[headster]

Quote:

The only genre I feel that I may wanna improve on is classical symphony/orchestra music so I may try out some electrostatics.

Vka,

Does this means you're ready to take the plunge for Omega II's? Btw, what other 'phones are you using, HP-2?

 

[Beagle]

You put bowl pads on an HP-1? Ugh. Surely that's not what Joe Grado had intended. In it's original form, the HP-1 was the best Grado ever made (and one of the best period). John Grado came up with the bowl pads to make Grados sound like Sennheisers when a few tin eared reviewers complained the RS-1s were too "dark" or "obscured detail".

 

[joelongwood]

When I first got the HP-1s, I enjoyed the newer bowl pads..........but then I switched to the original donuts and never went back. However, they are deteriorating daily and I've begun to switch over to my squashed bowl pads......the sound, to my ears, is remarkably similar, with a just a tad more spaciousness.

 

[KR...]

I use the comfy pads that came with my SR60, I then cut a hole in them and flip them over and tada, you have the old donut style pads just like grado used to make. Go to my headphone lust page and you can see pics of them.

 

[Beagle]

I like KR's idea, think I'll give it a try.

joelongwood: Deteriorating, in what sense? Too flat, too loose? Every few months I take my flat donut pads and rinse them in hot water, squeeze the water out by pressing them in a towel on a flat surface (bathroom counter). I them put them in the microwave for about 45-50 seconds (high). I let them finish drying naturally for a couple of days.

When you put them back on the phones, they are a bit tighter and springy-er.

 

[joelongwood]

Deteriorating as in "shedding" the foam particles. If I washed 'em I think they would disappear.

 

[Voyager]

I didn't get much sleep last night. I listened to the HP-1s from about 10:00PM until 6:00 AM. WOW! These things are sooooooo good! I know I've said it before, but I love these so much! Today at work I couldn't wait to get home just to listen to these phones. All last night I tried very hard to find, in my opinion, a fault with their sound. I failed miserably. I really think that these phones, exactly like they are now, are the definition of "the perfect sound", at least to my ears. They match very well with my Rega Ear. I was listening to the Gladiator sound track last night and these phones made it sound REAL, like I could close my eyes and see everyone playing the instruments. These phones have just the right amount of every good quality you could think of, nothing is over-done or under-done, everything is just right. I honestly think, reading from reviews, that I might even like these HP-1s more than the almighty Orpheus. I wish all of you could hear what I am hearing!

 

[DanG]

Hehehe, I've heard the HP-1 (driven by the DCT-1, not the Ear

) and the Orpheus, and I'm sorry to say that the Orpheus kicks the HP-1's butt.

About the HP-1 having a perfect sound -- well, I'm actually inclined to agree with you, in a sense. They are very balanced and, unlike other Grado headphones, seem to me like they could be unoffensive to anyone. They sounded *ever* so slightly dull compared to my MSP, but I enjoy brightness.

Either you think it's perfect for the balanced sound, the perfect look, or because you paid so much for those headphones... and I know how much you paid.

 

[M Rael]

Congrats on the HP-1's Voyager!
For what its worth I have an old Stereophile where John Atkinson compares the HP-1, the K1000, and a Stax model in a listening test. Its an interesting read. He concludes by saying he thought the perfect headphone would have a combination of the strong points of each one.

 

[shivohum]

Quote:

He concludes by saying he thought the perfect headphone would have a combination of the strong points of each one.

LOL! That's real profound! Could you summarize his major points (strengths/weaknesses) about each headphone, please?

 

[M Rael]

Quote:

Originally posted by shivohum Could you summarize his major points (strengths/weaknesses) about each headphone, please?

Yeah its not exactly profound, buts thats what he said. I think he was (in a small part) making up for the fact that the Stereophile reviewer before him dissed the K1000's while not even realizing that the earspeakers shouldnt be touching the ears! So the K1000 got a unfair review, and John Atkinson was basically setting the record straight. Tomorrow I'll take on your assignment for me and post the details. You will like them- it was a good review of all three.

 

[Voyager]

DanG, it's perfect because of the balanced sound AND the perfect look. And honestly, it's not about how much they cost. I almsot feel like I 'cheated' Vka, getting them for the price I paid. Before I had them I expected only a small improvement, and as soon as I put them on, wow! And also, I was just joking when I said that these would beat the Orpheus, but hey, for $10,000 you sure can forgive an awful lot!