FOSTEX TH600

Pre owned. In good condition. Shows a sign of wear on the headband area, as shown in the photos. Equipped with new ear pads, replaced and never used, owner's manual and original packaging.

The Fostex TH-600 is a closed-back circumaural stereo headphone designed as a reference model within Fostex's range, with an approach focused on high-resolution reproduction, dynamics and low-frequency control. The design incorporates some solutions developed by Fostex during its previous collaboration with Denon, while introducing its own construction and material choices.

The acoustic section uses a 50 mm dynamic driver equipped with a magnetic circuit providing a flux density of 1 Tesla. The transducer is designed to achieve a wide dynamic range while keeping distortion under control, allowing both high-energy passages and low-level information to be reproduced with good articulation.

The diaphragm is made from Fostex's proprietary BioDyna material, developed to combine rigidity, low weight and controlled behaviour across different frequencies. This solution contributes to the reproduction of ultra-low frequencies, midrange definition and high-frequency extension, maintaining a response characterized by a high level of detail and presence.

The headphone features a closed-back construction with ear cups made from die-cast magnesium alloy. This material provides a favourable balance between rigidity and weight and allows the cups to maintain a structure resistant to vibration, while the matte finish is also less prone to showing fingerprints than glossy surfaces.

A piezoelectric element, known as Piezo Sheet, is applied inside the ear cups to disperse structural resonances and improve vibration control. This treatment helps stabilize the acoustic behaviour of the ear cups and reduce coloration associated with mechanical resonances.

The ear pads and contact surfaces use Idemitsu Grancuir leather, produced with a formulation incorporating proteins derived from eggshells. This material reduces weight compared with conventional leather while providing a soft and durable surface. The circumaural design of the ear cups allows the ears to fit comfortably within the pads.

The headband incorporates an adjustment system consisting of metal guides with predefined positions, allowing the headphone to be adapted to the user's head while maintaining stable positioning of the ear cups. The structure is designed to distribute the weight during use and provide an appropriate level of lateral clamping force.

The headphone uses a non-detachable dual-entry cable with a relatively substantial cross-section and a textile covering. The cable terminates in a 6.3 mm jack connector, primarily intended for connection to headphone amplifiers, integrated amplifiers and other sources equipped with a standard headphone output.

Sonically, the TH-600 features an energetic and articulate low-frequency response, a slightly recessed midrange and an extended, well-defined treble. The bass remains controlled even at high sound pressure levels, providing a deep response while maintaining speed and articulation without becoming excessively bloated.

The midrange prioritizes definition and separation over a particularly forward and warm presentation. Vocals and instruments are therefore positioned slightly behind the bass and treble, contributing to a spacious presentation and precise separation of the different elements within a recording.

The treble is characterized by extension, openness and fast transient response. Its presentation tends towards a bright character while maintaining a clean reproduction of detail, contributing to a sense of air between instruments and clear retrieval of ambient information within recordings.

The particular response and closed-back configuration allow the TH-600 to produce a relatively large soundstage, with good perception of both depth and width. The result is a spatial presentation that is more open than typically associated with closed-back headphones, making the model particularly suitable for ambient recordings, electronic music, rhythm-driven productions and material with a significant dynamic component.

The Fostex TH-600 therefore combines a 50 mm dynamic driver with a 1 Tesla magnetic circuit, BioDyna diaphragm, die-cast magnesium ear cups, internal Piezo Sheet treatment and Idemitsu Grancuir leather ear pads, combining a construction focused on resonance and vibration control with a sound signature characterized by prominent low frequencies, extended treble and a spacious soundstage.

Technical specifications:

• Type: closed-back dynamic
• Driver: 50 mm with neodymium magnet; BioDyna diaphragm
• Frequency response: 5 – 45,000 Hz
• Impedance: 25 Ω
• Sensitivity: 94 dB/mW
• Maximum input power: 1,800 mW
• Cable: 3 m; Y-type configuration
• Connector: 6.3 mm gold-plated stereo standard plug
• Accessories: leather-style pouch
• Weight: approximately 370 g, excluding cable