[GreatDane]

I've done the tape mod and it will help. Very easy and cheap to try. I use flat pads now for when I want more bass, they aren't cheap so you'd want to be sure you can live with 325i before even considering flats.

I have a similar experience as mike. For many weeks after first buying my 325i I was unsure if I could like them. It took months for them to grow on me. I never burned them in much and my listening sessions were short because I favored ( and still do) HD650.

I don't know if my 325i took that long (200 hours+??) to burn in or I simply adjusted to their sound. I still don't like the 325i for all music but for acoustic they really shine for me.

 

[mike6502]

Dane, how do the flats compare to taped bowls? Also, have you tried the mod where you stick some tacky substance to the back of the driver?

 

[GreatDane]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike6502 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Dane, how do the flats compare to taped bowls? Also, have you tried the mod where you stick some tacky substance to the back of the driver?

I would have to put tape back on my bowls to compare. I'm off to work now so I could do that in 12 hours.

I did put Blu-Tack on the back of my 325i driver. I lost those pics too. I can't say I can hear a change even though there might be a difference. I'm not sure that I've read that thread that you linked to but I will read it later.

 

[maddin]

Hi Geremy,
before I got my SR325i I listened mainly with the SR80 and some stuff with my old HD590 (this was my HP to listen to motörhead, which did not sound right on the SR80 to me). Compared to the SR80 my first reaction with the SR325i was positive. I like the SR80 but compared to the SR325i the music sounds more flat with the SR80. With the SR325i I hear more details and the music sounds fuller. For mine there is also an improvement of the bass. Both in quantity and quality.
Though, I think either the HPs or my brain still need to be burned in because I notice differences in sound - still. but I like them a lot. Yesterday evening I listened to Paradise lost "once solem" and bass and guitars were just right... so, I would say give them a bit time...

 

[geremy]

I picked up some comfies today locally to try out. Seems to have made an improvement. I'm not sure, they still sound thin to me though. I'm going to give them a couple of weeks before I make a final decision. I tried the tape mod, btw, but picked up the comfies and switched to those before I gave the tape a good listen.

 

[yukihiro]

Just to let you know (Geremy), when I first got my SR-325i's, I was a little disappointed as well. I heard a lot of people talk about 200+ hours of burn in which I wasn't sure was true or not.

For the first time, I turned on the music and put my SR-325i's on my head. They sounded kind of thin and awkward. The bass was a bit lacking and the soundstage was okay. I wanted to believe in the headphones, so I spent a couple weeks burning them in, putting about 220+ hours on them. After burn in, they sounded a lot better. The bass was punchier and I heard more detail than when I first tried them.

What I also found was that a decent headphone amp really helps. I haven't tried expensive headphone amps, but there is a noticeable difference when using my PA2V2.

If you're still unsatisfied after some burn in, then the SR-325i's just might not be for you. I personally think they're amazing as does my girlfriend.

 

[geremy]

Don't get me wrong, depending on the type of music they can sound phenomenal. I was just expecting more presence with rock and metal. I have been trading them off with SR60s all day, and my impressions of both sets of phones are changing. We'll see how it goes after a couple days. One immediate note is that I have to listen to the 325is at a much lower volume level than the SR60.

 

[electropop]

They give that certain satisfaction, that no other hp do! Hmm..

But really, at first they were harsh/thin/.. even boring. After i got my LDI+, which i got especially for them and damn was i happy. The cheap amp gives them more power, body and much better sense of involvement. Plus you can even swap tubes. It's easy and there are tons of options.
800mw/32ohm if i recall correctly, so it's really made for them in all aspects

Cheers..

 

[pataburd]

Source, amp, cables all make a big difference with the 325i. They're very revealing of what's upstream in your system.

 

[Shoreman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by electropop /img/forum/go_quote.gif They give that certain satisfaction, that no other hp do! Hmm.. But really, at first they were harsh/thin/.. even boring. After i got my LDI+, which i got especially for them and damn was i happy. The cheap amp gives them more power, body and much better sense of involvement.

Although I love them for all the right reasons, I still find mine to be somewhat bass deficient (standard bowls). Can you tell us the effect the LD I+ had specifically on the bass?

 

[GreatDane]

I did a quick comparison between taped bowls and flat pads. I used the track "Angel" from Massive Attack playing in iTunes at 256 kbps mp3 out to Pico DAC using high gain, HP out.

The flats have more bass for sure but they give up some soundstage as a trade-off.

 

[geremy]

WOW. I don't know what has happened but since about 6:30 or 7 PM I can hear the full sound spectrum. Same source, same music, but there is BODY. Maybe my ears have just adjusted, maybe the comfies made a larger difference than I realized, or maybe the drivers have just begun to open up (probably 12 hours of use so far). Most likely a combination of the 3. I hope it gets even better.

 

[pataburd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shoreman /img/forum/go_quote.gif Although I love them for all the right reasons, I still find mine to be somewhat bass deficient (standard bowls). Can you tell us the effect the LD I+ had specifically on the bass?

Shoreman,
The fascination of 325i's is their treble extension/dominance; "big on bass" is one thing they aren't, and won't be.
PAB

 

[mike6502]

geremy,
I'm so glad it's sounding better. I'm surprised to see how the experience of other people, including yourself, have mirrored my own: disappointing first impressions but eventual redemption.

dane,
Thanks for testing it out. Now I'm tempted to buy the flat pads, although $35 for a couple pieces of foam is truly theft. For that price, I could buy a pair of JVC HA-RX700s for portable use, or fix up my dying MDR-7506s.

 

[Shoreman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pataburd /img/forum/go_quote.gif Shoreman, The fascination of 325i's is their treble extension/dominance; "big on bass" is one thing they aren't, and won't be. PAB

I'm with ya, PAB. Your first sentence captures the essence of my love affair with theses phones. But, to clarify, I'm not looking for dominant bass. I'm not, and never have been, a basshead. I'm just curious as to the effect dedicated headamps, which I am currently researching for likely purchase, will have on enhancing the inherent bass producing capability of these phones. That's really all I find lacking in them, so I guess I'm grasping at straws, in a manner of speaking.