Fostex T50RP MK4g review: The minimalist headset for radical gamers

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Fostex is a traditional Japanese manufacturer of high-end audio equipment that is probably only known to enthusiasts. The most expensive headphones, for example, cost well over $2,000. In 2024, the company launched a new edition of one of its most popular studio headphones: the Fostex T50RP MK4.

What the manufacturer probably didn’t expect was that these headphones would become a secret among Japanese gamers. To better attract this target group, Fostex printed a second package for the device and simply added a “g” to the product name, for “Gaming”. A few months later, the manufacturer added a “Pro”, integrated a microphone then released the third version, the “T50RP MK4g”. Pro”.

So why do Japanese gamers opt for a wired headset that costs around $250? Two reasons: first, it’s great for shooters and second, it removes unnecessary bells and whistles. In fact, he has none at all.

Fostex T50RP MK4g: Design

It starts with the packaging: the Fostex T50RP MK4g comes in a simple printed cardboard box and is wrapped in bubble wrap there. Delivery includes a microphone in which the 2 meter long cable with 3.5 mm combo jack plug is integrated. If you want to separate the signal into output (headphones) and input (microphone) because your PC has separate jacks, you will need a suitable splitter. Most consoles and laptops, however, have a suitable socket.

Eugene Wegmann

The technical data, including a small connection diagram, is simply printed on the box. A compact instruction manual is included, but the function is actually self-explanatory. It’s a wired headset. The plug goes in, the sound comes out and goes through the microphone. No witchcraft. The simplicity is also reflected in the weight: without the microphone, the model weighs only 330 grams.

The headphones themselves are as simple as the packaging and the scope of delivery: they are completely black, the earphone shells are made of plastic, albeit a bit cheap, and the headband and ear cushions are covered in artificial leather. The two metal rails for adjusting the length of the headband are probably the most striking element.

Cables protrude between them, connecting the two earbuds and giving the headset a touch of non-utilitarian industrial design. Probably the most interesting feature of the Fostex T50RP MK4g is the ability to connect the microphone to the left or right case, as both sides have a jack.

Eugene Wegmann

The headset also has a small remote control on the cable, which you can use to mute the microphone and adjust the headset volume. Fostex opted for a slider rather than a wheel which is rather unusual, but works quite well.

Construction-wise, the Fostex T50RP MK4g are semi-open headphones, which means they let in more ambient noise than closed-back headphones, but less than open-back headphones. This compromise allows you to obtain a reasonably natural sound without leaving Also a lot of outside noise gets through. The fit is also more comfortable than with most closed-back headphones, which is certainly helped by the thick, soft ear cushions.

Eugene Wegmann

Internally, Fostex uses magnetostatic drivers, sometimes also called planar magnetic drivers. In terms of price and quality, the technology falls somewhere between the more widely used (electro)dynamic drivers and the more expensive and rarer electrostatic drivers.

Fostex T50RP MK4g: Sound

So how do the headphones sound? Really quite balanced. A little accentuated in the middle, incredibly detailed, but overall very balanced. While balance is often desirable in many other areas, it is rarely the case for audio products. Indeed, in the most common use case – mainstream music – balanced sound often goes hand in hand with a certain flatness, which certainly also depends on current trends.

For example, if you look at the current music landscape, you will realize that it has, by and large, been bass-oriented for over 10 years. Balanced headphones like the Fostex T50RP MK4g can’t reproduce this particularly well because they simply don’t have enough bass punch. But this is hardly surprising, because the Fostex is primarily a studio headset. They are used for mixing in recording studios, where this characteristic is explicitly desired.

It turns out that this sound profile is also ideal for competitive shooters, where the focus is less on the power of a weapon and more on the location of opponents. The boosted mids are particularly useful here, while the bass and treble play a secondary role. In addition, the headphones offer incredibly good spatial sound, that is, they can show very well where something is in the game – without any virtual surround sound or similar technologies simulating spatiality. It’s truly fascinating and the main reason why these headphones have become an insider secret.

Eugene Wegmann

Fostex T50RP MK4g: Microphone

Basically, there is not much to criticize about the microphone of the Fostex T50RP MK4g. It’s largely a regular condenser microphone on a flexible boom arm and has a small foam pop protector. It seems good, no more, no less. This is more than enough for communication via Discord and the like.

My only real complaint is its omnidirectional nature: this means that the microphone picks up sounds from any direction (more or less) with the same strength, including ambient noises that don’t come from the direction of the mouth, such as street noise through an open window. Fostex would probably have done better with a cardioid polar pattern.

Is the Fostex T50RP MK4g worth it?

With the headset upgrade, Fostex has finally succeeded with the T50RP MK4g, at least for anyone who doesn’t want unnecessary bells and whistles. The company addresses most of the criticisms made in my initial conclusion with the microphone alone.

The fact remains that the Fostex T50RP MK4g remains a fairly expensive product for a relatively limited target group. Indeed, the vast majority of gamers will prefer a wireless headset for its flexibility alone, allowing them to do small things at home while waiting for the next match without missing it or having to unplug the cable from the socket.

The biggest problem for American consumers is availability. Being a niche Japanese group, Fostex products are not sold everywhere and the lack of availability is even more pronounced with the T50RP MK4g than with the base model, as it is currently only available from a very limited number of suppliers in the United States.