my mini review cut and paste from the other thread
I got my flats today, and imediately removed them from their packaging and installed them. Good Bye Bowls!
First things first, Bowls are gone these are my new pads indefinately, I prefer this sound over the bowls. Both pads have weaknesses and strengths. I will try to describe the differences best I can.
These pads are being used with my Grado SR-80's
One of the major draw backs to the bowls were the greatly enhanced sibilance. Top end sizzle was very apparent. These would be the equivelant of Klipsch speakers in the home theater world. efficient but bright.
Massive coloration in sound for EVERTHING, except stringed instruments.
Some consider this "Fun" sounding and enjoy the brightness of the Grado bowl sound. Notice I did not call this the Grado sound, but the Grado Bowl sound.
Guitars, violins, harps sound very natural with bowls, passing the Classical music test with flying colors.
but
Vocals suffer from too much top end sizzle, the dread "S" sound made me cringe every time it was used in vocals. So much that the sound was no where near natural but altered greatly in a negative way. I would assume, those with singing backgrounds will know exactly what I am talking about.
Piano music was also very unnatural, too much detail was revealed, during a piano solo, its normal to hear the pedal being pressed subtly, but the Grados enhanced this too well, to the point that a slight "thuck" of the step, sounded like a tiny "clack" and loud enough to distract from the overall enjoyment of the piano session. Hearing the "clack" every 5 seconds made it unbearable to listen too.
So you can imagine me tearing open the Todds Vinyl box and quickly attaching the flats.
The outcome? the top end sizzle is 95% gone, along with a lot of the detail. mid/bass frequecies are greatly enhanced, and the highs are recessed. How much? the highs are recessed A LOT. Almost as if the woofer is next to you while the tweeter is at a distance. Not as imbalanced as the bowls, but much noticeably darker and warm. I would describe the sound as bloomy with the flats while the bowls would be described as sizzle.
These don't even sound like the same headphones, who would have guessed switching foam pads created an entirely new sound.
Vocals are 100 times better, much more real, it actually sounds like natural voices. Its exactly how I would picture a voice would sound running through a microphone. The intimacy is gone, the closeness is gone, but the trade off is a much more natural sound. A REAL sound.
I popped in some classical music, all the detail is lost, stringed instruments are muddier and less defined, with the bowls it sounded as if I was sitting right dab in the middle of the all musicians and they were sitting about 1 foot away from me. Now it sounds like Im in the fifth row, where details is naturally lost in a concert setting. Once again the intimacy is lost with the flats, still sounding more natural, but not as delicate and detailed.
Instead of a "twang" the bowls created... I get a "Thuck" sound with the flats. Its the equivelant of comparing the sound of a violin to a cello.
the bowls would be the violin and the flats would be the cello.
with the piano.. the flats win no doubt, a much more accurate representation of the natural piano sound is exhibited with the flats, I can now listen to piano solos enjoyably, no annoying pedal steps stand out... I just here the warmth of the piano and the notes flowing through the air. Doesnt sound too clean and sharp anymore, but dirty and darker. Characteristics closer to the sound of a live piano.
Those that own Grados and hate the shrill and sibilance, definately give the flats a try, its like buying a new pair of headphones with a $30 upgrade. Its that different. I am serious when I say, the bowls and flats dont even sound like the same headphones.
The flats arent perfect either, but listener fatigue is greatly minimized, the slimmer cushions are also more comfortable then the bowls. Less "Head Vice" feeling and more padded feeling . But I have to admit, with both flats or bowls.. Grado headphone " signature sounds" are not for me. both are far too colored for my tastes, but the flats provide a wider amount of material to get by sounding more natural then the bowls.
I can see why the Bowls are "Stock" since its definately a unique sound signature that provides a lot of detail, while the flats are more of a common sound that doesnt stand out as much.
The bowls can be described as a "staying out on a hot smog-free summer day, but hot enough to get sunburned"
While the flats can be described as a "Cold wintery day, and you're staying home budled up in layers of clothing sipping hot chocolate"
RnB out
