[DLP]

Doing this mostly from memory because I haven't had the SR80s for a while, however I'm getting a weird impression here. I got the SR125 due to a really great price from Wodgy here on Head-Fi.
I had the SR80s for a few months, then decided to sell them off due to the fact that I had no amp and I felt they were boring and un...well unanything good or usually described as Grado: up front, aggressive, good for rock, great bass (I'm not a basshead, I like D66 bass too

), and good unamped. They sounded flat, boring, unimpressive, just loud. That's out of the headphone out of a Sony CMT-CP11 minisystem (crappy headphone out I'm sure), and a Sharp MT770 portable minidisc recorder. I know, no amp.
Here's the kicker: The SR125 I got has a 1/4" plug, and I don't have a step down adapter, so I haven't tried it on my MD recorder, but out of the same minisystem, I'm hearing a lot more life to these headphones than I ever heard out of the SR80s. Granted, I know this isn't great, nor anywhere near what these headphones can do, and I haven't given them enough time to really analyze the sound.
Has anyone else found the SR125 maybe a little more responsive with less power than the SR80? Or did I sell the SR80 off too quickly?

EDIT
Better that I finish my sentences.

 

[pedxing]

I never listened to the SR 125, but I know what you meant by lifeless with the SR80. To me, the SR80 are a good pair of headphones for those on a budget, but it doesn't have that atmospheric feel to it. I think its too peaky in the treble too.
.

 

[Beagle]

Quote:

Originally posted by pedxing I never listened to the SR 125, but I know what you meant by lifeless with the SR80

If the SR80 is lifeless, then the HD580, HD590 and HD600 are rotting corpses.

What?!?

Music literally bounces thru the SR80!

 

[SuperGiraffe]

I agree with pedxing. SR-80 is not my favorite 'phone, as IMHO it manages to have a peaky, somewhat spitty treble, while other frequencies seem attenuated or "lifeless." I've never heard the SR-125, but I did hear the SR-225, and my general impression was that it was a much better 'phone than the SR-80. The RS-1 is wonderful, too.

 

[bubsdaddy]

I'm a little confused too. My impression of the SR80 is that it is the liveliest phone I own. The term "lifeless" would be about the last adjective I would use in describing them.

 

[pedxing]

When I tried the SR-80, the sources were questionable. Maybe a headphone amp could have enhance my experience with them.

I guess the word I meant to use was not lifeless because the SR-80 does have a lot of dynamics. I meant to say that its sound imaging and sound stage is not as good as the more expensive headphones such as the HD590, HD580, or AKG 501.

 

[SptsNaz]

I've owned the sr-125 and it's a very good headphone. I never listened to sr-80's but I definately know that the sr-125's are superior to the sr-60's. They DO need an amp I think, because they sounded inferior on my portable cd player.

 

[redshifter]

with an amp and a portable mzr50 minidisc, the two grados i liked the most were the sr80 and the sr125. compared to the others in the line (60, 225, 325, etc) i thought these two had the warmest, most appealing sound (just personal pref). i went with the 125, and use them with the bowl pads and a jmt maxmeta42, i i have zero complaints about this combo. the meta42/8620 has a certain magic paired with the sr125.

-edit-
i almost forgot, i chose the sr125 because it had a much more controlled, punchy bass, and a smoother transition into what i heard as a higher-reaching treble. it was worth the extra $$. and yes, it needs am amp, especially if it is a maxmeta43/8620 amp!

 

[GirgleMirt]

Quote:

I never listened to sr-80's but I definately know that the sr-125's are superior to the sr-60's.

When I auditionned the 3, I found a much larger sound/quality difference between the SR60's <-> SR80's than between the SR80 <-> SR125.

Which is the opposite for the price differences.

DLP: Were the SR80's burned in? Anyway, when I trying the 3, one after another (many times), each time I always found a BIG difference between SR60->80 but couldn't hear much diff between SR80->125... There isn't a night and day difference for sure, they both sound 'alike'

 

[kenchi1983]

Yes, there is a very (let me repeat, VERY) audible difference between the sr60 and sr80.

Dont know about the sr125 though.

 

[DLP]

I know the SR80 and the SR125 require an amp to sound their best. What I'm asking though is has anyone really been able to hear both, unamped, and thought that unamped the SR125 actually sounded more lively than the SR80?
I'd like to also emphasize the UNAMPED part of that question. I don't have an amp, and didn't have one when owning the SR80, so all I have is my unamped impressions. I'm only asking because I've heard that the SR60 are supposed to be good unamped, and so are the SR80, but to my ears the SR125 is better if unamped than the SR80 was.
Hm...I'm repeating myself, that's bad.

Girglemirt, the SR80 were broken in.

 

[MERTON]

ms1's cost the same as the sr 80 and are supposed to be like the 125.

 

[DLP]

Hm...well, given I got my SR125 for less than either the SR80 or the MS1, I'm happy

I mainly got them because at the price, they were a steal. I can worry about amps and sources and all that stuff later.