[ril3y]

Here are my custom grado's. This is made from spalted cherry. I started an etsy store selling these and some others if anyone is interested. Mostly just to re-coop the time I put into modeling and toolpath generation

Riley

 

[elvergun]

Here are my custom grado's. This is made from spalted cherry. I started an etsy store selling these and some others if anyone is interested. Mostly just to re-coop the time I put into modeling and toolpath generation

Riley

I've seen your cups on etsy. You do some really beautiful work!!!

 

[ril3y]

I've seen you cups on etsy. You do some really beautiful work!!!

Thanks! I appreciate the compliment! I am really just getting started. I have made stuff for years for friends and what not. My friends finally convinced me to put some of my work for sale . So I am giving it a shot.

Thanks again,

Riley

 

[40760]

I caved in and bought the Yaxi S Cushions from a local shop. The purple looks great against the all black headphone but most importantly they are more comfortable than the stock pads.

 

[kmhaynes]

Cuz they don’t have that slammin bass. And their midrange is too prominent. And their highs are too high. And ...

In other words, Grado's are active and aggressive headphones. I've tried to like some of the Sennheiser phones, but most felt more like "Snooze-heiser" to me (except for the excellent HD-25) -- just too laid back, mushy, lower energy for me. But I don't whine about it on every Senn thread here, I just listen to what I like and leave others alone.

 

[sling5s]

Why do alot of people hate on Grado so much?

In the 90’s Grado was (and still is) a boutique audio store. There was a charm to their handmade, homemade Brooklyn feel. There wasn't that much competition (Sennheiser, Beyerdynamic, and few others).

With the boom of portable audio created by apple iPod, the headphone market just sky rocketed. People have more options now.

Hence, some may judge grado, by today’s headphone standards, feel it has a kind of DIY feel, a Santa Claus toy workshop vibe. I mean, they did then, and still continue to glue their drivers to their cups. Some times the glue job isn’t even done well.

Furthermore, while there has been improvements and advancements to their headphones, at the same time, things have gotten worse. A good example of this is what happened to their gimbal/rod/tip. They used to be all metal. Now the gimbal is plastic. Even the current rubber tip was once metal. Lastly, the rod used to be square that held the headphone. Now it’s a cheaper thin round one that constantly slips.

Of all the criticism, the one that I hear the most is the fact that you get the same gimbal, rod and block that is on a $70 sr60 on a $2700 headphone PS2000. Yikes.

Yes those who love the house sound learn to accept it and even find it charming or even endearing. But not everyone feels this way.

Having said that, I appreciate the grado house sound: the snappy mid bass punch, the in your face upper mid attack and bite, and the airy treble. You grow to like it and need it and no other headphone does it like them. The ath-ad2000 comes close (in some way better and other ways not) but it’s still not the same. Sure you can build you own using grado-like aftermarket drivers, but while some do some things better and other things worse, there's always this feeling that something is missing.

A lot of the criticism comes from what I call headphone/audio enthusiast who are more of what I call purists, who believe and seek flatness, and grado is not. It’s got a mid bass, upper mid, and lower treble peak. To these purists, this is unacceptable and deplorable.

Personally I have learned to accept and appreciate the grado sound. I like it and need it. But if you have been in the headphone hobby for awhile, you eventually grow to appreciate other headphones and their qualities and how they present the sound.

Through my musical journey, I have come to value and love the mid centric headphone or presentation. So I have the beyer dt48a, which are ruthlessly revealing, detail freaks and also happens to have one of the best mids. I also have the koss esp 950 because I have also come to appreciate the electrostatic headphone sound that produces such low distortion that makes the sound smooth, clean, and effortless. This too is mid centric. I tried all the Stax new and vintage but have come to enjoy the tone and timbre of the koss.

So what this means is, grados with all its faults and flaws does something that they only do and if you like it, there is no other headphone that can replace it. You have to have it. At the same time, if you are like me, and have come to appreciate other headphones, for it’s soundstage, detail and tone, then it means you have to have them as well and having both is ok. It’s even necessary.

When I need to hear all the nuances and layers of detail in a big soundstage or space that Radiohead creates, I grab the koss 950. But most of the time I’m listening to rock, from Led Zeppelin to Foo Fighters and so I’m going to grab the grado for it’s guitar crunch and bite.

BTW:
I’m listening to my Hemp right now as I write this. It definitely has that vintage grado sound with a little more clarity and bass. Kind of like vintage rs1 with Stax sr1 sound. I've tried the earzonk pads and they also work pretty well when you want a little more soundstage and a little more treble. It slightly reduces the mid bass and mid but it's a good trade off sometimes. My only wish is that the hemp was more on the reference series (rs1) level and not the prestige series (upper sr level). Maybe it will happen one day.

 

[Gippy]

Of all the criticism, the one that I hear the most is the fact that you get the same gimbal, rod and block that is on a $70 sr60 on a $2700 headphone PS2000. Yikes. .... A good example of this is what happened to their gimbal/rod/tip. They used to be all metal. Now the gimbal is plastic.

This is false. The high-end models use a metal gimbal that covers the full circumference of the inner cup.

 

[elvergun]

With the boom of portable audio created by apple iPod, the headphone market just sky rocketed. People have more options now.

Like the HD600 and the HD650? These models were going head-to-head with Grado offerings back in the day.

Hence, some may judge grado, by today’s headphone standards, feel it has a kind of DIY feel, a Santa Claus toy workshop vibe. I mean, they did then, and still continue to glue their drivers to their cups. Some times the glue job isn’t even done well.

At least Grado headphones do not fall apart the way Hifiman models do. Heck, my hands were aching after I disassembled the more than ten year old SR60 I used for a custom build. These things are put together well - it is not an easy task to take one apart. A Grado will last a life time and then some.

 

[johanchandy]

I've modded several sr80's I loved how simple the geometry is, there's very little to actually go wrong.

I love my hemps to death and think they look gorgeous.

That being said I do think Grado needs to step up the build in certain respects, fraying of the mesh material covering the driver on the earpad side is pretty common, sloppy glue application, lack of a stock premium earpad solution outside of foam, the rods blocks and gimbals aren't great even on the high-end Grados(they're not finished particularly well),etc....

These gripes are minor in the large scheme of things, I've never had a driver fail on me yet on any of the Grados I've owned(or any other major issue happen), I'm pretty sure my Hemps will last forever if I take care of them. Even though people have had driver failures with their Grados it's nowhere near what's being reported of Focal and Hifiman.

 

[sling5s]

This is false. The high-end models use a metal gimbal that covers the full circumference of the inner cup.

Oh yeah...forgot about that. You are right. The plastic gimbals to cover the full circumstance from RS1 or 2 up. but you would think there would be more.
Anyways, I don't have any gripe against Grado. . Just what I tend to hear and observe from others.

Back to the Hemp. I find the balance between bass and treble ratio a little troubling. I find the bass a little too much. Makes the sound slightly too warm and slow for me. It lacks the fast snappy, punchy midbass of older grados. Also because the bass ratio is higher to the treble ratio, it lacks the treble air. There isn't that treble airiness to surround the mids that breathes air and space in the music and sound. It sounds congested, slow and heavy and not open and airy. Hmm....

 

[emorrison33]

I received my GT-220's yesterday. Very nice! I have the Sennheiser TW earbuds, and up until now they were my favorite earbud. My other buds and IEM's are all asian stuff. So the Grado buds....definitely bass heavy, more so than usual with Grado. But the bass is clear, not muddied, and definitive. Mids are exceptional. Guitars and vocals are great. Treble is good and doesn't have that tinny sound like alot of IEM's and earbuds. I have to "look for" the cymbals/hi-hat alot though. Depth and width are good as well, but I think the Sennheiser is a little better. When there is alot going on in the music, they struggle a little bit, but I don't own a pair of buds/IEM's that don't. The Grado buds handle it without getting muddy....just a little dirty/confused I would say. I had an issue with the left earbud. At first I had no sound out of it (wasn't paring with the other bud). Then it started working after I put it back in the case and removed several times. But then it cut off after 10 or 15 seconds. I think it just wasn't charged, even though I fully charged the case with the buds in them before I played with them. It's fine now, after leaving it in the case for an hour and making sure to push down on it a little while in the case, but I hope it's not an ongoing issue. The buds don't fit in the case very well...they are a little loose inside of it. If you move the case you can hear/feel the buds moving around. I can't attest to the playing/charging time yet, but I think Grado says 6 hours on thier website. But despite the cons, these are a nice pair of earbuds, and I'm sure I will enjoy them immensely when I need to go portable. I think the pricing is right compared to other offerings out there.

 

[ril3y]

I am still using the factory foam on the SR80s. Wondering what you all would suggest for a upgrade on comfort / sound. Not looking to spend a ton of money on them. Just curious. Thanks!

 

[534743]

I am still using the factory foam on the SR80s. Wondering what you all would suggest for a upgrade on comfort / sound. Not looking to spend a ton of money on them. Just curious. Thanks!

I would try the Geekria "Donut-shaped" pads (not the L-cushion copy although they do look similar). Very soft and comfy and you will get a tiny bit more treble as they have a hole in the middle.

My gf has the Geekria G-cushion copy on her SR60e and seems to be happy with it.

 

[ril3y]

I would try the Geekria "Donut-shaped" pads (not the L-cushion copy although they do look similar). Very soft and comfy and you will get a tiny bit more treble as they have a hole in the middle.

My gf has the Geekria G-cushion copy on her SR60e and seems to be happy with it.

Sweet.. Bought! Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[534743]

Sweet.. Bought! Thanks for the suggestion.

Let me know what you think of them!