Are you a bass fiend? If so, you don’t want to miss this review because the Fostex TH900 may have the best sub-bass of all headphones in the $1,000 price range. But even though bass is definitely one of their defining characteristics, it’s not the only one, and we describe all other positive qualities of these premium headphones in our review.

Design and Build

Probably the most eye-catching design element of the Fostex TH900 are the deep red housings, which are made from Japanese Cherry Birch and finished with Urushi lacquer to provide them with a long-lasting protection. Both the earpads and the wide headband have memory foam cushioning for excellent long-term listening comfort.

Because these headphones are meant for home listening, the very long cable ends with a 6.3 mm plug, but the packaging also includes an adapter to 3.5 mm. The cable is non-detachable, so you should be extra careful not to damage it because the repair would be difficult. This is something that many owners of these headphones have complained about to Fostex, which is why the Fostex TH900 MKII have a removable cable. Unfortunately, Fostex TH900 MKII also cost noticeably more than the original version even though the two versions sound identical.

The earcups are connected to the headband with a special hinge that allows for a wide range of adjustability without compromising the durability of the headphones.

Sound Quality

We knew the Fostex TH900 would have great bass before we tried them, but we were not prepared for how utterly outstanding it actually is. The headphones extend incredibly low and are happy to shower you with irresistibly impactful sub-bass that makes bass-heavy music sound amazing. The ample amount of sub-bass also means that movies and games have almost another whole dimension added to them.

If the impressive sub-bass were the only thing the Fostex TH900 could offer, the headphones would never sell for $1,000. After all, there are plenty of budget headphones with powerful bass. But the thing that makes the Fostex TH900 so great is the fact that the sub-bass doesn’t negatively impact other parts of the sound frequency range. The Fostex TH900 is still just as detailed and tonally balance as you would expect audiophile-grade headphones to be.

What’s in the Box?

Fostex includes a well-made headphone with the Fostex TH900 and an adapter that allows you to connect these headphones to your smartphone or portable audio player.