[Zander024]

 
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Hi All, I'm a newcomer to this daunting obsession...already noticing the heart wrenching push/pull decisions with quality headphones and their equipment...so here's my issue:
 
The SR-225's, and their comfort (or discomfort, rather):
 
I purchased these after having realized that I'm not a big fan of the Sennheiser soundstage. I was looking at he HD595's, but similarly to the 555's, I found them to be a little too broad of a sound for me, without picking up on detail (I find the bass to bleed too much with the sennheiser 5x5 headphones, and have never been fond of overdone bass in the first place). I heard Grado's prominent mids and respectable high's would be good for me, and I fell in love with the sound immediately. 
 
 
NOW...the cost this greatness comes at for me is a dilemma regarding comfort. The bowl pads these come with are on ear, and not well cushioned. I know some people do not mind this, but I find after 20 minutes or so of listening, my earlobes begin to ache from the uneven clamping on them. There are replacement pads, and various mods to remedy this, however...I am worried about affecting the sound stage.
 
In an ideal world, these would be circumaural...I find that supremely comfortable for long listening (the senn 5x5's I find very comfortable). I have looked at the G-cush pads, and know these can work for the mid and lower end grado's such as mine...I've also heard that using them on the SR's will result in lost bass, due to the large exposed foam. Presently, with the bowl pads, I find there to be a perfect amount of bass for me...but just enough. I'm worried with the G-cush I'll just flatten out that bass, and it'll be lost...So, with the SR-225's I basically have that option, doing the HD-414 pads (are they descently cushiony?) or the standard flat grado pads. I'm unsure how much bass will be lost with the G-cush...is it very minimal...or perhaps are there ways to counteract this?
 
The option of moving to a different set of Phones:
 
Now, as I prefer not to have a flat cushion pad against my ears, I Im also considering looking at other phones that are more naturally comfortable to replace these 225's with. I've heard AKG's offer very nice balance, not too far off from Grado's...is this true? I have taken a look at the K242's, and to a lesser extent, the K271's (I do prefer open over closed). I find them much more comfortable than the 225's, but I'm also aware they take more power to drive...they have almost 2x the impedance. The amplifier in the store I tried these on at wasn't working properly, so I wasn't able to be sure the AKG's sounded as they should at the time (when I tested them, it seemed obvious things weren't being powered as they should). 
 
So I sort of have 2 main questions...
 
Are the AKG's a logical choice if I want something similar in soundstage to Grado's?
 
Might it be worth considering getting different phones if I find the Grado's sound perfect for my needs, but very uncomfortable...and my best option for improving comfort could sacrifice the quality of bass?
 
**Also, in a world in which I could replace the 225's with AKG K242's, is it worth the cost of having to pay more for an amp?
 
I'm aware that some of these questions are just going to come down to "what would you do?" circumstances, but I do understand that...just looking for some opinions from people who have more experience/knowledge than I. Thanks!
 
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[bbophead]

I like my 325i with the G-Cush.  I also found the stock bowls uncomfortable for more than 20 minutes.  The G-Cush opens up the soundstage, they get the drivers farther away from your ears, and the bass got warmer, not deeper nor punchier.  It would be perfect if you had a dealer that would let you try the G-Cush.  If they don't have them in stock, pull them off a GS-1000 or PS-1000 and try them.  That's what I did.  I can't predict what your reaction would be to the bass difference.  I think you'll just have to figure that out.  Hopefully, you can try before you buy.  Maybe an internet dealer would have a decent return policy if you can't hear locally.  HTH.

 

[supersleuth]

Do none of the above, just bend the headband until they're so loose they barely touch your ears. No effect on sound (as long as they don't actually fall off your head! But you want to be very close to that point.)

 

[sseckm?n]

 
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^ This is no joke. When I replaced the stock headband to a leather JMoney, the metal band inside bent in the process into a much more comfortable position.

I suppose you can do this by simply wrapping the HPs around something wider than your head when not used. 
 
This is just me, but using flat pads are recommended - not only do they provide me a better tonal balance and offer good comfort, but they also keep me warm!

 (Swedish winters are cold... And long!)
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