[MorrisL]

Well if the 8k peak is you only real gripe with the 990, you could always try some eq. I personally don't use this as I was experiencing some distortion problems even after taking precautions to prevent clipping, but I'm sure with a proper eq and not a crappy 10 band graphic you could tame it to your liking.

I seem to have developed an irrational fear of eq recently. I know it's irrational considering the amount of eq the music is likely processed through during mastering and before it even reaches our headphones. Some eq should really be no problem and I shouldn't feel bad about using it. But I seem to hear some distortion, nonetheless. Not sure if it's real or if I'm imagining it. Something about it just doesn't feel right. 
 
By the way, I just uploaded some violin recordings into Adobe Audition and... man, oh man! That upper string on the violin (the open E string) is right in the middle of the 990 treble peak! And it can cut through your ears like a knife! Over the weekend, I am definitely going to experiment with some felt, some random fabric, paper towel and whatever I can find to safely dampen that harshness without losing the sweet bass. 

 

[Youth]

Have you tried the T90? I know they cost a bit more than DT880 and DT990 but if they work for you it should be worth it.

 

[pokk700]

  I seem to have developed an irrational fear of eq recently. I know it's irrational considering the amount of eq the music is likely processed through during mastering and before it even reaches our headphones. Some eq should really be no problem and I shouldn't feel bad about using it. But I seem to hear some distortion, nonetheless. Not sure if it's real or if I'm imagining it. Something about it just doesn't feel right. 
 
By the way, I just uploaded some violin recordings into Adobe Audition and... man, oh man! That upper string on the violin (the open E string) is right in the middle of the 990 treble peak! And it can cut through your ears like a knife! Over the weekend, I am definitely going to experiment with some felt, some random fabric, paper towel and whatever I can find to safely dampen that harshness without losing the sweet bass. 

Yeah, interestingly I seem to have the same problem- I know logically that eq shouldn't affect sound quality if its done properly,but to me it sounds worse.  I think this is psychological, but either way it makes the music less enjoyable.  Lol, if that violin is bad, imagine a pickelo!  That could very well be a torture method

 

[MorrisL]

  Have you tried the T90? I know they cost a bit more than DT880 and DT990 but if they work for you it should be worth it.

If the frequency response graph at HeadRoom is even remotely close to the real sound signature, then the T90 should be the headphone of my worst nightmare.

 

[Youth]

Oh well I've just read so much good about them but I havent heard them myself. But I'm pretty sure you should't rely 100% on graphs though.

 

[Shaffer]

[...] Over the weekend, I am definitely going to experiment with some felt, some random fabric, paper towel and whatever I can find to safely dampen that harshness without losing the sweet bass. 

Your best bet is to use very thin open-cell foam, like the sort that comes with Beyer pads, at least from an audio POV.

 

[MorrisL]

Your best bet is to use very thin open-cell foam, like the sort that comes with Beyer pads, at least from an audio POV.

Thank you. I'll report back soon. 

 

[WilliamLeonhart]

  Just like you, I enjoy some nice bass with my classical and that's why the usual classical choice (DT880, K701, HD600) is just not doing it for me. But unlike you, I also seem to have strongly negative reaction to bright headphones (fatigue kills the enjoyable experience very fast). That's why, having auditioned LCD2, I thought it might be a good choice, because it simply has phenomenal bass, without harsh treble. I need to do further research to find out if HE500 (if I were to stick to planar technology) might be a better choice at half the cost of LCD2.

The thing is I never understand why people would describe Grados as "harsh", with the possible exception of the MS Pro and the RS1i. Ever since the start of my journey I've always had, like you, a strongly negative reaction to bright headphones. About 1 year into the hobby, I had the chance to audition the DT880 with a bright tube amp (can't remember the name), and had to put the cans away in less than 30 seconds. The same went for the Sony V6 and the ATH AD900. The trebles on those cans really made me feel tired, to the point of nauseous, although to be fair the ATH AD900 was more acceptable. 
 
Back to the Grados, they are not harsh. At all. The most notoriously harsh of the bunch, SR325is, is actually quite smooth to me. The RS1i and the MS Pro can be bright and sibilant, I will avoid listening to songs that have too many "s" sounds with either plugged into my O2+ODAC. However on my Little Dot I+ with Mullards tubes, the sibilance is gone, at the expense of some details.
 
Speaking of Grados, I also suggest you try the GS1000, which many considers "the Grado for Classical." 
 
HD600 is also a solid choice. They're not as bright as the DT880, if my memories prove to be correct. If you look into Audio Technica, you'll have even more choices. I do recommend, however, that you look into amps more. The DT880, K701 are very amp-picky. Even on <50 Ohm Audio Technica and Grados, synergy will be an issue - sometimes on paper some amp/DAC will be perfect for your cans, but in reality it's not. On this I think I +1 to Shaffer:
 
Quote:

Using quality gear is not a work-around; it's a necessity with these headphones.

 

[MorrisL]

Good to hear that about Grados. Definately will have to try some.
 
I was surprised to hear you thought the V6 were harsh and sibilant. They're often described as neutral and knowing that they go for as cheap as $50 on Amazon sometimes, I was planning to get one of them (and use with some nice Beyer pads) as a neutral closed pair.
 
As far as amps, I've already tried Presonus HP4 and Schit Asgard, and didn't feel a substantial difference... especially as far as having an effect on characteristic sound signatures on headphones (making the 990 sound less bright and so on). A friend has an O2 he swears by, so I'll try that next. But I'm really trying to avoid amps that color the sound much... I want to achieve that effect by the headphones I choose and not messing with signals.

 

[WilliamLeonhart]

  Good to hear that about Grados. Definately will have to try some.
 
I was surprised to hear you thought the V6 were harsh and sibilant. They're often described as neutral and knowing that they go for as cheap as $50 on Amazon sometimes, I was planning to get one of them (and use with some nice Beyer pads) as a neutral closed pair.
 
As far as amps, I've already tried Presonus HP4 and Schit Asgard, and didn't feel a substantial difference... especially as far as having an effect on characteristic sound signatures on headphones (making the 990 sound less bright and so on). A friend has an O2 he swears by, so I'll try that next. But I'm really trying to avoid amps that color the sound much... I want to achieve that effect by the headphones I choose and not messing with signals.

The v6 lacks musicality. It's too dry for my taste. The trebles were so much that I couldn't focus on anything else and feel tired almost immediately. 
 
If you want neutral sound, then perhaps the O2 will serve you very well. Actually, when I first heard the ODAC+O2 with 325is, "natural" is the first word that came to my mind. The sound opened up (in comparison to my old cans), all the frequencies are refined, but the overal sound was still very musical.
 
I'm not a musician and do not aim for neutrality, but if you want the right balance between musicality and neutrality, I'd say the MS Pro i-series or the RS1i is a very good choice. Don't go for the e-series, though, lots of people (incl. me) think the RS1e is a downgrade from the RS1i. The GS1000 has a lot more bass than the RS1i, but the soundstage is also much wider. As always, auditioning real equipments will help you reach your best decision.

 

[Shaffer]

Good to hear that about Grados. Definately will have to try some.

I was surprised to hear you thought the V6 were harsh and sibilant. They're often described as neutral and knowing that they go for as cheap as $50 on Amazon sometimes, I was planning to get one of them (and use with some nice Beyer pads) as a neutral closed pair.

I have Sony V6. Bought them on an Amazon Black Friday sale for $40+. I've tried the Beyer pads and the Shure velours, as well. Finally settled on Brainwavz HM5 (pleather) pads: very comfortable, less strident highs, better defined bass, relatively low cost. Win-win.

 

[WilliamLeonhart]

Glad to hear that. Changing pads and eartips is always the easiest way to change sound signature and comfort

 

[Shaffer]

Glad to hear that. Changing pads and eartips is always the easiest way to change sound signature and comfort

Except for the fact that all the pads cost me more than the headphones. lol

The good part is that they fit my son's cans, so it seemed like I got him a gift. I'm such a great dad. :rolleyes:

 

[MorrisL]

I have Sony V6. Bought them on an Amazon Black Friday sale for $40+. I've tried the Beyer pads and the Shure velours, as well. Finally settled on Brainwavz HM5 (pleather) pads: very comfortable, less strident highs, better defined bass, relatively low cost. Win-win.

 
Those Brainwavz pads look great, and it looks like they'd keep the drivers from touching the ears, eliminating the occasional painful hotspots. Even the Beyer pads aren't forward enough to do that; my ears still touch the inside foam, creating the only issue with comfort with the 990s.

 

[WilliamLeonhart]

Except for the fact that all the pads cost me more than the headphones. lol

The good part is that they fit my son's cans, so it seemed like I got him a gift. I'm such a great dad.

Wouldn't be too surprised. I've owned almost every available pads that's compatible with my Grados.
 
 
When I had the GR10 IEMs, I used them with Comply tips. The foams wouldn't last forever, so it became another periodical costs.