[MontyPythizzle]

I know that I will probably have to bend the headband. (right? just kind of pull the cups away from each other and it will be bent?)
That is about all I know.
Grado fans chime in.

BTW, I am poor now. Got them for $80.05 ^_^ new.

 

[MontyPythizzle]

Bump for tips Can't wait for them!!!!

 

[Jon118]

Amp them? Other than that I can't think of much I would do to the 80s.

 

[tw33k2514]

I would experiment with all the pads

 

[BrookR1]

You can soften the bowls (if you find them uncomfortable) by rinsing them out in some luke warm water and some woolite. You can also experiment with different pads and trying out the basshead tape mod (place some electrical tape around the outer rim of the bowls). Other than that, I can't think of anything. They've served me well and I love their sound. These are my work cans and I still listen to them more than any other headphone except my iGrados.

 

[nickrobotron]

I like the bowls, but the tops of my ears started hurting from touching the grills. I got the HD 414 pads out, quarter modded them, reversed them, then dyed them black. They're much more comfortable for me now. I think if the bowls feel good on your head, you should keep them. It makes the Grados so airy and clear sounding. Flats trade a little of that for a little more bass. They sound excellent straight from the source, but I power mine with an old cheap Go-Vibe. I paid $40 for it and it works so well with the SR80's. They don't require much to drive them, so be content with what you have now. Buy a cheap portable from the For Sale forum later. It's easy to enjoy those Grados as they are.

 

[Televator]

Tip 1: when bending the headband, don't pull on the cups! Just hold on to the headband itself at both ends near the cups. Holding the cups can quite easily dislodge the C-holders from the rods as they aren't fixed that strongly.

Tip 2: low buzzing rattling sounds on bass notes are not necessarily a defect, but often just a stray hair that slipped through the screen. Sucking the hair out will fix this Grattle(tm)

Tip 3: even though they are low impedance, amping grados does help

Tip 4: the cable has a tendency to curl up as the cups rotate freely on the rods. If you pay a bit of attention picking the up and laying them down so the cups don't rotate, this won't happen.

Tip 5: before you start heavy modding (anything involving opening the cups or removing buttons) read the threads noting the change by Grado from relatively easy to melt hot-glue to some stronger type.

Tip 6: try to get used to the bowls, they sound so much better than comfies and HD414 pads (never tried flats, but I don't crave the extra bass they give)

 

[kramer5150]

ditto what everyone else as said.

If you use them out of your portable player, invest in a good adapter. Grado and Sennheiser make good ones IMHO. Or go the DIY route.

The silver paint can scratch and rub off easily.

The "Y" junction has no strain relief, use caution and avoid bending the cables.

Play around with how you wear them. How you position them on your ears can dramatically affect how they sound. I like mine down and forward, so they rest on my jaw/sideburns as much as my ears.

The bowl pads will soften with time, the trick is to endure their "new-ness" and be rewarded in the long run.

 

[cantsleep]

do not read about other headphones.

 

[MontyPythizzle]

Well I am going to keep them stock as of now, but did want to know more about bending the headband as I want great sound and SOME comfort, after all, my virgin outer ear is used to HD485s

 

[lord_tris]

Put them on listen to a lot of Rock and enjoy

 

[yale.reinstein]

Avoid hearing loss, and worse - sibilance - by listening at lower levels in a quiet environment.

Stop reading head-fi.

 

[F107plus5]

I try to check the pads everyday for hairs to be sure I don't get the Grattle. And I also check quite often; especially if the kids are using my MS-1; that the housings haven't swung around and twisted the wires. I also keep the cans on my head and let the unplugged cable hang free and untwist from the "Y" block to the plug. Keeping the cable from twisting at both North and South sides of the "Y" block (housing side and plug side)are important. But we haven't hard as many complaints about the Grado twisties as we did about a year or so ago'

And yup, as has been mentioned; the bowls WILL get more comfortable over time.

......and watch for the "Upgradotus Bug" in the Pizza Box. It'll get ya!

 

[MontyPythizzle]

Well after I get these SR-80s I will get some bookshelf speakers and be done with upping my audiophile persona for a while until something breaks.
Maybe when I get a GOOD job or hell, a job for that matter.. I may get some better bookshelfs/bookshelves. SR-80s are where I am going to stay for a while.

 

[jersey_emt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MontyPythizzle /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well after I get these SR-80s I will get some bookshelf speakers and be done with upping my audiophile persona for a while until something breaks. Maybe when I get a GOOD job or hell, a job for that matter.. I may get some better bookshelfs/bookshelves. SR-80s are where I am going to stay for a while.

Uh-huh.....RIGHT.....