[subtle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bdr529 /img/forum/go_quote.gif You sure about that? Feature Article

Looks pretty much the same to me, especially the assembly shots.

Grado doesn't need those roller type mover lines to shift lightweight headphones around.

 

[Dysnomia]

Quote:

Originally Posted by csommers /img/forum/go_quote.gif It looks VERY old-school, which is what I like about it.

True, it looks very homely to me. I might even be comfortable in there.

 

[xkRoWx]

Quote:

Originally Posted by -=Germania=- /img/forum/go_quote.gif The irony!

Hm, that looks like a Sony Ericsson headset.. :S

 

[csommers]

Quote:

Originally Posted by .coco /img/forum/go_quote.gif Wow, good thing you guys have not seen the "made in China" factory pictures..lol If you are upset about your headphones, take a look at pictures of how your $300 "hand distressed" jeans are made.

Haha I know all too well about that. There was a great video on Supertalk about overpriced "distressed" denim showing how its made.

Its absolutely hilarious to watch, as they use sandpaper and dummy legs

 

[iriverdude]

Walk into a adult movie convention wearing those lol.

 

[mbd2884]

Hehe Nikongod replying line by line, hilarious. Yeah I still won't buy anything from Grado seeing where they work. Have no confidence in those workers and like someone said, it makes me think sweatshop, not a high tech manufacturing shop.

DIY, hell yeah. On this forum alone there are way better looking mods, DIY project headphones than the GS-1000 or RS-1, hands down, easily. And sorry, HD650, K702, K701, K601, K1000, AD900, AD2000, W5000, err ANY headphone not made by Grado looks more professional and my opinion better. When I look at Grado, the word cheap dances in my mind furiously, especially the GS1000.

As for Audio Technica breaking easily? I have no idea what Audio Technica you are referring to. The only plastic on mine is where the two Wires are connected. The pivoting piece that the housing attaches to the wires is in fact magnesium, not plastic. And I can't break them unless I hammered them. The rest is all aluminum/magnesium material. Even the Aluminum grating have no dents and I have no replaced them in the 3 years I had these. I've sat on the AD900s a few times, granted it was on a couch not a hard wooden chair. Listening in bed and misplaced them, readjusted the bedding, headphones flying across the bed onto the floor. Repeatedly dropped them. I've had these since end beginning of 2006 and they still look incredible, I can post pictures of em if want. No scratches, none at all. They look incredible, like new still, had ear pads replaced recently. What else can I do to try to unintentionally destroy them? Break easily, no way, they are SOLID!
- See why I am not considering such beautiful Wood Headphones? I'd surely mess em up quick.

 

[iriverdude]

Quote:

Hehe Nikongod replying line by line, hilarious. Yeah I still won't buy anything from Grado seeing where they work. Have no confidence in those workers and like someone said, it makes me think sweatshop, not a high tech manufacturing shop.

Don't worry maybe if you're lucky you'll get a job in a sweatshop.

 

[mbd2884]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iriverdude /img/forum/go_quote.gif Don't worry maybe if you're lucky you'll get a job in a sweatshop.

Unlikely I'll ever work in a sweatshop, no interest in working for Grado

Please, don't let anyone assume I think Grado runs a sweatshop, that would be the epitome of dumb.

But as someone noted, how Grados look have no impact on their sound. Throughout my fun posting, I did not imply Grado headphones sound bad. Since I wouldn't know, nor do I care to know.

Quote:

Originally Posted by subtle /img/forum/go_quote.gif Looks pretty much the same to me, especially the assembly shots. Grado doesn't need those roller type mover lines to shift lightweight headphones around.

I can't believe you don't see any differences. That McIntosh shop looks AWESOME. I would love to go see it, just as I am excited to head down to Museum of Science here to see the new exhibits and giant frogs/toads, amphibians rule! Someone says lets see the Grado Shop, my reply, lets go to a dairy farm and watch cows take dumps instead.

EVERYTHING LOOKS CLEAN, well lit, plenty of room to work, all the assemblers look like they belong, far from a sweatshop, high tech, all their machines and instruments look in excellent condition, well maintained, and best of all, I don't see parts just thrown in a card board box messily all over the place!

That and McIntosh products look like works of art, solid, well built, and definitely says, have confidence in my quality of build.

 

[mark_h]

Looks like a small, well run, clean factory to me. Certainly not a sweatshop!

 

[Meliboeus]

Has anyone of us ever seen a "Sennheiser factory tour" posted on the internet...or has anyone visited the beyerdinamic production facilities ( insert any other brand here ) ? Probably no one...so we can't be sure other manufacturers don't treat our expensive cans just like Grado...if not worse...

 

[iriverdude]

Quote:

I don't see parts just thrown in a card board box messily all over the place!

Maybe they should be stored in solid gold containers. As for dirty shop my dad's business is a bit like that, so are hundreds of thousands of other small businesses. You just don't see it.

Quote:

The products from Sennheiser wave in your face, quality control.

Are you implying Grado have no quality control? In fact I think Sennheisers are cheaply built, plastic and not exactly tough phones.

 

[mbd2884]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meliboeus /img/forum/go_quote.gif Has anyone of us ever seen a "Sennheiser factory tour" posted on the internet...or has anyone visited the beyerdinamic production facilities ( insert any other brand here ) ? Probably no one...so we can't be sure other manufacturers don't treat our expensive cans just like Grado...if not worse...

True. But you look at the HD595, then you look at the SR225, and think, hmm one looks like a medieval torture device. The other looks comfy. One looks like if I smacked it, it would fall apart. The other I'd have to grab it firmly in both hands and really pull hard apart. The products from Sennheiser wave in your face, quality control.

And even if the Sennheiser shop is not awesome like McIntosh's, I look at their products and know they are doing something right, and doing it awesome. I think I will jump for the HD650 now in a few months, looks solid enough to handle plenty of rough treatment.

 

[-=Germania=-]

Haha, those workbenches are actually decently organized.

Seriously I know people think that engineering labs are spotless....

In fact, engineering and science labs in research universities are some of the dirtiest places on earth. They have traces of lead and many toxic chemicals. Constantly smell of rust and a hint of sulfur. Parts are everywhere, especially cut part leads for things like capacitors and resistors.

Yet, in every way, it is considered professional.

I mean seriously, look at pictures of the chemistry lab that Dr. Gilmore works in (and that is one of the cleanest labs I have been in at the school).

Ironically, the Machine shop is probably one of the cleanest as well.

 

[Meliboeus]

Well...the Dt-990 Pro i have for example, are made in germany and are truly built like a tank, hard plastic and metal everywhere...but even the grados are well made, their strenght is that they are simple in design,even if something breaks, it can easily be replaced with something else...the headband is simply a piece of metal =>unbreakable , the driver cups are made of extremely solid plastic..the only weak parts are probably the c-clamps holding the earcpus....

 

[rogue]

I've always thought that Grado's look like they came from the 1950's in terms of technology and comfort and these factory pics certainly don't help my suspicions.

However, judging any audiophilia related product solely based on pictures, even of the factory where said product is produced, is pretty dumb if you ask me.