[jiiikoo]

Hi,

So I'm in the market for a new pair of headphones, the last ones I have were Sennheiser HD598's but they stopped working a few days ago and I've been looking at the SR325e's. Here's the problem though, I had a pair of Grado MS-1's but while they sounded good, the wires broke since the cups are freely rotating and after a while they got so tangled up, they just broke. So, my question really is, are there other headphones in the same price range (299£) that would be as good or even better than the Grados? And, have they gotten better in the build quality department? After reading some reviews online, it seems not, but one would hope the price of these would warrant a bit better quality and not break after a year or two of daily use. Or, should I save a few pounds and go with the a little cheaper SR225e's and get myself a good amp (haven't got one yet)?

EDIT: Sorry for posting in the wrong place. I have reported this to the mods and they should move it to the Help section shortly.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

So I'm in the market for a new pair of headphones, the last ones I have were Sennheiser HD598's but they stopped working a few days ago and I've been looking at the SR325e's. Here's the problem though, I had a pair of Grado MS-1's but while they sounded good, the wires broke since the cups are freely rotating and after a while they got so tangled up, they just broke.
...
And, have they gotten better in the build quality department? After reading some reviews online, it seems not, but one would hope the price of these would warrant a bit better quality and not break after a year or two of daily use.

How exactly are you letting them continue spin around until they break? Ihad the SR225 for years, my brother has had the SR80e since a few weeks after they came out, neither had any problems with that. Just hang it properly or set it down flat. When you put them on hold them by the cups and twist them 90deg to your ears. Basically never letting them move more than the 90deg needed to set them flat or however you hang them (at which point they should swivel even less).

So, my question really is, are there other headphones in the same price range (299£) that would be as good or even better than the Grados?

If you like the Grado sound, then no. Closest to that are the Philips SHP9500S, which is like a better built but PITA to service (ie the earpads are hard to remove, Philips doesn't sell spares, etc; check the SHP9500S thread for what aftermarket pads work), or the Superlux HD330 or HD660, which are like the SR60 with too much bass (relax the clamp and the bass calms down).

If you want something that is technically better, there's the HD600, HD6XX, HE400i, HE400S...

Or, should I save a few pounds and go with the a little cheaper SR225e's and get myself a good amp (haven't got one yet)?

Given the high sensitivity of Grados the only benefit to an amp is if whatever you use has too high output impedance and drastically drops the damping factor, like my old NAD 304 that makes them sound like tin can freebie earphones.

So I'm in the market for a new pair of headphones, the last ones I have were Sennheiser HD598's but they stopped working a few days ago and I've been looking at the SR325e's. Here's the problem though, I had a pair of Grado MS-1's but while they sounded good, the wires broke since the cups are freely rotating and after a while they got so tangled up, they just broke. So, my question really is, are there other headphones in the same price range (299£) that would be as good or even better than the Grados? And, have they gotten better in the build quality department? After reading some reviews online, it seems not, but one would hope the price of these would warrant a bit better quality and not break after a year or two of daily use. Or, should I save a few pounds and go with the a little cheaper SR225e's and get myself a good amp (haven't got one yet)?

 

[jiiikoo]

How exactly are you letting them continue spin around until they break? Ihad the SR225 for years, my brother has had the SR80e since a few weeks after they came out, neither had any problems with that. Just hang it properly or set it down flat. When you put them on hold them by the cups and twist them 90deg to your ears. Basically never letting them move more than the 90deg needed to set them flat or however you hang them (at which point they should swivel even less).

Thanks for the advice, but just to touch up on this. They were in daily use for a good 3-4 years before they broke. I'm just super conscious about this now, after that experience. And I know, I'm probably not giving the best impression about how I take care of my headphones, but the 598's fate was sealed when my kid decided to wash them.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Thanks for the advice, but just to touch up on this. They were in daily use for a good 3-4 years before they broke. I'm just super conscious about this now, after that experience

My brother's had them since they came out (2013? thereabouts) and the cables barely have the twist marks on the jacket. He hangs them on a headphone stand. I had the SR225 and I just set them down on a mousepad. Either way the way we handled them they never moved more than 90deg.

Grado can repair them (for a fee if outside the warranty period) or you can just have them modded to 2.5mm sockets. With the plugs on removable cables you get something convenient, and chances are the plugs will add enough weight they wouldn't swivel as freely. Although of course I'd just handle them so they'd barely swivel, and mod them as a last resort.

And I know, I'm probably not giving the best impression about how I take care of my headphones, but the 598's fate was sealed when my kid decided to wash them.

I keep my HD600 on a high shelf with a glass door when not in use and my IEMs in their carry boxes, one in my bag and the other in my camera dry box. My cats have not murdered any of my electronics. They did a number on mysofa though.