[kissmeimgerman]

Hey guys/gals,
I am looking for a new set of cans to use. Currently I have Sennheiser HD25-1 II and Beyerdynamic DT770 80ohm version. Only problem is I use these at work only, they both sound great  to me at least, but I usually do not take them on the road unless I use them for work purposes. I mostly listen to headphones on the go, working on the house/yard. I have been tempted to save up for Sennheiser HD600s but for the money I could probably find a couple other things currently that my money is more well spent on. The only other things that I have looked at seriously is the Grado line-up. The SR80s seem very affordable and have great reviews, but I am willing the spend the money on the 325s if they are really worth it. Can I mod the 80's to get close or should I buy something in between? My musical tastes is semi wide. I mostly listen to metal/rock/indie every now and then I listen to jazz or classic rock. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you in advance!

 

[cel4145]

Grados are excellent for those genres of music.

L-cush pads on the SR80i will take you probably 75% to 80% of the way there to the SR225i sound. The SR325i have metal cups, which gives them a brighter sound than the 325i which you cannot duplicate without changing the cups.

Many people consider the SR225i the sweet spot in the higher Grado Prestige series, so you might as well shoot for their sound

 

[kissmeimgerman]

Cel, thanks for the input, 75-80% isnt too shabby just by changing the pads..!
 

 

[cel4145]

Cel, thanks for the input, 75-80% isnt too shabby just by changing the pads..!

Glad to help

There appear to be three major differences between the SR80i and the SR225i:

1) The pads--I've swapped out the pads on the SR80i and these do make a big change in sound toward the SR225i.
2) Better cable on the SR225i. That probably makes very little difference if anything audible (whether cable upgrades provide significant benefits is VERY controversial).
3) Better matched drivers. Based on what the Grado website says, the drivers in the higher level Prestige series are slightly better matched. That can make a difference, but the pad change out is likely the most important

Meanwhile, if you do want to spend more, I would recommend the SR225i. I went with them because some people complained that the extra high emphasis on the SR325i can be fatiguing. In reading comparisons and recommendations in the Grado fan club thread, it seemed a toss up at best as to which people liked better. I'm cheap. I didn't want to spend the money for something that didn't appear to be a definite improvement

 

[kissmeimgerman]

Quote:

Glad to help

There appear to be three major differences between the SR80i and the SR225i:

1) The pads--I've swapped out the pads on the SR80i and these do make a big change in sound toward the SR225i.
2) Better cable on the SR225i. That probably makes very little difference if anything audible (whether cable upgrades provide significant benefits is VERY controversial).
3) Better matched drivers. Based on what the Grado website says, the drivers in the higher level Prestige series are slightly better matched. That can make a difference, but the pad change out is likely the most important

Meanwhile, if you do want to spend more, I would recommend the SR225i. I went with them because some people complained that the extra high emphasis on the SR325i can be fatiguing. In reading comparisons and recommendations in the Grado fan club thread, it seemed a toss up at best as to which people liked better. I'm cheap. I didn't want to spend the money for something that didn't appear to be a definite improvement

 


Im thinking it may be worth it for the better drivers, I have the cash on me now, so I will probably just end up with the 225s. Thanks for all the help!

 

[cel4145]

I've bought headphones from Amazon (or fulfilled by Amazon, but not 3rd party vendors who do their own shipping) and B&H Photo, and have returned them. The RMA process is painless--just in case you don't like them.

The higher model Prestige Grados do come with a 1/4 plug. You'll need an adapter if you want to plug them into portable devices or computers.

 

[kissmeimgerman]

Quote:

I've bought headphones from Amazon (or fulfilled by Amazon, but not 3rd party vendors who do their own shipping) and B&H Photo, and have returned them. The RMA process is painless--just in case you don't like them.

The higher model Prestige Grados do come with a 1/4 plug. You'll need an adapter if you want to plug them into portable devices or computers.

Thanks, I have account through work at BH and deal with them on a regular basis, also ground shipping from them only takes a day to get me to so that is nice. I will probably end up order from BH. Thanks again