[Beagle]

The HF-1 seems to provide a different sound every time I go back to it. I gather it is me that is not quite getting a bead on it's actual signature yet. Bass is strong, mids are fairly tonally on, but the highs? I'm not quite sure yet. I've stopped the jumbo pad experiment and gone back to the bowls.

 

[blargman]

It does seem to every morning I put them on. I tink i'm liking the bowls better than the pads as of today. I shall look at the jumbos soon hopefully. I'm still running straight off my pc headphone out even and I was jamming to them today. What are you using for source/amp Beagle?

 

[cafe zeenuts]

The HF2 are my first grado headphone, so I didn’t know what to expect from this headphone at the beginning. At first listen I didn’t like it that much coming off balance HD650. The sound is very raw, full of energy and in your face. Lacks the refinement of the HD650. After putting so more hours on this headphone I started to like the in your face sound with rock music. So I chop the ¼ stereo plug off and reterminted the ends with 4 Pin XLR so I could listen to them on my LD MK6.

The LD MK6 balanced amp drives the HF2 with plenty of power, very different sound compare to HD650. HF2 is in your face, on stage kind of sound great for rocks and vocal. I notice a lot of bass with HF2, but not as detail as the HD650. While the HD650 is more accurate, refine, laid back with bigger soundstage, greater depth is better suited for jazz and classical music. The HF2 is still very good with jazz and classic but not as good as the HD650.

These are fun headphones and its a keeper for me, but they don’t have the micro details and accuracy of the “Balanced HD650”.


One complain is the cable is too short….....

 

[kdaq]

Had anyone tried the HF-2 with C-Pads?

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

My C-pads only fit plastic Grados and are too loose on wood ones like HF-1 and RS-1, so I never tried them with HF-2. I'll try to check the fit and sound sometime soon.

 

[Zanth]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bullseye /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hey Zanth, don't get angry. As I said I was just wondering. You have your reasons and that's it. Hope things go well with your daughter.

Sorry if I overreacted. I had my back up when I read into your comment, high stress level plus misunderstanding a post leads to an overreaction follow-up. I've been listening to the HF-2's more lately while at work, which is not the best spot to evaluate gear, but does give me some ideas overall. The bagels + HF-2
s I do at home but have not spent much time there listening over the last few weeks. I have an abstract due Monday and after that I will have a lot more free time to evaluate headphones and get back on track with this hobby. I'll post formal impressions later next week.

 

[Beagle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by blargman /img/forum/go_quote.gif What are you using for source/amp Beagle?

An old transistor radio!

j/k, PPA and Shanling PH100, Rotel HDCD and Alexandria Oracle TT w/Clearaudio Virtuoso Wood cart.

 

[BushGuy]

Many of you know the Headphile Vixen is an open woody mod of the Beyer headphone - but, with Non-Beyer drivers mounted on a Rosewood soundboard (which can't be seen from the outside) with domed stealth stainless steel screens.

So, it is an intriguing prospect to consider mating HF-2 drivers (if you enjoy the stock HF-2 as much as I do) into the very comfortable Beyer shells. Larry (Headphile) states " when using Grado drivers, to me they sound somewhat similar to V9 C-Pads, but better"......he means Grado with the C-pads mounted on them.
It becomes an interesting conundrum to consider keeping HF-2 as stock for their present SQ, and the possibility of collectible value. Whereas, otherwise you could have Beyer circumaural comfort and the arguable increased woody beauty of the Vixens. The obvious problem is what might happen to the Hf-2 sound. We're in uncharted territory here. One thing that is obvious about the mod - the drivers distance from the ear will be midway between use with bowls and and saladbowls. So, the end result will be unlike any other possibility. Also, you can't be absolutely sure how the Hf-2 drivers will be impacted by the Beyer shells.
Personally, I'm on the fence as to doing such a mod.......or not. One posssible result could be that instead of considering them as baby PS1000 - they could possibly be the equal of full-blown PS1000, without the weight and at overall less cost.

 

[blargman]

I personally would hate to lose the light weight of the hf-2. Anymore and they'd be falling off my head. To combat that you would have to make them tight. And tight is not comfortable and would only hurt soundstage.

 

[rhythmdevils]

I feel like the Beyer shells would place the drivers too far from the ear. Beyers seem to have more space in the earpads than any other manufacturer, and they all have that sterile sound. I feel like the HF2 would get fairly peaky trying to push all that air through the pads. But who knows! The HP1000 transplant into CD3000 shells was one of the best dynamic headphones i've ever heard.

 

[BushGuy]

Larry specifically states (on his Vixen page) that the drivers are closer to ears in these, plus the driver housing is glued to the Rosewood soundboard rather than pressed in.
Me: if you compare the depth of PS or GS saladbowls - they are deeper than Beyer dt770/880/990 pads - putting the depth inbetween std bowl pads and the saladbowls.
Mention of the HP1000/CD3000 shells reminds me of Jahn's HP-2/Maestrobator setup of several years. He used/uses the C-pads - which besides allowing use of Beyer earpads, also adds more depth by virtue of the thickness of the wood base in the conversion.
All of these things are what induce me to use the word "intriguing".

addendum: This subject has now reminded me of the HF-1 woody conversions. IIRC - wooded HF-1 were usually preferred........and those who paid extra for x-deep shells often lauded them as being superior to the std wooded version. I can't vouch for the validity of those statements as I didn't buy the HF-1 (I made a late attempt - and failed)...........which is why I put in my order on day one and got one of those sent out in the first shipment.

 

[rhythmdevils]

I say do it, and let us all know how it sounds!

 

[SemiAudiophile]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhythmdevils /img/forum/go_quote.gif I say do it, and let us all know how it sounds!

x2!

i love my HF2's with jumbos. i went back to bowls yesterday, but found the bass too much again and it sounded boring. with the jumbo's, it sounds very neutral and balanced. everything sounds just right except maybe for the treble is slightly off. it doesn't sound bright/harsh, just maybe a little shrill.

with the jumbo's, i can hear layering and detail that i could never hear with regular bowls. i am surprised how good it still sounds with acoustic beating the 325i in detail and soundstage. the bass is spot on and is one of the best i've heard. HF2 with jumbo's clearly surpasses the RS1 and 325i in refinement, detail, and soundstage. it is the best Grado i've heard and my favorite so far..

edit: btw, i also tried the RS1i with the jumbo pads but with no positive results. soundstage seem to increase but everything was off. mids recessed and the overall imaging just wasn't right.

 

[rhythmdevils]

wait till your 325 magnum comes in...

 

[BushGuy]

I just might take the bullet and get it done - if I succeed in getting my hands on a 2nd pair of HF-2 (since you can't go back). The wheels are already in motion toward that end.