[lojay]

Grrrr....

My Sennheiser HD497s cables got broken 3 weeks ago, so I borrowed my friend's Grado SR 225's for a full 3 week audition at home, and got totally used to it's good sound. Ironically a month or two ago, I've posted here how I felt both headphones to be similar in sound (the 225's really improved with burn in, at least 50%).

Now the table's been turned, the 497's fixed yesterday with brand new cables SUCKS. Period.

I've never felt that my 497's sounded so bad in good recordings, usually rock recordings like Steely Dan or most obviously The Eagles' Hotel California. Nothing sounded right. I am very disapointed, especially how I've upgraded my source to the very good E-MU already (check SoCal meet threads later for details on my source), but now my 497's with burnt in drivers but un-burnt-in cables sounds wierder than ever.

The most important thing is since I'm used to the rockin' feel and detail from the Grados, I now have to pump the volume to near hazardous levels in order to get satisfaction from the Senns. Eww

So, is the perceived bad sound from my un-burnt-in cables, or simply because I got used to the Grado's good rockin' sound?

Still, produced or to-the-mic music like RnB or rap sounds great on my Senns. Not all is gone.

 

[breez]

I'm a newbie anyway but I've never heard of burn-in of cables

 

[MuZI]

Your ears got used to the Grado detail...there is a reason the SR 225 is in a higher class than HD 470.

 

[boodi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by breez I'm a newbie anyway but I've never heard of burn-in of cables

burn-in of cables exists , but i think this is not the case .

Most probably you have grado ears
and the grado sound is a particular one too...
225 are a very good set of cans , enjoy them

 

[Taurui]

No doubt, you got used to the 225's sound. Buy them yourself, 'tis the only way to be happy again

-Taurui

 

[lojay]

Detail wise the difference is apparent, though if u weren't an experienced listener you wouldn't feel that its worth the dollars, but I don't feel that the detail was improved in the entire spectrum.

The 497's aren't bad, no buyer's remorse in them. Just that I could feel the music thru the Grados, some, eg RnB they both do a good job, others, like Jazz, the Grados only open up a bit, and in some, such as David Bowie or The Eagles, the difference is so great I want to throw away my 497s. But detail-wise, you're right, the Grados do very well in detail, without getting in the way of the music.

I guess I can't rely on the memory of the 497 before I had my them broken, as I still think they haven't opened up yet. Without doubt the 225s are clearly superior, I was going to upgrade anyways. Maybe ety's 4S, CD3000 or RS-1....or your HP-2's....or maybe all of them.....I've stepped too deep to pull back right now...cheers!

 

[Reck45]

Hey the 497s are still awesome. You do realize they need like 300 hours to burn in right? Man I was just listening to mine and they've went through yet another audio change... after being used like 6 months. I know it's not my imagination... the balance is damn near perfect although the low end defnition definitely shows they are 60 dollar phones. I can now hear like every little detail... maybe they are just a good match for my setup or something...

Then again the 225 are made for rock... so it shouldn't be surprising they do it better. *coughs* and 3 times more expensive.

 

[lojay]

Hehe, I've owned them for a year already....

yeah, I felt the improvement over burn in as well....but downgrading is always hard for the weak heart, I thought I could successfully move from the 225 to my old Senns but I couln't...

I guess trying new headphones during long meets is the cure, or you should do what I did, live with another headphones for 3 weeks (actually I "helped" burn-in the Grados, which only had a few hundred hours burn in prior to my use) Taurui, only if I could get my hand on your HP-1000...haha

 

[S_Dedalus]

I too felt the 497's were a bit boring with rock, especially when compared directly to Grado's, therefore the SR-80's became my first good cans

 

[sumguy_]

perhaps your new cables have a different impendence which leads to a different sound? another possibility

 

[gpalmer]

Ahhh, another member of Team Grado awakes to the light of day!

 

[gpalmer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Taurui No doubt, you got used to the 225's sound. Buy them yourself, 'tis the only way to be happy again -Taurui

Nah, I'm betting if he gets the PS-1s he'll be even happier!

 

[Jahn]

I now know the true meaning of Rock. Thank you Grado!