[DarkWinter]

I have a dilemma, here is my current set up,
 
I have a turntable and a diy preamp, and a quad 405 and some nice KEF speakers and a pair of Grado SR80is,and a huge collection of digital audio in FLAC which I play through my Presonus audio box(also used for recording).
 
I am looking for the next step in my audio quest, would my Grados benefit from the new amp? or should I look into a better headphone?
 
I am on a small budget atm, I was thinking about the e7/e9 combo, so I would like a new pair of phones for around that price +~$100. 

 

[dyl1dyl]

Definietly amp at that price, or you could just save and not buy anything now.

 

[Chris_Himself]

Sell your Grados, use the money from that + the cash to buy a used SR-225 or something else around the 200 dollar mark used

 

[DarkWinter]

My Grados are not exactly in the best of condition..... fell off my bike and had to re cable, and now I think one of the drivers is not working properly, the side that hit the ground seems quiter. I may not be used to the sound stage tho, as I waited like a month to fix them. Oh and when I say "+~$100." I mean the price of the combo +$100. Would the m50 be an upgrade or just a side step? they cost $250 NZD here which is ~ $200 USD

 

[jupitreas]

Grados don't need an amp since they are an easy to drive 32 Ohms. Moreover, your Presonus is more than capable of driving them. Adding an amp into this chain might actually degrade the sound quality, rather than improving it. In my opinion, you should definitely go for a new pair of headphones. Since you are a Grado fan, I see no reason why you shouldn't either go up the ladder or go for an Alessandro MS1i (costs 100$, is comparable to Grado SR125 or even SR225)

 

[Gwarmi]

Quote:

My Grados are not exactly in the best of condition..... fell off my bike and had to re cable, and now I think one of the drivers is not working properly, the side that hit the ground seems quiter. I may not be used to the sound stage tho, as I waited like a month to fix them. Oh and when I say "+~$100." I mean the price of the combo +$100. Would the m50 be an upgrade or just a side step? they cost $250 NZD here which is ~ $200 USD

M50's will be a huge downgrade unless you just listen to house music or
trance and value a slightly boosted low end over everything else.
 
Separation and sound-stage will be a backward step.
 
I paid $250AUD for my M50, thankfully their ruggedness adds
value - because it's not in the sound signature or quality.
 

 

[DarkWinter]

The ms1i does look like a nice headphone! Would it really be an upgrade from sr80i? I've read that it is it is almost. Exactly like the sr80 just not harsh highs

 

[jupitreas]

It's actually based on the SR125 driver, as far as I know. Alessandro simply tunes it to be slightly more balanced across the frequency spectrum so that it is more suitable for studio applications. It is definitely an upgrade from the SR80i. 
 
Quote:

The ms1i does look like a nice headphone! Would it really be an upgrade from sr80i? I've read that it is it is almost. Exactly like the sr80 just not harsh highs

 

 

[MalVeauX]

Quote:

I have a dilemma, here is my current set up,
 
I have a turntable and a diy preamp, and a quad 405 and some nice KEF speakers and a pair of Grado SR80is,and a huge collection of digital audio in FLAC which I play through my Presonus audio box(also used for recording).
 
I am looking for the next step in my audio quest, would my Grados benefit from the new amp? or should I look into a better headphone?
 
I am on a small budget atm, I was thinking about the e7/e9 combo, so I would like a new pair of phones for around that price +~$100. 

Heya,
 
An amp will do next to nothing for your situation.
 
Also, your budget doesn't allow for you to significantly upgrade at all from the Grado. I would say your better option is likely to experiement with different pads on your Grado. If you don't already have G-Cush or at least L-Cush pads on those SR80's, try that first. If your current Grados are a bust, get new ones. And then get the pads if you don't already have them.
 
Very best,
 

 

[Jojomite]

Try the ms1i or the 225i if it is within your budget

 

[jackwess]

I'd save a little more to get a decent amp. 
my 2 cents. 

 

[DarkWinter]

I think I am leaning towards the ms1i atm I hope they are just as good if not better than the sr80s,do the grado pads fit them?

 

[Gwarmi]

@ DarkWinter
 
The MS1 / MS2 / MS Pro are absolutely identical to the corresponding Grado 125/325/RS1 with the exception of the driver change and
lettering on the cups. They're a Grado more or less.
 
 

 

[DarkWinter]

So the general idea is the ms1i will be a good step?

 

[Gwarmi]

I would not expect a huge step up from the SR80i to the MS1i unless you value a more balanced sound overall.
 
MS2i would be a good step-up if you have your heart set on an Allesandro