The Grado HF-2 Review/Comparison Thread

[chesebert]

tube DAC + warm balanced rig with low gain solves most of the 'problems' people associate with HF-2. wide/deep soundstage, check. deep bass, check. no more mid-bass hump, check. no more smeared midrange/high, check. hologrphic imaging, check. clearly layering in x and z axis of sound/instrument, check.

I think good high-end SS DAC (e.g Theta VIII) + balanced tube (e.g. ZDT) should also do the trick

 

[chimxchim]

After reading all the analysis and reviews, I'm going to take the dive and level up from my MS1's into a pair of HF-2's. Thanks all for taking for the time to write all of this up.

 

[thechungster]

Initial impressions (Out of an iPod) Brilliant headphones

They really do sound brilliant with guitars and thankfully the comfort is good (Not much pressure) and the treble isn't harsh at all for my first Grado.

Gosh there's a lot of bass out of the box. I love how Utada Hikaru sounds on these. Brilliant! Soundstage isn't widest as people have said Grados to be, but I'm liking Jimi Hendrix in my ear.

 

[jjinh]

chungster, that all sounds fantastic. i just cant wait to get mine!

 

[tin]

i joined the club too... anyone can compare these to sony v6 for me?? plugged into laptop...

 

[userlander]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tin /img/forum/go_quote.gif i joined the club too... anyone can compare these to sony v6 for me?? plugged into laptop...

The sonys are more than $350 less, for one comparison.

As to which sounds "better," that's probably a matter of personal preference.

 

[tin]

i know they 350 less... i ask bc i own them and i know the sound.... im just asking what would be the difference that i probly can expect to hear.. sorry if i wasnt clear

 

[grawk]

The sonys are very strident, and the grados aren't. The sonys are more isolating, and more durable, but V6s are mostly designed to be revealing rather than pleasing.

 

[thechungster]

I am actually falling in love with how these sound with rock and pop, my 2 main genres I listen to. Guitars sound better and better each time, hearing those tiny details. Bass wise, hoping it'll calm down because they are bass monsters at the moment.

 

[BushGuy]

I played string-bass for several years and find bass from HF-2 - adequate. In no way are they "bass-monsters". Adequate at the most, IMO.

 

[3X0]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BushGuy /img/forum/go_quote.gif I played string-bass for several years and find bass from HF-2 - adequate. In no way are they "bass-monsters". Adequate at the most, IMO.

But I've burned mine in for over 200 hours and they still have much, much more midbass than the JH13!

I find the bass emphasis (as I perceive it) to be endearing and a strong point for them.

 

[Covenant]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grawk /img/forum/go_quote.gif For me the decision to keep the hf2s as my primary full sized headphones was fairly easy. They do MUSIC really well. They're not the best at anything, but when I put them on, the tone is right, the magic is there, and I'm lost in my music. I'm never distracted by details or bothered by strange tone. They aren't bass monsters, but they do convey bass well.

x2. Well said, grawk.

I really should start experimenting with pads, and get a longer cable though. I've switched back to the HD600 for a while to give my ears a rest from the bowls ><

 

[thechungster]

Oh yeah, the cable. You people weren't joking when you said they were short.

 

[jjinh]

Quote:

Originally Posted by thechungster /img/forum/go_quote.gif Oh yeah, the cable. You people weren't joking when you said they were short.

i have the ms1 and i personally find the cable very very long for my purposes. wouldnt mind the shorter cable. How long is the cable?

 

[cheemo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jjinh /img/forum/go_quote.gif How long is the cable?

From cups to Y splitter = 12"
From Y splitter to tip of 1/4" plug = 4'9"

Total length around 5 feet 9 inches.

YaY 1K!