[Claritas]

I use SR80i for baroque organ and heavy metal. Because 80i is too open to leave the house with, I looked here for a closed alternative. I found at least 30 threads with recommendations, most of them short. I am compiling them here so you won't have to look so hard. I'm not including every headphone ever mentioned, because that would list most closed headphones. Instead, I am grouping them into four lists: Frequently recommended, Moderately recommended, Occasionally recommended, and Seldom recommended.
 
Which you do think is most Grado-like and -- equally important -- why?
 
Frequently recommended:
 
AKG K81DJ
AKG K240 Sextett (Note: *semi-open*)
AKG K271 MkII
Audio-Technica ATH-ES7
Audio-Technica ATH-ESW9
Audio-Technica ATH-ESW10
Beyerdynamic DT660
Beyerdynamic DT770
Sennheiser HD25-1 II
Ultrasone HFI-780
StratoKOSSter (closed DIY based on the Koss KSC75)
 
Moderately recommended:
 
Audio-Technica ATH-A900
Audio-Technica ATH-ES10
Audio-Technica ATH-W5000
Creative Aurvana Live!
Denon AH-D1001
Denon AH-D2000
Denon AH-D5000
Koss Pro DJ100
Shure SRH940
Ultrasone Pro 750
 
Occasionally recommended:
 
AKG K270
Audio-Technica ATH-L3000
Audio-Technica ATH-W11R
Audio-Technica ATH-W1000x
Audio-Technica ATH-W2000x
Equation Audio RP-21
KRK KNS6400
Sennheiser HD201
Sennheiser HD438
Sony MDR-CD3000
Sony MDR-D66 Eggo
Sony MDR-V6
Ultrasone HFI-680
Ultrasone HFI-700
Ultrasone Pro 900
 
Seldom recommended:
 
AKG K26P
AKG K518LE
Audio-Technica ATH-SJ55
Audio-Technica ATH-W100
Beyerdynamic DT250
B&W P5
Denon AH-D550
GermanMaestro GMP 8.35 D Monitor
GermanMaestro GMP 250
Grado SR80 driver inside a Koss ProDJ100 shell (conceived of, but not recommended by tdockweiler)
Marshal Major
MB Quart QP 805 HS
Phiathon MS300
Sennheiser HD250-II Linear
Sennheiser PX200-II
Urbanears Plattan

 

[fleasbaby]

Subscribed...this a holy grail...am a coin flip away from trying to make a StratoKOSSter...tried the MSC75 and Sportapros in wood Grado shells and liked it...now need to master closing it all up.

 

[SHAHZADA123]

My vote goes to the AT W2000ANV.

 

[austonia]

.

 

[Claritas]

  i had a Senn HD25 a long time back, it's a simple on-ear design and sounds "fast", i guess that's along the lines of a closed grado.

 
I agree, though fast alone isn't enough to make it Grado-like. I suspect that many of choices will pick out one point of similarity but Gradophiles will want more. 

 

[Claritas]

  My vote goes to the AT W2000ANV.

 
Thanks. What about that particular Audio-Technica sounds Grado-like to your ears (and, based on your experience, how does it compare to other ATs with regard to their Grado factor)?

 

[sling5s]

I thought ATH-ESW9 and 10 came closest followed by AKG 240 Sextett.
I would also add the Fostex T50RP depending on how you mod it.  It's already a mid-forward headphone.  You can mod the bass to be punchy. 

 

[fleasbaby]

Bump for a topic close to my heart...

 

[HPuser9083]

MDR-V6/7506 are great for the price, and look pretty cool.

 

[Claritas]

John Grado said in the interview (http://www.head-fi.org/t/127867/an-interview-with-john-grado), “People want a closed headphone that sounds like a Grado. But a closed headphone can’t sound like a Grado.” But he added, "As for closed headphones, retaining the Grado house sound is very difficult with closed headphones and so up to this point, closed headphones have not been available. This does not mean that they will never be available." Till that fantastic day comes, we'll have to figure this out on our own together.

 

[austonia]

.

 

[Claritas]

  agree with last comment from Grado himself. Closed and Grado are incompatible as it stands

 
Improbable, yes, but not impossible -- even according to John Grado. And that's why we're here.
 
I would not describe any of the closed headphones I've heard so far (which isn't enough) as Grado-like. For this purpose, I'm most curious about the Ultrasones and the Audio-Technica ES/ESW series. 

 

[austonia]

.

 

[fleasbaby]

I far prefer open to closed as well....but I have often wanted closed when out and about. I tried the HD 25 II, but it sucked for comfort (and that's saying something coming from a Grado fan...). I think of that box they just put out and weep a little inside. I was secretly hoping the surprise would be a new design being unveiled...not so much.

 

[Claritas]

  I far prefer open to closed as well....but I have often wanted closed when out and about. I tried the HD 25 II, but it sucked for comfort (and that's saying something coming from a Grado fan...). I think of that box they just put out and weep a little inside. I was secretly hoping the surprise would be a new design being unveiled...not so much.

 
HD25-II sounds good for a closed headphone, but I agree about the discomfort and it's not Grado-like. When I read all the threads about this topic, I was surprised that one of the biggest disagreements was whether D2000 is Grado-like 

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