hi there i'm a complete nub and need a recommendation if you don't mind

[completenub]

hello there I'm a nub when it comes to "audiophile" level electronics. I've owned sennheiser cx-300's and the UE super.fi 5's. I'm looking to replace the super.fi's and I'm looking at the grado sr-80's. i'm trying to stay under $150, but i've heard the sr-125's may need a headphone amp (i'm using a portable cd player) and I'm not trying to get into that level of seriousness. I listen to mostly metal (do not mock me), but also movie scores, audiobooks and stuff like that. My question is, is it worth it switching from the super.fi 5's to the grados? will I be able to tell the difference? I really just want a change, I don't think the super.fi's are bad or anything, but i have a little cash to blow and promised my wife I would no longer attend strip clubs. thanks if you can help

 

[22906]

You should consider Alessandro MS1 also, my MS1s are great for metal.

 

[Elephas]

The Alessandro MS1 is an excellent introduction to headphones at around US$100.

The MS1, SR-80 and SR-125 all sound roughly similar to each other. They all benefit from a good source and amplification, but I don't think an amp is absolutely necessary, especially with a portable source. For example, the MS1 sounds good driven by an iPod's headphone output and should also sound OK with a portable CD player.

All three are open headphones, meaning they don't isolate and leak some sound. They sound best in a quiet environment. If you need isolation an IEM or a closed headphone will probably be better choices.

 

[completenub]

hmm, from what I've read the alessandros sound fantastic, but these people over here Sennheiser HD570 vs. Grado SR80 vs. Alessandro MS-1 say it would need to be ampd, but they also say that about the sr80s. would the ms1's provide a real difference compared to the super.fi's?

 

[moogoob]

The difference between an amped SR80 (and Allesandro) and an unamped one is pretty small. It mostly improves detail at higher volumes. These phones benefit more from a good source or outboard DAC.

 

[hawk]

You can always try the Sennheiser HD485'S[I've listened to everything from Black Sabbath to the Grateful Dead on em and they never let me down sonically].

 

[BrookR1]

The SR-80s are perfect for metal because they have more energy and a sweet mid-bass kick. The MS-1s can sometimes be unbearably bright with electric guitar (which is why I sold mine). Every comparison post I've read had people prefer the SR-80s with rock/electronic, while people that listen to classical/jazz prefer the MS-1s.

Oh yeah...here's a link comparing the two: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/dif...s-ms1s-245510/

 

[goober-george]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrookR1 /img/forum/go_quote.gif The SR-80s are perfect for metal because they have more energy and a sweet mid-bass kick. The MS-1s can sometimes be unbearably bright with electric guitar (which is why I sold mine). Every comparison post I've read had people prefer the SR-80s with rock/electronic, while people that listen to classical/jazz prefer the MS-1s. Oh yeah...here's a link comparing the two: http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f4/dif...s-ms1s-245510/

I always thought MS-1s were considered to be more neutral then the Grado SR series, therefor less bright?

 

[FrederikS|TPU]

You can't really go wrong with the SR-80s for metal. They are a real bargain.

 

[BrookR1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by goober-george /img/forum/go_quote.gif I always thought MS-1s were considered to be more neutral then the Grado SR series, therefor less bright?

They are more neutral, but aren't as balanced. The MS-1s are brighter than the SR-80s. The treble is more extended but there's less bass to compensate for the extended treble. The SR-80s are darker sounding. The MS-1s are very similar to the SR-125s the only difference being that they don't have the mid-bass kick of the SR-125s.