[KneelJung]

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So now its decision time for me. Do I spend $1700 right away for a Lyr, LCD-2's, and a PS Audio DAC, or should I just get a Little Dot 1+ and cheaper DAC and be happy with my 60's for a little bit longer. Decisions decisions.....

I'm sure the Little Dot is an excellent choice. I was considering it myself but ultimately decided I didnt want to fiddle with tubes. That was before I got into this whole DIY thing though. I really like my Sparrow though. Chris has one now too so he can chime in as well but it's a lot of bang for your buck at $183 shipped new. I got mine at Pacific valve. Also I think the fact that the Fostexes are closed is why a Grado head like myself isnt totally buying in but that also makes them a great compliment to the Grado's. They isolate very well and they can do some things for $80 that are pretty impressive. Perhaps one of your problems with them for you is they are not being properly driven.
 

 

[tool462]

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I dont see where they are extremely cheap. Their web site says they range in price from 60 to 100 dollars. You can get a set of cups from Cabillas for that. If you want a different sort of head band I'd work with Marty. His cups are more expensive but at the end of the process you get a custom crafted headphone accessory that is a work of art.
 

They are $15-45 depending on model wholesale.  You just email them and say you want to "demo" various sets
 


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hate to tell ya mate, but it's pretty much a terrible idea.. Grados need to be open. I've yet to hear of a good sounding closed grado. If anyone has, please speak up. 
 

When I would be done they would be very close to many of the modded cups, very open in the back


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He mentioned cutting a hole in the back and fitting it with mesh. Also, I believe Cabillas has experimenting with closed Grados, though that hasn't progressed in a while.
 
They don't sound closed, if that's what you're wondering. But they don't sound all that airy either, the first thing that struck me when I put them on was a rather significant lack of soundstaging :/
 
 

Yeah they'd be very open.
 
 
These are the smaller of the two I linked and they are pretty small, not as big as they look:
 
http://cdn.head-fi.org/a/aa/1000x500px-LL-aabdc710_P1000897.jpg

 

[KneelJung]

Quote:

 
 
These are the smaller of the two I linked and they are pretty small, not as big as they look:
 
http://cdn.head-fi.org/a/aa/1000x500px-LL-aabdc710_P1000897.jpg

They are definitely a lot smaller than they look. I think they would make a better mod for a Porta Pro or a KSC 75. I guess the iGrado fits this bill too but a liberated iGrado driver wouldnt work. I think a Porta Pro in one of those might be cool as hell though.

 

[chrislangley4253]

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They are definitely a lot smaller than they look. I think they would make a better mod for a Porta Pro or a KSC 75. I guess the iGrado fits this bill too but a liberated iGrado driver wouldnt work. I think a Porta Pro in one of those might be cool as hell though.

I've thought about putting the portapro in a cup.. but, it really doesn't need it. It's not tuned for it.. and It'll sound incredibly dark and overly bassy if it was put into a wooden shell, I think. 
 
 

 

[Questhate]

 
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it's the mids.. They are intoxicating. It has something to do with it being an ortho driver. However, the closedness just really bothers me. I"m hooked on open..That being said, how open do the lcd2's sound? 

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Originally Posted by Nightslayer /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
They don't sound closed, if that's what you're wondering. But they don't sound all that airy either, the first thing that struck me when I put them on was a rather significant lack of soundstaging :/

I'd agree somewhat. They don't have that "airy" presence that people associate with open headphones. Certainly putting on my Grados afterward, even with their narrow-ish soundstage, felt more "open" than the LCD-2s. But I found the soundstage imaging to be very good, as each musician in the band had a clear, defined location in the image. The thing that makes them seem more closed ("congested" isn't the right word because of its negative connotation) is that it's so rich and dense. Within the given space that the LCD-2 have to play (I'd venture to say about the same width as my SR-60i), they just pack so much more body in the music. 
 
At first, I couldn't get used to it, but as my brain wrapped around the sound, I think it feels more natural to me. But then again, I only demo'd the Rev. 2, which is supposed to improve on the soundstage over the Rev. 1. 
 
Quote:

 
So now its decision time for me. Do I spend $1700 right away for a Lyr, LCD-2's, and a PS Audio DAC, or should I just get a Little Dot 1+ and cheaper DAC and be happy with my 60's for a little bit longer. Decisions decisions.....
 

You know you're going to do it eventually, so you'd save money in the long run by just getting it out of the way. I just ordered mine yesterday...
 
------------------------------------------------------
 
And to keep this thread on topic, I guess I'd like to mention how much more genre bandwidth my modded Grados have over stock Grados. Before, I would only throw my SR225i on with rock and jazz music, as I felt the bass impact lacking for more hip-hop, and the soundstage a bit lacking for classical or acoustic stuff. But after the mods I put on the SR60s, they've become the most versatile headphones I owned. I didn't realize this until I was demo'ing the LCD-2 and realizing how similar they were. Not in their sound signature, but just in the fact that aren't the best in any aspect, but really do everything quite well and present a great cohesive sound. If someone had $200 dollars to spend on a primary set of headphones, I'd immediately recommend a modded SR60i. 
 

 

[Vikingatheart]

Quote:

And to keep this thread on topic, I guess I'd like to mention how much more genre bandwidth my modded Grados have over stock Grados. Before, I would only throw my SR225i on with rock and jazz music, as I felt the bass impact lacking for more hip-hop, and the soundstage a bit lacking for classical or acoustic stuff. But after the mods I put on the SR60s, they've become the most versatile headphones I owned. I didn't realize this until I was demo'ing the LCD-2 and realizing how similar they were. Not in their sound signature, but just in the fact that aren't the best in any aspect, but really do everything quite well and present a great cohesive sound. If someone had $200 dollars to spend on a primary set of headphones, I'd immediately recommend a modded SR60i. 
 

This makes me want to mod my 80is so badly. What can I do without having to purchase anything? I want to eventually woodie my 225is before I upgrade to an RS model, but I am willing to mod my 80is and maaaaybe even my 225is now if there is something I can easily do without having to buy anything. Or anything that's not very cheap (5-10 bucks).
 

 

[Questhate]

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This makes me want to mod my 80is so badly. What can I do without having to purchase anything? I want to eventually woodie my 225is before I upgrade to an RS model, but I am willing to mod my 80is and maaaaybe even my 225is now if there is something I can easily do without having to buy anything. Or anything that's not very cheap (5-10 bucks).
 

I hate to say it, but a cable upgrade and wooden enclosures are by far the most dramatic differences. In your case, venting holes would be the main thing that makes a pretty significant difference, imo. It adds bass impact, and more clarity in the mids. I didn't like the dynamat myself, but I only tried it after putting them in wooden enclosures so results may vary in plastic cups. 
 
I had a modded SR60i and a stock SR225i together for a few weeks and while the SR225i had a bit more energy that I liked in the upper-mid frequencies (which I later discovered to be at least partly contributed by the resonance in the plastic cups), the SR60i was more enjoyable for a wider variety of music.
 
Honestly, if you sold your 80i, you'd get enough money for either a set of wooden cups or some silver cables. I think the SR225i stock cables are already good, so you could put off a cable upgrade until down the road. It'd be more for a change of flavor (silver vs copper) than a clear sound upgrade that you'd get from a lower Grado cable. 
 

 

[Vikingatheart]

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I hate to say it, but a cable upgrade and wooden enclosures are by far the most dramatic differences. In your case, venting holes would be the main thing that makes a pretty significant difference, imo. It adds bass impact, and more clarity in the mids. I didn't like the dynamat myself, but I only tried it after putting them in wooden enclosures so results may vary in plastic cups. 
 
I had a modded SR60i and a stock SR225i together for a few weeks and while the SR225i had a bit more energy that I liked in the upper-mid frequencies (which I later discovered to be at least partly contributed by the resonance in the plastic cups), the SR60i was more enjoyable for a wider variety of music.
 
Honestly, if you sold your 80i, you'd get enough money for either a set of wooden cups or some silver cables. I think the SR225i stock cables are already good, so you could put off a cable upgrade until down the road. It'd be more for a change of flavor (silver vs copper) than a clear sound upgrade that you'd get from a lower Grado cable. 
 

I actually want to hang on to my 80is. They were my introduction to Hi-Fi and this hobby in general. Also, they were a gift from my parents. But I am willing to try punching some holes in these little buggers! How do I go about doing that? 

 

 

[Questhate]

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I actually want to hang on to my 80is. They were my introduction to Hi-Fi and this hobby in general. Also, they were a gift from my parents. But I am willing to try punching some holes in these little buggers! How do I go about doing that? 

 

 
Ahh, I definitely understand. I have a couple of sets of headphones that I never use anymore, but I keep around because they were my intro into this hobby (Sony V6 and Ultrasone HFI-580).
 
Anyway, on the first page of this thread there should be a guide to venting your drivers. I'd start with a lower number of holes and work your way up to see how you like it. The mod is reversible but it's sort of a pain to do so. I have 4-holes on mine and feel no desire to open more or close any up. Your tastes may vary though.
 
Most people do the hairdryer method of opening up the cups (I believe Kojaku posted a video). 
 
The main concern for venting is to not poke too far, or else you'll puncture the driver. I had an Exacto knife with a pointed tip, so I used that, but most people seem to use a ballpoint pen. Good luck and be sure to share your impressions with us! 
 

 
 

 

[Kojaku]

 
Ahh, I definitely understand. I have a couple of sets of headphones that I never use anymore, but I keep around because they were my intro into this hobby (Sony V6 and Ultrasone HFI-580).
 
Anyway, on the first page of this thread there should be a guide to venting your drivers. I'd start with a lower number of holes and work your way up to see how you like it. The mod is reversible but it's sort of a pain to do so. I have 4-holes on mine and feel no desire to open more or close any up. Your tastes may vary though.
 
Most people do the hairdryer method of opening up the cups (I believe Kojaku posted a video). 
 
The main concern for venting is to not poke too far, or else you'll puncture the driver. I had an Exacto knife with a pointed tip, so I used that, but most people seem to use a ballpoint pen. Good luck and be sure to share your impressions with us! 
 

 
 

Why yes I did it's a page back.

Also, am I to assume this means you enjoy your woodied sr60i's more than your wooded sr225i's?

Kojaku

 

[Vikingatheart]

Awesome! Thanks guys.

 

[chrislangley4253]

ballpoint pen... Open up ONE hole on each side to begin with and only if you want more bass response in the first place. It's a real.. pain to cover those holes back up later. On my sr80i I prefer no holes open, even in plastic cups and I found that out the hard way. 
 
also, A bit of dynamat on the back of the driver magnet (pea sized and spread out is generally considered favorable nowadays). the cable is very much a flavor thing and I didn't see much of a difference, even on my sr80is so obviously I wouldn't recommend that, especially given the prices.. PADS, pads make a large difference, You might see a difference from replacing the screens/buttons too, plus I think a modded screen looks way better, even if it doesn't improve much acoustically. 
 
ONE HOLE >.>

 

[sharkz]

As has been said before, I can't overstate how much of a difference pads make. I have heard all the Grado pads on my 60's now (save the Jumbos which I heard on a modded MS-1, it wasn't my cup of tea). I far and away prefer the flats for their bass slam and good treble. It was a huge surprise how much better they sounded when compared to my modded Sennheiser pads. It was not a subtle change. 
 
Many others prefer the bowls, I don't mind their sound (after taping), but have never found them as comfortable, especially when I am wearing glasses during my pre-bed listening. If you don't want to chance wrecking your phones with mods, the easiest way to change the sound is rolling pads. Just spend the $70 for all the types ($40 Flats, $20 Bowls, $10 Sennheiser, I am leaving off Jumbos because myself and many others don't like the way they sound with these phones unless they have been modded with distancers), it is something I should have done long ago and it took me actually hearing the TTVJ Flats to finally fork over the $40. However I am convinced it is worth it, even with my $60 pair of headphones.

 

[wje]

I'm with you on the pad issues.  More and more, I think the bowls are not the best answer - even though that's what I primarily use.  However, as time goes along and the pads start to age and harden a bit, one does suffer comfort issues and then it's time to drop more money on replacements.   I need to save up some $$ to move forward and get the TTVG flats. 

 

[Vikingatheart]

I'll probably get some flats at some point. I'm not confident in my abilities to take apart a pair of nice headphones and then put them back together after poking holes in them. Maybe I'll just save up the dough and get them woodied by someone who is waaay more confident in their abilities.