The Grado HF-2 Review/Comparison Thread - Page 47

I'm sitting here listening to the cowboy junkies on my head-fi hf-2s thinking how perfect they are...I'm so glad I got the non-blurry first edition, not the blurry first edition...

^
I give up

now I'm listening to my recording of a gov't mule show from august 2000, and the bass is so perfect, I can hear individual strings, and that perfect tone, laying the foundation for warren's clear ringing guitar and matt's snare and cymbals...

Could you post an amazon link of which one to get? The gold is beyond my reach. Just non-blurry would be fine.

Well I haven't received mine yet so maybe mine will be the ultra perfect, everyone else's sound like poo, pair. :^)

I'm just glad there's a pair of grados with the fast in you face sound that doesn't have treble that stabs the ear drum (rs1, sr325, et al). Perhaps when I'm older and my sensitivity to high frequency dies down I'll switch to the rs1.

I still love them, I just am willing to part with the grados to get JH13s, a new source, and a new amp

I mostly listen to speakers at home these days, and so I want great headphones for portable use. I'll either sell the ESP950s or the grados, and keep the other.

Warren and Matt would sound perfect in my grade school auditorium (you know, the one with the asbestos stage curtain).

So I got these things yesterday around noon... I've listened to them for about 6 hours or so since. Last night a spent some time putting them head to head against the HF-1 for some fun (didn't compare them to the MS-1, it wouldn't even be fair). For the record... I don't believe in burn-in. Based on the reviews I've seen, my pair sits right in there as far as sound goes on "burned in" cans.

First off... these things are a ton heavier than the HF-1s. The cord is shorter (maybe a foot) and the cord is very stiff. They are not uncomfortable other than the cord doesn't cooperate yet . They feel very solid in the hands and on the head.

Sound wise, they are amazing.

Bass: The bass on these things is incredible. I heard (felt?) foot stomping on live acoustic recordings I only hear with a big sub. They go lower than the HF-1 and the bass is stronger overall without being overpowering. It's just there in force. Kick drums are super punchy, bass notes are easy to distinguish, and you can hear the LOW stand-up bass notes the HF-1 seems to ignore.

Highs: The highs on these sound perfect to me. When switching between the two, the HF-1 has a very sizzly super high frequency range (I have abnormally sensitive high frequency hearing up to the 23khz range... I hear like a 5 year old). The HF-1 seems to have a big push in that range so certain instruments or samples sizzle (not quite sibilance, higher frequency). The HF2 does not. The sound is still there, but it sounds far more natural. To be honest, I never noticed the problem in the HF-1 since it's so common in loudspeakers and headphones alike.

Mids: The two are very close in this area. They're Grados. Voices on the HF2 sound a little more natural, but It sounds more like it's related to the sizzle of the highs (read ssss's). Acoustic string instruments like mandolins, guitars, violins, etc. sound very close between the two.

Other: Instrument separation is definitely better on the HF2 and the soundstage is a little wider (although still mostly in my head). Everything just seems to sound more like it should.

Definitely fantastic headphones. My co-workers were making fun of my expensive purchase, until I put them on my bosses head.

I'm also a big fan of Peter Tägtgren, they will release their new album "A Taste Of Extreme Divinity" this fall.

Do you have Trinity Revisited by the Junkies? Great performance & excellent sound quality/recording!

Wow - currently listening to 'Stop' from James Gang's Yer Album - never heard the bass sounding so 'kick-a**' - looks like another late night cuz I just can't pry these HF-2's from my head

I do. It's too bad they felt the need to bring in Natalie Merchant.