[TwoTrack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SemiAudiophile /img/forum/go_quote.gif from what i have read, no. they are the same drivers.

Thanks for the info.

 

[snakeeater69]

Is the improvement form SR225i to SR325is as dramatic as SR80i to SR225i? It it is only minimal I might go with the SR225i.

 

[Sakhai]

Quote:

Originally Posted by snakeeater69 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Is the improvement form SR225i to SR325is as dramatic as SR80i to SR225i? It it is only minimal I might go with the SR225i.

Before you go off buying anymore Grado's, put bowls or flats on your SR80. People notice an improvement going from the 80 to 125/225/325 because the comfies on the SR80 absorbs sound. Details in music are subtle, meaning they're very low volume sounds. Comfies absorb all sounds somewhat. In a nutshell, musical details get absorbed, giving the false impression that the details aren't there. I put bowls in my SR60i, and it sounds like my RS1 in details, just less colored. The differences between the various Grado's are how the sound are colored. More expensive isn't better.

 

[tenzip]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sakhai /img/forum/go_quote.gif Before you go off buying anymore Grado's, put bowls or flats on your SR80. People notice an improvement going from the 80 to 125/225/325 because the comfies on the SR80 absorbs sound. Details in music are subtle, meaning they're very low volume sounds. Comfies absorb all sounds somewhat. In a nutshell, musical details get absorbed, giving the false impression that the details aren't there. I put bowls in my SR60i, and it sounds like my RS1 in details, just less colored. The differences between the various Grado's are how the sound are colored. More expensive isn't better.

I would disagree with this, I hear quite marked differences between my SR-80i with bowls and my SR-225. And I can still hear the differences with comfy pads on each. Which tells me it's not just the pads doing it.

But bowls on the -80i are, IMO, better than the comfy pads, so that's definitely worth a $25 investment, and I would venture that the -80s would show the same improvement.

 

[Sakhai]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tenzip /img/forum/go_quote.gif I would disagree with this, I hear quite marked differences between my SR-80i with bowls and my SR-225. And I can still hear the differences with comfy pads on each. Which tells me it's not just the pads doing it. But bowls on the -80i are, IMO, better than the comfy pads, so that's definitely worth a $25 investment, and I would venture that the -80s would show the same improvement.

Well, different isn't always better. I know there are sound differences. I hear them too, but I can't honestly say one's better than the other. We as humans are culturally trained to think more expensive = better. In terms of Grado, sometimes it's just more expensive without being better. We just can't resist so-called "upgrading" because there are more expensive models out there.

If anything at all, my SR60i is more accurate than the RS1, because it colors the sounds less. After intense critical listening on the RS1, I noticed that musical instruments no longer sounded right, because they color the sounds so much. And the SR60i is no match for the K702, as instruments sound as they should on the K702. I now question the ears of John Grado. I don't think he truly knows what he's doing. He's not a musician. He's audience. He doesn't hear the very subtle timbre of instruments. At least, he may know what he's doing, but the RS1 doesn't faithfully reproduce the correct sounds.

 

[tenzip]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sakhai /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well, different isn't always better. I know there are sound differences. I hear them too, but I can't honestly say one's better than the other. We as humans are culturally trained to think more expensive = better. In terms of Grado, sometimes it's just more expensive without being better. We just can't resist so-called "upgrading" because there are more expensive models out there. If anything at all, my SR60i is more accurate than the RS1, because it colors the sounds less. After intense critical listening on the RS1, I noticed that musical instruments no longer sounded right, because they color the sounds so much. And the SR60i is no match for the K702, as instruments sound as they should on the K702. I now question the ears of John Grado. I don't think he truly knows what he's doing. He's not a musician. He's audience. He doesn't hear the very subtle timbre of instruments. At least, he may know what he's doing, but the RS1 doesn't faithfully reproduce the correct sounds.

Wow. I'll just bow to your obviously much better opinion, since I'm not a musician, either. Not having played an instrument since sometime before 1980, my ears are most definitely not qualified to judge whether something sounds better than something else.

Why didn't you just tell the OP to skip the crappy Grados and buy the K702 in the first place?

 

[OttoC]

What about 225i v. 325i. Would that not be a better comparison. I am thinking about picking up a 325i with some flats. Listen mostly to rock, so should be good.

 

[Sakhai]

Better's subjective. Accuracy is not. The OP can buy whatever he wants. If the OP isn't a musician, then he won't hear the difference either. The most expensive headset I currently own is also the least accurate.

It's already occurred to me that most people on this forum aren't musicians. It's beyond me how so many people would herald such an inaccurate RS1 and would pay $700 for it. So far, the AKG, Shure, and etymotic are all more accurate than the Grado.

Isn't the audiophile world about nitpicking small differences? I did the nitpicking and realized one of the "best" headsets isn't anywhere near what it's supposed to be. I say all this, because I'm disappointed in the Grado sound. I wanted an upclose sound. To hear what the musician hears. I got upclose, but not the sound a musician hears. John Grado's not a musician, and he has no musical background aside from hearing performances. He's audience.

 

[Quinto]

You should really try to hear them before buying.. I was very exited to own the 325i a while ago but the treble was to harsh for me, I couldn´t listen without the strong urge to take them off..

Although otherwise an excellent can, the treble sure isn´t for everybody

He´s less comfortable then the 225 btw

 

[PuffyElvis]

Accuracy and enjoyment are not the same thing. I wrote a very extensive review contrasting the ATH-AD2000's with the RS-1's. The ATH-AD2000's more accurately reproduced sounds but the Grado's were much more enjoyable to listen to. I sold the ATH-AD2000's and kept the Grados. I just found myself more emotionally evolved with the music when listening to the Grado's and have sold most of my headphones in favor of the Grados since.

 

[snakeeater69]

Sakhai got me thinking with his ear pad replacement theory. Which of these would be the best bang for the money combination:

SR80i (Own) + S-Cushion ($17) = Cost me $17
SR80i (Own) + G-Cushion ($48) = Cost me $48

SR225i ($130) + G-Cushion ($48) = Cost me $178
-maybe a DIY wooden cups down becuase my neighbor has the tools to make it

or SR325is $180

 

[nhancakes]

G-cushion being the bowls that come with GS1000? For MS1s I read that just adding the bowls alone will make the headphones sound pretty bad, so i'd expect the same for the sr80

 

[SemiAudiophile]

do give a try with different pads to see what sounds the best. pads make dramatic effects with grado's. i believe whatever pads it came with was designed for the best sound though. i believe SR80i comes with comfies? but do give bowls a shot, who knows you might like them more?

As far as getting the 225i woodied, that may change the tone, perhaps more neutral. But it's still a 225i. The drivers are still different and you probably won't get to the level of detail as the 325i.

i would definitely shoot for either 225i or 325i since those are pretty good deals at the price point. you should be happy with either.

 

[Sakhai]

Quote:

Originally Posted by snakeeater69 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Sakhai got me thinking with his ear pad replacement theory. Which of these would be the best bang for the money combination: SR80i (Own) + S-Cushion ($17) = Cost my $17 SR80i (Own) + G-Cushion ($48) = Cost my $48 SR225i ($130) + G-Cushion ($48) = Cost my $178 -maybe a DIY wooden cups down becuase my neighbor has the tools to make it or SR325is $180

Where are you buying these? I want to buy a low end Grado and scrap everything except the drivers.

If you have an equalizer and want your SR80 to sound more like an RS1, try these preliminary settings:

31 Hz - up 4 decibels
62 - up 4 to 4.5
125 - up 3
250 - up 1-1.5
500 - up 1
1000 - no change
2000 - up 1 - 2
4000 - no change
8k - no change

That should at least give you an approximate sound balance across the range. The highs are a bit problematic because of the waves.

 

[Sakhai]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PuffyElvis /img/forum/go_quote.gif Accuracy and enjoyment are not the same thing. I wrote a very extensive review contrasting the ATH-AD2000's with the RS-1's. The ATH-AD2000's more accurately reproduced sounds but the Grado's were much more enjoyable to listen to. I sold the ATH-AD2000's and kept the Grados. I just found myself more emotionally evolved with the music when listening to the Grado's and have sold most of my headphones in favor of the Grados since.

Of course not. Listen to what you want. As for me, I'll color my music by feeding the signal thru software, not by buying $700 headsets. I've exaggerated the Grado sound by making it even more impactful and forward. Sounds better to me than any Grado. And all at no additional cost.