[Matthew-Spaltro]

These cans are still unbearably bright. After a month of listening. I almost needed my sunglases just to listen to them.

Harsheness is present in the upper range and the lower range is muddied out. Everyone remarkes about the Grado punch while listening to hard rock while I find them laid back. No punch at all. I can feel the flames comin as I write...

 

[Matthew-Spaltro]

I have not lost hope yet however. I think they still need break in.

 

[carlo]

the sr-225 has a lot wrong with it, but i don't think your issues are due to break in at this point but rather your source and lack of amp.

have you considered building or buying a meta 42 or even a cha-47?

regards,
carlo.

 

[Matthew-Spaltro]

Quote:

Originally posted by carlo the sr-225 has a lot wrong with it, but i don't think your issues are due to break in at this point but rather your source and lack of amp. have you considered building or buying a meta 42 or even a cha-47? regards, carlo.

Very true. You are right. I am def getting a Meta 42 or mayby a cha 47. I have been told by a few members that I can keep the Denon because it's a worthy CD player paired with a budget amp. The reason I did not mention my source and lack of amp is because the Grado reputation is good sound with out amp and lousy source.

 

[Beagle]

Quote:

Originally posted by carlo the sr-225 has a lot wrong with it

Such as...?

 

[Eagle_Driver]

Quote:

Originally posted by Beagle Such as...?

...The SR-series cans above SR-60 can sound thin, shrill and a little compressed without a decent headphone amp.

 

[carlo]

Beagle,

well, just focussing on my complaints: i don't feel the sr-225 conveys a lot of the lower level (in terms of scale, not frequency range) information on recordings and that a lot of times the leading lines to guitars and instruments are too rounded off, which is pleasing, but doesn't always have the sharpness and definition that the recording has in my other setups. while they resolve complicated passages better than other grados i've used (sr-60, sr-125, rs-2) they still get sloppy on seperation between instruments and notes. overall most of whats there is great, but there's a feeling that its not all there, if you catch my drift.

thats basically it. as i've said before on this forum though i like the headphones (a lot).

regards,
carlo.

 

[purk]

Hi,
I think the SR-225 is very source dependent. Pairing it up with meta42 with AD845 +SR225 bring out tight bass, eye brinking impact, sweet midrange, and very forward presentation. Now with the Total Airhead, the sr-225 sound super smooth, bass goes deeper, less impact, and a bit laid back in presentation. My source is Sony D-515, and D-555 Discmans. These discmans are first graded.

Purk

 

[stymie miasma]

Quote:

Originally posted by carlo Beagle, well, just focussing on my complaints: i don't feel the sr-225 conveys a lot of the lower level (in terms of scale, not frequency range) information on recordings and that a lot of times the leading lines to guitars and instruments are too rounded off, which is pleasing, but doesn't always have the sharpness and definition that the recording has in my other setups. while they resolve complicated passages better than other grados i've used (sr-60, sr-125, rs-2) they still get sloppy on seperation between instruments and notes. overall most of whats there is great, but there's a feeling that its not all there, if you catch my drift. thats basically it. as i've said before on this forum though i like the headphones (a lot). regards, carlo.

I agree with this completely. I don't have any experience with higher end Grados, so I can't comment on whetheer this is true across the board. But, when comparing the SR-60s to the Sony 7506s - the Sonys have a enormously greater level of instrument separation.
I have been listening to the Grados almost entirely for the last few months, and the other night I dusted off the Sony's for a comparison. I had been listening to, and enjoying the Grados with Chet Baker's "Broken Wing" - but when listening to it again with the Sony's, I was amazed at how much space was placed between the instruments. Now, as Carlo pointed out - the Grados are still damn enjoyable to listen to. I actually think that in some ways, it was useful to listen to the Sony's, and then go back to the Grados. That way, I was more aware of what was in the recrding, but I still got to enjoy the Grado sound (as Carlo described it - keep in mind I have uncut comfy pads). In some ways, listening to the Grados after the Sony's is like recalling fond memories - the "harshness" of reality has mellowed over time and what you are left with is what makes you most happy

 

[Jeff Guidry]

I think the concept of system matching is one that is not stressed enough on this forum. Carlo is quite correct, with the right source and amp a can will sound much different. With the set-up that I had at the time, the 225 was amazingly detailed, I have never heard the guitar in my Godflesh albums quite the same way again, but ultimately the mid and deep bass were under-represented and made for a harsh listening experience. Unless you're willing to spend more to get a better amp and/or source, the 225's will likely not make you happy.

 

[Magicthyse]

The SR225 could never be called very accurate I think - but it is to my ears extremely enjoyable. I've never really used the SR225 with anything else but the current setup, so I can't sing the benefits of system matching, but the characteristics you're describing doesn't quite fit with what I'm experiencing.

And of course, accuracy is VERY subjective on an open-air phone - unless you're listening in a foam-lined room...

 

[Nick Dangerous]

Try the Mapletree Ear+ amp. It's the low impedance brother of the MG Head OTL in the price/performance hierarchy.

The Ear+ was literally made for Grado headphones. The combo redeemed Grado headphones in my eyes... er, ears. It rocks!

 

[Beagle]

Quote:

Originally posted by carlo Beagle, well, just focussing on my complaints: i don't feel the sr-225 conveys a lot of the lower level (in terms of scale, not frequency range) information on recordings and that a lot of times the leading lines to guitars and instruments are too rounded off, which is pleasing, but doesn't always have the sharpness and definition that the recording has in my other setups. while they resolve complicated passages better than other grados i've used (sr-60, sr-125, rs-2) they still get sloppy on seperation between instruments and notes. overall most of whats there is great, but there's a feeling that its not all there, if you catch my drift. thats basically it. as i've said before on this forum though i like the headphones (a lot). regards, carlo.

OK, fair enough. Thanks for the explanation. I was just curious, because on a price/performance ratio, this is a wonderful headphone. I find it more detailed, lively and fun than my Cardas-ed HD600, but you're right, in absolute terms it does leave some things to be desired.

 

[Matt]

...I purchased every Grado headphone (save for the RS-2 and '325) and the Grado RA-1 headamp, culminating in the RA-1/RS-1 combo. Though they were delicious, I ultimately got rid of them, Grado's best, for the very reason you've complained about: harsh brightness. Another consideriable problem was the lack of midrange transparency (i.e. I felt I had to turn the volume up to extract more detail). This could, however, have been the source at the time (a consumer CDP), but I'm inclined to believe it was a mix of the sins of both.

I heard the RS-1 again on the HeadRoom tour and the ex-love affair was not, unfortunately, rekindled in light of my experience outside the Grado line.

Even though when I owned a pair of HD600's, I hated 'em, their low-level detail retreival was clearly superior, to my ears, to the RS-1's. Etymotic headphones are very nearly sure-shot cans at a great price and the most pleasingly balanced-sounding cans I've ever heard. Neither of these are bright and the Etys sure aren't dull by any measure (plus they're versatile as hell, giving pleasing results both over a wide range of musical styles and over a wide range of amps, hi-, low- and mid-end alike). Surely you'd be better served by an Ety or HD600 setup, no?

- Sir Mister Matt

 

[Zanth]

Never count Grado out! When in doubt...look to the HP-1000 series. They make everything the Etys have to offer sound better and then some. No harshness at all. Grado you can do it yes you can!