[nelson]

Hi guys,

Have tried some Grado/Alessandro headphones and love the sound signature very much but can't listen for long due to its brightness/shrill highs. Can anyone recommend the least bright Grado/Allessandro cans under US$1000? Thanks in advance to all.

 

[scott_d_m]

If you can find a pair of HF2, they should suit your needs. I don't find them bright at all.

 

[tintin47]

I would say the MS-pro or HF-2, though none of the grado/alessandro line is dark in comparison to the rest of the line. Some are a bit darker but there are no huge differences in terms of basic soundsig. The brightness is a very big part of the sound sig and one of the reasons they sound so great.

What models have you tried?

 

[Cankin]

HF-2, RS2 or SR225

 

[nelson]

Whoa, you guys really response fast.

Have listened to RS-1, SR125 and MS1, loved it but can't take it for long. Its really great for my rock music and guitar piece.

 

[Cankin]

Other components of your setup, quality of recordings and proper volume level are important factors as well.

 

[Duckman]

Yes, the MS-Pro is still quite a bright headphone. Chad Kroeger's vocals can grate... not to mention Freddy

I would say the MS-pro or HF-2, though none of the grado/alessandro line is dark in comparison to the rest of the line.QUOTE]

 

[nelson]

It seems Grado HF2 got the most vote so far. Can anyone chime in and comment on the brightness of this can?

 

[charliex]

HF-2 - - - what an AMAZING phone!

 

[abellaw]

I am listening to the HF2s (The Almost - Amazing Because It is) right now and out of all the grado's i have tried these are definitely the least bright. I love these cans because they flesh out music in a way that none of my other headphones do. I just cant wait to upgrade some of the other things in my setup...

 

[tintin47]

They are darker than the RS-1, but the HF-2 is still a grado and I would think that if you had problems with the RS-1 and MS-1 that the HF-2 wont be much better.

 

[cheemo]

I've have/owned 3 grados so far and to my ears in order from brightness: RS1, 225 and HF2. Maybe a tube amp is your calling to help with warmness and rolling certain tubes can make your Grados sound more liquid (smoother).

 

[Drubbing]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nelson /img/forum/go_quote.gif Whoa, you guys really response fast. Have listened to RS-1, SR125 and MS1, loved it but can't take it for long. Its really great for my rock music and guitar piece.

Under $1000? That's pretty much most of them!

I'd cross the MS2/325 off your list as well; From the ones I've got/listened to, these are by far the brightest/most aggressive. The Alessandro's are known for having the top end tweaked down, and I wouldn't consider my MS1 bright in comparison to any Grado's.

Some people here have found the MS-Pro bright. I didn't, I think it's a very detailed phone that tends towards the neutral. I never found them bright, and not in comparison with my RS2, which is enjoyably bright for me.

Thing is, you throw out a question like this with so many Grado users here, you're going to get people disagreeing on relative brightness. This will only confuse you.

If you were to consider getting and matching a Grado to other gear to 'calm them down' as suggested via tubes, then perhaps they just aren't the sound you're looking for, even though you like aspects of it.

 

[sampson_smith]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duckman /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yes, the MS-Pro is still quite a bright headphone. Chad Kroeger's vocals can grate... not to mention Freddy

Chad Kroeger's vocals "can grate"? NO KIDDING! I never thought I'd have a good reason to use the "beating a dead horse" demoticon, but here I go! Die Nickelback! Die again!!!

Sorry for the lambasting, but I hail from Alberta, Canada, where Nickelback calls home. In addition to offering nothing but versions of the same trite tune for 5 albums straight, Chad's gone on to condone drunk driving and encourage sexism in a sleasy, overt way. Safe to say, we are not fans.

Queen on the other hand... Keep rockin' that real stuff.

 

[estreeter]

I'm approaching this in a completely different fashion - whilst I own a pair of MS-1 and SR325is, I dont see Grado as the worlds only headphone manufacturer. Nothing wrong with buying something from Beyerdynamic or Sennheiser (to name the first two that spring to mind - I like Ultrasones, but they arent to everyone's taste) if you want a darker sound. As alluded to earlier, it doesnt start and end with the headphones, but its probably a lot easier to buy a $200 pair of Beyers than a $500 amp.