[azncookiecutter]

It's a love-hate thing for Grados. Some (like me) are willing to put up the slight (I may be exaggerating here) discomfort for the sound. Although, for an item like the HF2s, I doubt you'll lose much money in the resale.

 

[AudioDwebe]

I compared the pads of the HF2's and RS1's last night and, upon initial inspection, the RS1 pads looked deeper (from the tips that touches my head to the plastic grill covering the speakers). Upon further inspection, I noticed that the pads, indeed, are the same.

I suspected the speaker grills to be much larger on the HF2's, as it seems to actually "sit" on my outer ear, but was incorrect in this assumption. Both the RS1 and HF2 look almost identical in the diameter of the plastic speaker covering. The housing on the HF2 look to be a bit larger, causing the foam pad to stretch a bit more than that on the RS1.

All 'n' all (hell, yeah, to Earth, Wind and Fire!!!), by outward appearances, I would not expect the difference in the comfort level between these two cans. Since the HF2's are substantially weighter than the RS1's (as someone previously mentioned), I'm starting to think maybe that has something to with it also.

To me, the HF2's and RS1's sound so different; one warmer and bassier and the other lean 'n clean, add the airy GS1K to the mix and these could be someone's perfect trifecta. Maybe me.

 

[rhythmdevils]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shoreman /img/forum/go_quote.gif One needn't go through the trouble and expense of such a purchase. Reversing the bowls will accomplish essentially the same thing -- at zero cost. AudioDwebe, you can review a similar discussion (although relating to the 325i's) at the following thread: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/off.../index111.html

um....reversed bowls is most certainly not the same thing as liberators. Sounds different, looks different, and especially since we are talking about comfort in this thread, feels completely different. Reversed bowls do not push the driver off the ear like the liberators would.

 

[AudioDwebe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhythmdevils /img/forum/go_quote.gif um....reversed bowls is most certainly not the same thing as liberators. Sounds different, looks different, and especially since we are talking about comfort in this thread, feels completely different. Reversed bowls do not push the driver off the ear like the liberators would.

Do they even make the liberators for the HF2? I've seen them in the past, and they do look like they would solve the problem with the pain, but am not too sure how the added distance from the drivers to my ears would affect the sound.

I don't think the ones made for the RS1's would fit the HF2. At least I don't think so, as I believe the housing around the speaker is a different size.

I guess I could always measure it and hit Home Depot to find something that would work in the same way, on-the-cheap.

Cheers.

 

[thechungster]

Most of my pinna actually touches the grill but I don't find it that discomforting. It's a slight numbing that I realise after long durations (4 hours+).

 

[rhythmdevils]

yeah I'm not sure if they would fit either. You could also have someone here make you a pair, probably wouldn't cost too much. I have a feeling it would sound great, and bring the mids forward a bit, add even more soundstage. But I don't think the affect is that dramatic either way.

 

[Shoreman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhythmdevils /img/forum/go_quote.gif um....reversed bowls is most certainly not the same thing as liberators. Sounds different, looks different, and especially since we are talking about comfort in this thread, feels completely different. Reversed bowls do not push the driver off the ear like the liberators would.

I realize that. But he isn't asking for liberators -- and their additional expense. That was your idea. He is seeking comfort and, if I understand him correctly, is otherwise quite satisfied with the headphones as is. I was offering a quick and cost-free solution toward that end -- increasing comfort -- without having to give the headphones a makeover.

 

[iponderous]

Interesting, as I find my HF2's far more comfortable to wear than my SR125's. The additional weight of the phone isn't an issue for me either, in fact I rather like it.

 

[Bilavideo]

I think it's a generational thing. Growing up, I wore headphones all the time and it was an occupational hazard that long-term listening would lead to ear fatigue. These were the days before the advent of those lightweight clunkers, the missing link between big headphones and earbuds. I'd throw on a pair of headphones, jam for a couple of hours, feel that familiar ache, take the phones off, do something else for a while and then go back to the headphones.

Grados come from that world. Supraaural headphones put pressure on the pinnae which eventually ache from it. The cure is to simply take the phones off and do something else for a while. There are ways around this. You can loosen up the headband so the pads lightly press against the pinnae, but that makes it easier for the phones to fall off your head. You can also use circumaural cushions, like the GS-1000 jumbos, but you lose some bone conduction. There's something about having the pad directly on your earlobes that really adds something to the presentation.

 

[sampson_smith]

Well put, Bilavideo. I dig.

 

[Bilavideo]

Stretch and mash the doughnuts till they're loose and soft. You're playing with $20. Are you man enough to try it?

 

[sampson_smith]

No, but I'm man-boy enough to reverse-modify a pair of $10 HD414's with reckless abandon!

 

[MadMan007]

One problem I had with the HF-2 that I didn't with SR-80 was possibly due to different dimensions but more likely due to the weight of the HF-2. Now maybe John Grado has a big gargantuan head, or lots of other people do, or my ears are really high up on my head, but with the HF-2 I had to push the rods all the way up in to the holders to get them near to the correct position on my ears. Even then they still wegihed down on the top of my ears especially and weren't comfortable.

So I figured I would try adding something to the headband to raise them up off the top of my head more. I tried with a piece of foam to test and it worked a lot better. I've since made a little cloth surround out of an old sock to hold the foam. While this might not significantly change how they press against the outer ear it made them much more comfortable.

 

[Bilavideo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sampson_smith /img/forum/go_quote.gif No, but I'm man-boy enough to reverse-modify a pair of $10 HD414's with reckless abandon!

That's the spirit!

 

[iponderous]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MadMan007 /img/forum/go_quote.gif One problem I had with the HF-2 that I didn't with SR-80 was possibly due to different dimensions but more likely due to the weight of the HF-2. Now maybe John Grado has a big gargantuan head, or lots of other people do, or my ears are really high up on my head, but with the HF-2 I had to push the rods all the way up in to the holders to get them near to the correct position on my ears. Even then they still wegihed down on the top of my ears especially and weren't comfortable. So I figured I would try adding something to the headband to raise them up off the top of my head more. I tried with a piece of foam to test and it worked a lot better. I've since made a little cloth surround out of an old sock to hold the foam. While this might not significantly change how they press against the outer ear it made them much more comfortable.

Live well and prosper.