[spinneresque]

Hi everyone.... I just got my Hf-1's and I have some questions.

1) I read somewhere about the 'proper way to wear bowls' but now I can't find it. I would like to see what I should be aiming for. I have a very small head and the headphones sit really low on my ears, like the headband is too long. Right now I am balancing them on the crown of my head. I did buy the 414 pads but have not received them yet.

2) Is the consensus that these need an amp? I have not been able to listen to these amped yet. (missing a battery, and 9volts are not so easy to find here in Calcutta!)

I would like to know that I am doing everything right before I start making too many comparisons and analyses. Thanks!

 

[Elephas]

The bowl pads should sit on your ears. If the headband is too long and the bowl pads are too low even at the smallest setting, you can add padding to the headband to make the bowl pads sit higher.

Some people use Beyerdynamic headbands over the stock headband; you can also wrap cloth or attach pads to the underside of the headband. Replacing the headband completely with a padded leather one is an option.

The HF-1 sounds OK unamped directly from my iPod, but with an amp it sounds much better. Soundstage and instrument separation improve. Notes are clearer and have better defined attack and decay. Overall, the music sounds better and is more enjoyable.

In general, every headphone should improve with amplification. The difference is greater for some headphones. I think the HF-1 sounds great with any gear I've used it with.

Congrats, and enjoy.

 

[coco]

Congrats on the Grados! My advice, for what it is worth, is play around as much as you can. I think the thing that I have learned most here at Head-Fi is you should always use you own ears, don't rely on someone else's. I got the Todd Flats with mine because I was interested in the sound differences, but much prefer the bowls, for everything. The flats just sound too boomy. I have found that the bowls sound best to me sitting slightly higher up on the ears and forward, so the front edge is just touching my cheekbones. Nice and open. I have used them unamped so far but like you I want the most out of them and have just taken the plunge and bought a (cheap) amp, Go-vibe. It is on its way so I am interested in the changes. But even the most diehard amp lovers say the difference with the Grados amped is small, so I don't expect huge jumps. People here tend to get excited about 0.01% changes. Listen to them for your own impressions! Good luck.

 

[jagorev]

I've spent half my life in Calcutta, so I just wanted to chime in that it's cool to see another head-fier from there. Maybe we should have a meet when I visit next summer

 

[kramer5150]

Enjoy!!
yeah the vinyl headband is very large. I have a HUGE head and they fit just right at nearly the smallest setting.

Of my collection the HF1 is the only headphone I would care to listen to unamped. So yes IMHO they sound very good unamped. but of course they sound bigger / better the farther up the amp scale you climb. Millet and govibe are my favs with the HF1

But certainly they are very enjoyable sans-amp (can't say that about my HD580 or K240s)...IMHO

Garrett

 

[spinneresque]

Sure Jagorev, that would bve great, though I have a feeling the meet would be verrry small

 

[cheechoz]

They will run just fine without an amp, but will also sound better with one. Get yourself a Beyerdynamic headband, or if you don't care who see's you, make your own contraption.

 

[spinneresque]

Thanks everyone, does anyone have the link for buying a beyer headband?

 

[kwitel]

I would nix the Senn 414 order (if you can).
They congest just about everything, and completely nullify the "airiness" provided by the bowls.
Wash the bowls a couple of times in some warm water with soap and fabric softener. I think youll find that the bowls are truly the best pads for the HF-1's.

EDIT: Anyone have the link to the Go-vibe site?

 

[atx]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kwitel EDIT: Anyone have the link to the Go-vibe site?

are you ready?

www.go-vibe.com