[Alexcy]

After of about two weeks of waiting, I finally recieved my first pair of quality headphones, the grado sr225. I just ordered the headphone and had to run out to radioshack and pick up 1/4 to 1/8 adapter. Anyways, I was quite excited to try them on, expecting a HUGE improvement over the creative earbuds that i got with my mp3 player.

*THESE ARE MY VERY FIRST IMPRESSIONS, LISTENING TO THEM FOR ABOUT AN HOUR WITH NO OTHER EXPERIENCE WITH ANY OTHER HI-FI HEADPHONE*

Honestly, when I put them on, I was expecting to be blown away from the sound quality. I wasn't. I certainly did notice an improvement over the creative earbuds. It was clearer and didn't have an annoying static sound. But I paid around $180 for it. The improvement wasn't anywhere close to that.

I always hear people say the Grado's are too bright/high. Too much treble or something like that. I am confused. I'm listening to them now and I can't notice any difference from my cheap creative earbuds. It's NOT fatiguing in any sense and sounds completely normal to me. How is this unbearable? After hearing so much hype about the "sennheiser veil" I'm doubting that I would even notice such a thing. It seems to me that I took people's opinions way too much. The differences are really really subtle to me, so far...

Comfort wise, I've had these on for more than an hour. Once again, I'm completely stunned how anyone could find these uncomfortable or hurting. These are the best headphones I've ever wore. Yes, I've only had experience with lower quality everyday brand headphones, but geez, how is this painful in any way? There is a slight heat build up, and slight pressure on my ears, but it is in no way bother me.

Build quality, they seem OK.

I'm 18 and have pretty good ears. Here is what I'm using for my cd player.

JVC Compact Component System FS-S77

My headphones are connected to an adapter then into the headphone jack.

Final note -- These headphones have no burn-in time but I seriously doubt that will make much of a difference. My cd player is obviously not that great. I have no amplifier. I ordered these from ttvj and I know they have a 30 return policy. My question is, does your days count from when you recieved them or when you first ordered them? I will certainly maximize my time with them, giving them some burn-in and listening to them seriously.

I would greatly appreciate feedback from all of you. You are much more experienced with headphones than I am.

 

[Jahn]

play something through them for 2 days straight, then report back - no joke, they will sound far better.

 

[darkninja67]

I kind of thought they sucked when I first heard them too. Give them time. Listening to TOOL for 3 hours tonight and they are perfect for that band's music IMO.

I also find them quite comfortable and not bright like most people say. Maybe DT880s really are in my future/

 

[a1rocketpilot]

I know there are both sides of the burn-in debate, but go ahead and do it, all you have to lose are 2-3 days and you could theoratically gain quite a bit. Having said that, I do believe in burn in and its effects. Just play them nonstop for at least 50 hours and then try them.

Also something I noticed is that when upgrading, you generally don't hear that much difference with the phones, but when you listen to inferior phones after listening to the superior phones, you realize what was lacking before.

 

[wolfen68]

Definitely burn them in. If all is not well, buy the $4.00 Senn Pads, mod them and try those.

Without alternative pads, I would have sold my 225's within the first couple of weeks. Pads make a BIG difference on Grados to tweak the sound.

 

[blessingx]

Who says cheap creative earbuds aren't fatiguing?

 

[kramer5150]

burn them in. Give them a few days playing moderately loud bass heavy music.
IMHO Grados (and every other low impedence can I have heard) need amplification to sound their best.

Never burned in a headphone unamped, so it might take longer sans-amp.

Skip the 128 MP3 files up it to 224 or better.

IMHO Grados sound pretty... mediocre with classical music and new age ambient kind of stuff.

Garrett

 

[humanflyz]

Like others, my advice is to burn them in for a couple of days. If you still don't like them, try changing the pads. But if you feel like it's not worth it the money, then maybe you should just return them. After all, just because a lot of people say Grados are good doesn't mean that you personally will like them. But me, I love mine, and as I'm typing, I'm listening to some AFI on my 225s, and man, it is totally rocking!

 

[MasZakrY]

for comfort do this:
http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=134917

I'd also reccomend flipping around (reversing) the original bowl pads

 

[fewtch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alexcy Honestly, when I put them on, I was expecting to be blown away from the sound quality. I wasn't. I certainly did notice an improvement over the creative earbuds. It was clearer and didn't have an annoying static sound. But I paid around $180 for it. The improvement wasn't anywhere close to that.

Could be you're just not a Grado guy. I was very underwhelmed by SR-60s when I got 'em a few years ago, and they never did grow on me. In comparison, Sennheiser HD-580s blew me away after owning them a few days.

 

[jbloudg20]

If you were not planning on amping them, you should have gone with the SR-60 or 80, IMO.

 

[zChan]

The SR225 are the headphone that made me a believer of "burn-in".
I was absolutely dissapointed at first, then one night, "WOW!"

 

[kramer5150]

Quote:

Originally Posted by zChan The SR225 are the headphone that made me a believer of "burn-in". I was absolutely dissapointed at first, then one night, "WOW!"

RS1 were the believer cans for me.

 

[fureshi]

when i first received my sr225 i felt the same way. i was quite underwhelmed for the amount of money that i had paid. burn in made a huge difference for me and after that point, i enjoyed the cans immensely. give them a bit of time, like maybe a week of listening only with the sr225 and then try going back to your creative cans. if at that point you still can't hear a difference then consider yourself one of the lucky ones. return the cans, get your money back and run away from here!

 

[MasZakrY]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbloudg20 If you were not planning on amping them, you should have gone with the SR-60 or 80, IMO.

I was under the impression that 32ohm headphones didnt require amping anyway. Even a soundcard should be able to drive them fine.