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Tube amp to tame Grado Highs

post #1 of 22
1/27/12 at 9:11am
Thread Starter 

Hello, i have an SR60i, Sr80 and my latest attempt to find a less bright "Grado" a MS1i.

I think I'm nearly there and have just received a set of 414 pads which seem to have made a slight difference.

Can anybody recommend a portable tube amp, Ive been looking at the Little Dot Mk111 but wonder if there are

any similarly priced amps that would do a better job of taming the highs.

Many thanks

Paul444

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post #2 of 22
1/27/12 at 9:17am

It would be more effective to use either EQ, mod them a bit (a thin piece of cloth is very good for that) or get headphones with less agressive highs.

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post #3 of 22
1/27/12 at 9:22am
Thread Starter 

I've got a Cowon J3, can you suggest any treble friendly eq's

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post #4 of 22
1/27/12 at 2:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul444 View Post

I've got a Cowon J3, can you suggest any treble friendly eq's

 

Just use one of the 4 User EQ's and customize it yourself -- you can set the EQ level, the frequency range and you can set the FR to narrow, normal or wide so you can pin-point a FR (narrow), or affect a wide range (wide).

 

Also, don't set the BBE above 5 or so -- it adds crispness.

 

 

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post #5 of 22
1/27/12 at 5:41pm

You should do like I did....LA Punk shows from 1979 - mid 90's with no hearing protection..... That will tame the highs....

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post #6 of 22
1/27/12 at 11:16pm

Did you ever see X? 

 

Get yourself a Little Dot 1+ and not only tame highs but will smoothen over the already forward sounding grado's, and will be a solid investment, especially for it's low price. Get tube rolling, do your research, and upgrade the tubes in it to one that seems to fit the sound you're looking for. 

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post #7 of 22
1/28/12 at 5:58am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Melvins View Post

Did you ever see X? 

 

Get yourself a Little Dot 1+ and not only tame highs but will smoothen over the already forward sounding grado's, and will be a solid investment, especially for it's low price. Get tube rolling, do your research, and upgrade the tubes in it to one that seems to fit the sound you're looking for. 


If that was aimed at me.....Yeah, I have seen X many many times.

 

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post #8 of 22
1/28/12 at 6:12am
Quote:
Originally Posted by dwinnert View Post

You should do like I did....LA Punk shows from 1979 - mid 90's with no hearing protection..... That will tame the highs....



For me it was very loud pipes on my Harley's for about 8 years.  In either case, ....above 14k is gone.

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post #9 of 22
1/28/12 at 7:13am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hibuckhobby View Post



For me it was very loud pipes on my Harley's for about 8 years.  In either case, ....above 14k is gone.



Yeah....my 94 HD FXR also added to the pain....oh, and years of guns and fire works....at least I always wear protection now. Had my ears tested and can just hear 16k at 46 years old.

 

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post #10 of 22
1/28/12 at 7:18am

I have a Millet Starving Student Hybrid that looks like an NES case I'd be willing to sell.  It definitely sounds warms and would make those Grado highs sound excellent.  I used the Bottlehead Crack with my SR60i and SR325i's and it did an awesome job at taming them down a bit.  This Millet does the same thing, but even more so.  It doesn't sound as good as the Bottlehead for obvious reasons like price, but it does sound very nice.  Let me know.

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post #11 of 22
1/29/12 at 1:26am

If you don't like how Grado's sound, it's going to be a lot more fulfilling to find a set of cans you DO like, and look for an amp and source that are as neutral as possible, rather than going down the expensive (and ultimately not very accurate) route of trying to alter your Grados by changing amplifiers and/or sources.

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post #12 of 22
1/29/12 at 6:43am

But some people love the grad sound, the just wish to curtail and curve it...which doesn't make much sense I agree, but people can be fickle 

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post #13 of 22
1/29/12 at 6:44am
Quote:
Originally Posted by dwinnert View Post


If that was aimed at me.....Yeah, I have seen X many many times.

 



and awesome. Who else have you seen if you don't mind me asking. Johnny hit and run Pauline is one of my favorite songs of all time.

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post #14 of 22
1/29/12 at 8:52am


 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Melvins View Post



and awesome. Who else have you seen if you don't mind me asking. Johnny hit and run Pauline is one of my favorite songs of all time.


I was very active in the LA Punk scene, still am. Black Flag, Circle Jerks, TSOL, Minor Threat, Minutemen, Red Cross, 45 Grave, Ramones, Motorhead, Anti Nowhere League, Bad Brains. Exploited, Discharge, Bad Religion, Dead Kennedy's, FEAR, Wasted Youth.....Clubs I used to see shows at.....Cuckoos Nest, Starwood, Godzilla's, Olympic, Cathay De Grande, Hollywood Palladium, Whiskey A Go Go, Fenders Ballroom, Devonshire Downs....

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post #15 of 22
1/29/12 at 9:15am

haha thats ******* badass. Obviously you know this, but a few of those bands aren't from the LA scene, I mean they probably played shows there but their roots lie elsewhere. Anyway, that's bitching man. I just read Our Band could be your life. Did you see the docu on the Minutmen, We Jam Econo? Twas pretty good

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