[HappymaN]

My SR-200's should be here by the end of the week. And from what I've read about them, they should be a pleasure to listen to.

Any other Joseph Grado SR-100/SR-200 owners around? Anybody have any sonic impressions that they want to post?

What I found when I made a search was that there is a definite lack of information on these headphones around here (well the lower models that is). Anybody care to share their knowledge?

 

[Beagle]

Quote:

Originally posted by HappymaN My SR-200's should be here by the end of the week. And from what I've read about them, they should be a pleasure to listen to. Any other Joseph Grado SR-100/SR-200 owners around? Anybody have any sonic impressions that they want to post? What I found when I made a search was that there is a definite lack of information on these headphones around here (well the lower models that is). Anybody care to share their knowledge?

They're basically the same headphones as the SR125/225. I demoed the SR200 way back when and it's the same headphone, physically and sonically, as the 225. Actually, the 225 is probably a bit better overall, I think they're using a better cable now.

 

[jpelg]

I find a definite difference between the older SR100/200's and the current lineup, including the SR225. I prefer the older models by a wide margin.

 

[Hirsch]

The SR-200 seems closer to neutral to me than the current SR series. I really liked the SR-200 when I owned it. It was the gateway that led me to the HP-1.

 

[kerelybonto]

gloco has some thoughts on these, I know. I'd love to hear the old SR-100 and SR-200 sometime -- maybe I'll run across a pair.

In related news, vwap has stealithy entered the Joe Grado club with an excellent purchase of a pair of HP-2s.

... And I am still waiting to get ahold of Grado, the bastards, who have been holding on to my HP-1000s for way too long. ...

kerely

 

[andrzejpw]

Ugh, I'm confused now. I've been looking at getting a pair of sr100s/200s to get in the "Joe Grado Club" for cheap and experience a taste of that classic sound. Are you saying that they would NOT at all sound like the hp-1000s? I'd hate myself if they sounded like the current line.

 

[vwap]

Quote:

Originally posted by kerelybonto In related news, vwap has stealithy entered the Joe Grado club with an excellent purchase of a pair of HP-2s.

Thanks for the introduction

Can't wait to join Team Joe Grado.

[Here's hoping they're in good condition!

]

 

[HappymaN]

Quote:

Originally posted by andrzejpw Ugh, I'm confused now. I've been looking at getting a pair of sr100s/200s to get in the "Joe Grado Club" for cheap and experience a taste of that classic sound. Are you saying that they would NOT at all sound like the hp-1000s? I'd hate myself if they sounded like the current line.

This is kwkarth's description on the sound of the "old-school" SR-200, and a brief comparison to the "new-school" SR-325. This description, from a very experienced Head-Fi'er, was what persuaded me to buy the SR-200's.

Quote:

The Grado SR200s are magical in the midrange and for their immediacy and impact. They don't have the extreme detail of the CD-3000s, but they're more accurate in the midrange. The Grado's don't go as low as the Sonys, Sennheisers, or Beyers, but they're just fine for everything but kettle drums, bassoons, and pipe organs. there are times when I long for extreme uncolored accuracy in the midrange and that's when I put on the Grados. You asked about the modification on the Grados... First off, I went through boxes and and boxes of Grados (drove the dealer nuts) and hand picked this pair for sound. What was I looking/listening for? Accuracy, balance, etc. I had auditioned the HP-1's and loved them but couldn't afford them. In those days, there was a great deal of unit to unit variability with the Grado line and most of the SR-200s I checked out were using a newer driver that looked different from the driver in the HP-1. The SR-200s that I chose had driver diaphragms that looked identical to those in the HP-1s. Many of the others lacked the pleats and windings that I could see in the HPs, but more importantly, they sounded terrible by comparison. After I went home with my chosen pair, I began a lengthy break-in period. During this time I called Joe Grado and I think I ended up talking to John, but we discussed all kinds of tweaks and trifels about headphones. I learned a tremendous amount about things that I heretfore thought would make no difference in sound. I ended up mass damping a few places on my 200s that made a big difference in the quality of the sound. I'll try to upload a few pics for you in another post to illustrate. By the way, I bought a pair of the new "improved" earpads from Grado and although I found them to be slightly more comfortable than the originals, they made my 200s sound so bad I don't use them. Further, I recently (about a year ago) lived with a pair of SR-325's for about a month. I gave them plenty of opportunity to break in and they NEVER became listenable. They had deeper bass than my SR200s but the midrange sucked and the high end would drill a hole through your eardrum. Well, this is my $0.02 for now.

 

[gloco]

I owned the SR200's and currently own the SR100's, which i love to death. I actually found the SR200's too damn bright most of the time, and the bowl pads were so uncomfortable they were wrecking my ears, so i sold them off. The SR100's on the other hand do tend to sound neutral or lean towards the dark side(with the comfy pads) and are pretty damn enjoyable with a cmoy amp. Although, i haven't listened to them lately, i should give them another whirl via the line out to cmoy or altoids on my various pcdp sources and see how well they perform.

I didn't find the SR200's to be neutral at all (at least with my young ears). I just couldn't enjoy them, were they a different beast from the SR100's? For sure.

Tanfenton bought the 200's from me, maybe he can chime in and let us know what he thinks of them.

 

[tanfenton]

I hear in the SR-200 and, to a greater degree, HP-1000 moments of the AKG K-1000. They don't, as I feel is true for all Grados I've heard, separate instrumentation particularly well, and they don't cast a stage anyone accustomed to a Sennheiser would immediately appreciate (many never do). The old series' most admirable trait resides in its midrange, where I sense an almost unparalled honesty. Its high end, moreover, plays quite tamely, although I wouldn't accuse it of any serious roll-off, something someone would be mistaken of doing with the Johnies. As far as others are concerned, this more realistic apportionment of treble detail alone should prove at once that a Grado can sound good, just not always, and just not the new ones.

NGF

 

[andrzejpw]

Must. . . refrain . . . from . . . opening wallet!

So guys, anyone want to send a pair to "evaluate?"

 

[Beagle]

Quote:

Originally posted by Hirsch The SR-200 seems closer to neutral to me than the current SR series. I really liked the SR-200 when I owned it. It was the gateway that led me to the HP-1.

This is just a conjecture, but I'm inclined to think that the only difference in the 200 and 225 is the de-stressing process on the diaphragm of the 225 that reduces resonance. The 225 may sound a little warmer, less 'neutral', but it may simply be lacking slight resonant colorations that many people find enjoyable because it seems there is more apparent detail. I think this is most noticable in the bass range. I sometimes think the old SR60 drivers gave the most neutral bass until some big bass notes appear. The de-stressed drivers seem to provide a more full measure representation. This de-stressing obviously affects the thickness of the diaphragm which in turn affects the top end response to some degree. And of course, the pads. So there are obviously some sonic tradeoffs as a result. But I think the improvements the SR200 brought over the SR100 are the same as the SR225 brings over the SR125.

Again, I'm just speculating and going from memory, and I find doing an A/B comparison on headphones is difficult because your ears require some time to adjust to each headphone.

 

[tanfenton]

Beagle:

I'm intimately familiar with both the SR-200 and SR-225. Whatever the reason for their differences, and although they possess similar characters, the 225 is no improvement on the older model in my system.

NGF

 

[HappymaN]

Quote:

Originally posted by andrzejpw Must. . . refrain . . . from . . . opening wallet! So guys, anyone want to send a pair to "evaluate?"

andrzej, I'll let you know if I decide to let them go.

Hide your wallet.

 

[HappymaN]

Just got home from school. They're here. First impressions... ...there is a buzz in the right driver.

EDIT: The buzz has gone away.

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*10000)