 20 and 40 for their very distinct sonic signatures, the T50RP mk3 very much gives the impression of a
headphone that came to fame well before its upstart siblings
and easily stands strong besides them. It covers all the bases
with beauty and grace, and easily competes with phones costing considerably more-a shining example of just how good
those funny-looking copper-etched polyimide drivers can be.
Conclusions
All three headphones are sinfully comfortable to wear for
hours at a time; they're light, well balanced, and not at all
fatiguing when used at realistic levels. None of the three can
be called a highly isolating phone, although the closed T40RP
mk3 is probably okay around open mics unless you're blasting
a mix really loudly. All share an amazingly etched clarity and
wonderfully extended, sweet highs; they hide nothing but
they're a delight to listen to. The mid-bass balance is where
the three most clearly offer very distinctive sonic pictures, and I
can see a wide variety of engineers choosing one or the other
for its unique sonority.
If you can only choose one, I think the T50RP mk3 edges out
the other two for sheer flexibility, but they're all dynamite
phones. This is a great time to refamiliarize yourself with the
quality that Fostex brings to the headphone world.
Prices: $159.99 each
More from: Fostex, www.fostexinternational.com; dist. in USA by
American Music & Sound, www.americanmusicandsound.com
RECORDING March 2016
45
http://www.fostexinternational.com
http://www.americanmusicandsound.com
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - March 2016
Contents
Recording - March 2016 - Cover1
Recording - March 2016 - Cover2
Recording - March 2016 - 1
Recording - March 2016 - 2
Recording - March 2016 - 3
Recording - March 2016 - 4
Recording - March 2016 - 5
Recording - March 2016 - Contents
Recording - March 2016 - 7
Recording - March 2016 - 8
Recording - March 2016 - 9
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Recording - March 2016 - Cover3
Recording - March 2016 - Cover4
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