[ooheadsoo]

I just got these babies. Hrmmmmmmmmmm...
/me frowns at the bowl pads...
I guess I'll have to hunt down those radio shack pads soon.

Listening to these for the very first time as I write this, still on the first song. The bass immediately has the impact that my senns had to burn in to achieve, maybe more. I haven't listened to any of my bread and butter music yet (classical/jazz) but I'll do that in time, as it burns in. For now, I'll mainly stick with bass heavy pop.

In time, I'll give a quick totally useless and meaningless comparison between the sound of my SR-80 vs. the Senn HD580 with foam insert mod.

Yikes, what's with these bowl pads?!?! If they were soft, it'd be ok...but there seems to be a hard etched plastic edge to them.

 

[soupy]

To deal with with the hardness of the bowl pads try the bowl pad mod. Wash them in hot/warm water with dish detergent thoroughly and when they're dry they'll be much softer and easier on the ears. Guess it gives them that quick "used and worn out" feeling but it's much muuuuch better than they were when new.

 

[stan23]

Although I don't mind the bowl pads, I often wondered what the comfort level would be with different pads.

I went out and bought some radio shack pads, and they changed the sound WAY too much for me to use them.

I even tried cutting a hole in them to see if it would be better.. but the sound is just too different. I like the way the bowl pads sound.

With the radio shack pad, the soundstage is gone.. Everything is louder and livlier, but I miss the incredible detail that the bowl pads give.

After a few hours of A/B testing, and a few days with just the radio shack pads, I decided they werent for me.

 

[redshifter]

Quote:

Originally posted by ooheadsoo I just got these babies. Hrmmmmmmmmmm... /me frowns at the bowl pads... I guess I'll have to hunt down those radio shack pads soon. Listening to these for the very first time as I write this, still on the first song. The bass immediately has the impact that my senns had to burn in to achieve, maybe more. I haven't listened to any of my bread and butter music yet (classical/jazz) but I'll do that in time, as it burns in. For now, I'll mainly stick with bass heavy pop. In time, I'll give a quick totally useless and meaningless comparison between the sound of my SR-80 vs. the Senn HD580 with foam insert mod. Yikes, what's with these bowl pads?!?! If they were soft, it'd be ok...but there seems to be a hard etched plastic edge to them.

ok, are the bowl pads the ones with the holes in the center, and the hard edge of foam on the outer edge? here's a mod that was suggested to me and i altered it slightly.

take off the bowl pads.

take some stock headphone pads (about 2" diameter large enough to mount on the grados), place a penny in the exact center of the cheap stock foam pads, and pressing on the penny, carefully cut out the center with a sharp blade.

mount the cheap foamies witht center cut out on the grados, and the bowl pads over that.

the cheap foamies will cushion your ears against the naked metal mesh over the drivers. the holes in the center will keep the grado sound alive.

i also place the bowl pads on my ears so they surround my ears instead of lying on top of them.

-edit-

oh, and don't forget to carefully bend the headband so there is less pressure. enjoy them, i'm loving my sr125. makes me want an rs1.

Quote:

To deal with with the hardness of the bowl pads try the bowl pad mod. Wash them in hot/warm water with dish detergent thoroughly and when they're dry they'll be much softer and easier on the ears. Guess it gives them that quick "used and worn out" feeling but it's much muuuuch better than they were when new.

doesn't this wash the sizing out of the foam, reducing their lifespan?

 

[ooheadsoo]

Whoa, I think I just developed the infamous grattle. My right driver is buzzing whenever the bass is running. I guess it's time to hunt for grattle fix'em'up threads...

Edit Update: Ok, I just blasted them for a few minutes using the same material that was playing when the grattle developed. No more grattle...

 

[ooheadsoo]

Btw, these grados are waaaaaaaay more open than my senn 580s.

Do you guys think the 125 is worth the extra money? Or the basic alessandros?

Man, the first moment I picked up these puppies...all I could think was, "Man, they obviously put ALL their research into the drivers."

 

[shafu]

I got the Grado 80s second hand last week. I'm with you - wow, such great sound. Espeically with rock music with some heavy guitar - not heavy metal, just a lot of guitar music (Counting Crows, Pete Yorn, etc). The impact is great.

What's not so great is the comfort. I've tried reversing the bowl pads, the sock mod, and slightly bending the headband. Either it did little to improve the comfort or changed the sound too much. Haven't tried the radio shack mod, but don't want to change the sound of the headphones. Do the Grado comfy pads make a difference to sound/comfort? The problem I have is the mesh on the driver sits right on my ear. Great sound, but I can only wear them for 30 minutes before my ears get sore.

 

[redshifter]

Quote:

Originally posted by shafu The problem I have is the mesh on the driver sits right on my ear. Great sound, but I can only wear them for 30 minutes before my ears get sore.

look at the mod i just posted in this thread. it fixes that exact problem.

 

[DLP]

I tried the Radioshack pads, they really suck, I think. They hurt the sound more than help it, and comfort isn't that much better I found.

 

[ooheadsoo]

Quote:

Originally posted by redshifter take some stock headphone pads (about 2" diameter large enough to mount on the grados) mount the cheap foamies witht center cut out on the grados, and the bowl pads over that. i also place the bowl pads on my ears so they surround my ears instead of lying on top of them.

"Take some stock..." What are these "stock" pads? Radio shack?

"mount the cheap..." + "i also place..." Ok, maybe this is dependant on ear size, cuz I have no idea what you mean by the "i also place..." sentence. There's no way I can get the bowls to "surround" my ears, unless you mean something other what it overtly means...? These pads sit on top of my ear no matter how I position them :\

 

[shafu]

It has no impact on the sound? I guess that's what I'm mostly asking... You state no, so I'll go give that a try.

ooheadsoo, I believe the mod that Redshifter is saying is having two pads, with the bowl pads over the Radio Shack pads. As far as the pads resting on, or over the ears, I think he's saying that this modification doesn't change the sound or fit with just the bowl pads - just makes the mesh on the driver covered so it doesn't hurt your ears.

 

[ooheadsoo]

shafu, my point was that the mesh of the drivers doesn't touch my monster sized ears anyway, since the top rim of my ear and the bottom of my lobe is taller than the diameter of the bowl cup

As a result, there's no chance in heck the mesh covering the drivers will get anywhere near my ear

In any case, I don't see how the mesh would be more uncomfortable than the bowl pad itself

 

[shafu]

Hmmm... Well I have second hand Sr80s, so the bowl to me is fine (Maybe the foam breaks in?). It's the mesh that bothers me. Don't know what to tell ya....

Here's a link from Headwize about Grado modifications:

http://headwize2.powerpill.org/proje...=grado_prj.htm

Best of luck.

Anyone wouldn't happen to know of a headphone that sounds like Grado, with the comfort of Beyerdynamic?

 

[ooheadsoo]

How about the akg 401 or the new 271?