Headphone
- Thread starter Brendon
- Start date
Black_Hawk
Skilled
The wooden finish looks exquisite.
toxicdrift
Adept
they sounded awesomeeeeeee!!!! couldnt get enough of em!!! lol if i win a lottery and if he still mods them, im getting this baby fo sure!!! 
bennysachdev
Adept
My impression of the Thunderpants since Brendon is too lazy:
Thunderpants
Excellent bass with lightening fast speed. A subbass hater will love these as they do not have any sub bass but an excellent punchy fast Mohammed Ali kinda bass.
The sound is not rolled off from any end. They have excellent imaging and soundstage. Even better than the d5000s. The mids are not piercing but are very well balanced and non fatiguing. The only thing that could ever be fatiguing in these is if you try to comprehend the amount of detailing presented in these as there is a lot.
Ms2 -> compass -> tp
The treble is neither too bright nor too warm.*
Overall these are very very balanced sounding headphones.*
The sound of the bass guitar seems faint when listening to Seal's Acoustic album. The sound of the piano and the guitar sounds sweet and very musical. Not as hard and strong but mild and pleasant.*
What is disappointing is the bass line seems very faint. All the attention is brought immediately to vocals and other instruments.*
Thunderpants
Excellent bass with lightening fast speed. A subbass hater will love these as they do not have any sub bass but an excellent punchy fast Mohammed Ali kinda bass.
The sound is not rolled off from any end. They have excellent imaging and soundstage. Even better than the d5000s. The mids are not piercing but are very well balanced and non fatiguing. The only thing that could ever be fatiguing in these is if you try to comprehend the amount of detailing presented in these as there is a lot.
Ms2 -> compass -> tp
The treble is neither too bright nor too warm.*
Overall these are very very balanced sounding headphones.*
The sound of the bass guitar seems faint when listening to Seal's Acoustic album. The sound of the piano and the guitar sounds sweet and very musical. Not as hard and strong but mild and pleasant.*
What is disappointing is the bass line seems very faint. All the attention is brought immediately to vocals and other instruments.*
Brendon
Skilled
Thanks Benny !
My impressions are given below -
Testing equipment
DAC - Music Streamer II
Amps - Compass , Music Streamer II
Build quality and comfort
Build quality is simply beautiful ! The wood looks really gorgeous and has a great finish. Comfort wise the pads fit me well and they seal very well indeed. I can get lost in the music as there is little outside noise.
However all the dampning material used has increased the overall weight of the headphones and after an hour my neck can start paining due to the weight. However I would gladly do a lot of neck exercises if I could ever afford the TPs !
Sound
Caveat - This section is colored by the rolled off Compass amp so you may hear a different sound on your system
First off as I mentioned earlier, these aren't that difficult to drive compared to either of my two Yammies (YH-100 or HP-2). So as I found out later they sound better out of my Music Streamer II DAC compared to using my Compass as an amp.
Even out of the Compass I got an eargasm when I first heard the Thunderpants !
Bass
The bass is definitely the first thing that hits you. Its got lots of punch/impact, speed and it hits low but rolls of quickly after 60 Hz so subbass is not the best. On the Compass the sub bass was not very audible but on the Music Streamer II the sub bass could be heard a bit more clearly. The bass has got texture and never loses control even on complex passages. While I feel there is a bit of mid bass hump which gives a pleasing warm sound, its neither excessively warm nor does the bass show itself in songs that do not call for bass. This is my reference as to how bass should sound.
Mids
The midrange is every bit as good as the bass and voices are smooth and detailed at the same time. On the Compass I felt the vocals were a bit forward. On switching to the music streamer I realized that's its practically dead on neutral and the amp was the culprit for the forward mids. The midrange sounds thick and has a warm tone that sounds very pleasing. There is no particular emphasis on either male or female voices.
Treble
On the Compass treble was definitely the weak point for me (weak as in comparison to the mids and treble that is.).The treble was very smooth, clear and grain free with the right amount of sparkle and shimmer to make cymbals sound natural without causing sibilance or harshness. On shifting to the Music Streamer the treble roll off was less noticeable but for sure the treble is not the main focus of the sound and its slightly shy of dead neutral. Those who love a lot of treble sparkle will be a tad disappointed. Those who love a smooth fatigue free treble with lots of detailing will be very happy.
Soundstage/Separation
The soundstage is amazing for a closed can. Its pretty wide to give you an out of head experience. Imaging is also excellent but is not the best I have heard in a closed can. With the Compass I can tell that its a closed can as I can hear some blind spots between the width and height (45 degree angles from your left ear and right ear). However those blind spots are missing with the Music Streamer and frankly I can be fooled if someone blind folds me and tells me its an open can. Instrument separation is also above average and notes do not bleed into one another. I think the ortho driver speed really helps in presenting a good instrument separation.
Comparison with other cans
1. HD650 - These have been my favourite cans for years and they are still my most used cans even though my YH-100s sound better since I find them more comfortable than the heavy YH-100s. There are a lot of similarities between the two since they both have a full/thick sound with the mids and bass as the main focus. Over here the TPs easily beat the HD650s w.r.t to bass as they hit lower, add more punch and the bass has more speed than the HD650s. The mid range of both are excellent but somehow I still love the HD650s mids and I would give this one to the HD650s. Treble is a no contest as the HD650 has a much more noticeable treble roll off and cymbals sound unnatural and muted on the HD650. Soundstage goes to the HD650 since its an open can and has a more natural soundstage though it doesn't offer a wider soundstage compared to the TPs. However instrument separation and imaging goes to the TPs as the HD650s don't have nearly the same speed and transient response compared to the TPs. Transparency/Detailing is very good on the Sennheisers but IMO the TPs are a notch above.
2. Denon D5000
These are closer competitors considering they are both closed cans. Comfort wise the Denons come top due to the lesser weight and lower clamping force. Treble is also more extended on the Denons and have some sparkle and crispness that is less prominent in the TPs. However for everything else I prefer the TPs. Bass quantity goes to the Denons but it sounds flabby and slow and it is simply outclassed by the speed of the TPs. Mids are recessed on the Denons and while detailing is similar the fuller mids of the TPs are more enjoyable IMO. Soundstage wise both are evenly matched in both width and imaging with the TPs taking a slender lead over the Denons. Transparency/Detailing are however a little better on the TPs.
3. Yamaha YH-100
I saved this for last since both are modded orthos. My pair was modded by dbel84 who spent a long time to get them to sound as neutral as possible. The main differences between the TPs and the YH-100s is that the YH-100s are supra aural and they are not truly closed but have a few vents making them semi-vented cans. The main similarities are the ortho speed that both have. The TPs have a fuller sound compared to the YH-100s which sound thinner in comparison. Bass hits harder and has more impact on the TPs but the YH-100s hits as low and has greater speed compared to the TPs. However if asked to pick one of the cans I would pick the TPs.
Mid range of both are detailed and smooth but the fuller sound of TPs is IMO a bit more pleasing. Treble is where the YH-100s show their stuff as treble has more sparkle and crispness and seems more effortless and extended compared to the TPs even on my Compass. However while the TPs have zero sibilance, the YH-100s have a little bit of sibilance if listening at a loud volume. Detailing and transparency are more or less equal on both phones though the YH-100 pretends to have more details since the treble is more prominent compared to the TPs. Soundstage wise the TPs have a slightly wider presentation but the YH-100s win in height and imaging. Instrument separation on the YH-100s is a hair better than the TPs. Both are capable headphones and rather evenly matched but if asked to pick one I would pick the TPs for my kind of music. However while I could run the TPs directly out of the Music Streamer, I could not do the same with the YH-100s since the Streamer hasn't got nearly enough juice to provide any decent sort of volume. So maybe on a better more neutral amp the YH-100s could offer a better performance.
I wish I had some more time with the TPs (maybe a couple of years more !hyeah: ) and its definitely with a heavy heart that I had to ship these off.
My impressions are given below -
Testing equipment
DAC - Music Streamer II
Amps - Compass , Music Streamer II
Build quality and comfort
Build quality is simply beautiful ! The wood looks really gorgeous and has a great finish. Comfort wise the pads fit me well and they seal very well indeed. I can get lost in the music as there is little outside noise.
However all the dampning material used has increased the overall weight of the headphones and after an hour my neck can start paining due to the weight. However I would gladly do a lot of neck exercises if I could ever afford the TPs !
Sound
Caveat - This section is colored by the rolled off Compass amp so you may hear a different sound on your system
First off as I mentioned earlier, these aren't that difficult to drive compared to either of my two Yammies (YH-100 or HP-2). So as I found out later they sound better out of my Music Streamer II DAC compared to using my Compass as an amp.
Even out of the Compass I got an eargasm when I first heard the Thunderpants !
Bass
The bass is definitely the first thing that hits you. Its got lots of punch/impact, speed and it hits low but rolls of quickly after 60 Hz so subbass is not the best. On the Compass the sub bass was not very audible but on the Music Streamer II the sub bass could be heard a bit more clearly. The bass has got texture and never loses control even on complex passages. While I feel there is a bit of mid bass hump which gives a pleasing warm sound, its neither excessively warm nor does the bass show itself in songs that do not call for bass. This is my reference as to how bass should sound.
Mids
The midrange is every bit as good as the bass and voices are smooth and detailed at the same time. On the Compass I felt the vocals were a bit forward. On switching to the music streamer I realized that's its practically dead on neutral and the amp was the culprit for the forward mids. The midrange sounds thick and has a warm tone that sounds very pleasing. There is no particular emphasis on either male or female voices.
Treble
On the Compass treble was definitely the weak point for me (weak as in comparison to the mids and treble that is.).The treble was very smooth, clear and grain free with the right amount of sparkle and shimmer to make cymbals sound natural without causing sibilance or harshness. On shifting to the Music Streamer the treble roll off was less noticeable but for sure the treble is not the main focus of the sound and its slightly shy of dead neutral. Those who love a lot of treble sparkle will be a tad disappointed. Those who love a smooth fatigue free treble with lots of detailing will be very happy.
Soundstage/Separation
The soundstage is amazing for a closed can. Its pretty wide to give you an out of head experience. Imaging is also excellent but is not the best I have heard in a closed can. With the Compass I can tell that its a closed can as I can hear some blind spots between the width and height (45 degree angles from your left ear and right ear). However those blind spots are missing with the Music Streamer and frankly I can be fooled if someone blind folds me and tells me its an open can. Instrument separation is also above average and notes do not bleed into one another. I think the ortho driver speed really helps in presenting a good instrument separation.
Comparison with other cans
1. HD650 - These have been my favourite cans for years and they are still my most used cans even though my YH-100s sound better since I find them more comfortable than the heavy YH-100s. There are a lot of similarities between the two since they both have a full/thick sound with the mids and bass as the main focus. Over here the TPs easily beat the HD650s w.r.t to bass as they hit lower, add more punch and the bass has more speed than the HD650s. The mid range of both are excellent but somehow I still love the HD650s mids and I would give this one to the HD650s. Treble is a no contest as the HD650 has a much more noticeable treble roll off and cymbals sound unnatural and muted on the HD650. Soundstage goes to the HD650 since its an open can and has a more natural soundstage though it doesn't offer a wider soundstage compared to the TPs. However instrument separation and imaging goes to the TPs as the HD650s don't have nearly the same speed and transient response compared to the TPs. Transparency/Detailing is very good on the Sennheisers but IMO the TPs are a notch above.
2. Denon D5000
These are closer competitors considering they are both closed cans. Comfort wise the Denons come top due to the lesser weight and lower clamping force. Treble is also more extended on the Denons and have some sparkle and crispness that is less prominent in the TPs. However for everything else I prefer the TPs. Bass quantity goes to the Denons but it sounds flabby and slow and it is simply outclassed by the speed of the TPs. Mids are recessed on the Denons and while detailing is similar the fuller mids of the TPs are more enjoyable IMO. Soundstage wise both are evenly matched in both width and imaging with the TPs taking a slender lead over the Denons. Transparency/Detailing are however a little better on the TPs.
3. Yamaha YH-100
I saved this for last since both are modded orthos. My pair was modded by dbel84 who spent a long time to get them to sound as neutral as possible. The main differences between the TPs and the YH-100s is that the YH-100s are supra aural and they are not truly closed but have a few vents making them semi-vented cans. The main similarities are the ortho speed that both have. The TPs have a fuller sound compared to the YH-100s which sound thinner in comparison. Bass hits harder and has more impact on the TPs but the YH-100s hits as low and has greater speed compared to the TPs. However if asked to pick one of the cans I would pick the TPs.
Mid range of both are detailed and smooth but the fuller sound of TPs is IMO a bit more pleasing. Treble is where the YH-100s show their stuff as treble has more sparkle and crispness and seems more effortless and extended compared to the TPs even on my Compass. However while the TPs have zero sibilance, the YH-100s have a little bit of sibilance if listening at a loud volume. Detailing and transparency are more or less equal on both phones though the YH-100 pretends to have more details since the treble is more prominent compared to the TPs. Soundstage wise the TPs have a slightly wider presentation but the YH-100s win in height and imaging. Instrument separation on the YH-100s is a hair better than the TPs. Both are capable headphones and rather evenly matched but if asked to pick one I would pick the TPs for my kind of music. However while I could run the TPs directly out of the Music Streamer, I could not do the same with the YH-100s since the Streamer hasn't got nearly enough juice to provide any decent sort of volume. So maybe on a better more neutral amp the YH-100s could offer a better performance.
I wish I had some more time with the TPs (maybe a couple of years more !
hyeah: ) and its definitely with a heavy heart that I had to ship these off.