[MarkBra]

I'v been using the Grado RS80e for over 4 years now.

I listen mainly to Rock, Folk and instrumental music, mostly at home and via Flac files from Foobar2000 or just YouTube. They are my only music source at home, so I can be using them for hours at a time

What I like about the Grados is their sound and open back nature. However, I have 3 problems with them:

1. I wear glasses, and my ears really heart after the headphones sat on them for a long time. I used to have the L pads, switched to the stock ones which are a bit better but not perfect.
   
   
2. This is a major pain, literally: I am bald and my head is diamond shape. The Grados, literally, rest on a small spot on top of my head, which, after a short period becomes red and can heart for quite long.
   
   
3. Not that bad but still annoying: the cable can be uncomfortable at times, and it hangs awkwardly from my desk.
   

I'v been looking for a more comfortable alternative, both for my ears and head, and preferably without a cable, but with the same sound quality and not over 150$, be it headphones or earbuds.

I was considering the Audio-Technica m50x for their padding and coil cable, but some reviews claimed they are even more uncomfortable than the Grados and that the sound was bass heavy. In addition, I looked at the BeatsX. Surprisingly people say they are quite balanced, they are wireless and don't sit on my head (although I never tried having earbuds for long in my ears)

Do you have any experience with those? Are there other, better alternatives to my Grados?

 

[ProtegeManiac]

1. I wear glasses, and my ears really heart after the headphones sat on them for a long time. I used to have the L pads, switched to the stock ones which are a bit better but not perfect.
   
   
2. This is a major pain, literally: I am bald and my head is diamond shape. The Grados, literally, rest on a small spot on top of my head, which, after a short period becomes red and can heart for quite long.
   
   
3. Not that bad but still annoying: the cable can be uncomfortable at times, and it hangs awkwardly from my desk.

Did you try wearing it with the sliders fully extended from the arms and then the headband is bent in at the sides? You'll basically be able to regain and reposition some of the clamp force despite having the arms fully extended.

 

[MarkBra]

Nope. Tried to avoid any DIY modifications sofar.

 

[Monsterzero]

The closest Ive heard to the Grado sound signature is the AKG K240 sextetts,except they blow Grados out of the water.

Theres a thread talking about them and how many members hear the similarities.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/akg-k240-sextett-gradod-akg.243339/

The downside to Sextetts are theyre discontinued,so you need to buy a used pair,and they need some serious amping. If you have a 1970s vintage receiver laying around they work excellent driving them.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Nope. Tried to avoid any DIY modifications sofar.

Those aren't modifications. They're ergonomic adjustments. You don't count a car as "not stock" much less "Fast N Furious" just because dealer staff adjusted the seat height and seeatback angle, mirror angles, and the tilt-tele steering wheel to get it from the truck to the dealer lot/showroom floor.

All these are easy to do and are reversible. You've basically done part of it already just by putting the headphone on your head, since chances are only the tiniest heads can put on headphones as they're set in the box (and the Grado sliders also don't lock, so just lifting them out of the box could have moved the sliders already; if they're on tight, they'd get looser over time).

 

[tansand]

I don't have an answer I'm afraid. I haven't heard other headphones that sound like grados, and you're right they're not very comfortable. My AKG K240s don't sound at all like my SR60i in case you're tempted to go that route as a substitute for the sextetts, which I've never heard.

 

[tansand]

K240S are super comfortable though.

 

[Monsterzero]

My AKG K240s don't sound at all like my SR60i in case you're tempted to go that route as a substitute for the sextetts, which I've never heard.

AKG,for whatever reason has released at least 6 different headphones all named K240.... None of the others sound like Sextetts. The sextetts have 6 variously tuned passive radiators in each cup,which none of the other K240s have,and those are what provide the magic mids,as well as the name.