[covame]

Congratulations PiccoloNamek!!!

I got mine last week as well, I was a little curious about the Grado sound and went to a hi-fi store in Manhattan “only to listen to them”, the salesman connected the SR-250 to a Cayin HA-1A… Lifeness!!! Liquid!!! Amazing!!!
So I finished buying the headphones

, I was close to buying the amplifier but I stopped because the store doesn’t accept returns (thank God).

Some impressions after a few days using the RS HR-2.
- Although they aren’t as “alive” as in the store (tubes vs ss), the mids are forward and a little euphonic in a nice way.
- For me they are not as uncomfortable as some say, maybe my ears are small.
- Due to their lack of soundstage it’s easy to have the feeling as being in the stage with the musicians.
- They are fast!!! Very good with the rhythms.
- I wont compare them with the Sennheiser, each one offers a different angle of the recording, and as PiccoloNamek says they compliment the HD650 very nice.

 

[Beagle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PiccoloNamek /img/forum/go_quote.gif Initial impressions: Ugh, bowl pads. I knew they came with bowls, but still, damn.

You should complain to Grado.

Quote:

Originally Posted by PiccoloNamek /img/forum/go_quote.gif The cable coming out of the left earpiece is badly twisted. And there are bits of hot glue showing near the "225" buttons. Shame on you, Grado.

The glue holds the pieces in place, don't worry about that.

 

[Ikarios]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mrvile /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ouch, sounds like some pretty rough impressions. I hope you can get used to them, a friend of mine is considering the SR-225 and I'm really pushing him to get them.

I'm not really "considering", I'm just deciding whether or not I should get them NOW. I know I'll cave in sooner or later, it's just a matter of time

.

However, I'm intrigued by the comments on the pad thing. I wonder how the sound of SR225 with bowls compares to SR60 with comfies that are modded to be something like flats. When I get my 225s I've decided to get flats and an extra set of comfies, so I guess I'll find out for myself sometime.

 

[chris in mo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by covame /img/forum/go_quote.gif Congratulations PiccoloNamek!!! ........ - For me they are not as uncomfortable as some say, maybe my ears are small......... .

I'm right there with you. I have the sr225 which I bought from Todd The Vinyl Junkie a couple weeks ago. I don't find the bowls t be uncomfortable. I had read about uncomfortable pads and too much clamping force from the headband but I haven't experienced either. Maybe we are amungst the fortunate few.

I have found that using my Ipod and an RS tomahawk amp with the Grados I like to use the Rock EQ. I could not stand the sound of the EQ from the ipod headphone out but somehow the addition of the amp make the EQ actually make some differences in the sound instead of 31 varieties of crap from the unampped setup.

 

[Davesrose]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aflac /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm not really "considering", I'm just deciding whether or not I should get them NOW. I know I'll cave in sooner or later, it's just a matter of time .

Common, you know you want to

Haven't listened to the 225 myself, but my 325i is clearly way more refined then the SR60: I'm sure you'll get whole new levels of excitement with the 225. Some say that bowls add soundstage, but I didn't really find that to be true. The drivers are still pretty close to your ears, but the bowls seem to funnel some of the high frequencies. So you get more of the Grado brightness. Certainly worth it to first see if bowls are for you.

 

[jinp6301]

you guys should definatly try out the senn 414 pads with the bowls. soo comfortable!

 

[NiceCans]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jinp6301 /img/forum/go_quote.gif you guys should definatly try out the senn 414 pads with the bowls. soo comfortable!

(emphasis added)

with the bowls = as in both at once?

Pic?

 

[alpeggio]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NiceCans /img/forum/go_quote.gif (emphasis added) with the bowls = as in both at once? Pic?

I don't have the 414 pads myself but it seems likely you would use the bowls with them. Otherwise they would be too loose you might think.

 

[Arainach]

Squish the bowls overnight between a book or something. Whatever it takes to make them break in. They're NOT incredibly comfortable - after 2 or 3 hours of them my ears hurt like hell - but NOTHING sounds as good as them.

I've used 414 pads, both modded and stock, flats, comfies, and rat shack pads (all on the SR225). NONE of them have the detail or sparkle of the Bowls. The Flats are "fun", the 414 pads and Rat Shack pads are incredibly comfortable (I throw on a pair of quarter-modded, reversed rat shack pads for gaming and forget my RS-1 are on my head), and the comfies are absolutely worthless, but the Bowls have that Grado sound.

 

[jinp6301]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NiceCans /img/forum/go_quote.gif (emphasis added) with the bowls = as in both at once? Pic?

I have to find the pictures, i think theres some pics of it on the alessandro ms-1 thread somewhere. The thing is that you put the bowls over your ears so that it goes past your ears like circumaural pads.