[gnychis]

Hi all,

I'm looking for a pair of headphones for my lab. I love my HD650's and contemplated getting a second pair for my lab, but the HD650's are extremely high maintenance. It's so easy to chip the paint off of the headband or cups or scratch them because of their horrible build quality (IMO). This is fine for at home where I have a nice headphone stand and I can pamper them... but not for my lab.

So, I'm looking at some Grado headphones which seem to be a good match. They seem to have a solid or leather headband and cups that you can turn and lay flat on the foam. This is perfect... and aside from that I hear they're great headphones.

So, I have a couple questions. First, what's the difference between Alessandro and Grado? They seem the same to me.

Second, what is a good quality Grado headphone for around $250-$300 used that would be comparable to the HD650 in SQ?

Thanks!
George

 

[MaZa]

The thing is, Grados and Sennheisers are sonically total polar opposites. Both have different view on coloration of sound.

Sennheisers are laidback, smooth sounding with certain frequencies dipped for the sake of diffuse-field equalisation. (which doesnt match some ears and is heard as veil or recession) Grados are very forward, very small soundstage-size and direct, pronounced certain frequencies to give sound energy and impact, PRaT (which then again is perceived as harshness for some). They are so night and day that its not even funny. They cannot be compared directly when it comes to soundquality, as tonality and aims are very different.

 

[s4nder]

I've also read here that Grado's build quality and finishing has been causing problems to some people but Sennheiser usually lasts for years. My HD600 are a year old but look and feel new except for the slightly deformed ear pads.

 

[gnychis]

i'm not completely bashing sennheisers build quality, my other HDs are freakin beasts. I could kick them into a wall and they wouldn't break. I just did not like the finish of the HD650s, seems to chip and scratch around the headband so easily.

But hmmm... smaller soundstage on the grados... i'm not sure if that's really my thing. I'm big in to techno and a large sound stage sounds great with electronic music.

I think I really need to listen to a pair. Unfortunately I think I'm the only Pittsburgh head-fi'er

 

[MaZa]

If you want headphones with big soundtage and that would last nuclear warfare, look for Beyerdynamic headphones. There are a lot of comparisons between DT770, DT880 and DT990, all of them having their good sides and bad sides, so choosing shouldnt be that difficult, it all depends on your needs and taste.

 

[Gurra1980]

The HD650 has the best build quality I have seen among headphones, it's like a mercedes, you might scratch them but they last. Grados are supposed to have the worst build quality among audiophile headphones, there are threads started quite often because of the grado quality issues, maybe beyerdynamic could be something, many say they are built like tanks, and does not have scratchsensitive colors. Look at Dt880 they have a brighter sound than HD650 though.

 

[Jaska]

Have you considered that using Grados in a lab/studio environment where you might be putting these on and taking them off a lot might become a real pain? I think they have the worst headband design of all time, and the swiveling earcups and wires are a menace. Not only that, but I have yet to use a pair that actually fit in a way suitable for proper listening. They are, for lack of a better word in English, lörtsi (MaZa will know what I mean by this, but will disagree).

 

[Henmyr]

I wouldn't use wood grados if I risked breaking them, or make a mark in them. The metal grados are more resistant to scratching, but at same time heavier. Due to this, they might very easy fall of your head when bending over a bench or something.

So if you want to work using a grado, the plastic ones are probably the best. Alessandro MS1 or Grado SR225/80 are probably the best choices.

 

[gnychis]

i guess looks can be deceiving after all

i'm going to take a look in to Beyerdynamics

i was hoping to find an already beat up pair of 650's on the FS forum but haven't yet

 

[Brian_the_King]

ahaha, you're thread is full of grado-haters. My friends dad has a pair of RS2's that are in awesome condition, and they're a good 10 years old. Only the pads have been replaced, and only one time.

 

[gnychis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian_the_King /img/forum/go_quote.gif ahaha, you're thread is full of grado-haters. My friends dad has a pair of RS2's that are in awesome condition, and they're a good 10 years old. Only the pads have been replaced, and only one time.

maybe

that Beyer headband looks like a beast... i'm a fan of that thing

 

[Brian_the_King]

Yea I just had to inject some pro-Grado propaganda

If you like your 650's, I'd say get the Beyers.

 

[Rav]

None of my Grados are built badly as such (my RS1 in point of fact has an air of quality about it that is worth the premium even without taking sonics into account) but they're not what i would call squaddy proof. That and by the sounds of it, they don't have the sound signature that you're looking for.

 

[gnychis]

the bayerdynamic 990s seem to be what i'm looking for, their review over at headphonereviews in terms of sound stage, bass extension, and durability rock. maybe i'll try a pair

 

[puppets]

If you're into techno music then DT770 might be better, the 990 is brighter and doesn't have as much bass as the DT770.