[ibis99]

I just ordered a pair. Im reasonably new to audiophilia, and up to this point I have only owned canal phones.

My favorites are my um3x and Ety er4s. So how will these compare to the Grados?

 

[ArmAndHammer]

I demoed the Ety ER-4's when I demoed the Grado line. I actually found the Ety to be kinda similar in that it had really great highs and mids. I thing the Grados from what I can remember are a bit more forward and slightly better low end. Since you like the ER-4's I am sure you will like the Grados.

 

[Bilavideo]

For a long time, the UM3X did it for me.  What I noticed, in comparison, is that the Grados have a larger soundstage (really, no laughing), better sizzle at the top but you'll miss those low-frequency thuds of IEMs.  Even my off-the-hook JVC Marshmallows (which I've modded to crispen up the mids and treble) can seem like the voice of God when the bass is humming.  To get Grados there, you have to do some tweaking.  Even then, there's only so much you can do to a Mylar driver on an open can - without coating it in rubber.
 
I still love my Grados, which are more engaging than most headphones on the market.  They bathe my brain in detail and excitement and they do so fairly well off of an unamped source and with less-than-lossless recordings.