# Fostex Lawton Mod **URL:** \ **Category:** General Headphone Discussion\ **Created:** [August 31, 2019, 4:21pm UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/fostex-lawton-mod/3763 "2019-08-31T16:21:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 78
**Author:** ![ValentineLuke](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.headphones.com/valentineluke/32/9729_2.png) [@ValentineLuke](https://forum.headphones.com/u/ValentineLuke)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2020, 3:02am UTC](https://forum.headphones.com/t/fostex-lawton-mod/3763/78 "2020-05-03T03:02:53Z")
**Fostex TH-610 Lawton Mod** I finally received my Fostex TH-610 for the mod. It took me longer than I had anticipated to decide on which model Fostex to use for the mod. The TH-900 mk2 has the more powerful 1.5 Tesla magnet structure which translates to roughly more of everything sonically. That’s quite appealing, but the $1599 MSRP wasn’t. Since it’s a project on a headphone I’ve never heard (crazy, huh?), I decided to go with the much more affordable TH-610 with its 1(+) Tesla drivers. The TH-610 is a more neutrally tuned Foster driver headphone. When I first received the 610 I was pleasantly surprised by it’s sound. Very resolving, with a wide sweeping, U-shaped sound. Just a touch of brightness. Boy do these have detail… I’d say more so than my previous detail-king Focal Clear (which are an excellent headphone). The 610 paired wonderfully with the Chord Hugo TT2 I have on hand (thanks to a loaner program of which I was invited by fellow forum member @jb77- thanks Jeremy!). It really revealed the capabilities of both devices. I had planned to keep them stock while I listened over the weekend so I would have a better sense of the changes made by modding them, but after a few hours of listening, I just couldn’t handle the tiny ear pads. My large ears were crammed into the small opening for far too long even though I was enjoying the sound, it was too uncomfortable to continue. I decided to swap the pads out for the ZMF Ori Lambskins. I also added Dekoni made attenuation rings designed for Fostex TH-610/TR-X00 (the Massdrop variants using the same drivers). Man are the ZMF pads comfortable! I was able to continue listening without any discomfort, and with little change to the sound. So today I wake up deciding to completely forgo my original plan since I already began to mod them the night before (pad swapping is a mod, right?). Here are the photos I took during the mod. You can find similar photos on Mark Lawton’s website as that’s the only place to find instructions. ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/headphones/original/2X/1/149962ccb7c6a3695277e030c4cadfed955588bf.jpeg) For the full mod you will need: Fostex TH900/TH610, Lawton Tune-Up kit, Lawton Custom Wood Chambers (cups), Lawton pads (I opted for ZMF based on their reputation and advice from members of various forums), and a Phillips screwdriver. ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/headphones/original/2X/a/ad96c307b3df27aefcfa4f7dde3b2d0c53633f28.jpeg) The Tune-Up kit consists of self adhesive strips that are essentially placed on the hard plastic surfaces of the driver housing/assembly. They are intended to reduce resonances in the driver chamber. ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/headphones/original/2X/0/0dad097b334dbab2197b146664577b8064aa9b1f.jpeg) When you remove the pads this is what you’ll see underneath. ☝🏽 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/headphones/original/2X/6/688498a7d637fc5cf8eee710e936c3436da58e94.jpeg) The stock cup removed. You can see the ‘gauze’ styled anti-resonance material. ☝🏽 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/headphones/original/2X/6/6ff631b0c2d205c9a605c90bf048155f600f59bb.jpeg) The backside of the driver is exposed once you remove the stock cups. ☝🏽 This is where you apply the Tune-Up kit. ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/headphones/original/2X/3/391ffe9c75c6803bc7e2d86beae70876331e04b0.jpeg) Here you can see the Tune-Up kit applied to the back of the driver. ☝🏽 For the TH-610 the kit consists of 3 pieces per driver. ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/headphones/original/2X/1/1288cca03ba0efef8ec95d36f63d25f017d11094.jpeg) This is where you add the most expensive Lawton component, and what I now affectionately call the _“Boom-Room”._ 🕶 You’ll notice that the Lawton Chamber uses a different style anti-resonance material compared to the stock cups. After what amounted to about an hours worth of work (give or take a few minutes), you now have a completely modded Fostex TH-610! ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/headphones/original/2X/a/a3faba283ce33adca7934d13166f7520ad589bfd.jpeg) Easy-peezy, lemon squeezy. 🤓 _Shout out to my son whos desk I used for the mod._ _ **Semi-Quick Take** _ It’s _mostly_ what I initially heard in stock form. The highs have been slightly tamed, and there’s a little better separation. The soundstage which was already fairly wide for a closed-back (sort of) is now my own private little studio. Isolation stayed the same which wasn’t the best given that these aren’t a _true_ closed-back. Now the bass is another story. These Foster BioDyna drivers have excellent extension in both directions. To a point where if not implemented properly they can be too bright _and_ too boomy. What the Lawton Chambers essentially did was to create a subwoofer like enclosure that allowed the driver to really shine. It’s not boomy (don’t use any attenuation rings, it’ll make these unpleasant, and sloppy BassCanons). It’s present and very **well extended**. I still need to further explore pads. I find the Ori’s to be to small for the better breathing updated drivers. I also think that I’ll benefit with a shallower pad. I’ll update when I receive new pads and add more photos. With the combination of the Tune-Up and the Lawton Chambers I’m left with a better version of what the 610 was in stock form. Was it worth it? For me it was. 😊 -Christopher --- _[View the full topic](https://forum.headphones.com/t/fostex-lawton-mod/3763)._