jant71
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Feb 19, 2005
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HeadRoom has a pair of b-stock for $319, IIRC.
The GR-10s run about US$310 in Japan, and periodically dip to US$280 on sale. I picked up a pair at that price, and preferred them to the Westone 4Rs. It's always a matter of taste, but I liked the GR-10's forward sound in IEMs I use on the go.
I purchased the GR10 two days ago, and based only on the sound, I suspect something is wrong with them. They just don't match the descriptions I read on this forum and in reviews.
Background
I use earphones because I need to block noises when I'm working (I'm an engineer/programmer in a room full of annoyances). For the past five years, I've been using the Klipsch Image S4 earphones, and I have been generally pleased with them. They offer good isolation, good bass, and sounded good enough. The large tips fit my ears reasonably well (though to be honest, I think they should be slightly smaller, because they pop out of my ears sometimes). They have succumb to an intermittent connection in the wire that drives me nuts, so it was time for a replacement.
Details
There are a few people in this thread (and others) who note that their GR10's are super bright; harsh and with no low end to speak of. This is exactly my experience. I'm using the largest tips they have, and they are pushed firmly (and wiggled) into my ear. They seem to have a great fit, but they do not isolate as well as the Klipsch Image S4 does. Even if I hold them pushed firmly into my hear, I can't get them to show any reasonable bass. Which possibly means I need even bigger tips, but it doesn't seem like it.
I've seen the posts where @goodvibes talks about breaking it in by playing loud music for 8 hours at a time, for 100+ hours. That gives me hope. But there are also quotes out there from Mr. Grado himself, who says after 30 hours of normal use, headphones will be settled (and won't change much in the first place). There are places that claim to test this 'break-in', and find very little change.
Yesterday, I wore the GR10s at work, connected to my PC output, and played the Deftones "White Pony" album through Spotify. This is a loud, noise-eclipsing metal album. I had it playing loud, and I could clearly hear the bass in the voices of men talking nearby, coming in over top of the music. It was weird. But I think this is an example of just how completely lacking the GR10's are in bass. After switching back to the S4, I couldn't hear the voices anymore.
I really want these earphones to work out, because they are otherwise fantastic. The way they play some music makes me cry. And brass- I seriously had no idea it was possible to reproduce a trumpet like these do. It felt like I was hearing it live. And people aren't kidding when they say they're great for vocals. They sit further in my ear than the S4 does, so I can actually lay on a pillow with them in my ears.
So what should I do? I have about 10 days to return them.
they are indeed NOT headphones for bass junky's and also I think ay demand more 'respect' than can be given by using them at work through a 'relatively' low end audio device - the PC. I dont think you ever find bass through Grados but you may well a superbly balanced magical sounding iem that gives a unique and quite true representation of what is 'there' on the recording.
jon parker said:I should add you can effect the sound and the isolation of the grado gr10 a fair amount with different filters - Im sure at some point i had comply ear buds on them but you need to be careful to check first they will fit!
Having said that I would much more recommend Westone W40 for a very similar sound trait presentation....slightly less brighter..but with a bass that won't distort or crap out on you. It is by far a MUCH better value.
In your case I would opt for the Sennheiser IE80. With this one, you have bass when needed and you can actually choose if you want more or less, and in Terms of Detail,musicallity, they are up with the very best.In Germany you find them reasonable priced.
Another solution if you want to Keep the Grado´s could be the use of the Beyerdynamic DAC/Amp A200p,this one have according to a test plenty of mid -and deep bass, but set you back with another 300 Euro.This Little amp is constructed with the help of Astel&Kern, so the Quality Point will be no issue. A less expensive solution could be the FiiO E18, but I don´t know about they bass capacities, or a pure Amp like the E12.