Great headphones for Rock?
May 2, 2014 at 9:24 PM Post #16 of 40
Buy an aftermarket headband. Bend the metal insert to fit your head and ears. Soak the pads overnight in mildly soapy water to soften them. Result: Perfectly average comfort. No problems.
 
May 2, 2014 at 10:05 PM Post #18 of 40
claritas said:
Buy an aftermarket headband. Bend the metal insert to fit your head and ears. Soak the pads overnight in mildly soapy water to soften them. Result: Perfectly average comfort. No problems.
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Noted! Thanks!
 
May 2, 2014 at 10:39 PM Post #20 of 40
May 2, 2014 at 10:50 PM Post #22 of 40
I liked it personally, but I see what you mean. I think the large sound stage benefits some rock and metal, like Judas Priest, but hurts others, like Equilibrium maybe. I think it's good for most rock though, especially classic rock
 
May 2, 2014 at 11:02 PM Post #23 of 40
Hmm, interesting. I personally think the Q701 is for classical, but I can see what you mean by a big soundstage.
 
May 2, 2014 at 11:25 PM Post #24 of 40
The Q701 certainly helps prog and power metal, but for recordings that don't have much layering in the number of instruments involved, Grados do much better in terms of making it all have that "raw and live" sound and feel. ACDC, Motley Crue, etc all sound better on Grados - just move the cups a little bit forward and off-center relative to your ear canals to minimize the strong L-C-R with gaps between L-C and C-R. It will all depend on what subgenres you listen to more. That said, the x70x (also HD6x0) headphones aren't necessarily "bad" with the genres that Grados are better at. If you have more music that would benefit with the x70x and HD6x0 headphones, get these and no need to sweat out that little extra in the sound as long as you have the right kind of amp.  Listen to Crue a little louder on a properly amped HD6x0 (and the x70x, but of course getting the right amp can be a little trickier) and you get some of what Grados do well; use an amp that can't deliver the current for either, and of course they might end up sounding worse.
 
May 2, 2014 at 11:33 PM Post #25 of 40
protegemaniac said:
  just move the cups a little bit forward and off-center relative to your ear canals to minimize the strong L-C-R with gaps between L-C and C-R. It will all depend on what subgenres you listen to more.
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It helped when kramer pointed out that they're tuned to be worn lower on the ear than most people (including me) expect based on how they look.
 
May 2, 2014 at 11:54 PM Post #26 of 40
I've got a pair of woodied Grado SR325i and dig them for rock and metal. The SR225s are supposed to be a bit mellower which I could totally see the benefit of; the 325s can get a bit harsh. The SR80s and 325s are quite lively and fast.
 
For bands like Muse, Nine inch Nails... rock music with an electronic/synth component I really dig my Philips Fidelio X1s. Pretty good for acoustic music but can be a bit boomy in the bottom, the Schiit combo may be helpful in tightening this up a bit. They're a bit slow for faster rock/metal but actually pretty nice if you EQ out some bass and bump the treble. For live music and good recordings the X1s are actually a bit more detailed than the Grados and have a much larger soundstage.  I might recommend the AKG 7** but they may seem a bit boring for the music you're talking about.
 
My main rock can is the Sennheiser HD700... wonderful but like the Grados, not for everyone and a bit pricey for me to fully recommend them.
 
May 2, 2014 at 11:59 PM Post #27 of 40
protegemaniac said:
  The Q701 certainly helps prog and power metal, but for recordings that don't have much layering in the number of instruments involved, Grados do much better in terms of making it all have that "raw and live" sound and feel. ACDC, Motley Crue, etc all sound better on Grados - just move the cups a little bit forward and off-center relative to your ear canals to minimize the strong L-C-R with gaps between L-C and C-R. It will all depend on what subgenres you listen to more. That said, the x70x (also HD6x0) headphones aren't necessarily "bad" with the genres that Grados are better at. If you have more music that would benefit with the x70x and HD6x0 headphones, get these and no need to sweat out that little extra in the sound as long as you have the right kind of amp.  Listen to Crue a little louder on a properly amped HD6x0 (and the x70x, but of course getting the right amp can be a little trickier) and you get some of what Grados do well; use an amp that can't deliver the current for either, and of course they might end up sounding worse.
Click to expand...

 
I agree with this wholeheartedly. The Grados are kind of raw but exciting. Like Mr.Maniac said, if I'm listening to something very layered or nuanced I'd go in another direction. What I've found is that a lot of rock music is pretty compressed and lacking huge dynamic range ( there are exceptions, of course) and don't benefit a lot from hugely open or detailed headphones... well, to me at least.
 
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