[Kevin Brown]

Quote:

 
After spemding a week with the MS Pro, letting the signature sink in, and listening to the same sort of stuff the OP said he listened too, back to back to back, one song at a time and entire CD's. I determined my HF2 and woodied 225 were a better bang for your buck, and I actually preferred them to the MS Pro. Not that I didnt like the MS Pro, just that I think my HF2 and woodied 225 can rock.

Kneel and I actually independently went up the ladder in a similar time frame.  This is the first I've heard of your MS Pro experience.  Amazing that it so paralleled mine !!
 
 
Quote:

IMO, moving up the higher rung of the Grado ladder yields different flavors of the sound signature and for some the variation yields little to no difference at all. But the differences of SQ ARE there, just that it diminishes as you get higher end models.

 
Yup.  Differences are differences, and not necessarily improvements.  And as we all like to say, everyone's ears (and preferences) are different too. 

 

 

[Chris_Himself]

Buy the Grado you're most comfortable spending money on. You sound hesitant to buy an RS-2i, I'd have no problem just owning only an MS-2i and dipping out of shopping for headphones for a long time!
 
You can even stop at the SR-225i level and be ok!
 
Just don't go broke over buying your Grado and you'll already be happy, the higher end models really are pretty awesome even though they look the same

 

[BotByte]

Quote:

You can even stop at the SR-225i level and be ok!
 
 

+1
 
I stopped at my SR80i after testing all the current grado (-PS500) and just preferred my SR80i. I don't need any more SQ then them. I hear nothing wrong and not much more in the higher end grados.

 

[Kevin Brown]

Quote:

 
You can even stop at the SR-225i level and be ok!
 

Like I mentioned, I rotate between the MS2i, HF2, and RS2i at work, casual listening, several hours a day.
 
I might be doing this backwards, but at home, I don't listen casually, but I critically listen for differences between CD masterings.  Old Japanese, West German, UK, US CDs vs their usually poorer sounding newer remastered counterparts.  (Also DCCs, AFs, MFSLs, etc.)  The Grados I use at home for these comparisons?  The SR225i. 
 
 

 

[Chris_Himself]

I should probably start a thread on this, but when I used to listen analytically like with K601, Grado, and even HD600's, it'd honestly make my ears hurt. What I thought was the treble hurting was just me "straining" to hear things too hard. Does this every happen to anybody else?
 
I listen to Grados like 4 hours a day, my pads are loose on all the cans now haha

 

[Kevin Brown]

 
Quote:

I should probably start a thread on this, but when I used to listen analytically like with K601, Grado, and even HD600's, it'd honestly make my ears hurt. What I thought was the treble hurting was just me "straining" to hear things too hard. Does this every happen to anybody else?
 
I listen to Grados like 4 hours a day, my pads are loose on all the cans now haha

I think all of the K501, K601, and K701 are too bright.  Too much of a "treble emphasis".  I'm not the only one who thinks this, if you peruse the K701 threads. 

  I much prefer the old K240 Sextetts, or even the currently available K240 Mk II (Studio).  With all Grados, see my sig, I use comfies to take the edge off their treble.  The bowl pads aren't comfortable for me anyway.  (I have the TTVJ flats, the 414 pads, and I had the jumbos, still prefer comfies to all those.)  And ... I prefer the HD650's over the 600, specifically because I think the HD600's are too bright.
 
Me, myself, and I: I do not like bright headphones at all.  I could not get rid of the SR325is's fast enough, for example.
 

 

[wje]

Kevin,
 
Do you happen to know the difference between the Sennheiser HD-414 and the HD-414SL?  On eBay, they have the HD-414 pads, which are yellow.  However, they also sell the HD-414SL pads, which are black.  Getting the 414SL pads would allow a user to avoid the yellow pads and not have to use fabric dye to change the color if they desired.  The vendor claims the 414SL pads fit the 414.  Thanks for your time.
 
Edit: I believe I've found my answer.  The HD-414SL is a newer iteration of the 414 series from Sennheiser.  While the pads are round, it doesn't appear that they'll fit on the Grados as the circle opening on the pads looks larger.

 

[Kevin Brown]

Even the 414 pads stock are a tight fit.  I think that's one reason why a lot of people qtr mod'ed them: they're easier to get on.  So if they are a true upgrade of the 414 pads, I would imagine the SL's would work too, just might have to work them to get them on.
 
I always used my 414 pads as-is though, because I already had the flats from TTVJ.  Most people used qtr mod'ed 414 pads as a cheaper alternative to  the TTJV "Grado" flats, but I didn't think they sounded the same anyway.