I've been looking into getting my first Grado and am hoping to get some guidance from you all. My use case for it would be as a portable option around the house when I don't feel like being tied to my desktop setup. I plan on getting the new FiiO KA11 dongle to pair with my iPhone. Obviously it's not going to be as good as something like a Cayin RU7, but I don't like having a heavy dongle hanging off my phone and just want something very convenient and pocket-able.
I want to experience that classic Grado crunch and clarity that many say works so well with rock and metal. I listen to a lot of guitar-focused indie rock, post-rock and post-metal, shoegaze, etc. (some good examples of bands I listen to in these genres are Modest Mouse, Built to Spill, Amenra, Neurosis, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Alcest, Deafheaven, Cult of Luna, Stiu Nu Stiu). I also love jazz which Grados are also supposed to be good for. I want something that will be complementary to, and a big departure from, the ZMF house sound of my Atticus and Verite, but I'm guessing pretty much any Grado will give me that.
So far I've been thinking either the SR325x, RS2x, or GH4 if I can find one. I know most would probably say the 325x is the safest pick for someone new to Grado, but I'm really drawn to the idea of getting something that has that classic Grado sound so I can get the full-on experience.
However, this is where I'm hoping to get some valuable insight. I'm anticipating finding F and L cushions very uncomfortable for longer listening, and in the case that I do end up finding them too uncomfortable to enjoy, I want to make sure whatever Grados I get will still sound good and retain the Grado house sound with one of the more conventionally comfortable pad options, namely the G cush, Nyczaj pads, or BA pads. Of the 325x, RS2x, and GH4, which of these would likely work best with any of the pads I mentioned? I've seen some people who are fans of the G cush on the 325x, but most seem to like the F cush best, and I imagine the Nyczaj or BA pads would add too much bass to the 325x and take away too much of the Grado house sound. Maybe the RS2x or GH4 would be a better choice for these types of pads? Are there any other Grados that would be worth looking into? I don't really want to go above $550. Thanks in advance for any guidance!