Ortho- this word,until a year back would have evoked a mental pictue of a doc in a white coat, who you went to when you broke your bones or had back pain due to excessive motorcycle riding.
But then head-fi,sachu, gurubhai,hifivision came along and I got to know that the word also denoted an exotic class of headphones, which used orthodynamic drivers.
A big thanks to Sachu who trusted me enough to loan this gem! My earlier experience with orthos was, a Yamaha YH2 another friend had been generous enough to loan.Orthodynamic Headphones & all things planar - Page 25
That had convinced me, these were something special.
Now, orthos in general, according to my limited gyaan on them, are power hungry, and I had only a nuforce u dac and my pioneer integrated amp hp out to do the job. Horribly inadequate, but not bad as far as loudness levels go. The only full size can I have with me for comparison is Audio Technica AD700 and that is what I have used to have a relative idea.
TP-Fostex 'Thunderpants'
AT-Audio Technica AD700
Build quality: The TPs look lovely with their wooden housing. The housing,headband and the cable(modded Mogami I guess) all look and feel great. It is far heavier than the AT.
The AT are built very decently but feel featherlight after the TPs. However this means that you dont strain your head or neck with it. Looks, are subjective, but I would anyday prefer the wooden TP to the purple(eeks) and gold AT color scheme.
Isolation: The TPs being closed with good earpads are quite comfortable to wear and isolate much better than the AT,prolonged use does cause heat and sweating though. The AT is supremely comfortable but doesnt isolate much.
The cable
The jack with 6.3mm adapator
How do they sound?
The Audio Technica AD700 are very capable headphones imo, and provide excellent vfm in their price bracket. There is good detail level, wide soundstage, spatiality etc.
It's just that the Fostex Thunderpants are awesome headphones, which have a much more classier presentation and bring to the table that much needed body to the music. Even with my mediocre amplification,the TPs had good detail/texture, very realistic mids and sounded fuller across the spectrum.
The one not so subtle difference between them is the bass, and that is where the AD700 lags behind significantly. The TPs have adequate bass which is never intrusive. Me likes!
After the TP the AT sounds a bit a bit forward, thin, unrefined and I miss the bass on some songs,to sum it up!
Listening impressions:
Temptation-Diana Krall, Girl in The other Room
TP: Bass very well integrated,one of the best I have heard. Very natural vocals.
AT: Bass insufficient! But with good speed and rhythm. Vocals a bit forward but with lots of details. Cymbals sound brighter than TP.
Devdas theme-DEvdas OST
TP: Thunder has so much more texture.Far better separation from 3:23.Whip still lacked impact!Soundstage is wide.
AT: Thunder sounds like card paper being torn.Whip has bite but no impact. Solid imaging.
Dhan Dhan Dharti-Sonu Nigam:Rajneeti OST
TP: Sub bass, faltering of Sonu's voice at 'Booda aasma' clear.Vocals natural.Excellent bass but clouds the vocals a bit.
AT: Vocals forward, in your face in comparison with TP.
Faltering of voice more continuous. Bass light. Hence Vocals do not get overwhelmed.
Gambara-Arco Luz
TP: Guitar sounds a bit smoothed out, dull. Excellent imaging. Taut bass.
AT: Imaging not as clear,guitar has more bite.Whatever bass is present is good.
Khwab Jo-Shankar Mahadevan, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan : London Dreams OST
TP:Good dynamics, Shankars voice has more body, better space between Shankar and Rahat.
AT: Good dynamics with male vocals, intimate but lacking a bit of body. Imaging not spot on.
Fields of Gold-EVa Cassidy:Songbird
TP: Initially,when I heard this track it was unpleasantly sibilant! But on further listening sessions, sibilance was less.(NOTE: I had the same experience with some other tracks where the highs were biting in some instances while quite tame on a second listen!)
String much more fluid and with good body.
Female voice sounds more sweeter.Piano not too clear on both.
AT: Vocals sound slightly rougher. Piano shows slight lack of body.
Mars the bringer of War-Gustav Holst: The Planets
TP: too polite, until volume cranked really high. That these are not bass shy helps here in conveying the grandness.
AT: More forward presentation helps in delivering excitement but lacks refinement.Bass is lacking. Imaging not as concrete as TP.
Famous blue raincoat-Leonard Cohen: The Essential Leonard Cohen *mp3
TP:Better separation and body with Cohens voice.Tinkling of wind chimes faint but with varying depth.
AT: Cohens voice forward but with less body. Wind chimes in the beginning much more apparent.
Saraswati-U.Rajesh: Into the Light
Tp: Mandolin tone richer. Slight distortion from left side at 40 sec.
AT: Mandolin equally fast but tone not as rich.
Sorcerer-Michael Shrieve:Two Doors
TP: Good soundstage depth and width.Drums are blazing fast with good attacks. Cymbals are a bit piercing/biting.
AT: Drums have attack. Soundstage is wide but not as well defined.
Our River-George Carlo
TP: There is good good detail and male vocal sound very involving.Excellent percussion.
AT: Same detail of blowing into instrument, roughness around the edges of the notes, licking lips, inhaling etc is present with AT. Vocals sound good but slightly lack in body.
Teardrop-Massive Attack: Mezzanine
TP: This one definitely has more bass and produces a better 'poundin'/throbbing beat.
AT: The gradation of the throbbing beat is better as it builds up in intensity.
Time out-DAve Brubeck:Take Five
TP:Good detail and texture with the drums at 3:30 where the drums really steal the show accompanied by piano and bass.
AT: Cymbals have less body. Good texture with sax but tone not as good as the TP. Upfront presentation may not appeal to all.Equal detail level as former on drums and strings.
Fight of the Bull and Tiger-Chinese drums
TP: Good gradation and build of drum beats as they fall and rise at 3:50.
at: They sound similar but with definitely less bass.
But then head-fi,sachu, gurubhai,hifivision came along and I got to know that the word also denoted an exotic class of headphones, which used orthodynamic drivers.
A big thanks to Sachu who trusted me enough to loan this gem! My earlier experience with orthos was, a Yamaha YH2 another friend had been generous enough to loan.Orthodynamic Headphones & all things planar - Page 25
That had convinced me, these were something special.
Now, orthos in general, according to my limited gyaan on them, are power hungry, and I had only a nuforce u dac and my pioneer integrated amp hp out to do the job. Horribly inadequate, but not bad as far as loudness levels go. The only full size can I have with me for comparison is Audio Technica AD700 and that is what I have used to have a relative idea.
TP-Fostex 'Thunderpants'
AT-Audio Technica AD700
Build quality: The TPs look lovely with their wooden housing. The housing,headband and the cable(modded Mogami I guess) all look and feel great. It is far heavier than the AT.
The AT are built very decently but feel featherlight after the TPs. However this means that you dont strain your head or neck with it. Looks, are subjective, but I would anyday prefer the wooden TP to the purple(eeks) and gold AT color scheme.
Isolation: The TPs being closed with good earpads are quite comfortable to wear and isolate much better than the AT,prolonged use does cause heat and sweating though. The AT is supremely comfortable but doesnt isolate much.
The cable
The jack with 6.3mm adapator
How do they sound?
The Audio Technica AD700 are very capable headphones imo, and provide excellent vfm in their price bracket. There is good detail level, wide soundstage, spatiality etc.
It's just that the Fostex Thunderpants are awesome headphones, which have a much more classier presentation and bring to the table that much needed body to the music. Even with my mediocre amplification,the TPs had good detail/texture, very realistic mids and sounded fuller across the spectrum.
The one not so subtle difference between them is the bass, and that is where the AD700 lags behind significantly. The TPs have adequate bass which is never intrusive. Me likes!
After the TP the AT sounds a bit a bit forward, thin, unrefined and I miss the bass on some songs,to sum it up!
Listening impressions:
Temptation-Diana Krall, Girl in The other Room
TP: Bass very well integrated,one of the best I have heard. Very natural vocals.
AT: Bass insufficient! But with good speed and rhythm. Vocals a bit forward but with lots of details. Cymbals sound brighter than TP.
Devdas theme-DEvdas OST
TP: Thunder has so much more texture.Far better separation from 3:23.Whip still lacked impact!Soundstage is wide.
AT: Thunder sounds like card paper being torn.Whip has bite but no impact. Solid imaging.
Dhan Dhan Dharti-Sonu Nigam:Rajneeti OST
TP: Sub bass, faltering of Sonu's voice at 'Booda aasma' clear.Vocals natural.Excellent bass but clouds the vocals a bit.
AT: Vocals forward, in your face in comparison with TP.
Faltering of voice more continuous. Bass light. Hence Vocals do not get overwhelmed.
Gambara-Arco Luz
TP: Guitar sounds a bit smoothed out, dull. Excellent imaging. Taut bass.
AT: Imaging not as clear,guitar has more bite.Whatever bass is present is good.
Khwab Jo-Shankar Mahadevan, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan : London Dreams OST
TP:Good dynamics, Shankars voice has more body, better space between Shankar and Rahat.
AT: Good dynamics with male vocals, intimate but lacking a bit of body. Imaging not spot on.
Fields of Gold-EVa Cassidy:Songbird
TP: Initially,when I heard this track it was unpleasantly sibilant! But on further listening sessions, sibilance was less.(NOTE: I had the same experience with some other tracks where the highs were biting in some instances while quite tame on a second listen!)
String much more fluid and with good body.
Female voice sounds more sweeter.Piano not too clear on both.
AT: Vocals sound slightly rougher. Piano shows slight lack of body.
Mars the bringer of War-Gustav Holst: The Planets
TP: too polite, until volume cranked really high. That these are not bass shy helps here in conveying the grandness.
AT: More forward presentation helps in delivering excitement but lacks refinement.Bass is lacking. Imaging not as concrete as TP.
Famous blue raincoat-Leonard Cohen: The Essential Leonard Cohen *mp3
TP:Better separation and body with Cohens voice.Tinkling of wind chimes faint but with varying depth.
AT: Cohens voice forward but with less body. Wind chimes in the beginning much more apparent.
Saraswati-U.Rajesh: Into the Light
Tp: Mandolin tone richer. Slight distortion from left side at 40 sec.
AT: Mandolin equally fast but tone not as rich.
Sorcerer-Michael Shrieve:Two Doors
TP: Good soundstage depth and width.Drums are blazing fast with good attacks. Cymbals are a bit piercing/biting.
AT: Drums have attack. Soundstage is wide but not as well defined.
Our River-George Carlo
TP: There is good good detail and male vocal sound very involving.Excellent percussion.
AT: Same detail of blowing into instrument, roughness around the edges of the notes, licking lips, inhaling etc is present with AT. Vocals sound good but slightly lack in body.
Teardrop-Massive Attack: Mezzanine
TP: This one definitely has more bass and produces a better 'poundin'/throbbing beat.
AT: The gradation of the throbbing beat is better as it builds up in intensity.
Time out-DAve Brubeck:Take Five
TP:Good detail and texture with the drums at 3:30 where the drums really steal the show accompanied by piano and bass.
AT: Cymbals have less body. Good texture with sax but tone not as good as the TP. Upfront presentation may not appeal to all.Equal detail level as former on drums and strings.
Fight of the Bull and Tiger-Chinese drums
TP: Good gradation and build of drum beats as they fall and rise at 3:50.
at: They sound similar but with definitely less bass.
Congratulations 
. I gotta get one of those 
