One of the worst reviews of all time? USA Today on the Grado SR80's

That review is pretty spot on, both regarding bass (doesn't kick in until 50hz) and build quality.  That is way better than I would have expected out of a USA Today blurb.

in the age of the net, why would anyone source any info about anything from US or british mass media outlets? apart from that point, the review is right in what little they say except maybe the exposed solder connections. Unless you take them down to the beach, they should be fine.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Radio_head 

That review is pretty spot on, both regarding bass (doesn't kick in until 50hz) and build quality.  That is way better than I would have expected out of a USA Today blurb.

I agree its pretty spot on, but they are treating the Grado headphones like they have all these problems when really its just a type of headphone that is not ideal for what THEY think " the demanding high-end audio crowd" wants. They really are just reviewing them based on one person's opinion. Not a bad review, but not a good one. 

That's one of the dumbest "reviews" I've ever read. 

The fact that he gives the AKG Q701s a perfect score says it all....

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Originally Posted by KCxSmacker 

They really are just reviewing them based on one person's opinion.

Um, yeah?

So they didn't completely love a head-fi darling headphone that much. How is it a bad review?

I think it is better than a lot of the nonsensical reviews I've read by audiophiles.

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Originally Posted by Eisenhower 

So they didn't completely love a head-fi darling headphone that much. How is it a bad review?

I think it is better than a lot of the nonsensical reviews I've read by audiophiles.

It has nothing to do with not loving it. I know plenty of people who don't like Grados and are able to articulate why they feel that way. It doesn't matter which headphones you're talking about, some will love them, some won't. But knocking a headphone (or any product) for it failing to be something it's not even trying to be is pretty lame. Hell, he even talks about how good the frequency response is on the SR80s lol. That's usually the first thing people cite as their basis for NOT liking them - the measurements. Maybe next time he can write about how a Toyota Corolla is a disappointment because of it's 0-60 time or that it lacks torque compared to a Mustang. C'mon, man. You can find better "reviews" - positive and negative - on this site each and every day than what this guy wrote. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Focker 

 

It has nothing to do with not loving it. I know plenty of people who don't like Grados and are able to articulate why they feel that way. It doesn't matter which headphones you're talking about, some will love them, some won't. But knocking a headphone (or any product) for it failing to be something it's not even trying to be is pretty lame. Hell, he even talks about how good the frequency response is on the SR80s lol. That's usually the first thing people cite as their basis for NOT liking them - the measurements. Maybe next time he can write about how a Toyota Corolla is a disappointment because of it's 0-60 time or that it lacks torque compared to a Mustang. C'mon, man. You can find better "reviews" - positive and negative - on this site each and every day than what this guy wrote. 

It has everything to do with him not loving it. People on head-fi bash beats by dre all day long for having too much bass and not being accurate.

Where does he say it fails to be something it's not? He says they lack bass, which is true whether grado intended them to or not. He said they are better for home use, which is also true whether Grado intended or not.

FYI here is the full review: http://www.headphoneinfo.com/content/Grado-Labs-SR80-On-ear-Headphone-Review.htm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Focker 

 

The fact that he gives the AKG Q701s a perfect score says it all....

yeah because the Q701s are really ****ty awful headphones

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eisenhower 

 

yeah because the Q701s are really ****ty awful headphones

We can agree to disagree, man....if that's your idea of a good review, and if you think the Q701s are a perfect 10/10 headphone, then you go have at it :)  

If you read through the comments on his other reviews, you'll see that plenty of people take issue with some of their nonsense...

Well that's it, i'm throwing my SR80is in the trash!

It's just one man's opinion, i stiil think that with the PS500s, they're not only one of the two best buys among the Grado line, but i believe that they're one of the top best buys all brands included, there, i feel better now.

Meh, reviewing stuff is a lose-lose.  If you just say positive things you're a pushover yes man, if you say negative things you're a hater.  While I can think of plenty of people's opinions I'd trust before his, he does get props for including "real" cons.  He's not Tyll, but then again he isn't whathifi either.

Opinions are like ipods.  Everyone has one.  Objectivity is like the Zune.  Everyone thinks its good on paper, but nobody actually has it.  Clouding your opinions in the guise of objectivity is like enjoying Wham - everyone does it but no one admits it.

Here's what he says about the AKG Qs...

Maybe someone can explain what a "theoretical maximum on frequency response" is....and maybe someone can help me translate what it means when he says, "ain't nobody out there like these"  lol

http://www.headphoneinfo.com/content/AKG-Q701-Open-back-Over-ear-Headphone-Review/Conclusion.htm

"Page 6

Conclusion

If you’ve got the juice to power these headphones, you’ll lose yourself in easily one of the best headphones we’ve tested. While most celebrity-endorsed headphones typically get slaughtered in our ratings with poor audio performance to price, the AKGQ701s take a set of headphones that were already great and add durability and aesthetic features that put them over the top.

It may seem like our praise is a bit on the effusive side, but look at it this way: these are the first headphones that hit our theoretical maximum on frequency response, as well as having some solid durability features that prolong the lives of these already wonderful headphones. It’s no wonder why the Q-man was willing to put his name on them.

So if you’ve got money burning a hole in your pocket, and you’re looking to buy a set of fantastic over-ear cans that are not only easy on the ears but also stunning looking, the AKG Q701s are the dude- er, cans. As it sits right now, they’re the cream of the crop."

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Originally Posted by Radio_head 

 he does get props for including "real" cons.  

Here's what he lists as one of the "cons" for the Denon 7ks...

"Not designed with studio mixers in mind"

Here's more amazing info on the Denons...hell, the second sentence doesn't even make sense! 

"... the Denon AH-D7000s stay within our ideal limits for a good range of frequencies, but they do boost some of the higher frequencies to emphasize cymbal shimmer a bit, and de-emphasize sibilants in speech. Typically we see headphones geared towards listeners emphasize the bass frequencies too, as you can see from the leading edge of the graph."

http://www.headphoneinfo.com/content/Denon-AH-D7000-Over-ear-Headphone-Review/Sound-Quality.htm