[NewSc2]

haha okay LTUCCI1924, i did several searches and came up with the same material that i've been going through.

blah blah blah HD600>HD580 but only slightly blah blah blah.

i did come across that amusing BMW vs. Senn discussion though. a lot of good points were brought up, and as this post matures i'm getting a pretty good overview over which headphones to get.

 

[NewSc2]

btw Moonwalker thanks for your input as well. i gathered as much from the Grado's reputation for portability, and i'll keep that in mind when the need for portability comes up. (it hasn't yet because i rarely go outside/go study and i'm usually lazying in my room playing games and listening to music)

 

[LTUCCI1924]

.

 

[Satori]

I would really suggest you go for the SR-325s over the 225s. Almost the same price but you getting a much better headphone. I would also recommend the Grados over the Sennheisers but that is just my preferences. I didn't like the laid back sound of the Senns for faster music. Depending on where you are try to find a shop that carries both. I noticed you said you were in CA., if your near LA I could recommend a shop that carries both and will let you listen to whatever model you want.

 

[Phloodpants]

Well, I've had the SR-225s for a couple months now, and I just got the HD600 a couple days ago.

I like the HD600 better on most recordings. It's smoother, has deeper bass and is about 800% more comfortable than the Grados. In fact, they are actually pleasant to wear!

However, I don't think they will be driven well by a soundcard. With the 300 ohm impedance, they require relatively high voltage to drive. (but relatively low current) The sound card will have the current, but not the voltage. Sound cards are limited by a 5V single sided power supply. Not to mention that it has to share that supply with a noisy computer!

As for the 580 vs 600, I don't know. I haven't heard the 580. But if it's really 95% of the 600 like people say then you'll just have to judge if that's important to you. I know if I were on a budget, the 580 would be a no-brainer!

If your MP3s are of high enough quality and bitrate, they should be virtually indististinguishable from the CDs, so if you can hear a difference between the 580 and 600, I think you'll hear it with MP3s as well.

I haven't tried my 600s in my SBLive card, but the Grados sound pretty good through the line output. They do seem to have a bit of distortion, but it was better than I expected. Maybe the TB is better.

Highly recommend an amp with either of these! Alternatively, if you can find an old receiver, some of them have decent headphone amps built in.

 

[Jacobh]

Hi,
I own both the HD-580 and a pair of Grados (sr-60), and I do a lot of listening to mp3's and cd's from my computer. I think the HD-580's are definately the better pair of headphones, but I still usually use the grado's for listening to mp3's.

If you are interestd in the Grado's, don't worry that no one has said much about them, do a search like Ltucci said. I've noticed headphone recommendations seem to come in trends on this board. Maybe it's just me, but I think if you had asked this question a few months ago you would have had 17 responses suggesting the Philips HP-890 within 5 minutes.

Probably the best thing to consider is that while both headphones will sound very good, they will still sound very different one another. The entire line of Grado phones has a unique sound. You probably need to figure out which sound you like better to know which headphone you should buy. The best way to do that is audition them. If you can't do that, the next best thing might be to describe the type of music you listen to, and do as best as you can at describing the type of sound you want from your headphones.

 

[Satori]

Quote:

Originally posted by Jacobh I own both the HD-580 and a pair of Grados (sr-60), and I do a lot of listening to mp3's and cd's from my computer. I think the HD-580's are definately the better pair of headphones, but I still usually use the grado's for listening to mp3's.

Why is it when I generally see someone recommending the Sennheisers they are comparing the HD580/600 to the Grado SR60/80? Considering the SR-60s cost $69 and the HD-600s cost $300+/- wouldn't it be a fairer competition to compare it to the SR-325s?

 

[MacDEF]

I'm going to go against the grain here and recommend that you don't get either of these headphones given your system.

SR225: you wanted comfortable, you might not find these comfortable at all. They've also got the classic Grado forward treble/mids, which may not sound the best coming out of a computer. They also aren't that great for games.

HD580/600: great headphones, but out of a sound card they aren't being powered anywhere near their potential. You'll end up wanting an amp soon

I would really suggest the Beyer DT250-80. These are extremely comfortable, VERY forgiving of harshness (so great for use out of a sound card), have better bass than either of the above headphones (especially out of a sound card), and are great for gaming. I have the HD600 and DT250, and I pick the Beyers every time for use with my computer. If you get an amp later, they'll still improve

 

[slindeman]

For the computer I would get something even cheaper than the Beyers. I use a refurbished $50 pair of Sennheiser HD570, because they are extremely comfortable and sound great for games. Comfort is my number 1 priority for computer use, so I would stay far away from Grados. HD580 seems like a big waste of cash to use with a soundcard and mp3s, and the Beyers MacDEF recommends aren't any cheaper. Something comfy, cheap, and decent sounding is best in my opinion. Perhaps the Philips 890 or the newer Sennheiser line of budget cans. FYI my HD600 sits not 5 feet from my computer desk, but still I use the HD570 because they are more convenient (single sided cord), more comfortable, and the sound is more than sufficient for computer use.

If you feel like you must spend $200 to be satisfied, however, I would recommend getting the HD580 used (about $125), and spend the extra on a DBSE headphone amp.

 

[Jacobh]

Satori

I'd say it's because people buy and entry level phone like the sr60/80 and then eventually decide to upgrade to a better phone HD580/600 or higher Grado. It's worthwhile to note that I think a $69 sr60 compares well with the 580 in the application asked about. I did not recommend that he get the 580/600's over the grados, in fact I recommended him figure out which type of sound he wants.

 

[NewSc2]

Satori: LA is a bit of a distance off, but if you could recommend me the place that you know i might take a trip up sometime.

Sindleman: sorry, but what's a DBSE amp?

 

[NewSc2]

Quote:

If you feel like you must spend $200 to be satisfied, however, I would recommend getting the HD580 used (about $125), and spend the extra on a DBSE headphone amp.

Sindleman, I posted before on another forum asking about cheaper pairs and it seemed as if the consensus was that people still preferred the HD580/600 and other headphones over cheaper pairs for computer use.

 

[Satori]

NewSc2:
Here's the website for them so you can give them a call if you want. They are actually located in Bel Aire(maybe thats a little closer to ya). http://ambrosia.com/

Jacobh:
I just think its not a very good comparison between a $69 pair of Grados vs $300 pair of Senns. It would be like comparing the SR-325 to the HD-490.

 

[NewSc2]

Bel-Air is kind of far but i might stop by UCLA sometimes (very close to bel-air).

sorry if this is off-topic, but i was wondering about the quality of second-hand headphones? the topic of used headphones was brought up and i've been looking around eBay and FS/FT forums. I know for some items second-hand might not be the best way to go, but for headphones, is it hard to compare the difference between say a refurbished one and a slightly used one?

 

[MacDEF]

Quote:

Originally posted by slindeman For the computer I would get something even cheaper than the Beyers. I use a refurbished $50 pair of Sennheiser HD570, because they are extremely comfortable and sound great for games. Comfort is my number 1 priority for computer use, so I would stay far away from Grados. [snip] Something comfy, cheap, and decent sounding is best in my opinion.

But MP3s aren't the only thing people use the computer for. CDs, games, etc. all have sound better than most MP3s. I have a whole slew of headphones

and the Beyers are the ones I use the most -- they certainly aren't overkill when I play games or listen to CDs on the computer. I could see getting something "cheap" if better headphones won't provide better sound, but if they do...

Quote:

HD580 seems like a big waste of cash to use with a soundcard and mp3s, and the Beyers MacDEF recommends aren't any cheaper.

No, but they are much better suited for use with a computer.