Riku540
1000+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Sep 30, 2005
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I just got my HF-1 (#348) today, and with people asking for more reviews, I decided to give my first impressions. Note that this is an attempt at an unbiased review, where my goal is to try and analyze this headphone as it is, to allow fellow audiophiles decide for themselves. Though technically it is almost impossible to be completely unbiased, this is my very best attempt for a first and fair review. I hope that my experience will contribute to the community here at Head-Fi.
Experience:
This is my first review. I am a young college audiophile that has only in recent months been able to begin my way into the high-end world. Though I have not had much of the pleasures of hearing many different kinds of high-end audio gear, my ear is trained through experience as a former musician since I was little. I have invested many years in choir, piano, and guitar, and feel confident in my ability to listen professionally.
Equipment:
I have only begun to build my high-end audio rig as of June this year. I have started mostly with entry-level products, namely, portable sources and amps. I currently use a fourth generation iPod Photo lined-out to a Micro cMoy to power my Ultimate Ears super.fi 5 Pros. I realize that there is still much potential to be realized from my music but this is about all I can afford right now. I plan to be upgrading within the next few months.
Build Quality: 7 out of 10
These headphones are quite light. They are very stylish looking and also feel a bit delicate. It holds together very well, but not the type of headphone you’d want to toss over your shoulder to give your ears a break. The ear cups rotate well and secure. The cables fit nicely and have a little slack which is great for home listening, and does not stress the headphone jack.
Comfort: 7 out of 10
Initially these cans are very gentle. They sit on top of your head and lightly press against your ears. However, over time the slight pressure will become more apparent. This can be solved by bending the headband to loosen the clamping on your head.
Sound: 7.5 out of 10
These headphones are definitely colored. However, the color seems to more top-heavy than anything. As you go down the range of the sound spectrum, the color seems to be less apparent. This is probably what people are calling the Grado’s “bright” sound signature. Depending on your music, this brightness may seem to be a little harsh on your highs, though there are also many times where it suits the music well. The midrange seems to be about right, and the bass has very good response and does well not to roll-off especially when amped. These headphones are very open and are not an ideal listening solution if your objective is to listen without disturbing others. There is no muffling of outside noises with these cans on. You can hear everything as you would normally without any headphones.
My personal impressions and conclusions: (I’ve got to put my biases somewhere…)
The Grado HF-1 has a very good value for the price. The value of these headphones are, and will be higher compared to that of an identical $200 headphone due to its sentimental, limited edition value. This was my first time experiencing the Grado sound. I personally prefer neutral, non-colored sound but the Grado’s do not disappoint me much in this area. There are some songs that demand a neutral sound, and those songs tend to suffer a bit from the coloration of the highs and brightness. However, there are quite a few songs in my music selection that are already embedded with a bright personality, and the HF-1’s do well to acknowledge that and bring it to life. I feel that the sound signature of these phones is strongest with the right music to compliment it. As a final statement, I am satisfied with my purchase of the Grado HF-1, and it has met all of my expectations of it. Truly a fine product of Grado Labs and Todd the Vinyl Junkie.
Overall Score: 7 out of 10
Experience:
This is my first review. I am a young college audiophile that has only in recent months been able to begin my way into the high-end world. Though I have not had much of the pleasures of hearing many different kinds of high-end audio gear, my ear is trained through experience as a former musician since I was little. I have invested many years in choir, piano, and guitar, and feel confident in my ability to listen professionally.
Equipment:
I have only begun to build my high-end audio rig as of June this year. I have started mostly with entry-level products, namely, portable sources and amps. I currently use a fourth generation iPod Photo lined-out to a Micro cMoy to power my Ultimate Ears super.fi 5 Pros. I realize that there is still much potential to be realized from my music but this is about all I can afford right now. I plan to be upgrading within the next few months.
Build Quality: 7 out of 10
These headphones are quite light. They are very stylish looking and also feel a bit delicate. It holds together very well, but not the type of headphone you’d want to toss over your shoulder to give your ears a break. The ear cups rotate well and secure. The cables fit nicely and have a little slack which is great for home listening, and does not stress the headphone jack.
Comfort: 7 out of 10
Initially these cans are very gentle. They sit on top of your head and lightly press against your ears. However, over time the slight pressure will become more apparent. This can be solved by bending the headband to loosen the clamping on your head.
Sound: 7.5 out of 10
These headphones are definitely colored. However, the color seems to more top-heavy than anything. As you go down the range of the sound spectrum, the color seems to be less apparent. This is probably what people are calling the Grado’s “bright” sound signature. Depending on your music, this brightness may seem to be a little harsh on your highs, though there are also many times where it suits the music well. The midrange seems to be about right, and the bass has very good response and does well not to roll-off especially when amped. These headphones are very open and are not an ideal listening solution if your objective is to listen without disturbing others. There is no muffling of outside noises with these cans on. You can hear everything as you would normally without any headphones.
My personal impressions and conclusions: (I’ve got to put my biases somewhere…)
The Grado HF-1 has a very good value for the price. The value of these headphones are, and will be higher compared to that of an identical $200 headphone due to its sentimental, limited edition value. This was my first time experiencing the Grado sound. I personally prefer neutral, non-colored sound but the Grado’s do not disappoint me much in this area. There are some songs that demand a neutral sound, and those songs tend to suffer a bit from the coloration of the highs and brightness. However, there are quite a few songs in my music selection that are already embedded with a bright personality, and the HF-1’s do well to acknowledge that and bring it to life. I feel that the sound signature of these phones is strongest with the right music to compliment it. As a final statement, I am satisfied with my purchase of the Grado HF-1, and it has met all of my expectations of it. Truly a fine product of Grado Labs and Todd the Vinyl Junkie.
Overall Score: 7 out of 10
