[Gwarmi]

Quote:

Im still debating if I should get a pair of Sr60is. Just want to ask you Grado lovers how portable do you think they are? Are you guys able to take them out with out any fuss? My concerns are the long cord and the leakage.

 Anything up to the 225i can be considered portable, if you listen at low volumes - it's doable.
 
 Some think I'm nuts on here but my SR80i goes everywhere with me

 

 

[rroseperry]

Im still debating if I should get a pair of Sr60is. Just want to ask you Grado lovers how portable do you think they are? Are you guys able to take them out with out any fuss? My concerns are the long cord and the leakage.

I've taken SR80s on a plane, but really the leakage is ridiculous.

 

[Austin Morrow]

Doea anybody know where I can find the G-Cush's under $45? A little too much...currently modding my SR80i's. 

 

[KneelJung]

Quote:

Since this is the "Grado Fan Club" thread, I thought I'd toss in my recent changes.  Having been a fan of wooden cups and the Grado drivers, I was checking the FS section at times and would see the HF-2 headphones available.  I always questioned how they would perform.  I know when I owned the SR-325i Grados, I didn't care for the extra weight of the aluminum housings - nor, did I care for the sound either.  A bit weak on the bottom end, left me a bit frustrated - I guess that's what I like about the wooden cups.  Anyway, the HF-2 headphones don't seem quite as heavy as the SR-325i Grados were.  Also, the HF-2 headphones feature wooden inserts, for potentially improved sound.  

Congratulations on your aquisition of the HF2's Wayne. I'm guessing based on your upgrade path and the other headphones in your arsenal that the signature of the HF2 is a bit anti climactic. I've never heard a 325i but I had the same sort of frustration with my MS2i regarding the bottom end, but the mids on those things were oh so sweet. Anyway you bring up an interesting point about the construction of the wood driver housings on the HF2 versus the plastic one on the 325i. I know one of the things that was discussed at one point on the original SR60 mod thread was removing that plastic extension on the driver housing inside the 325's cup. Wood of course takes the plastic entirely out of the picture. I dont know how much difference there is between the drivers in a 225, a 325, and the HF2, but I do know that although I prefer my HF2 to my woodied 225 I could live happily ever after with the 225; and I think I preferred both the HF2 and the woodied 225 to the MS Pro when I had it for comparison purposes. They werent clear winners, the MS Pro is an awesome headphone, but value wise a woodied 225 is hard to beat. Which IMO  the tone & timbre of the HF2 owes alot to the wooden driver housing that runs the length of the aluminum cup. So in that sense it's more of a wooden Grado than an aluminum one. Also quite a few people seem to prefer it to an RS1. What are your impressions of it's sig relative to your 225 and your Magnums?
 
@auee,
 
Get a 225 or a used HF2. If you get a 225 put some wood on it.

 

[super nova]

Thanks for the replies people.  And does the length of the cable bother you guys when you carry them?

 

[auee]

@KnellJung
 
Thanks for the advise.

 

[BloodyPenguin]

I think I might be obsessed with my new phones...
 
Love taking pictures of them.  Now with my first mod, HD 414 Pads (with reversed quarter mod).
 
 

 
 
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[Vikingatheart]

Very nice. Not to derail the thread, just wondering, what camera did you use? 

 

[BloodyPenguin]

Quote:

Very nice. Not to derail the thread, just wondering, what camera did you use? 

Thanks.  I just use a Panasonic GH1 (with the standard Panasonic Lumix G Vario 14-42mm f/3.5 -5.6 Asph. / MEGA O.I.S. Lens).
 
 
Another picture of it to keep it on topic (with the stock pads). 

 

 
..

 

 

[chrislangley4253]

Quote:

I have a question for all the 325is owners. I just just got a pair and wanted to know what is best. Should i reterminate balanced or get re-cabled and balanced?  My only amp is the RSA SR71-B so I dont have to worry about needing to use single ended. Thanks in advance.

going balanced is pointless
 
You will get much more out of getting some magnums than any mods you can do the 325's, especially in the form of cable upgrades.
 
 


Quote:

Members, I am the former owner of the 60s and want to get back to the Grado sound. I have narrowed my decision to either the 225s or the 325s. My budget has grown so that I can afford either, but I cannot go any higher. I have diligently searched but cannot find in the forums on whether there is a consensus over which is preferred or better for rock and metal. Some claim the 325s are too bright or shrill, some claim not. I have no analog sources and some rock recordings are not that good. So I have some concern about the treble performance of the 325s. On the other hand, I do not trade or sell my equipment often and I want to get the best my budget will allow, which leads me towards the 325s. I want to rock with the Grados, so which ones will give me the most enjoyment. Thanks to all.

add some money to your budget and get yourself some magnum drivers to work with.. put in the time, effort and a bit more cash and you will be much better off.. 
 


Quote:

Im still debating if I should get a pair of Sr60is. Just want to ask you Grado lovers how portable do you think they are? Are you guys able to take them out with out any fuss? My concerns are the long cord and the leakage.

Everything up to the 225i is doable for portable use.. the cable is a bit long, but not terribly thick. You could always shorten the cable later. 
 


Quote:

Doea anybody know where I can find the G-Cush's under $45? A little too much...currently modding my SR80i's. 

Not without a coupon code.. unfortunately the site I have a code for are out of the G-cush atm.. I'll still send you a PM with the codes and website though
 


Quote:

Thanks for the replies people.  And does the length of the cable bother you guys when you carry them?

depends on the pants/shorts I'm wearing.. If I have room to put the cable in a pocket I have no issues with the longer cable.. Cargo shorts are the best, I can carry a pair of grados with a long cable and a portable amp and my sansa clip and not have any problem.. If i'm wearing tight jeans, there is no way. 
 
 

 

[KneelJung]

Quote:

Quote:

Members, I am the former owner of the 60s and want to get back to the Grado sound. I have narrowed my decision to either the 225s or the 325s. My budget has grown so that I can afford either, but I cannot go any higher. I have diligently searched but cannot find in the forums on whether there is a consensus over which is preferred or better for rock and metal. Some claim the 325s are too bright or shrill, some claim not. I have no analog sources and some rock recordings are not that good. So I have some concern about the treble performance of the 325s. On the other hand, I do not trade or sell my equipment often and I want to get the best my budget will allow, which leads me towards the 325s. I want to rock with the Grados, so which ones will give me the most enjoyment. Thanks to all.

add some money to your budget and get yourself some magnum drivers to work with.. put in the time, effort and a bit more cash and you will be much better off.. 

The flip side of that though is a stock 225 is a pretty rockin headphone and can be picked up used for around $150. The Magnums are nice but they are not Grado's...they require sourcing the drivers from Rhydon, sourcing a pair of cups, a headphone assembly, and then you have to put them together. The 225 OTOH is plug and play, has the fun factor of an SR60, and an extra gear for guitar lovers.

 

[wje]

Quote:

Congratulations on your aquisition of the HF2's Wayne. I'm guessing based on your upgrade path and the other headphones in your arsenal that the signature of the HF2 is a bit anti climactic. I've never heard a 325i but I had the same sort of frustration with my MS2i regarding the bottom end, but the mids on those things were oh so sweet. Anyway you bring up an interesting point about the construction of the wood driver housings on the HF2 versus the plastic one on the 325i. I know one of the things that was discussed at one point on the original SR60 mod thread was removing that plastic extension on the driver housing inside the 325's cup. Wood of course takes the plastic entirely out of the picture. I dont know how much difference there is between the drivers in a 225, a 325, and the HF2, but I do know that although I prefer my HF2 to my woodied 225 I could live happily ever after with the 225; and I think I preferred both the HF2 and the woodied 225 to the MS Pro when I had it for comparison purposes. They werent clear winners, the MS Pro is an awesome headphone, but value wise a woodied 225 is hard to beat. Which IMO  the tone & timbre of the HF2 owes alot to the wooden driver housing that runs the length of the aluminum cup. So in that sense it's more of a wooden Grado than an aluminum one. Also quite a few people seem to prefer it to an RS1. What are your impressions of it's sig relative to your 225 and your Magnums?
 

 
Brian,
 
I'm quite content with the HF-2 Grados.  I didn't know what to really think because I've read comments and personal mini reviews here and there of them.  However, it was a pretty quick decision that I made - when compared to other decisions that I take longer to decide on.  I guess realizing that they were a special run of headphones with a target of headphone audiophiles had been one of the hooks that captured me.  Keeping in mind that I'm a real Magnum lover, the differences that my ears hear between the HF-2 and the Magnums is not all that different.  If anything, the HF-2 might have a very slight amount of less bass - but, very minimal.  The mids and highs compare quite like the HF-2, or at least that's how my ears have perceived it.  I guess I could break it down into two categories.  1) If you're a tinkerer and don't mind hunting down your components and working with a soldering iron, then the Magnums are a very logical choice.  However, 2) If you're one who believes in products that have been tuned and tweaked only by the manufacturer and you want to buy an assembled headphone, with a good backing, then the HF-2 would easily fall on my short list of recommendations.  
 
I've been using the Magnums and the HF-2s with  various sources and amps.  My Sansui receiver, my O2 amp, my C&C BH amp, a Sansa Fuze and a iPod Video / Classic that still featured the Wolfson DAC chips contained within before Apple switched over to the Cirrus Logic chips.  Both headphones have performed very well with these combinations.  The HF-2 has, at times, received a slight amount of EQ where I felt it might have been needed.  Again, just a slight amount and that was basically dependent upon the player.
 
I've last listened to the SR-225i in wooden cups as of a few weeks back after being spoiled by the Magnums and they've left me a bit underwhelmed.  Again, though, this is basically after drinking the Magnum Kool-Aid is when my view of the SR-225i changed.  I will agree with you though, I could easily live with the HF-2 Grados the rest of my listening life as opposed to the MS-Pro headphones from Allesandro.  Getting the HF-2 in the mail and connecting them up and being impressed with what I hear was quite an exciting experience for me.  I guess lately with the stock headphones, I've found a weakness here and there that has bothered me.  But, the HF-2 will stay all secured, just as Grado built them.
 
The HF-2 is a very comfortable pair of headphones to wear.  The SR-325i was a heavier headphone (in my opinion) and the plastic casings inserted in the aluminum cups was just an "odd" combination.  I guess Grado maybe thought that they could sell the headphones just on the bling factor alone.  They do provide the aluminum cups and a leather headband, but I'm not sure if those two items are worth the $100 additional cost over the SR-225i.  For the $300 that the SR-325i runs, one can get awfully close to a great, basic set of Magnums.  The wooden cups might be a bit basic, but you'll still have a great set of headphones that should please one quite greatly.
 

 
 

 

[Chris_Himself]

Quote:

The HF-2 is a very comfortable pair of headphones to wear.  The SR-325i was a heavier headphone (in my opinion) and the plastic casings inserted in the aluminum cups was just an "odd" combination.  I guess Grado maybe thought that they could sell the headphones just on the bling factor alone.  They do provide the aluminum cups and a leather headband, but I'm not sure if those two items are worth the $100 additional cost over the SR-225i.  For the $300 that the SR-325i runs, one can get awfully close to a great, basic set of Magnums.  The wooden cups might be a bit basic, but you'll still have a great set of headphones that should please one quite greatly.
 

 
 

The SR-325 used to be the model to introduce the 8-conductor UHPLC cable, and yes it has the leather headband and blinged out aluminum caps. I really am fond of the factory leather headbands, I just found out the other day that SR-60's actually used to come with them as standard back in the day!
 
I've always wanted to try one but I hear too much mixed opinions on it to ever risk my money. I mean I saw a pair for like $120 one time on the marketplace and that actually was low enough to scare me out of buying a pair!
 
I'm not going to lie, I bought the RS-2 purely for aesthetics but I was actually pleasantly surprised. The presentation is hilariously the same as the other headphones but the sound is pretty legit. Again you could go Magnum but I still love factory Grados since it's a lot of work to get those together.

 

[Twinster]

Hello BloodyPenguin and congrat on your Grado and great pictures.
 
Just for your knowledge I notice that your HD-414 pads are not mounted in reverse on your headphone. You need to mount the side you have cut so that way they will shape like a small bowl and give you better stage.
 
Enjoy!  

 
Quote:

I think I might be obsessed with my new phones...
 
Love taking pictures of them.  Now with my first mod, HD 414 Pads (with reversed quarter mod).
 
 

 
 
..

 

 

[BloodyPenguin]

Quote:

Hello BloodyPenguin and congrat on your Grado and great pictures.
 
Just for your knowledge I notice that your HD-414 pads are not mounted in reverse on your headphone. You need to mount the side you have cut so that way they will shape like a small bowl and give you better stage.
 
Enjoy!  

 

Oh!  Ooops!  Thanks for the heads up.  I thought I had done it correctly.  Guess not.  I will have to fix that!..
 
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