[JoeDoe]

Question for all you Grado-heads (am I in the right thread?  ), does anybody listen to Muse in particular with their Grados? If so, how does it sound and on which Grados in particular have you listened to them?

Thanks! 

Yes. 225i it is!

 

[joseph69]

  The 5751 has lower gain than the 12AX7, hence less impact and slam.
The important thing is how Lloyd designs the amp to utilize the different tubes and their designs.
I've never heard of anyone not being thrilled by the stock tubes Lloyd provides. (In my case NOS Rogers, which are Canadian Phillips).
You will be fine with whatever tubes the good Dr. prescribes....

Thanks again for the info and reassurance about Lloyd and the Ear+HD.
After reading about the 12AX7 I was glad to hear that was the tube that he is going to use in the amp, because I really like to hear impact and slam. After listening to the amp the way it comes for awhile. I'll try the 5751 down the road so I can compare them both and also have a mellower sound if I want.
 

  Question for all you Grado-heads (am I in the right thread? 

), does anybody listen to Muse in particular with their Grados? If so, how does it sound and on which Grados in particular have you listened to them?
 
Thanks! 

I downloaded (resistance) by Muse, and I listened to it through my 80's and 325's (haven't listened to it with the RS1's yet), but I will tell you it sounds AWESOME through these two headphones!!! It is recorded very well IMO and wouldn't ever think it could sound bad through any Grado.

 

[CH23]

Question for all you Grado-heads (am I in the right thread?  ), does anybody listen to Muse in particular with their Grados? If so, how does it sound and on which Grados in particular have you listened to them?

Thanks! 

i find "Showbiz" to be not bright enough for better headphones, not just Grados,(maybe i need to re-rip it someday?)

Matthew Bellamy loves classical instruments, and i find them to sound amazing on Grados (owning the SR80i, RS2, and GR10) bass guitar is also outstanding (listening right now with the GR10) while i believe that the RS2's immerse you in the whole thing going on in their rougher tunes.

my source isn't completely neutral though, so it is hard to decide wether it's the Grados or the player.

String instruments (acoustic)do sound Alive on the Grados, and Muse uses them more than enough, making for a great listen.

I love them, and my Grados definitely do them right.

 

[shirazir]

  Thanks again for the info and reassurance about Lloyd and the Ear+HD.
After reading about the 12AX7 I was glad to hear that was the tube that he is going to use in the amp, because I really like to hear impact and slam. After listening to the amp the way it comes for awhile. I'll try the 5751 down the road so I can compare them both and also have a mellower sound if I want.
 
I downloaded (resistance) by Muse, and I listened to it through my 80's and 325's (haven't listened to it with the RS1's yet), but I will tell you it sounds AWESOME through these two headphones!!! It is recorded very well IMO and wouldn't ever think it could sound bad through any Grado.

 
 

i find "Showbiz" to be not bright enough for better headphones, not just Grados,(maybe i need to re-rip it someday?)

Matthew Bellamy loves classical instruments, and i find them to sound amazing on Grados (owning the SR80i, RS2, and GR10) bass guitar is also outstanding (listening right now with the GR10) while i believe that the RS2's immerse you in the whole thing going on in their rougher tunes.

my source isn't completely neutral though, so it is hard to decide wether it's the Grados or the player.

String instruments (acoustic)do sound Alive on the Grados, and Muse uses them more than enough, making for a great listen.

I love them, and my Grados definitely do them right.

 
I think I'm sold on the Sr80i but would you lads say there's a night and day difference between the 80s and perhaps the 225s?

 

[whirlwind]

TBH, I haven't really listened to my Q701s since I got my RS1i.... It may well be time to sell them. I really want to try the PS500!

Yea...the Q701 is my gaming headphone....I do not use it much for music.
 
I also would like to get the PS500 someday.
 
I think I would just about be set then....I am pretty darn happy right now with RS1i and MAD EAR combo.
 
Also, the 5751 tube in my MAD EAR has so darn much detail, that I hate to take it out.
 
I may try some other tubes later on, but the sound this amp produces is off the hook

 

[SJWorne]

Hey has anyone tried SR125i's with the jumbo pads?
Got me some ordered the other day and I can't wait to try it...
I'll probably lose some bass but I could always vent the drivers?  Has anyone any advice against venting?

 

[joseph69]

   
 
I am pretty darn happy right now with RS1i and MAD EAR combo.
 
Also, the 5751 tube in my MAD EAR has so darn much detail, that I hate to take it out.
 
I may try some other tubes later on, but the sound this amp produces is off the hook

Your killing me!!! I cant wait to hear my Ear+HD. Lloyd along with the e-mail about the tubes yesterday said he was waiting for chassis's to come in today so hopefully I won't be waiting all that long.

 

[joseph69]

I think I'm sold on the Sr80i but would you lads say there's a night and day difference between the 80s and perhaps the 225s?  
 

The SR80i's are IMO an Excellent headphone! I've never heard the 225's, but I do own the SR325is's, and there is a difference from the two, and to me, yes it is night & day but...this doesn't mean that I'm saying one is better than the other at all, they are just different.
I'll put it to you this way, if I had to part with one or the other the 80's may actually sound more life like (live) than the 325's, so I would let my 325's go before the 80's. There is just something about the 80's that makes me really enjoy them, to me they have a raw sound to them that is just amazing, especially for a $99.00 headphone. They will always be special to me! 

 

[wje]

  Hey has anyone tried SR125i's with the jumbo pads?
Got me some ordered the other day and I can't wait to try it...
I'll probably lose some bass but I could always vent the drivers?  Has anyone any advice against venting?

 
I have a pair of Allessandro MS1i headphones, which are in the same league as the SR-125i.  I haven't tried the G-Cush pads on them yet.  But, can later tonight and post some impressions.
 
As to venting, I'm normally against it due to potential quality of bass.  You might get more bass, but not always more / better bass - if that makes sense.  However, I've recently learned that Grado does "vent" some of the drivers in their headphones and the PS-500 does come to mind.  I need to find the thread where it listed the models they vent, and how many holes they open on them.  I think the PS-1000 was on the list, as well as the GS-1000i, too.  I don't think any models below the PS-500 were on that list, though.  I do have the PS-500 and have been trying to look through the screens to verify this.  But, I don't have a good light source to fully confirm it and I don't want to open the cups up just to check.

 

[Brooko]

  Hey has anyone tried SR125i's with the jumbo pads?
Got me some ordered the other day and I can't wait to try it...
I'll probably lose some bass but I could always vent the drivers?  Has anyone any advice against venting?

 
I tried it with MS1i (as Wayne said - similar to the SR80i).   Increased sound stage, but bass retreats and mids get sucked out.  Highs get very hot (tizzy).  I din't enjoy it.  YMMV
 

   
I have a pair of Allessandro MS1i headphones, which are in the same league as the SR-125i.  I haven't tried the G-Cush pads on them yet.  But, can later tonight and post some impressions.

 
Wayne - will be interesting to hear your views.  I found I could get used to them if I wore them for long enough for my ears to adjust - but was never a fan.  Bowls sounded good on them though.

 

[joseph69]

SR80i's with (L) cushions.
I tried the (G) cushions with the 80's and the 325's and didn't like them at all, I traded them after 6hrs of listening. This is just my opinion, you may like them. To me there was no intimacy, faint bass and everything sounded very tinny, with no impact. 

 

[SJWorne]

I have a pair of Allessandro MS1i headphones, which are in the same league as the SR-125i.  I haven't tried the G-Cush pads on them yet.  But, can later tonight and post some impressions.

As to venting, I'm normally against it due to potential quality of bass.  You might get more bass, but not always more / better bass - if that makes sense.  However, I've recently learned that Grado does "vent" some of the drivers in their headphones and the PS-500 does come to mind.  I need to find the thread where it listed the models they vent, and how many holes they open on them.  I think the PS-1000 was on the list, as well as the GS-1000i, too.  I don't think any models below the PS-500 were on that list, though.  I do have the PS-500 and have been trying to look through the screens to verify this.  But, I don't have a good light source to fully confirm it and I don't want to open the cups up just to check.

I tried it with MS1i (as Wayne said - similar to the SR80i).   Increased sound stage, but bass retreats and mids get sucked out.  Highs get very hot (tizzy).  I din't enjoy it.  YMMV


Wayne - will be interesting to hear your views.  I found I could get used to them if I wore them for long enough for my ears to adjust - but was never a fan.  Bowls sounded good on them though.

Thanks for that guys, will let people know what I think if it when I get the cushions!

Regarding the venting, that guy Bilavideo said that the venting was awesome... But I'm not sure I can trust the credibility of his posts seeing as he buggered off with a load of money and cans...

 

[sinnottj]

   
I think I'm sold on the Sr80i but would you lads say there's a night and day difference between the 80s and perhaps the 225s?

 
Where are you based? In Europe, for example, I 'm not convinced the price difference makes the 225i worthwhile, unless you buy used.
 
Get an Alessandro MS1i with L Cush pads, which will be almost as good as the 225i for less than half the cost. I've got both and, while there is a difference (and I do think the 225i is slightly better overall), it's not 'night and day' to my ears, but much more subtle.  MS1i with L Cush pads is a hell of a pair of headphones for the money ...

 

[Brooko]

Thanks for that guys, will let people know what I think if it when I get the cushions!

Regarding the venting, that guy Bilavideo said that the venting was awesome... But I'm not sure I can trust the credibility of his posts seeing as he buggered off with a load of money and cans...

 
Wayne has done more playing around with Grados - so I trust his thoughts.  I'd never open all the vents myself.  I did 4 early on with my MS1i - but dialled that back to 2 for my 325is when I had them.  It's all about personal preference - but I'd much rather have quality of bass than quantity.  If you do vent them - you can always try closing them again with a light felt or heavy gauze.
 
Personally though - if the bass isn't enough for you - I wouldn't go more than 2-4.  The less the better.

 

[wje]

OK.  Thank goodness for insomnia - 5:00 a.m. for me.
 
I did a bit of "informal" G-Cush testing.  My source was my Audio-GD "Fun" with the Earth module.  Input was via the Optical cable.  Foobar was the player.  No EQ settings applied.  Music: David Bromberg "Use Me" which has some good guitar, bass, as well as drums / percussion.
 
* PS-500 / G-Cush pads:  This is the normal configuration for how I run my PS-500s.  The frequencies are all represented with the G-Cush pads.  No real loss of bass, good mids, good highs - but not  excessive.  As to the the bass, some people with the PS-500 and the L-Cush pads have indicated that the bass is quite present.  I, too, will agree that with the L-Cush pads, the PS-500 really has a good amount of bass and a bit more than my RS1i has for sure.
 
* MS1i / G-Cush Pads: This is the first time I've heard the G-Cush pads on a model other than the GS-1000 or my PS-500.  I don't feel that the highs were overextended in a fatiguing way at all.  The mids were good.  The bass was less than my PS-500 offers.  But, do keep in mind, the PS-500 is a headphone with more bass out of the gate, and also costs nearly $500 more. 
 
As to the difference in bass between the MS1i and the PS-500, the biggest variable could be the vent holes that are apparently in the PS-500 Grados.  I'm hesitant on opening up the holes a bit on the MS1i, as I normally keep it stock as a reference point.  It also doesn't get a lot of use, due to just being available for comparison against the other Grados.  Brooko is right.  In considering hole / vent mods or vent opening, just don't go too crazy.  It's kind of like medicine.  People think that if a little work "good" then 3 or 4 times more would be "great" - but, that's not always the case and with medicine, it can be quite risky.  I'd say consider 2, but don't go higher than three at the most.
 
Finally, I was able to search a bit and did find the thread where I did initially read about the PS-500, PS-1000 and GS-1000 having their vent holes opened.  Apparently these models have "3" holes opened up as suspected in the thread.  There is also a mention of the Magnum, version 3 having a few holes opened, too.  If I recall, the version 3 may have only been a driver that would have come along with the Magnum upgrade when performed by Rydon.  It could easily have been versions at some point after that, which became available for us to purchase just the drivers without any upgrade options.  
 
Here is the thread with the reference to vents opened on Factory Grado models: http://www.head-fi.org/t/576717/grado-modders-go-magnum/2640#post_9507046
 
I may send a note to Grado and inquire about this since I did own the GS-1000 and currently own the PS-500, I am quite curious.  
 
I think I'll get a few more hours of sleep before waking up to head to work.   Enjoy!