RagingForces
Head-Fier
- Joined
- Aug 7, 2009
- Posts
- 60
- Likes
- 10
Preface - This is a small chronicle in a set of chronicles as I walk though the headphone world. Also a quick thank you to the countless Grado fans posting their impressions that led me to lurk their threads for a long time. Here go some thoughts I jotted down.
So I found myself pulling on these funny looking Grado headphones again. This time I'm coming out of a Marantz receiver/amp and sourcing from a NAD cd player. Those damn Head-Fi folks have me thinking that the first time I listened to the Grado I missed something or had some bad synergy going on.
Hrm... Play button.. *click* BOOM! there goes my head.
I'm listening to the SR225i and some jazz i've never heard before. Apparently i've just been introduced to Tommy Flanagan. Clear, really clear. Surprising highs, bass seems cool. Doesn't really seem like its missing anything. There are details all in the sound. Its not the most refined sound i've auditioned, but its good. hrm.. these cups are not comfortable.. take the headphones off.. yeah. they leak like crazy.. put em back on..
Hrm.. Next Track *click*
Diana Krall. S'Wonderful. It is, but this headphone doesn't suit you Diana. Its too in my face. There is a depth to the sound though, I do like it. Good space in the music but its not flattering to Diana's voice. There is an airyness to the metallic hits of the drummer. The bass is fairly tight. I do dig most of the presentation, just the voice doesn't sound right.
*click*
wwoooaaahhh!! its something atmospheric.. its crisp.. oh.. its Nine Inch Nails.. Trent's voice sounds weird in Eraser I'm not sure i've heard it so clear before. The sound is very detailed. Its not really airy, its more like the headphones are cleaning up the sound and giving it to you on a silver platter. Its huge sounding. Hard to explain. Heaps and heaps of detail.
*click*
megadeth.. very fast megadeth - Tornado of Souls! This is good. This is hearing everything on the record. Plucks.. detail... i'm even hearing the bass guitar. Mustaine's voice is retaining its creepy edge. The cymbals though, too much.. yeah this is maybe too much for me. man the guitar though, its awesome. I've never heard an electric guitar sound this good! Enough.. These things are not comfortable enough for this experience.
Alright, so this is nice. It appears I'm finally having a positive Grado experience. I also auditioned the SR-80i and to a certain extent I appreciate them more than the SR-225i. Not in terms of overall audio quality, but more in terms of value for the money. Those SR-80i's are one hell of a good value for what you get in fun audio back. The sound between the two is a definite nod in refinement towards the SR-225i in all respects. The SR-80's also exhibit a bit too much bass for me.
So far I've only heard the SR-60i, SR-80i, SR-125i, and SR-225i. I'm looking forward to more auditions of Grado, as they keep notching forward in terms of refinement with each scale upwards in model. If it wern't for you folks here at Head-Fi I would have stopped on the first go around with Grado and thought they were just edgy, etching, harsh things meant for rock. I've a feeling i'll be a Grado fan if I can find a set refined enough to handle a myriad of music, and not something geared nearly directly at rock-ish genres.
Thanks Head-Fi,
The journey continues
So I found myself pulling on these funny looking Grado headphones again. This time I'm coming out of a Marantz receiver/amp and sourcing from a NAD cd player. Those damn Head-Fi folks have me thinking that the first time I listened to the Grado I missed something or had some bad synergy going on.
Hrm... Play button.. *click* BOOM! there goes my head.
I'm listening to the SR225i and some jazz i've never heard before. Apparently i've just been introduced to Tommy Flanagan. Clear, really clear. Surprising highs, bass seems cool. Doesn't really seem like its missing anything. There are details all in the sound. Its not the most refined sound i've auditioned, but its good. hrm.. these cups are not comfortable.. take the headphones off.. yeah. they leak like crazy.. put em back on..
Hrm.. Next Track *click*
Diana Krall. S'Wonderful. It is, but this headphone doesn't suit you Diana. Its too in my face. There is a depth to the sound though, I do like it. Good space in the music but its not flattering to Diana's voice. There is an airyness to the metallic hits of the drummer. The bass is fairly tight. I do dig most of the presentation, just the voice doesn't sound right.
*click*
wwoooaaahhh!! its something atmospheric.. its crisp.. oh.. its Nine Inch Nails.. Trent's voice sounds weird in Eraser I'm not sure i've heard it so clear before. The sound is very detailed. Its not really airy, its more like the headphones are cleaning up the sound and giving it to you on a silver platter. Its huge sounding. Hard to explain. Heaps and heaps of detail.
*click*
megadeth.. very fast megadeth - Tornado of Souls! This is good. This is hearing everything on the record. Plucks.. detail... i'm even hearing the bass guitar. Mustaine's voice is retaining its creepy edge. The cymbals though, too much.. yeah this is maybe too much for me. man the guitar though, its awesome. I've never heard an electric guitar sound this good! Enough.. These things are not comfortable enough for this experience.
Alright, so this is nice. It appears I'm finally having a positive Grado experience. I also auditioned the SR-80i and to a certain extent I appreciate them more than the SR-225i. Not in terms of overall audio quality, but more in terms of value for the money. Those SR-80i's are one hell of a good value for what you get in fun audio back. The sound between the two is a definite nod in refinement towards the SR-225i in all respects. The SR-80's also exhibit a bit too much bass for me.
So far I've only heard the SR-60i, SR-80i, SR-125i, and SR-225i. I'm looking forward to more auditions of Grado, as they keep notching forward in terms of refinement with each scale upwards in model. If it wern't for you folks here at Head-Fi I would have stopped on the first go around with Grado and thought they were just edgy, etching, harsh things meant for rock. I've a feeling i'll be a Grado fan if I can find a set refined enough to handle a myriad of music, and not something geared nearly directly at rock-ish genres.
Thanks Head-Fi,
The journey continues