Are Grados universally uncomfortable?
Feb 28, 2007 at 5:10 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 65
j-dawg

j-dawg

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I listen to music thru headphones @ work, nearly 40 hrs/week and am really wanting to try some nicer phones. I'd like to try Grados but I'm worried that they will be too uncomfortable for constant use, what with what everybody says. Does everyone recommend against them for that reason?

I started with some PX-100's. Fun sound, but wanted to try a closed phone so got some HD-201's. Super comfy, sounded a little bass lean to me but crisp and likeable. Perfect with PCDP bass boost on lowest setting. Now I have HD-205's which sound nicer and fuller than the 201's, have a super tight seal but I can't stand wearing them for long periods of time.

Where should I go next? Will I have the same discomfort issues if I get Grados? Thx for any advice.
 
Feb 28, 2007 at 5:20 AM Post #3 of 65
Quote:

Originally Posted by feh1325 /img/forum/go_quote.gif
hd414 pads can solve that

or you can spend some cash and get headphile pads


Yup, headphile pads definitely solve it.
smily_headphones1.gif


Ant
 
Feb 28, 2007 at 5:24 AM Post #4 of 65
Bloody hell! $120 just for headphone pads?? Wow. I like the idea of dropping cash for hardware but I don't know if I could pay that much for some earpads. Not flaming you obviously, thanks for the advice. But you weren't kidding when you said "spend some cash!"

$100 for entry level Grados plus $120 = $220 or so before any shipping. Surely there's a comfy phone in that range all by itself, no?
 
Feb 28, 2007 at 5:35 AM Post #5 of 65
Quote:

Originally Posted by j-dawg /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I listen to music thru headphones @ work, nearly 40 hrs/week and am really wanting to try some nicer phones. I'd like to try Grados but I'm worried that they will be too uncomfortable for constant use, what with what everybody says. Does everyone recommend against them for that reason?

I started with some PX-100's. Fun sound, but wanted to try a closed phone so got some HD-201's. Super comfy, sounded a little bass lean to me but crisp and likeable. Perfect with PCDP bass boost on lowest setting. Now I have HD-205's which sound nicer and fuller than the 201's, have a super tight seal but I can't stand wearing them for long periods of time.

Where should I go next? Will I have the same discomfort issues if I get Grados? Thx for any advice.


i myself don't have a problem with my ms-1's. they are very comfortable actually. you can bend the metal headband to loosen it up. my hd580's definitely clamp my head tighter a lot more and i can't listen to my hd580's as long as i can with my ms-1's. but that's just me. others find grado's so harmful that i almost didn't go for the purchase. good thing i didn't listen to those that are weak-eared :p

you could also go for the dt770's or the ATH-Ax00's or ADx00's. i personally think the audio-technica's (Ax00 and ADx00) are very very very comfortable. you can wear them forever and not notice them. the dt770's have a slight clamp to them, but the AT's have a special wing system that doesn't clamp your head.
 
Feb 28, 2007 at 5:37 AM Post #6 of 65
My HD555's are pretty comfortable. They have a pretty balanced sound too.
 
Feb 28, 2007 at 6:37 AM Post #8 of 65
The problem with my grados i find is not so much clamping but just the itchiness of the pad. I have flats and after a couple hours I have to take them off. There is a slight discomfort too from some pressure but thats not a big deal to me.

my friends hd595s are amazingly comfortable with gread sound, used you can get those at a good price.
 
Feb 28, 2007 at 6:43 AM Post #9 of 65
Quote:

Originally Posted by j-dawg /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Bloody hell! $120 just for headphone pads?? Wow. I like the idea of dropping cash for hardware but I don't know if I could pay that much for some earpads. Not flaming you obviously, thanks for the advice. But you weren't kidding when you said "spend some cash!"

$100 for entry level Grados plus $120 = $220 or so before any shipping. Surely there's a comfy phone in that range all by itself, no?


Unfortunately NO.... At least Not one with the Grado slam.
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Feb 28, 2007 at 6:46 AM Post #10 of 65
Kramer do you not have any mods involving pads, electrical tape, and mesh to make grado pads nicer??
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Do you think just covering the foam that touches your ear with elecrical tape would affect the sound any? It seems like it would be smoother and less itchy.
 
Feb 28, 2007 at 6:54 AM Post #11 of 65
I really dont know what is wrong with me. I received my SR225 yesterday and I was expecting to hear that amazing sound everybody is talking about and awful comfort.

After listening to them for about four hours (still listening to them now) after about 30hours of burn in, I dont feel any discomfort, but SQwise I think they are awful. I dont hear the bass at all and I dnt hear any more detail than my HD555s. They are pretty much like the HD555 with less bass and basically an amazing ability to suck the live out of some songs I love
frown.gif
. Some have said that my source is not good enough for them to shine but i try them in a denon receiver and still got nothing.

They are comfortable though. What the helll!!!
 
Feb 28, 2007 at 7:03 AM Post #12 of 65
Unfortunately no.... I haven't found a way to squeeze blood out of this turnip. (And I have tried). The baby shampoo mod was the best I could conjure up
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At one point I found TTVJ flats, Grado comfies and HD414s much more comfortable than bowl pads. As far as bowls go, the only way I have found is to just grit your teeth and endure the throbbing pain. After 3-4 weeks your outer ear cartilage will turn to a bruised to pulpy-mush and flatten out. After that it was like black magic, all of a sudden I woke up the next day and I could wear them all day.

Fortunately for me my grado-hazing was with the MS2. One of the least comfortable Grados IMHO. So, switching to anything else in their line up was an easy transition.

no pain - no gain
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Feb 28, 2007 at 7:07 AM Post #13 of 65
Maybe at first they are uncomfortable. Takes some getting used to, and it helps if you wash the bowl pads with a little dish soap and water- softens them up real nice. Headphile C-pads are nice, but it really tends to change that signature Grado sound. Expands the soundstage, which I like-but it does sound a little unnatural for a Grado.
 
Feb 28, 2007 at 7:08 AM Post #14 of 65
Quote:

Originally Posted by alitomr /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I really dont know what is wrong with me. I received my SR225 yesterday and I was expecting to hear that amazing sound everybody is talking about and awful comfort.

After listening to them for about four hours (still listening to them now) after about 30hours of burn in, I dont feel any discomfort, but SQwise I think they are awful. I dont hear the bass at all and I dnt hear any more detail than my HD555s. They are pretty much like the HD555 with less bass and basically an amazing ability to suck the live out of some songs I love
frown.gif
. Some have said that my source is not good enough for them to shine but i try them in a denon receiver and still got nothing.

They are comfortable though. What the helll!!!


Thats interesting because I find my denon receiver to be very warm and open sounding... a good match for my Grados. Note I use the toslink optical input on my Denon, from my D335. So the CD player is merely an optical transport.

if your CD player has an optical output, you might want to try that into your receiver. IMHO the Denon receivers generally have warm sounding internal DACs. Heres a pic of my little setup, that I enjoy a lot....

dscn8047yi4.jpg
 
Feb 28, 2007 at 7:08 AM Post #15 of 65
Sadly lots of people find grados to be unfriendly on the ears and I'm one of them. The bowls are really bad for me and I can take about 1 hour at a stretch. The flats are much better but still give you warm itchy lobes but they are a lot more comfy than bowls and are good for a couple of hours.
 
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