Grado modders go Magnum

[fleasbaby]

i've read a few reports of this problem
i have 3 different builds of senngrados
mostly made from used drivers sourced from the ebay
none of them have any hint of distortion
i drive 'em pretty hard using a little dot MKiii all tube
and a pono in balanced mode and never a hint
i'm wondering if there are some bad ones going around from a newer batch

Could be...I noticed a good amount of variance between batches in bass. Some sounded sublime, just perfect, but some were almost bloated...

 

[Monsterzero]

Could be...I noticed a good amount of variance between batches in bass. Some sounded sublime, just perfect, but some were almost bloated...

any advice? How to source a "sublime" set,move onto a different driver,or throw in the towel and cut my losses?

 

[fleasbaby]

 
any advice? How to source a "sublime" set,move onto a different driver,or throw in the towel and cut my losses?

 
I would say upgrade to a pair of Magnum or Ypsilon drivers. Magnums are more "musical". If you liked the Senns you'll probably prefer them. The Ypsilon is more neutral.
 
If that's too expensive, throw up a wanted ad in the classifieds for some Grado drivers.

 

[Monsterzero]

   
I would say upgrade to a pair of Magnum or Ypsilon drivers. Magnums are more "musical". If you liked the Senns you'll probably prefer them. The Ypsilon is more neutral.

I guess this is a hard question to answer,but im gonna ask anyways:

Magnums go for hundred and change,coupled with the three hundred ive already put into them+any other fees.....

Will these end up sounding like 400-450.00 headphones?

 

[fleasbaby]

 
I guess this is a hard question to answer,but im gonna ask anyways:

Magnums go for hundred and change,coupled with the three hundred ive already put into them+any other fees.....

Will these end up sounding like 400-450.00 headphones?

 
I prefer both the Magnum and the Ypsilon drivers to the RS1e, the HF2 and the (and this is the big one) PS1000i if that helps you at all. I only heard the PS1000i in a shop setting though, using their Ayre Codex as a source and without my builds right there to listen to side-by-side, so take that one with a pinch of salt. I did definitely prefer them to the RS1e and HF2 though.

 

[7keys]

 

   
I would say upgrade to a pair of Magnum or Ypsilon drivers. Magnums are more "musical". If you liked the Senns you'll probably prefer them. The Ypsilon is more neutral.

I guess this is a hard question to answer,but im gonna ask anyways:

Magnums go for hundred and change,coupled with the three hundred ive already put into them+any other fees.....

Will these end up sounding like 400-450.00 headphones?

As you put this SennGrado problem in the Magnum thread I'm sure you already made your mind up, subconsciously to go Magnum. So just buy a pair and get it over with.

 

 

[Monsterzero]

  As you put this SennGrado problem in the Magnum thread I'm sure you already made your mind up, subconsciously to go Magnum. So just buy a pair and get it over with.

 

Sorta,kinda.....

I know that I dont want to run the risk of another crappy pair of Senn drivers.I also am not a fan of a neutral sounding Grado(Ypsilon)so im here kinda by default.

The member helping me with these has been great,so im not in any way placing this on him,however at some point how much cash can one dump into them before its no longer worth it?!

I already have a pair of Alessandro Ms2e,which,after a rocky start I actually like quite a bit...so for it to be worth it to me to pump another 100+ into this project they would need to be head and shoulders above the Ms2e.

Fleasbaby seems to think so,and im not discounting his opinion,but other opinions would be helpful.

 

[7keys]

 

  As you put this SennGrado problem in the Magnum thread I'm sure you already made your mind up, subconsciously to go Magnum. So just buy a pair and get it over with.

 

Sorta,kinda.....

I know that I dont want to run the risk of another crappy pair of Senn drivers.I also am not a fan of a neutral sounding Grado(Ypsilon)so im here kinda by default.

The member helping me with these has been great,so im not in any way placing this on him,however at some point how much cash can one dump into them before its no longer worth it?!

I already have a pair of Alessandro Ms2e,which,after a rocky start I actually like quite a bit...so for it to be worth it to me to pump another 100+ into this project they would need to be head and shoulders above the Ms2e.

Fleasbaby seems to think so,and im not discounting his opinion,but other opinions would be helpful.

wje sent me a PM today about V6 drivers he tried in a pair of Mahogany cups I sent him.
 
He said "
 I really like the latest version of the drivers - very good sound even when compared to my Hifiman HE-500, but much lighter in weight.

 

[Monsterzero]

  wje sent me a PM today about V6 drivers he tried in a pair of Mahogany cups I sent him.
 
He said "
 I really like the latest version of the drivers - very good sound even when compared to my Hifiman HE-500, but much lighter in weight.

wow...hmmmm,now u have me thinking

 

[Monsterzero]

so,since the Magnums have more bass than Ypsilon,does any damping need to be done to keep the bass tight?

 

[7keys]

  so,since the Magnums have more bass than Ypsilon,does any damping need to be done to keep the bass tight?

I don\t think so. I loved the sound of mine right out of the box.

 

[Konstantin690]

  so,since the Magnums have more bass than Ypsilon,does any damping need to be done to keep the bass tight?

 
I wouldn't say that the Magnums have more bass than the Ypsilons, It's more like, the Ypsilons have more midrange energy than the Magnums.
In comparison the Magnums have a "V" sound signature while the Ypsilons sound more "open" and "snappier" in the bass.
 

 

[fleasbaby]

   
I wouldn't say that the Magnums have more bass than the Ypsilons, It's more like, the Ypsilons have more midrange energy than the Magnums.
In comparison the Magnums have a "V" sound signature while the Ypsilons sound more "open" and "snappier" in the bass.
 

 
That makes good sense. I have never really used graphs, but the way you say it, and the way the graphs look, that seems right. And I can see how the mid-range energy would make the V6 sound bassy in comparison...

 

[Konstantin690]

   
That makes good sense. I have never really used graphs, but the way you say it, and the way the graphs look, that seems right. And I can see how the mid-range energy would make the V6 sound bassy in comparison...

 
Yes but the frequency response chart does not tell the whole story.
While the Ypsilons have a good 3db more sub-bass energy in the 30-70Hz range they also have 4 times less total harmonic distortion in this region compared to the Magnums which makes for the "snappier" and better controlled bass.
 

 
 

 

[TheRealMVT]

GS1000 style mahogany cups are turned by Fleasbaby, great work. Can recommend!