Fostex T60RPmk2ai is a semi-open planar magnetic headphone built around the fourth-generation RP driver, housed in a solid hard maple enclosure hand-dyed with Awa indigo by craftsmen in Tokushima Prefecture. It is the first Made in Japan model in the T60RP line — every unit is assembled by hand at Fostex's domestic factory. Standard equipment includes Toray Ultrasuede® ear pads and 7N-grade OFC internal wiring (99.99999% purity), the same internal wiring specification used in the flagship TH1000RPmk2 and TH1100RPmk2.
Hard maple housing and Awa-Ai dyeing — acoustic significance
The switch from black walnut (T60RPmk2) to hard maple is an acoustic decision as much as an aesthetic one. Hard maple is denser and stiffer than walnut, which reduces the housing's own resonance modes and yields a tighter soundstage, better transparency, and faster attack — most audible in percussion transients and string harmonics. The Awa-Ai dyeing process uses only natural indigo plant pigment with no synthetic fixatives; the pigment penetrates the wood structure rather than forming an external lacquer layer. This preserves the housing's acoustic behaviour more faithfully than hard-film finishes. Because each piece of maple has a unique grain, the pigment penetration depth and final colour vary between units — no two T60RPmk2ai housings are acoustically or visually identical.Fourth-generation RP driver and 7N OFC wiring — differences vs T60RPmk2
Both the T60RPmk2ai and T60RPmk2 use the same fourth-generation planar driver: redesigned printed coil pattern, increased magnet count, and optimized magnetic flux distribution for improved sensitivity, smoother frequency response, and faster transient performance relative to the third generation. The key differentiator is internal wiring: the T60RPmk2ai uses 7N-grade OFC throughout the internal signal path instead of standard OFC, keeping conductor purity consistent from driver to earcup socket. Both left and right housings carry independent 2-pole 3.5 mm TS sockets for tool-free cable replacement. The optional balanced cable ET-RP4.4BL2Y (4.4 mm Pentaconn, Y-cable) is available separately.KEY FEATURES
- 4th-generation RP planar driver — full-surface diaphragm drive, improved sensitivity and transient vs. 3rd gen
- Solid hard maple housing with Awa indigo dye (Tokushima) — multi-day hand-dyeing with natural pigment only
- First Made in Japan T60RP model — hand-assembled at Fostex domestic factory
- 7N-grade OFC internal wiring (99.99999%) — matches TH1000RPmk2/TH1100RPmk2 internal spec
- Toray Ultrasuede® ear pads included as standard — breathable, low-rebound, reduced fatigue on long sessions
- 2-pole 3.5 mm TS sockets per earcup — Y-cable topology, compatible with ET-RP4.4BL2Y balanced cable
- Semi-open design — wide soundstage and natural spatial projection
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
- Model: T60RPmk2ai
- Driver type: Planar magnetic RP (Regular Phase), 4th generation
- Design: Semi-open
- Impedance: 28 Ω
- Sensitivity: 96 dB/mW
- Frequency response: 10 Hz – 40,000 Hz
- Maximum input power: 3,000 mW
- Housing material: Solid hard maple, Awa indigo dyed
- Internal wiring: 7N-grade OFC (99.99999%)
- Earcup connectors: 2x 3.5 mm TS (2-pole)
- Ear pads: Ultrasuede® (Toray), included as standard
- Manufacturing: Made in Japan
