[zachary80]

Many years ago, at a head-fi meet far far away...
 
I left with the impression that-
Grado sr60 were sufficiently different and awesome from most of the show
Sony Qualia / mdr-sa5000 were super comfortable, and almost sounded different enough from what I had to justify the price
My Sennheiser hd580/hd650 were enough for me, since the only huge and universal improvement I heard was from the Orpheus.
 
Eventually I bought the sr60e. I like the sound and want to listen to it, but it is just too uncomfortable for me. The treble can be a little shrill at times, but otherwise I love it.
 
Can anyone start me down the path of an addition or replacement for the sr60e? I could conceivably keep them as a low-cost durable alternative. Obviously I've been out of the loop for a while, so please be gentle.
 
Current stable: Senn hd580 and hd650, Grado Sr60e, Sony mdr7509, Klipsch X10

 

[auee]

I am looking for the same thing as you. I loved the Grado's midrange but just could not tolerate among other things the discomfort and treble shrillness. So far I have been unsuccessful and hope you have better fortune than I have.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

I needed a headphone for more casual use a few months back and I heard the Superlux HD330 were somewhat Grado-ish, but in a rip-off Beyer shell. Similar enough to the SR60, but with more deep bass.

 

The fit wasn't better all-around however but the first step was a relatively easy fix - I bent the headband frame as well as the gimbals to relax the grip. Unlike on-ear Grado pads you have a lot more room to loosen it without having a headphone that easily falls off your head. Still, the earpad opening in the middle was just too narrow for my earlobes, so I picked up some 3rd party earpads that would fit the DT770 - now my earlobes fit in the hole, and I actually tightened it a little again because now I don't get pressure on my earlobes.

 

Note that the DT770 earpads are slightly smaller, so you have to grip it tight as you work your way around the earpad - kind of like how they work rubber tyres on and off the alloy rims. Overall the total cost is still around the price of the SR60. That said, if I had way more money for my casual listening headphones, I'd have picked up the Headphile Vixen - basically an SR325 driver in a DT770 headband with open earcups.

http://www.headphile.com/page13.html

 

[auee]

 

They look magnificent but how do they sound? And I am glad I did not see this mod when I owned the SR325i or my wallet would have been further depleted.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

 
They look magnificent but how do they sound? And I am glad I did not see this mod when I owned the SR325i or my wallet would have been further depleted.

 

I have no idea on the sound, but in general a Grado with Beyer ergonomics is something I'd go for. Alternately if you have access to a 3D printer you can buy a broken DT770, then design a new shell that can take the SR60 drivers (and keep the rear wide open so as not to affect the Grado sound) and just slap on some new velour pads on them. When 3D printers/scanners are cheaper to rent here I'll look for some cheap, beat-up SR225's and mount the drivers on my HD330s. For now though the double layer screen (on the HD330 driver plus the Beyer earpads) tames the treble enough for me to be happy until then.

 

As gorgeous as the Vixen is though the price and the use of wood would make them less ideal for my kind of casual listening headphone, which needs to be relatively affordable while being tossable. Plastic won't need as much attention as wood 

 

 

[zachary80]

 

Was really hoping I could justify the Vixen as that seems like an awesome idea. Then got to the price...$450...started to feel like I shouldn't. Oh and that doesn't include the drivers, so we're actually looking at headphones that start at $685. Too bad. I'd need a lot of time with them to justify that. Thanks for the ideas though

 

[ProtegeManiac]

  Was really hoping I could justify the Vixen as that seems like an awesome idea. Then got to the price...$450...started to feel like I shouldn't. Oh and that doesn't include the drivers, so we're actually looking at headphones that start at $685. Too bad. I'd need a lot of time with them to justify that. Thanks for the ideas though

 

Like I said if you just wanted a more comfortable and cheap SR60, get the Superlux HD330. I basically just put the Vixen up there as an example of what I'd ultimately do with a 3D scanner-printer. Like I said, even if I could afford it, the problem with the Vixen is it's wood, and what I'd be using it for - even if I use SR225 drivers - will be very casual to the point of tossing it around a bit as a transportable.

 

[zachary80]

 

 

Like I said if you just wanted a more comfortable and cheap SR60, get the Superlux HD330. I basically just put the Vixen up there as an example of what I'd ultimately do with a 3D scanner-printer. Like I said, even if I could afford it, the problem with the Vixen is it's wood, and what I'd be using it for - even if I use SR225 drivers - will be very casual to the point of tossing it around a bit as a transportable.

I appreciate the suggestion but the information on them seems quite limited, and I can't find them for sale at any of the usual retailers I find reputable.
 
I should note I'm willing to spend a couple hundred dollars on these, given the build quality and comfort in addition to the sr60e sound. Durability isn't a big issue either.

 

[auee]

  I appreciate the suggestion but the information on them seems quite limited, and I can't find them for sale at any of the usual retailers I find reputable.
 
I should note I'm willing to spend a couple hundred dollars on these, given the build quality and comfort in addition to the sr60e sound. Durability isn't a big issue either.

I have brought this subject up several times on Head-Fi and have yet to find a group consensus of a real substitute for the Grado sound. I hope I live long enough to see Grado make a comfortable headphone that retains its unique midrange.

 

[zachary80]

 
I have brought this subject up several times on Hea-Fi and have yet to find a group consensus of a real substitute for the Grado sound. I hope I live long enough to see Grado make a comfortable headphone that retains its unique midrange.

It really puzzles me. You'd think they would have found some way to add comfort, at least in their higher end headphones, without sacrificing their tonality. Even the Alessandro can's don't make an ergonomic leap

 

[zachary80]

Am currently trying out the Sennheiser hd414 pads. A slight improvement but mostly the same issues.
 
I'll give this one last bump. To clarify I'd look at models up to about $400 with a similar sound signature if they had vastly improved ergonomics.