[TakashiMiike]

Hey everyone Been lurking around here for ages, after trying many mid-fi cans (hd600, k701, d2000, etc.) I've settled on the modded grado sr60i as the best sound i've heard so far for all my music.
 
I recently bought a hifiman ef2 and it's taken these cans to such a new level. Loving the tube sound it's really remarkable how much of an improvement it is over portable crap amps.
 
I was just wondering what you guys think my next upgrade should be, a dedicated DAC? since the dac on the ef2 is only OK according to most, or should I save up for the rs1i, what are your thoughts guys?

 

[mksuen]

Quote:

Hey everyone Been lurking around here for ages, after trying many mid-fi cans (hd600, k701, d2000, etc.) I've settled on the modded grado sr60i as the best sound i've heard so far for all my music.
 
I recently bought a hifiman ef2 and it's taken these cans to such a new level. Loving the tube sound it's really remarkable how much of an improvement it is over portable crap amps.
 
I was just wondering what you guys think my next upgrade should be, a dedicated DAC? since the dac on the ef2 is only OK according to most, or should I save up for the rs1i, what are your thoughts guys?

 
I know right!? These things blow my d2000, dt770, t50rp right out of the water. It only got more amazing when I got my little dot.
Currently deciding which of the other cans I am keeping to have a closed can for airplanes and libraries. I think the next step would be a dedicated dac. I'm looking for one too.

 

[TakashiMiike]

Quote:

 
I know right!? These things blow my d2000, dt770, t50rp right out of the water. It only got more amazing when I got my little dot.
Currently deciding which of the other cans I am keeping to have a closed can for airplanes and libraries. I think the next step would be a dedicated dac. I'm looking for one too.

How are you liking your little dot? I noticed when I added the ef2 tube hybrid, I got so much more clarity, soundspace, and the music sounds so much more layered and lucid now. When plugging them back into my soundcard or old portable amp, it sounds like someone stuffed cotton balls in my ears and then took the musical frequency and squashed it all together in a big mess.
 
Really leaning towards getting the rs1i first, but I also would like a dedicated DAC, decisions decisions.
 

 

[mksuen]

Quote:

How are you liking your little dot? I noticed when I added the ef2 tube hybrid, I got so much more clarity, soundspace, and the music sounds so much more layered and lucid now. When plugging them back into my soundcard or old portable amp, it sounds like someone stuffed cotton balls in my ears and then took the musical frequency and squashed it all together in a big mess.
 
Really leaning towards getting the rs1i first, but I also would like a dedicated DAC, decisions decisions.

I love it. I'm using it as an amp with my e7/e9 acting as a DAC/pre-amp. It makes everything so much fuller sounding, you can feel the weight of each note. The low end bass extension has also increased alot. I'm getting a little more soundstage, but thats plenty as I like my music to be up front and more aggressive (which is why I never use anything but comfies). There's definately an added sense of depth and layers to the music. While listening analytically you can really notice it, but most of the time this just translates to me dancing in my seat to the music =)
 
I feel like in my system and in yours, the weakest link is not the heaphones. So to get the most improvement, a dedicated DAC is probably a more worthwhile investment at the moment.
 

 

[sharkz]

Glad someone else feels the same way I do, I really like my SR60's a lot more than my T50RP's. I mean the Fostexes might be better for some classical, but thats about 5% or less of my listening. Plus there just isn't bass present on those phones like the Grados.
 
I too am looking into a Little Dot, I need to find a reasonable used one (its been hard to do lately, many are snapped up in very little time). Then I can sell the Indeed and possibly Fostexes to fund something higher on the Grado food chain. I can't wait to get a Little Dot and give it a listen though.

 

[BobSaysHi]

Quote:

Really leaning towards getting the rs1i first, but I also would like a dedicated DAC, decisions decisions.
 

For a DAC, I'd recommend either a gamma 1 or gamma 2. Both are DIY and wonderful. If you don't want to build it yourself, there are professional builders.
 

 

[maverickronin]

Quote:

Glad someone else feels the same way I do, I really like my SR60's a lot more than my T50RP's. I mean the Fostexes might be better for some classical, but thats about 5% or less of my listening. Plus there just isn't bass present on those phones like the Grados.
 
I too am looking into a Little Dot, I need to find a reasonable used one (its been hard to do lately, many are snapped up in very little time). Then I can sell the Indeed and possibly Fostexes to fund something higher on the Grado food chain. I can't wait to get a Little Dot and give it a listen though.

How modded are your T50RPs?

 

[KneelJung]

Quote:

 
I know right!? These things blow my d2000, dt770, t50rp right out of the water. It only got more amazing when I got my little dot.
Currently deciding which of the other cans I am keeping to have a closed can for airplanes and libraries. I think the next step would be a dedicated dac. I'm looking for one too.

You should take a look at the Audio GD stuff. I have a B version Sparrow DAC/amp combo that is a solid bang for your buck solution at $183.
 
In other news my Africam Blackwood arrived today. It's a little bigger piece than I expected, not by much but it will provide some extra room to work with. It's heavy too, really heavy.
 
 

 

[Melvins]

how does it compare to the Little Dot 1+ and the musical paradise

 

[TakashiMiike]

Looking into the dac options but I just got my 414 pads in the mail. For some reason on normally these sound muffled, on reversed and quarter modded these sound worse than the reversed quarter modded comfies, they have less seperation. After some more investigation it seems that because of how they sit they tilt the headphones about 15 degrees forward. Has anyone else experienced this? Am I doing something wrong?
 
Leaving my reversed quarter mod comfies on until I can figure this out.

 

[wje]

 
Quote:

I was just wondering what you guys think my next upgrade should be, a dedicated DAC? since the dac on the ef2 is only OK according to most, or should I save up for the rs1i, what are your thoughts guys?

What's your feeling?  If you're content with the headphones, why not consider some revisions to the components?  If you went for the RS-1, would you mod them?  Or, would you leave them stock?  Lower level Grados that have had a bit of surgery done to them can come awfully close to a high-end sound.  Now, the question is, is it worth spending $500 - $600 more on the RS-1 headphones for a 10% gain in sound improvement?  It would be ideal if you could demo a pair of RS-1 headphones for a few days to see what you really think of them before taking the plunge.  However, that is virtually a limited idea because unless you have a good friend with a pair, stores don't usually lend out headphones for a few days.  It's actually too bad that they don't.  I'd love to have that option.
 
 

 

[Bilavideo]

The storm is over.  We lost power.  Some planes got overturned.  Trees were felled.  And I lost a chunk of my fence.  My wife freaked out, with crying and praying and telephonic last wishes but today the sun is out and we are cutting, drilling and mailing.  What doesn't kill you . . . . 

 

[mksuen]

 
Quote:

The storm is over.  We lost power.  Some planes got overturned.  Trees were felled.  And I lost a chunk of my fence.  My wife freaked out, with crying and praying and telephonic last wishes but today the sun is out and we are cutting, drilling and mailing.  What doesn't kill you . . . . 

Haha! I love it. Look at that, the man just took it in stride, like that stuff happens everyday. Not even fazed! 

 

[JamesMcProgger]

 
... only makes you fatter?
 
 
glad you and yours are ok.

 

[lawrywild]

Good to hear all's OK Bill