Grado SR325i good for commuting?

[njheadphones]

Hello all. I am looking to upgrade from my UE Super.fi 3 Studios. Plan on using the new cans on the commuter bus and at home. Noise cancelling is not as important as good sound. I was seriously considering the Grado SR325i. Is there a lot of sound the bleeds out from these? Meaning, is the person next to me going to be telling me to please turn it down? If so, what other cans do you suggest I look at that won't lead to the same coverstation with the person next to me. Thanks.

 

[YoNni22]

You can't commute with these cans. They will emit sounds and the other commuters will probably look at you funny. Also, the outside noise will ruin the music you are listening to.

 

[moogoob]

And they're heavy.

Outside noise'll detract from their detail, so if you want to go Grados I'd suggest the SR80s. They're what I use for commuting.

 

[rds]

Quote:

Meaning, is the person next to me going to be telling me to please turn it down?

They will if you don't scare them with the sight of wearing something so ridiculous looking in public.
...yes they bleed sound with the best of them. That is only one of many reasons why they are unsuitable for commuting.

Quote:

If so, what other cans do you suggest I look at that won't lead to the same coverstation with the person next to me.

Get nice IEMs. See what fits your budget. The higher end Shures are very nice.

 

[lisztian420]

For me it's no prob. It leaks sound, but I normally turn it up to a point that the outside noise don't really bother me. No one every complained here. But I think it's more suitable for going out for walks or on the bike.

 

[1Time]

Just because people don't complain, doesn't mean they don't mind listening to your music from the outside of your headphones. Trust me, some people don't mind, but others do and would rather not hear it. Does anyone here always prefer listening to the music of others as heard leaking from their headphones? At least try to think of others instead of only for yourself. Headphones for a commute should not leak music. Use earbuds, IEMs or closed headphones like the JBL410. /rant

 

[yukihiro]

i would wear my sr80 on the bus to campus and walking around campus. usually i turn up/down the volume while on the bus to the point where i can hear the music but not too loud. i try to keep it at a volume where the bus noise drowns out the noise from my headphones for outsiders. there are a few occasions where i'm just grumpy and turn it up and don't care about other people around me though

but yea. i need to get my sr80's fixed, and i just ordered some sr325i's that i'll be wearing to campus for a while. they are heavier, but when i demo'd them they weren't that heavy imho. if i get my sr80's fixed, i might use those for my commute instead, but for now i'll be using my sr325i's.

i also have some rp-21's that i used to wear during my commute, but i realized how big and ridiculous they were. they were nice since they're closed headphones, but were a bit ridiculous. sr325i's are close to the 'too big' point but not really. i think it's rather stylish

we'll see how everything goes when i commute with my sr325i's. seems like most people would never do that on head-fi. oh well lol

 

[Mercuttio]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lisztian420 /img/forum/go_quote.gif For me it's no prob. It leaks sound, but I normally turn it up to a point that the outside noise don't really bother me. No one every complained here. But I think it's more suitable for going out for walks or on the bike.

You are risking serious ear damage. Just because your ears don't hurt now doesn't mean you're not hurting them very badly... which you are if you have to cover up any outside noise at all.

Never, ever attenuate outside noise with headphones if they are open dynamic.

 

[scytheavatar]

Yeah, turning up the volume of an open earphone to drown out the outside sound is a very dumb way to listen to music on a bus, not only are you damaging your ears anyone sitting beside you is going to hear clearly what you are listening to. And it can be very annoying. If you want to listen to music on a heapdhone while commuting at the very least get a closed back with good isolation like the K81 or the HD280.

 

[Faust2D]

As good as SR-007 is.

 

[Navyblue]

It depends on how do you commute.

If you commute by foot on a country roads that you don't see a soul for miles, I guess you could.

However if it involves engines/motor in anyway, the answer would be no.

My HD215 sounds far less great in a bus or train than at home. And it is a closed headphone which isolation is on the better side (for a closed headphone that is). It is one of he reason that it doesn't get to see much action, the other being it's bulkiness. When using my K501 sometimes I can get annoyed even at the traffic outside my home. I am convinced that isolation is a very important aspect for portable use, and IEMs seem to be the way to go.

 

[Chu]

Open headphones on the 'L or bus is a no-go. Tried it once. Never tried it again.

I'd wear my Grado's to and from walking to class though (it was a long walk). They actually worked really well in Indiana winters, they kept a little latent heat like earmuffs do, and the flat band makes them perfect to wear under a hat. Open also has advantages on city streets, like not getting hit by that cab that's honking at you to get out of the way as he tries to take the curve at 30.

 

[yashicaman]

The Grado SR-325i is not an ideal commuting headphone. Firstly, it is open and therefore leaks sound. Secondly, because it is open it lets the wind rush into your ears--if you live in a cold climate, you'd want to wear a specially modified pair of closed cans, like Sennheiser 280's with heated leather ear pads. Remember to order the Sennheiser HD-280 Arctic Expedition Headphones. Thirdly, one's commuting headphones should be a fashion statement, the more outrageous the better, i.e., a dayglo orange spray painted pair of AKG 271s's should suffice.

How about a nice pair of Yuin PK2 ear buds? No need to amplify. Not too much sound leakage. You are unlikely to be mugged for your headphones/ear buds and only those wearing IEM's will laugh at you.

Cheers!