[benzoylmethyl]

Quote:

Haha a fellow 40k-tard! I'm not into that tabletop game nonsense, I just like to read the novels and play the PC games.
 
SR-225 was the reason I quit head-fi. I only hope that everybody on this forum finds their head-fi killer phone and hopefully it'll be as cheap as possible haha. 200 dollars these days is still a LOT of money but I had a truckload of crap to sell after I realized I didn't need all the amps, dac's, preamps, and interconnects. Purchase practically paid for itself!
 
And yes people, you CAN enjoy SR-225's from an MP3 player, it's just the SR-225 can resolve much more than that if you feed them a higher quality signal. BUT, the Zune is like 1.5 times the DAP (at least in it's generation back in the day) so I was more than confident in setting it to 12/20 (loud listening) and wafting away in my audio bliss.
 
The only reason I came back to head-fi was because I wanted to check up to see if there was anything new and different, but according to this thread everything is more of the same
 

 
Lol, you echo my sentiments very nearly.  It seems like it boils down to 225s or K701s for everything acoustic or vocal and 770s/PRO900s/XB700s for bass. I think with any two of those 5 cans, a Fiio E7 and a Fiio E9, pretty much anyone could be happy for life.  But I gotta have something to do in my spare time at work, so I happily preach the faith of the Grado to the uninitiated whenever the opportunity presents itself.
 
Same with 40k.  My best friend was going through training and one of his nerdy ass 18D friends got him into the tabletop.  His zeal for the game sucked me in, and though they never managed to get me to pay $21 for a little 3" tall pewter dude, I fell in love with Graham McNeil's writing and everything THQ/Relic has done with the series. It's a really entertaining universe, and it's kind of my guilty pleasure...even my wife doesn't know that over half the books on my Kindle came from the Black Library.
 
...Sorry for the thread jacking.  You may now resume your regularly scheduled...bZZZzzzT.

 

[Chris_Himself]

I find it odd that you have a K701 in that mix.
 
Do you prefer the SR225's "flavored" tone or the K701's neutrality? I haven't heard the 701 in a few years, and over the years I actually like Grado bass and anything more is too much for me actually. Maybe I can like the 701's minus the fact I'd need 2-300 dollars worth of gear to make them sound good. I mean for crying out loud, I LOVE Etymotic now after selling off a pair of Harmon Kardon ER4 clones which I LOATHED when I was 18.
 
 
I had a 601 which is supposed to be LIKE the 701 and I absolutely hated it, but I was also like 18 and generally don't have a finer appreciation for nice things as I do now.
 
You might be one of the few people who agree with me that the Grado is good for "music" which is played with instruments, and don't just say the whole Rock thing. I mean theres dry 80's metal rock and then the overproduced bassy stuff that comes out from time to time.

 

[benzoylmethyl]

I've only auditioned them, not owned them, and their flavor wasn't for me.  Too dry, not enough meat.  However, it seems the 225 and the 701 are the kings of Head-Fi mid-fi open cans just based on the sheer number of threads where they are recommended.
 
I don't think I've found anything instrumental that I didn't like on the Grados. I find them very pleasantly musical. Even some hip-hop is pretty good on them, mostly because of the vocal presentation--but there is enough bump to the bass with the woodied 225s that it makes its presence known, even if it's not a punch to the chest like the XB series.

 

[Chris_Himself]

I totally agree with your statement. Grados are absolutely superb with Nujabes, Cyne, and Zion I.
 
I was quite surprised once I got into decent hip-hop how balanced the spectrum was, I really do enjoy a nice session every now and then which is a nice transition away from the death metal haha.
 
They really should have a bit more meat but they're really a "reference" headphone, and the Sennheiser HD650's are IMO mislabeled as "reference" headphones.
 
But yes, bottom line, if it was played with actual instruments and the album was produced half well, you should generally be happy with Grados. I'm also a fan of DT880's but they're a little too expensive for most people thinking of SR-225's as expensive, not including the moderate source/amp that is needed for the 600ohm model.

 

[eMotion3287]

I feel like im in a class room and there are like 3 professors goin on about bias opinions XD i takin notes at the moment. thanks for all the help guys. I actually think ima brave the world of grado! and hey after those, who knows?! 701's are on my list as well XD
 

 

[eMotion3287]

I JUST realized that the 225's are on ear?! how comfortable are they? cause in my experience supramural headphones are stupidly uncomfortable. my fav part about my Beyers is that they are super comfortable and just rest around my ears. On ear headphones tend to bend and pinch your ears and its super irritating after awhile. Lemme know how comfortable they are before i decide on these guys. THANKS!!!
 
 
 

 

[Chris_Himself]

It could be a dealbreaker to you, it is what it exactly sounds like. Some people are overly whiny about the way Grados fit before they really give them some time though. 
 
I've owned and worn mine for 3-4 years, if it was an issue, I could easily sell all them and get a Beyerdynamic or Sennheiser or something.
 
Yeah they're on ear, but the part that touches your ear is just this thin rim of a pad. That part goes on your actual ear, the first way people usually do it wrong is they put that rim around their ear and they treat it as a circumaural. They have a stamped metal headband which conforms perfectly to the size of your head over time. You can accelerate this process by using your fingers to shape it (it says to do so in the instructions), that would be the second thing they never do.
 
If you don't like them, just use them for a few weeks to get a little value out of them and then sell them back here for like 170 or something. I used to force myself to like headphones. Ahh I remember sitting around in my room with K601's on my head at one point in time...
 
 

 

[benzoylmethyl]

Or buy them from Amazon and take advantage of their 30 day no questions asked return policy. 
 
Again, I have to agree with Chris.  Plus, there's a HUGE Grado modding community, offering more comfortable pads and headbands if either of those things aren't to your liking.  If it makes a difference, I'm in a hellhole country that used to be part of Russia, and when I get back to my room I throw on my Grados and use them to spend a couple of hours relaxing before I pass out--that's how comfortable they are for me. 
 
I do have tiny ears, though.

 

[benzoylmethyl]

Quote:

 
But yes, bottom line, if it was played with actual instruments and the album was produced half well, you should generally be happy with Grados. I'm also a fan of DT880's but they're a little too expensive for most people thinking of SR-225's as expensive, not including the moderate source/amp that is needed for the 600ohm model.

Not to derail this yet again, but I noticed the beyers aren't in your signature.  Did you own them and sell them, or did you audition them?  What'd you think of them?  I'm trying to decide if I should upgrade my PRO650s to the 900s, or move over to the DT770s.

 

[Chris_Himself]

 
Quote:

Not to derail this yet again, but I noticed the beyers aren't in your signature.  Did you own them and sell them, or did you audition them?  What'd you think of them?  I'm trying to decide if I should upgrade my PRO650s to the 900s, or move over to the DT770s.

 
I'm trying to distance myself away from my love of Grados. I was thinking of finally moving up the audio chain after years of owning the same gear. A lot of the Grado detractors peg them for their shrill bass, untamed highs, blah blah blah, I want to give the DT880's a whirl on my equipment. My ears are much better than they used to be a few years ago and can pick up much better things along with the music I listen to being of higher quality and production these days. I mean I used to hate Etymotics so much and here I am longing for a pair of ER4's!
 
 

I auditioned them. The 250ohm version a long time ago though. I thought they were really nice. Apparently there isn't a whole lot of difference and with good ears the DT880 can be a masterpiece of a headphone to own.
 
I honestly liked them, they're a K701 with bright treble except with a decent setup the treble is clear instead of sparkly, rightfully so, given the pricepoint. We're talking about the DT880's. From what I understand the DT990 would make a great home entertainment headphone, the DT880 the audiophile option. Now the question is, do you want to give into your carnal desires and get the bass and midbass thumpin' 990's, or do you want to get the "proper" airy and clear at the expense of bass DT880's? The DT880's can be called lean by some people, Grados as well. I'm fine with both, I think the SR-225 has JUSSST the amount of bass for me. I heard the DT-770's when my richer friends went through a headphone rolling stage where they would try something new every 3 weeks. I actually hate the DT-770's. Thats really all there is to it, that coupled with the K701 have been my least favorite headphones, I'm usually happy with whatever, but both of those don't really strike me as musical, both are on opposite sides of the spectrum, one sounds overy dry and grey to me, the other distracting me with muddy boomy bass. I'd recommend the DT-990 since they give you the impact while retaining the detail. I might dislike the DT770 even more now considering I enjoy Etymotics which are analytical like the K701, I'm overdue for another audition with K701's so who knows, I might like them now.
 
I'd say stick to the Ultrasones. Anything might just be better haha. That and the PRO900's have an easy to upgrade cable solution COUGH COUGH
 
I was talking to a guy on head-fi, and he really likes 'em!
 
Also they're pretty dang efficient with power wouldn't you say?
 
​

 

 

[benzoylmethyl]

Well, I'm truly and properly a basshead.  My two favorite sets of cans--and my favorites of everything I've auditioned so far--are my XB700s and my Grados, obviously for completely opposite reasons.  My 650s are making me rethink my love for the XB700; they are very, very easy to listen to, but after I spend the night with the Grados, the XB700's complete lack of detail leaves me wanting.  :-/  The 650s recover a lot of the detail, but they sacrifice the warmth and a fair amount of bass for it.
 
But thanks for the feedback on the Beyers.  I'll take them back off my Amazon wishlist.  These have to be closed for work and travel, or I'd look into the 990s.
 
Also:  LOL @ the self-advertisement.  Very subtle.  I'm actually about to try my hand at soldering my first set of cables...the 650s came complete with a torn straight cable and a Neutrik connector still in the bag to fix it with.  It's cool...I want a shorty 3.5mm cable anyway.  Once/If I get the 900s, you may have to forge me up a set of silvers for them.

 

[eMotion3287]

like i said im new to this but i LOOOOOOVE my 770's! they are something of a lower model and did only get the 32ohm because i wanted the portability. The best thing about the 770's is the light but punchy bass. not to hard but not unnoticeably soft. it's closed back so i has some sound cancelling but it is all passive and whether or not you can here the outside world, the outside world can here you XD or so says the bitter, hateful <explicit deleted> on the plane. they are good for mixing i have found because they are very neutral for closed back cans. Given the option of deciding again, though, id prolly go with the 880's. they have a much bigger soundstage, without losing that in your face sound quality. I feel like the 770's were made for techno, electronica, dance, industrial kinds of music. That standard "unce unce unce unce" is very clear, punchy and rhythmic without any distorted backwash you get from some closed back designs. best of all though, there is NOTHING and i mean NOTHING that i have ever used that is more comfortable on the head or around the ears than these valour pads! But thats just me. i love that comfort but they are waaaaaaayyyyy bigger than you think they are. i pulled them out of the box and i was kinda shocked. they are the real life equivalent to the crazy huge headphones you see in cartoons and stuff XD. but thats the circumural style. I think i'll go with those 225's and give em a try. Worst case scenario i learn something XD

 

[benzoylmethyl]

Quote:

like i said im new to this but i LOOOOOOVE my 770's! they are something of a lower model and did only get the 32ohm because i wanted the portability. The best thing about the 770's is the light but punchy bass. not to hard but not unnoticeably soft. it's closed back so i has some sound cancelling but it is all passive and whether or not you can here the outside world, the outside world can here you XD or so says the bitter, hateful <explicit deleted> on the plane. they are good for mixing i have found because they are very neutral for closed back cans. Given the option of deciding again, though, id prolly go with the 880's. they have a much bigger soundstage, without losing that in your face sound quality. I feel like the 770's were made for techno, electronica, dance, industrial kinds of music. That standard "unce unce unce unce" is very clear, punchy and rhythmic without any distorted backwash you get from some closed back designs. best of all though, there is NOTHING and i mean NOTHING that i have ever used that is more comfortable on the head or around the ears than these valour pads! But thats just me. i love that comfort but they are waaaaaaayyyyy bigger than you think they are. i pulled them out of the box and i was kinda shocked. they are the real life equivalent to the crazy huge headphones you see in cartoons and stuff XD. but thats the circumural style. I think i'll go with those 225's and give em a try. Worst case scenario i learn something XD

If you ever get a chance, try out some Ultrasones to meet your electronic needs.  I love my 650s now...it took me a little while to get used to them because I was coming from the stupidly warm XB700s, but they're pretty awesome...they're making me rethink my music collection kind of like the Grados did, but for other reasons.  Enough so that I'm selling the XB700s and the 650s so that I can buy the 900s.  lol.
 
So did you order the 225s yet?  You're gonna love'em.  Just make sure you don't expect beyer bass from them, and you gotta give your ears a little while to adjust to their sound...so don't listen to your beyers right beforehand or anything like that.

 

[Chris_Himself]

Quote:

Well, I'm truly and properly a basshead.  My two favorite sets of cans--and my favorites of everything I've auditioned so far--are my XB700s and my Grados, obviously for completely opposite reasons.  My 650s are making me rethink my love for the XB700; they are very, very easy to listen to, but after I spend the night with the Grados, the XB700's complete lack of detail leaves me wanting.  :-/  The 650s recover a lot of the detail, but they sacrifice the warmth and a fair amount of bass for it.
 
But thanks for the feedback on the Beyers.  I'll take them back off my Amazon wishlist.  These have to be closed for work and travel, or I'd look into the 990s.
 
Also:  LOL @ the self-advertisement.  Very subtle.  I'm actually about to try my hand at soldering my first set of cables...the 650s came complete with a torn straight cable and a Neutrik connector still in the bag to fix it with.  It's cool...I want a shorty 3.5mm cable anyway.  Once/If I get the 900s, you may have to forge me up a set of silvers for them.

I think my interpretations on the 770 are based on the fact that I don't like bass lol. Sorry if it came off as a little projecting.
 
I get really distracted by bass and a boomy midrange. I'm used to leaner sound now because what it takes away from the punch it adds with much more! Actually the punch is there if you listen to music with it in there.
 
I haven't listened to the 990's by the way, I'm just running off of Alghazanth's PM's to me.
 
From what I can tell the higher end Ultrasones are definitely worth the money, I just have not found one to my liking under 300 bucks.
 
Yeah just PM me when you're ready. I'll get the ol' hammer and anvil out!
 
Oh dude, thanks for what you do out there in Afghanistan, if you're ever around San Jose, remind me to buy you a beer dude.

 

[againpleased]

Hi everybody,
 
I'm new to headfi so I hope I don't repeat anything else that's been said.
 
John Meyer was mentioned in this post and O'd like to mention that there exists a picture of John himself wearing Grados.
I just googled it to remind myself where I saw it and it seems it's been posted here on heafi so google "john meyer wearing grados' and....
 
Anyway I love my grados rs1i's for the styles mentioned here BUT I will admit I'm thinking about Beyer dynamic t1s.
 
We will see.....