[happyboy]

Hi!
I'm as new to headphones as I'm new here at the head-fi forum. Yesterday, I bought a pair of Grado SR80, this after having been listening to different headphones at the dealers. I choose the SR80's as I found them just great for listening to my "test" albums; Herbie Hancock "Head Hunter" and Sonny Rollins "East Broadway rundown". The price was just right for my budget too.

Well, the dealer discovered that he didn't have the SR80 in stock, so I'm borrowing his demo-ex now and he will contact me when he has the brand new SR80's in his store again. They are already paid for.

I have spent the whole afternoon with the SR80's on my head, I find them comfortable. It's now allmost an hour after midnight, I will listen to music all night long, as I'm free from work tomorrow. This is better than sex! I'm really getting a kick out of it.

I am by no means an audiophile, I have what I consider a decent and sound (pun intended) equipment that I'm pretty pleased with, But, of course, getting a new amp, upgrading to a better pickup and so on, that is always going on in my restless mind.

As you can imagine, I am at this very moment thinking to myself; " Hmm, this set of cans really is kicking, is it really possible that there can be better headphones out there?" Maybe I should consider going back to the dealer for a SR225's instead? Will I, when testing them in his store experience a great difference? Will I, if I, e.g. upgrade to a better pickup, or buy a d/a-converter, be glad that I choose the SR225's instead of the SR80's?

What do you people say? I can take the damage with the money in between.


Music listened to tonight:

Miles Davis "Star People"
Brecker Brothers "Heavy metal Bebop"
Sonny Stitt "So doggone good"
Tracy Chapman, the "Talking' bout a revolution" album.
Miles Davis "Filles de Kilimanjaro"
Quincy Jones "The dude"
Herbie Hancock "River"
Hancock/Brecker/Hargrove "Directions in music"
Frank Zappa "Hot rats"
George Benson "Give me the night"
Frank Zappa "Roxy and elsewere"
Jukka Tolonen "High flyin'"
Diana Krall "The very best of"
Deep Purple "Made in Japan"

laying back in the sofa red eyed and happy.

Good night (or what it is where you are) to you all!

 

[Wiggy Fuzz]

precisely the reason why i changed from my sr80's straight to the sr325i's (addmittedly i haven't heard anything in between, and, come on - metal and leather...)

i just found there was a difference and that difference was big, and worth the asking price. now i can only cite how much (for want of better words) more real the sr325i's sounded compared to the sr80's.

nice guy, to lend you loan headphones, though. are they the old sr80's or are they the sr80i's?

 

[happyboy]

Yeah, you're right about the plastic vs metal and leather, I could live with that though. But sure, I will take a look at the SR325. It's a question of how much dough I feel good with handing out, will think about it though.

Heh, I don' know if it's the SR80 or SR80i I have here. The badges on the cans says SR80? I will ask the man.

 

[aristos_achaion]

The SR325is is kind of the red-headed stepchild of the Grado line, at least in the common opinion here. Most folks seem to think it's a sidestep at best from the SR225i, and people complain about the brightness / harshness / forwardness of its treble, which, considering how treble-y the Grado sound is anyway, might be a concern. I'd say the SR225(i) is probably a better bet, sound-wise. Probably an upgrade over the SR80.

Both the SR80 and the SR80i have the "SR80" button...it's my understanding that, if the cups on your cans "mushroom" out a little from the headband, they're the "i", but if they're more or less flat with the headband, they're non-i.

 

[tenzip]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aristos_achaion /img/forum/go_quote.gif 'Both the SR80 and the SR80i have the "SR80" button...it's my understanding that, if the cups on your cans "mushroom" out a little from the headband, they're the "i", but if they're more or less flat with the headband, they're non-i.

That's correct, the -80 cup ends just past the gimbal, the -80i mushrooms out. You can find pictures of the i models on Grado's web site to compare, and pictures of the older ones here and there.

@OP: I noticed a considerable difference (for the better) between my -80i and my -225. You should at least try them out if you can.

Oh, and if you truly believe the -80s are "better than sex", you are, without a shadow of doubt, an audiophile.

Sorry about your wallet!

 

[nhancakes]

you must not be getting good sex. . . time to upgrade

 

[jdkJake]

What kind of pads are on your SR80's?

The SR225 uses "bowl" pads (L-Cush) by default. The SR80 uses 'pancake' (S-Cush) by default. As such, they sound quite a bit different just from the pads themselves.

jk

 

[jdkJake]

What kind of pads are on your SR80's?

The SR225 uses "bowl" pads (L-Cush) by default. The SR80 uses 'pancake' (S-Cush) by default. As such, they sound quite a bit different just from the pads themselves.

jk

 

[aristos_achaion]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tenzip /img/forum/go_quote.gif Oh, and if you truly believe the -80s are "better than sex", you are, without a shadow of doubt, an audiophile.

That, no doubt, depends on the sex.

 

[aristos_achaion]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tenzip /img/forum/go_quote.gif @OP: I noticed a considerable difference (for the better) between my -80i and my -225. You should at least try them out if you can.

Just to clarify...you mean the 225 (presumaby non-"i"?) is better than the 80i, correct?

 

[SemiAudiophile]

Quote:

Originally Posted by happyboy /img/forum/go_quote.gif As you can imagine, I am at this very moment thinking to myself; " Hmm, this set of cans really is kicking, is it really possible that there can be better headphones out there?"

that is exactly what i thought when i first acquired my SR80's. so magical...i never thought that "sound" could sound that good. i suggest you turn back now before you fall deeper into the wormhole.

Quote:

Originally Posted by happyboy /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have spent the whole afternoon with the SR80's on my head, I find them comfortable. It's now allmost an hour after midnight, I will listen to music all night long, as I'm free from work tomorrow. This is better than sex! I'm really getting a kick out of it.

as good as it is...it's still not better than sex.

Quote:

Originally Posted by happyboy /img/forum/go_quote.gif Music listened to tonight: Miles Davis "Star People" Brecker Brothers "Heavy metal Bebop" Sonny Stitt "So doggone good" Tracy Chapman, the "Talking' bout a revolution" album. Miles Davis "Filles de Kilimanjaro" Quincy Jones "The dude" Herbie Hancock "River" Hancock/Brecker/Hargrove "Directions in music" Frank Zappa "Hot rats" George Benson "Give me the night" Frank Zappa "Roxy and elsewere" Jukka Tolonen "High flyin'" Diana Krall "The very best of" Deep Purple "Made in Japan"

sounds like you need the RS1's. you haven't heard nothing yet.

btw, the 80i also comes with comfies IIRC, while the 80 comes with bowls.

 

[tenzip]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aristos_achaion /img/forum/go_quote.gif Just to clarify...you mean the 225 (presumaby non-"i"?) is better than the 80i, correct?

That would be correct, IMO, YMMV, etc.

And I had bowls on both.

 

[jdkJake]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tenzip /img/forum/go_quote.gif And I had bowls on both.

In that case, the 225 will be a refinement on the 80. Whether or not you hear and/or appreciate and/or like the refinement is entirely up to your ears.

I thought the 225 were smoother with better bass response. Hence, that is what I went with.

jk

 

[efm2]

I just upgraded from the 80i to the 225i. Definitely worth it!

 

[killz23]

I'm currently using HD 555, and AD700..Looking into grado line too, to try out the sound sig..

Would Sr 225 be a significant upgrade to SR80?