# Thunderpants! A world-class closed planar magnetic headphone by Head-Fi'er "Smeggy" - Head-Fi TV, Episode 012



## jude

*IMPORTANT UPDATE: There are some customers who have had difficulty having their Thunderpants orders fulfilled in a timely manner, and some who still may not have received products at all after having paid.*
  
 ​ ​
NOTE:  If you can't see the embedded video above, please *CLICK HERE* to see the video.​  
  
 In Episode 012 of Head-Fi TV, we take a look at the Thunderpants TP1, a highly-customized headphone, hand-crafted by Head-Fi member *Smeggy*.  The Thunderpants TP1 has fast become one of my favorite full-sized closed over-ear headphones.
  
 You can learn more about Smeggy's Thunderpants headphones and kits by visiting *http://www.tinyurl.com/thunderpantsheadphones*
  
  
 This episode is brought to you by *CanJam @ Rocky Mountain Audiofest* and *Rocky Mountain Audiofest*.  Find out more about the best high-end headphone show in the world by visiting *http://www.canjam.org*
  
  

 Products mentioned in the video:

  


*Thunderpants TP1* closed planar magnetic headphones
*HiFiMAN HE-6* planar magnetic headphones
*HiFiMAN HE-500* planar magnetic headphones
*Audeze LCD-2* planar magnetic headphones
*Sennheiser HD 800* ring driver headphones
  

  

_Head-Fi TV Episode 012 _produced by Joseph Cwik and Jude Mansilla

  

  

 We will occasionally post Q&A episodes of Head-Fi TV.  If you want to submit any questions (or comments), you can do so via email to *tv@head-fi.org*.

  

  

*IMPORTANT UPDATE: There are some customers who have had difficulty having their Thunderpants orders fulfilled in a timely manner, and some who still may not have received products at all after having paid.*


----------



## IndieScent

gotta love those Thunderpants


----------



## Br777

so cool of Jude to feature Smeggy's work, and congrads to Smeggy for truly creating a product worthy of being featured.
   
  on another note, A pair that I had bought from Smeggy was pictured in one of the photo stills - it was the amboyna burl pair.  I LOVED those headphones! There is a reason many head-fiers consider the TP's to be one of the, if not THE best closed cans on the market.


----------



## Moosecraft

Thunderpants ftw wish i had the money though... :S


----------



## LEGendARY

WoW .. Smeggy is doing a fine job .. congratz on making a living out of something you love and enjoy ,, Headphones 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  I hope to see some DENON AHD2000 open mod with gorgeous hand finished wood of yours.


----------



## MalVeauX

Heya,
   
  Awesome! I have some T50RP's still stock and I'm going to eventually get the basic kit at $200 to make my own as a project.
   
  I'm curious how the thunderpants compares to something like the Denon D5000. Anyone?
   
  Also, Jude, what camera do you use to make these episodes?
   
  Great episode by the way; and again, glad to see some user content!
   
  Very best,


----------



## Benjamin6264

Sexy *-*


----------



## johnwmclean

Cheers to you Smeggy!


----------



## Br777

this thread, which i started incidentally,  is probably worth linking to in this thread
   
*Thunderpants!*


----------



## smeggy

Thanks guys, much appreciated


----------



## locust

Quote: 





malveaux said:


> I'm curious how the thunderpants compares to something like the Denon D5000. Anyone?


 
   
  No comparison in my book. The Denon D5000/7000s can't even come close. For my money there isn't a better pair of closed phones anywhere. That being said, I haven't tried any of the Lawton Audio modified Denons. Still, if I had more time to listen at work, I'd consider owning a second pair of Thunderpants.


----------



## RudeWolf

Great that the Thunderpants get some well deserved exposure. Btw, what about amping them? Are they hungry?


----------



## Benjamin6264

Quote: 





rudewolf said:


> Great that the Thunderpants get some well deserved exposure. Btw, what about amping them? Are they hungry?


 

 Being an orthodynamic, my guess would be yes. But then again, I've only experienced the HE-6.
   
  Perhaps it's less power hungry since it's not really *initially* designed for a hifi setup as far as I know.


----------



## Tyll Hertsens

I cannot echo Jude's recommendation of these headphones strongly enough.  I had the great pleasure of visiting Smeggy in his home for a little inside tour of his work recently, and I can only say that I walked away stunned at what I heard.  As Jude said, they may not be up to the level of performance of $1000 open cans, but I don't think I've heard a better pair of sealed cans ... ever.
   
  I too give the Thunderpants my strongest recommendation.  
   
  Thanks so much, Jude, for shining a light on this spectacular product and maker ... it's well deserved.
   
  I'll also mention I recieved a kit from Gary and will soon be making and reviewing the product.  I can't wait.


----------



## sachu

Forever a fan of the thunderpants and mainly the man behind the creation. I  have enjoyed seeing Smeggy perfect his art while adding something special to each beauty he turned out from his blessed hands. Flick that hair back and take a bow you crazy nut. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  p.s: Missed you at the seattle meet, would have stopped by at your place had i been caging it. Next time am in seattle for sure!!


----------



## Reticuli2

So the results Smeggy is getting are consistent between pairs and wasn't just a fluke with that one Tyll measured?  Nice.  Now, someone just needs to compare the Koss ESP950 and the Smeggy's Thunderpants...  Hey Tyll, has anyone sent you a pair of the Koss yet?  I haven't got one to send and haven't shipped off that box of cans yet due to having the flu.


----------



## Draygonn

The most beautiful cans IMO. I must own a pair. When I finish playing around with my own T50RP modding one of my sets will go to Smeggy to be _Thunderized_. 

edit: joined the Thunderpants group buy


----------



## warubozu

Thanks for posting your review on Smeggy's Thunderpants Jude. The Thunderpants remains as one of my favorite set of cans, I have a curly Koa wood set that I currently use at work and I'm seriously considering getting another pair from Smeggy for home use.


----------



## Spareribs

Looks like a worthy headphone to add to an aficionado's collection. Gotta love the craftsmanship of the wood. Boutique and attractive in the looks department. Would look nice with a wood based turntable. With that combination, it's gotta be an audiophile delight with class.


----------



## funch

Quote: 





tyll hertsens said:


> I cannot echo Jude's recommendation of these headphones strongly enough.  I had the great pleasure of visiting Smeggy in his home for a little inside tour of his work recently, and I can only say that I walked away stunned at what I heard.  As Jude said, they may not be up to the level of performance of $1000 open cans, but I don't think I've heard a better pair of sealed cans ... ever.
> 
> I too give the Thunderpants my strongest recommendation.
> 
> ...


 


      Wow! When did you get your kit?
   
       Has anyone else gotten one?


----------



## mhoangthach

it looks extremely beautiful....i'm thinking about getting one for my own.....but anyone know is there any improvement in the sound quality compare to the Fostex T50RP?????????


----------



## mmayer167

Congrats Smeggy, and great job again Jude!
   
  Edit: you may have started a movement of da people Jude!  haha  I hope smeggy can keep up!


----------



## Radio_head

for those who are interested, a group buy thread has just been opened for these.  Save $100.


----------



## Br777

Quote: 





mhoangthach said:


> it looks extremely beautiful....i'm thinking about getting one for my own.....but anyone know is there any improvement in the sound quality compare to the Fostex T50RP?????????


 


   
  substantial, that was pretty much the main message of this video and all the posts that follow


----------



## NoKTurNal

That was a beautiful headphone.....
  I want some thunderpants, might as well save up!


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





radio_head said:


> for those who are interested, a group buy thread has just been opened for these.  Save $100.


 

 here's the link... http://www.head-fi.org/t/572793/thunderpants-t50rp-mod-group-buy


----------



## loremipsum

Damn you Jude. Stop making me want things I can't have.


----------



## googleli

Looks like I have found my next pair of closed cans to replace my T5P, and it won't be the ED8.


----------



## Reticuli2

Quote:


mhoangthach said:


> it looks extremely beautiful....i'm thinking about getting one for my own.....but anyone know is there any improvement in the sound quality compare to the Fostex T50RP?????????


 


  That is the whole point of it. The stock Fostex is a midrangey mess.
   
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/FostexT50RP2011A.pdf
   
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/FostexT50RP2011B.pdf
   
  Turned into this:
   
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/FostexT50RPDSmeggyThunderpantsontherivet.pdf
   
  Assuming, of course, this one was not a fluke.  I'd love to see more of Smeggy's tested.
   
  Aside from some slightly elevated distortion on the left channel at lower volumes (which might have been present on that driver prior to the modding) they don't even test like the same can. Granted, they're not the same unit, but there's definitely proveable consistency shown on the stock units. So it would have tested like that before. It's frankly baffling what can be done with the driver and just how terrible the stock housing actually is. Fostex seems to have made zero effort on the final headphone. All the design and research went into the driver itself and they just slapped into an existing housing design, weird pre-existing cable & headband, one sealed version, one with the vent open. Viola: one T40RPmk2, one T50RP. I'd be surprised if they even listened to the final headphone. Whoever at Foster came up with that driver must have been slaving in some basement lab totally unappreciated, and they certainly didn't get a say in the final headphones. Some crazy genius who might never see the light of day.


----------



## firev1

Added to my wishlist :3


----------



## Nick01

Does anyone know how much they weigh?


----------



## googleli

Is the cable replaceable? If so how is it terminated? Would like to use it with the SR71B. Many thanks.


----------



## smeggy

The cable isn't replaceable as the cups don't have enough room inside for connectors and it's also a lot more work, so at this stage, no. The weight varies with wood type but I've been working at lowering the weight. They're not lightweight phones as the drivers themselves are pretty heavy, add wood and fittings and it adds up. The comfort is still very good because of good weight distribution.


----------



## DaveBSC

Berry interesting. That big notch in the mids is worrying to me though. Do they have the "smile" curve sound? Tyll hasn't measured a Lawton Denon, but the stock Denon 5000 with Jmoney pads measures flat as a board, though its square waves and isolation definitely aren't as good.


----------



## monotune

I am in. You have led me to the fountain and I am ready to drink


----------



## Dantin

looks so nice!


----------



## darkfireblade25

So to all who have this, what would you all say would be good to drive this baby?


----------



## sachu

Cavalli Audio Compact tube hybrid amplifier with a TFRPBG 6F8G or 6CG7 clear top synergizes very well with this headphone. The smegster loves this combo too.


----------



## googleli

Does it come with large or small headphone plug? With the closed back design I am quite interested to use it as a walk around headphone. I have the CLAS, Fostex and several portable amps but I prefer just using iPhone on the go. How does it sound straight out of an iPhone?


----------



## smeggy

If any of you guys are looking to get a set, there is a group buy currently going on at a substantial discount *here*. You can have them terminated with 1/8", 1/4" or 4 pin XLR.

I use mine as a portable all the time, mostly running directly off my ipod nano. So pretty much anything will drive them reasonably but obviously, the better the source/amp, the better they will sound.


----------



## metalsonata

Gorgeous headphones--do want, ever so much. Wish my wallet was as capable of speedy regeneration as my gear lust is.


----------



## jude

Quote: 





rudewolf said:


> Great that the Thunderpants get some well deserved exposure. Btw, what about amping them? Are they hungry?


 

 My big amps will drive it more ideally, but most of the portable amps I use with over-ear headphones (lately the Ray Samuels Audio SR-71b, Fostex HP-P1, ALO Audio Continental, and Practical Devices XM-6) will﻿ drive it well.
   
  As I type this, I'm at a coffee house driving my Thunderpants TP1 with a Fostex HP-P1.


----------



## RudeWolf

Hmm... Good to know, though what I wanted to know is whether they go "K701" when not fed properly? Or are they well when driven with less power but prone to scalability?
  
  Quote: 





jude said:


> My big amps will drive it more ideally, but most of the portable amps I use with over-ear headphones (lately the Ray Samuels Audio SR-71b, Fostex HP-P1, ALO Audio Continental, and Practical Devices XM-6) will﻿ drive it well.
> 
> As I type this, I'm at a coffee house driving my Thunderpants TP1 with a Fostex HP-P1.


----------



## smeggy

I'm deleting this as it's still too far aways to even be thinking about it now.


----------



## Radio_head

Looks like they got a recable job to boot


----------



## smeggy

Yeah, that was the spare cable from my HE 5LE phones.


----------



## Satellite_6

I just wanted to post to say that I am intrigued. . . but I would have to DIY or buy the kit b/c I couldn't afford it otherwise.


----------



## Jalo

Quote: 





smeggy said:


> *The cable isn't replaceable as the cups don't have enough room inside for connectors and it's also a lot more work, so at this stage, no. *The weight varies with wood type but I've been working at lowering the weight. They're not lightweight phones as the drivers themselves are pretty heavy, add wood and fittings and it adds up. The comfort is still very good because of good weight distribution.


 

 As so many of us already have expensive recables for the HD800 or the LCD2, if is possible to rewire the driver with a short nicer wire and then terminate the pigtail right outside the cup with a LCD2/HD800 type of connectors.  That way, we can use out own nice cables.  Or may be I can sent it to Ken/ALO or Moon audio for this remodeling?  Just hoping.


----------



## n3rdling

People who need a closed headphone should definitely consider the Thunderpants.  I don't really like closed headphones, the only two I think are good are the Stax 4070 and the Thunderpants.  Plus, Smeggy is the man


----------



## smeggy

jalo said:


> As so many of us already have expensive recables for the HD800 or the LCD2, if is possible to rewire the driver with a short nicer wire and then terminate the pigtail right outside the cup with a LCD2/HD800 type of connectors.  That way, we can use out own nice cables.  Or may be I can sent it to Ken/ALO or Moon audio for this remodeling?  Just hoping.




This type of request is outside the realms of the group buy discount, even if ordered normally this would be an extra cost thing, same as with expensive woods, they are things that add to the cost of the phones because of extra expense and time on my side. Also, speaking personally, swappable cables rarely seem like a good thing simply because you are replacing a _wire-solder-driver_ system with _wire-solder-connector-solder-flying lead-solder-driver_ system. No matter what wire you use at the front end, it will still be a degradation from a direct connect system simply because of all the junk at the back end the signal has to contend with. More connectors and joints than necessary in the signal path is never good and I've never understood why people think it's ok to do it with 'phones... but I digress. I guess for me it doesn't make sense from an electrical standpoint. Then again, I've never been noted for my brains 

Anyway, the wire can be replaced but not easily as I fix them in place with CA glue to ensure they are strongly held in place. The drivers solder pads are very delicate and don't tolerate much pulling before they pop clean off the circuit board, so I try to ensure that the wires cannot move or rotate at the cup entry. It's a pita but the only way I can ensure they don't destroy the phones if the cables get yanked of twisted. I'm generally aiming for resilience based on how rough I am with my own phones. 

If you can remind me at the time, I'll see if I can rig up an easier way to replace the cable for you that doesn't endanger the drivers.


----------



## loremipsum

Quote: 





smeggy said:


> replacing a _wire-solder-driver_ system with _wire-solder-connector-solder-flying lead-solder-driver_ system.


 
  By _flying lead-solder-driver_, do you mean the type of connection you'd make to have a single entry cable?


----------



## smeggy

loremipsum said:


> By _flying lead-solder-driver_, do you mean the type of connection you'd make to have a single entry cable?




No, referring to the standard cup connector types. Any cup with a connector will have small flying leads to the drivers. Many phones have them like the HE's Audeze, Fostex, Sennheiser etc. Now, I'm not saying I know better, just that to me it seems like less joints/connectors is better than more where a signal is concerned. For pro use, replaceable cables are a necessity, for domestic use, less so.


----------



## rhythmdevils

Very cool.  I think it's a little unfair to compare these to the best open back headphones on the market, because they are closed and so they're subjected to different limitations.  But great episode!


----------



## smeggy

They're also all more expensive by quite a chunk!


----------



## Armaegis

I'm curious what (if any) plans there are for a TP2...


----------



## mmayer167

^ ditto. I don't know what direction the TP2 would go if there were to be one, since the various open style models that have been experimented with around here "reportedly" haven't been to stellar.
   
  Exciting stuff to see these take off   <-- I wanted to insert a thunderpants smiley but it seems we don't have such an image... hmmm
   
  woo for 500th post in 4 years! haha im such a gomer...
   
  M


----------



## smeggy

TP2 ?!?!?!?

I'm still trying to perfect the TP1

Yeah, I'd love to do an open phone but I think I'd need a different driver to work with. I don't believe I'll ever get the Fostex driver to sound how I want in the open.


----------



## googleli

Dude, I have filled in the form - but my alias is mispelt on the list in this thread - my alias is googleli not googeli.
   
  As I have said in the form, I hope there won't be any compromise due to the discount - if there will be any compromise, let me know and I am happy to order at the full price.
   
  Many thanks!!


----------



## smeggy

No, these will be made to the same standard.


----------



## Radio_head

Quote: 





googleli said:


> Dude, I have filled in the form - but my alias is mispelt on the list in this thread - my alias is googleli not googeli.


 

 Sorry about that.  I had just seen zoolander.


----------



## googleli

Why the name "Thunderpant"?


----------



## Armaegis

A little bit of rumble in the jungle?


----------



## smeggy

Blame Sachu for the name, he christened them and it stuck


----------



## sachu

Quote: 





smeggy said:


> Blame Sachu for the name, he christened them and it stuck


 
  As i recall, we were chatting late one night about your newest creation and i was questioning you about its low frequency sonic abilities and trying to relate it to something that was tangible at that moment time.. lol


----------



## punkaroo

I love Jude, and I love Head-Fi TV. Well done!!!!!!
   
  (I want these something fierce!)


----------



## KorkiPoo

Looks amazing and probably sounds amazing! Wish I was smart enough to make a headphone myself.


----------



## Sarthak117

So how do these sound as a portable rig with a Fostex HP-P1 or a portable amp in comparison to a custom IEM like the JH16 or the Westone ES5?


----------



## googleli

I will compare it to my ES5 and UE18 pro when I get it. Stay tuned.


----------



## svyr

man I should've bought a pair back in July when I annoyed smeggy with questions...


----------



## sbradley02

Thanks Jude for helping bring attention to this fantastic product.
   
  I first heard the Thunderpants at a Head-Fi meet and got to listen to most of the planars mentioned in the review.
   
  I really liked all of them, but putting on the Thunderpants was a draw dropping experience. What blew me away the most was the vocals. These were the first headphones I had heard that really got them perfect for my preferences. Of course the rest of the frequency range is outstanding as well. I wasn't expecting to get new headphones when I went to the meet but I had to buy a pair after hearing them and they remain one of my favorite high end products ever, with decades of being involved in the hobby.


----------



## ButtUglyJeff

I hope Jude understands the additional demands he put on Smeggy.  Business will either boom or the wait time will increase.  Great vid as usual...


----------



## mmlogic

Quote: 





buttuglyjeff said:


> I hope Jude understands the additional demands he put on Smeggy.  Business will either boom or the wait time will increase.  Great vid as usual...


 


  Yes, that's what I'm afraid of, I think I will order the kit and do it myself.


----------



## Swimsonny

its amazing what people can improve!


----------



## googleli

Makes me wonder if anyone can turn the Beats into something listenable...


----------



## Radio_head

just shave off the name and let an audiophile listen to it blind.  Instantly becomes more balanced throughout the spectrum, better transients, less bloat.


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





googleli said:


> Makes me wonder if anyone can turn the Beats into something listenable...


 

 If I can ever get my hands on a cheap shell, I've been wanting to replace the drivers with some orthos and then replace the noise cancellation circuit with a small amp like the e6 or something.
   


  Quote: 





radio_head said:


> just shave off the name and let an audiophile listen to it blind.  Instantly becomes more balanced throughout the spectrum, better transients, less bloat.


 

 ... and it'll still sound unimpressive and not worth the price.


----------



## darkfireblade25

Does 55 dollars count as cheap? I found this site that sells fake beats called lowesshop.com. If you have the money, you can mod w/e u want to with that (although I don't know if they're so bad that they'll take your money and never give you your fake headphones...).
  
  Quote: 





armaegis said:


> If I can ever get my hands on a cheap shell, I've been wanting to replace the drivers with some orthos and then replace the noise cancellation circuit with a small amp like the e6 or something.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## Armaegis

Yeah, dhgate is another one that's like that (and does shipping to Canada). I dunno... if I go that route, I might as well toss in an extra $10 to get the metal Pro version...


----------



## VolcomStone

Wow... I'm interested.
   
  Unfortunately, I'm a bit of a basshead, so I don't know if the sound signature would be satisfying. The balance of mids and highs sounds like it would be great, but I want something that has a really full low-end, that hits pretty hard.
   
  Any idea if there's a hope that these might satisfy me? lol


----------



## Satellite_6

I read in the thunderpants thread they were really bassheavy lol. . . 
   
  Can someone provide a much more detailed description of the sound than in the video? Although I suppose I could just go look though that thread. 
   
  Jude is rather vague. . .


----------



## sbradley02

Always difficult to describe sound characteristics in words, and personal preferences always play a large part.
  Thunderpants have best in class bass extension and impact, which are somewhat rare IMO in the high end headphone world.
  The sound is more like what one would expect from an excellent set of speakers than from what one would typically expect from headphones.
  If you are looking for something like the Dres (which I have heard) though you will be disappointed.
  The Dres have a broad rise in the low frequencies and a choppy upper mid and recessed top octave
  http://www.headphone.com/headphones/noise-cancelling/monster-beats-by-dre-studio.php
   
   
  If you want extremely accurate, hard hitting bass though, the Thuderpants won't let you down. My reference is my home theater with dual professional subwoofers (see my sig) and the Thunderpants hold up very well in comparison, which is why I like them so much. Note that I listen to quite a bit of rock so bass performance is extremely important to me.
  
  Quote: 





satellite_6 said:


> I read in the thunderpants thread they were really bassheavy lol. . .
> 
> Can someone provide a much more detailed description of the sound than in the video? Although I suppose I could just go look though that thread.
> 
> Jude is rather vague. . .


----------



## jude

Quote: 





satellite_6 said:


> I read in the thunderpants thread they were really bassheavy lol. . .
> 
> Can someone provide a much more detailed description of the sound than in the video? Although I suppose I could just go look though that thread.
> 
> Jude is rather vague. . .


 

 Satellite_6, this is going to be brief (because I'm in a meeting), but I hope it helps to at least answer the specific question you're asking.
   
  The Thunderpants is not bass-heavy.  Of course, I can only speak for the one I've got, but mine has good extension without bass overemphasis.  It's also not bass-light.  I'd call it neutral through the bass, with deep extension.
   
  I hope that helps.


----------



## warubozu

Agreed with the two previous responses above. I wouldn't say the Thunderpants are bass-heavy or a basshead set of cans as compared to a set Darth Beyers which I also own. Indeed there is more than enough bass in the Thunderpants, it also has some slam and extends low. However bass isn't the main focus of the Thunderpants, as Jude has mentioned in the video the Thunderpants is a balanced set of cans. Bass is nicely balanced along with the mids and doesn't overpower it.


----------



## VolcomStone

Quote: 





warubozu said:


> Agreed with the two previous responses above. I wouldn't say the Thunderpants are bass-heavy or a basshead set of cans as compared to a set Darth Beyers which I also own. Indeed there is more than enough bass in the Thunderpants, it also has some slam and extends low. However bass isn't the main focus of the Thunderpants, as Jude has mentioned in the video the Thunderpants is a balanced set of cans. Bass is nicely balanced along with the mids and doesn't overpower it.


 


  Let's say that I'm a bass-head, and want high-end audio... Would you recommend these "Darth Beyers"? After a quick search (and I mean REALLY quick), they seem like they're pretty awesome.


----------



## warubozu

Quote: 





volcomstone said:


> Let's say that I'm a bass-head, and want high-end audio... Would you recommend these "Darth Beyers"? After a quick search (and I mean REALLY quick), they seem like they're pretty awesome.


 

 If bass is the main focus you're looking for in a set of cans, and I do mean deep can rattling slamming bass then yes do check them out


----------



## Satellite_6

Quote: 





jude said:


> Satellite_6, this is going to be brief (because I'm in a meeting), but I hope it helps to at least answer the specific question you're asking.
> 
> The Thunderpants is not bass-heavy.  Of course, I can only speak for the one I've got, but mine has good extension without bass overemphasis.  It's also not bass-light.  I'd call it neutral through the bass, with deep extension.
> 
> I hope that helps.


 

 Sounds good. Me want.


----------



## VolcomStone

Quote: 





warubozu said:


> If bass is the main focus you're looking for in a set of cans, and I do mean deep can rattling slamming bass then yes do check them out


 


  Well, I'm pretty much looking to upgrade from Monster Turbine Pro Golds. If you've listened to them, then you'd know the bass is pretty siiick. It's tough to find high-end headphones that have that awesome rattling bass.


----------



## RudeWolf

Quote: 





volcomstone said:


> [...] awesome rattling bass.


 

 Something's not right here.


----------



## VolcomStone

Quote: 





rudewolf said:


> Something's not right here.


 

 How bout "rumbling bass"?


----------



## Tyll Hertsens

Quote: 





buttuglyjeff said:


> I hope Jude understands the additional demands he put on Smeggy.  Business will either boom or the wait time will increase.  Great vid as usual...





 
 Or if he's smart, he'll raise the price to $695, to control demand.  That's what they're worth IMHO.


----------



## sachu

Quote: 





tyll hertsens said:


> Or if he's smart, he'll raise the price to $695, to control demand.  That's what they're worth IMHO.


 

 QFMFT!


----------



## BoilermakerFan

Been out of the loop a while with other more pressing things, but glad to see Smeggy getting his deserved accolades! A proud member of the initial owners group.  And Steve, I'm still wearing the T-shirt and getting funny looks which still cracks me up!
   
  I was glad to see my pair made the pics in the video.


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





tyll hertsens said:


> Or if he's smart, he'll raise the price to $695, to control demand.  That's what they're worth IMHO.


 
   
  Quote: 





sachu said:


> QFMFT!


 
   ​
  Indeed. Adopting a loss leader sales strategy would perhaps not be the best business choice for Smeggy.


----------



## hans030390

davebsc said:


> Berry interesting. That big notch in the mids is worrying to me though. Do they have the "smile" curve sound? Tyll hasn't measured a Lawton Denon, but the stock Denon 5000 with Jmoney pads measures flat as a board, though its square waves and isolation definitely aren't as good.




I'm also interested in this. That big dip in the measurements worries me. I know that many people say to judge by your ears and not the graphs, but as someone that is very technical (Computer Science major, will be working in IT industry, heavily interested in varous sciences), the graphs are definitely important for me. After listening to several pairs of headphones, I've been able to directly correlate my sound preferences with what I read in graphs. In short, I tend to prefer headphones that measure as mostly flat and neutral, so this dip is worrisome to me.


----------



## smeggy

The simple fact of the matter is that I make them to sound how I like them to sound, I have no test gear and no way to measure anything, I do it by ear. It was never my intention to try to get a ruler flat response, just something I like the sound of. I'm not an audio engineer, scientist or anything else. I'm an audio enthusiast who enjoys making headphones that I like listening to. I never intended this to become a business but I had few choices once I got laid off from my game developer job. I didn't want to go back into that after 12 long years so I made the choice of doing this as it's what I enjoy doing most. 

I have no manufacturing facilities, just my small workshop in the garage (yes, it's an actual garage business  ) where it's all done by hand, so if people are looking for tight manufacturing tolerances, total predictability and uniform production, that's not me. Each set is a new experiment, each week brings new things to try out and each set is it's own individual project. Not all sets will be made the same and not all will measure the same for those reasons. 

So when considering these, you'll have to bear all that in mind. 

Hope that helps define things


----------



## tme110

Gizmodo is running the story today too and mentions him by name so he'd have to have an unsupportable amount of interest by now.
   
   
  Quote: 





tyll hertsens said:


> Or if he's smart, he'll raise the price to $695, to control demand.  That's what they're worth IMHO.


----------



## sbradley02

Agree completely. I prefer them to phones costing considerably more than $700.
  
  Quote: 





tyll hertsens said:


> Or if he's smart, he'll raise the price to $695, to control demand.  That's what they're worth IMHO.


----------



## calico88

https://picasaweb.google.com/auahlap/FostexT20Gundala


----------



## Armaegis

Quote: 





calico88 said:


> https://picasaweb.google.com/auahlap/FostexT20Gundala


 

 Wow, that's some impressive work.


----------



## Dan S

Has Fostex ever said anything publicly about these? I'd be interested in hearing what they think.
   
  The Thunderpants are beautiful. I've been trying to settle on a great closed pair of headphones at work for a while. The Denon D7000s sound great but don't isolate, the Shure SRH-940s sound great except the treble is slightly too strong and bass slightly too light.
   
  These might be the trick. And I love that they're made by one enthusiast in his garage, transforming by ear an inexpensive headphone into top-tier gear. A very impressive accomplishment!


----------



## sbradley02

dan s said:


> Has Fostex ever said anything publicly about these? I'd be interested in hearing what they think.
> 
> The Thunderpants are beautiful. I've been trying to settle on a great closed pair of headphones at work for a while. The Denon D7000s sound great but don't isolate, the Shure SRH-940s sound great except the treble is slightly too strong and bass slightly too light.
> 
> These might be the trick. And I love that they're made by one enthusiast in his garage, transforming by ear an inexpensive headphone into top-tier gear. A very impressive accomplishment!




At the Head-Fi meet where I heard the Thunderpants I also had the chance to audition the Denon D7000. I liked them quite a bit - in fact they were one of my favorite cans at the meet (don't think there were many others who agreed - but I like closed cans and the Denon had a good balance). However, the Thunderpants were the ones that blew me away so I had to buy a pair. 
Just my opinion and preferences and YMMV.


----------



## Armaegis

I'm curious, how many Thunderpants has Smeggy made now?


----------



## Tyll Hertsens

In the "for what it's worth" category, Fostex will be exhibiting at CanJam. I think this will be the first time I've ever seen them at a headphone event. I think they're curious and wondering what all the fuss is about.  They'll get an ear full from me.


----------



## Draygonn

tyll hertsens said:


> Fostex will be exhibiting at CanJam. I think this will be the first time I've ever seen them at a headphone event.




I wonder if they know what they have on their hands. Fostex certainly knows headphones but to place such a gem into badly matched cans...


----------



## barleyguy

tyll hertsens said:


> In the "for what it's worth" category, Fostex will be exhibiting at CanJam. I think this will be the first time I've ever seen them at a headphone event. I think they're curious and wondering what all the fuss is about.  They'll get an ear full from me.




Any idea whether there will be a pair of Thunderpants at CanJam? Someone should take them over to the Fostex table and say "Hey, check these out."

Also, I'd like to hear them myself.


----------



## mmayer167

wow, that picasa web link was insane! cool cool!


----------



## vo328

Quote: 





smeggy said:


> The simple fact of the matter is that I make them to sound how I like them to sound, I have no test gear and no way to measure anything, I do it by ear. It was never my intention to try to get a ruler flat response, just something I like the sound of. I'm not an audio engineer, scientist or anything else. I'm an audio enthusiast who enjoys making headphones that I like listening to. I never intended this to become a business but I had few choices once I got laid off from my game developer job. I didn't want to go back into that after 12 long years so I made the choice of doing this as it's what I enjoy doing most.
> I have no manufacturing facilities, just my small workshop in the garage (yes, it's an actual garage business
> 
> 
> ...


 

 Smeggy, that's is completely honest and totally refreshing. Your candor is appreciated as is the final product. Hopefully, I'll be able to get my hands on a set, as they sound amazing without ever having touched my ears, but life is that little thing that's currently in the way.  Keep up the good work. I wish you the best.


----------



## Fly Boy

That is some great looking headphones


----------



## Marburger

even though, Smeggy seems to be buried with orders, as in the website everything is "sold", stays for a long time. I have been myself considering them as a second pair for music listning. Since, they look terrific and closed, ahhh woodiess


----------



## smeggy

Yes, getting totally swamped and it'll probably be a little while before I have anything up for sale on the site again due to the orders I have to complete. On the positive side, I have been updating my workshop with bigger and better tools to do things faster and working in batches of parts where I can, so things will be speeding up as time goes on. I've had to totally rethink how I go about making them as the old way was very slow and inefficient. All these orders have pushed past the limits of what I could do previously with my (mostly) hobby grade tools. So now I'm gearing up with more pro level stuff which is more up to the task.
   
  It has meant a slowdown of some orders while I get all this in place and rethink my methods. I'm going as fast as I can, devising new procedures and so on takes some time to get right but I'm getting up to speed with it


----------



## HeadphoneAddict

Quote: 





smeggy said:


> Yes, getting totally swamped and it'll probably be a little while before I have anything up for sale on the site again due to the orders I have to complete. On the positive side, I have been updating my workshop with bigger and better tools to do things faster and working in batches of parts where I can, so things will be speeding up as time goes on. I've had to totally rethink how I go about making them as the old way was very slow and inefficient. All these orders have pushed past the limits of what I could do previously with my (mostly) hobby grade tools. So now I'm gearing up with more pro level stuff which is more up to the task.
> 
> It has meant a slowdown of some orders while I get all this in place and rethink my methods. I'm going as fast as I can, devising new procedures and so on takes some time to get right but I'm getting up to speed with it


 
   
  I'm really happy things are going well for you now!


----------



## svyr

Gary needs an apprentice


----------



## logscool

So if you say that the Thunderpants fall just slightly short of world class headphones like the HD-800, LCD-2, HE-6, HE-500 then does this mean that they still surpass headphones like HD-6X0, K701, DT-880, SA-5000 and such?


----------



## kingblind

I recently picked up a set of Thunderpants.. I couldn't be happier.. they are amazing..


----------



## Kojaku

logscool said:


> So if you say that the Thunderpants fall just slightly short of world class headphones like the HD-800, LCD-2, HE-6, HE-500 then does this mean that they still surpass headphones like HD-6X0, K701, DT-880, SA-5000 and such?




Sorry for bringing back a thread from the dead, but there're a lot of people on this thread with these headphones...can anyone compare them? Specifically on terms of clarity and resolution? I wanna know about the detail on these...and of they sound congested because they're closed...

Kojaku


----------



## Chadley

Quote: 





kojaku said:


> Sorry for bringing back a thread from the dead, but there're a lot of people on this thread with these headphones...can anyone compare them? Specifically on terms of clarity and resolution? I wanna know about the detail on these...and of they sound congested because they're closed...
> Kojaku


 


 +1


----------



## Sinocelt

Quote: 





tyll hertsens said:


> In the "for what it's worth" category, Fostex will be exhibiting at CanJam. I think this will be the first time I've ever seen them at a headphone event. I think they're curious and wondering what all the fuss is about.  They'll get an ear full from me.


 

 So? So? So?


----------



## punkaroo

Crazy question: anyone ever balance these babies??


----------



## sobbapp

Way too rich for my blood, informative video though.


----------



## hanrytt

wow those are nice, wish i had the pairs you have


----------



## STRiDOR

I would love to try these out.  Each one is like a work of art!  Beautiful job smeggy.


----------



## qwasqasw

Sexy, Cheers !


----------



## specialspartan

Quote: 





br777 said:


> so cool of Jude to feature Smeggy's work, and congrads to Smeggy for truly creating a product worthy of being featured.
> 
> on another note, A pair that I had bought from Smeggy was pictured in one of the photo stills - it was the amboyna burl pair.  I LOVED those headphones! There is a reason many head-fiers consider the TP's to be one of the, if not THE best closed cans on the market.


 
  great purchase! those are beautiful! love the audeze headband, too. definitely a strong competitor when i look for my "main" sealed cans in a couple years.


----------



## Dyaems

problem is that smeggy is currently MIA lol


----------



## joemangi

so has he stopped production of these?


----------



## miceblue

Why is this in the "Featured Stories" section when this article was made a few years ago, and not to mention the missing orders to people......?


----------



## jude

Quote: 





miceblue said:


> Why is this in the "Featured Stories" section when this article was made a few years ago, and not to mention the missing orders to people......?


 
   
  miceblue, we simply featured all the Head-Fi TV threads, but you raise a good point. I'll take it down from featured rotation now, and will also put up an alert in the lead message.


----------

