Fostex Th 600 Review | 93 Data compared

The Fostex TH600 is a closed-back dynamic headphone with 50mm biodynamic drivers that delivers a crisp, fast, and highly detailed sound signature. It features a slightly V-shaped sound curve with strong, deep bass and detailed treble, making it excellent for trance music, studio work, and classical recordings. The headphones stand out for their wide instrument placement and fast note decay, creating a great sense of space for movies and music alike. Visually, it features a simple, all-black design with lightweight magnesium alloy cups and a high-quality, nylon-wrapped cable. However, the headphone comes with notable design and build flaws. The ear pads are made of an "egg protein" pleatherette material that causes ears to sweat quickly and traps moisture. The oversized headband lacks a secure fit for smaller heads, causing the earcups to sag past comfortable levels. Additionally, the mounting fulcrums on the headband are prone to wobbling over time, which causes the yoke to scrape the headband and chip the paint. Sonically, the slightly withdrawn mid-range means that vocals can feel distant, which may disappoint fans of live performances or...

The Super Best Audio Friends review highlights the Fostex TH600 as a fun, U-shaped headphone with high-quality, controlled bass and a surprisingly expansive, airy soundstage for a closed-back model. Despite low distortion, performance is marred by a recessed midrange and a sharp, 10kHz treble peak, alongside a non-detachable, heavy cable. While deemed superior to older alternatives, the TH600 is considered a "tastefully done" but ultimately flawed, bass-focused legacy option compared to newer variants.

The Fostex TH-600 is a premium, closed-back headphone that features a stealthy matte-black design utilizing lightweight Idemitsu Grancuir eggshell protein leather and fingerprint-resistant magnesium cups. Delivering a powerful, V-shaped sound signature, it excels with an uncharacteristically large, circular soundstage and incredible sub-bass authority that reaches down to the 20Hz range without becoming bloated. The treble range is exceptionally crisp, airy, and well-extended up to 14khz, making it a highly musical option that performs phenomenally for general media, movies, and both casual or competitive gaming. However, its build relies on a single suspect rounded nut holding the cups to the headband, making it feel somewhat fragile and requiring careful handling. While the headphones offer stellar clarity, their greatest sonic weakness lies in a recessed, dry midrange that pushes vocals back in the soundstage and features a fatiguing, glaring peak at 5kHz. Additionally, despite its closed-back categorization, its noise isolation and sound leakage control are mediocre, failing to properly block external environment noise or fully silence music at higher volumes. The non-detachable cloth cable is also thick, heavy, and prone to tangling...

The Headfonics review of the Lawton-modified Fostex TH600 highlights a comfortable, high-quality build featuring premium Lawton Angle Pads and a supple headband. Sonically, it is described as a "basshead" dream with immense, punchy low-end and a massive, airy soundstage rarely found in closed-back designs. However, the review notes significant drawbacks, including a heavily recessed, V-shaped midrange and a treble that can border on harsh. Additionally, the stock Fostex cable is criticized for being stiff and unyielding, and the modded sound signature requires careful pairing with neutral amplifiers.

The Fostex TH600 is a premium, luxury pair of closed-back headphones designed to compete at the high end of the market, featuring deep earcups with comfortable protein-based earpads and a durable, lightweight metal frame. In terms of audio performance, the "bio-dynamic" 50mm drivers deliver a detailed, articulate sound with a prominent but controlled bass and crisp, non-fatiguing treble. While the mid-range is natural, the overall tonality has a slightly "scooped" quality that emphasizes the highs and lows, making them highly effective for picking out unwanted noise and fine details. Additionally, the depth of the earcups places the drivers further from the ears, producing natural stereo imaging that avoids the boxiness commonly found in closed-back designs.

The Fostex TH600 ($1,299) is a premium, closed-back headphone featuring large 50mm drivers and a powerful 1-tesla magnetic circuit. Weighing 370 grams, it is built with high-end materials including die-cast magnesium earcups and luxurious Idemitsu Grancuir leather-covered earpads and headband. It stands out for its exceptional comfort, speed, and transparency, digging incredibly deep into recordings to reveal subtle mixing details, dynamic shifts, and a remarkably taut, deep bass that remains clean without muddying the lower frequencies. Furthermore, it performs surprisingly well even when driven directly by a portable device like an iPod Classic. However, the headphones are not without drawbacks, as they feature an unforgiving sound signature that does not smooth over rough edges. When paired with standard solid-state amplification, acoustic jazz can sound a bit lean, and older or hyper-compressed recordings with existing distortion can sound noticeably harsh and gritty. The reviewer found that resolving this required switching to a warmer hybrid tube/solid-state amplifier to sweeten the tone. Additionally, potential buyers face limited U. S. distribution due to Fostex being a Japanese company, though third-party dealers like Moon Audio...

The Headfonia review of the Fostex TH600 and TH900 identifies both as standout closed-back headphones, with the TH900 flagship significantly outperforming the TH600 in technical capabilities while offering a more V-shaped sound. The TH900 is highlighted for its addictive, controlled bass, immense soundstage, and stunning Bordeaux lacquer cups, though it features a heavily recessed mid-range and bright, sometimes fatiguing treble. Conversely, the TH600 is praised for its flatter, more linear sound signature and practical, matte-finished magnesium alloy design, despite having a narrower soundstage and non-detachable cable.