[truflip]

I received a 325is for Christmas!
 
Since then I've put in only about 30hrs and so far I'm very impressed. I normally have a serious face when listening to new headphones trying to focus and all but I found myself with a huge grin listening to these. They just sound great and are fun to listen to. I'm currently just using my home theatre receiver, a Marantz NR1501, with some higher bitrate mp3's airplayed via Apple TV which sounds great already... to me at least. Will be discovering FLAC's and mp3 converted FLAC's down the road to get the most out of these headphones.
 
I've also picked up a Fiio E11 with the L9 LOD for when using my iPhone. It does the trick but something tells me I should get the JDS Labs cMoyBB.
 
Anyway, those are my initial thoughts. Hello to all head-fi'ers and 325is owners here. 

 

[joseph69]

Nice gift, congratulation's on your new 325is's enjoy. I guess you read some of the last post's on this thread (if not all) I also just traded from MS2i's to the 325is's because I also found them more fun, and like you said you don't have to concentrate on an instrument to hear it, they are so separated and detailed. 

 

[truflip]

Thanks! I see you just traded in for these. I've never heard the MS2i's but I'm sure they were quite the set. Yes, exactly how you describe the 325is sound signature. 
 
Are you using an amp for yours? 

 

[joseph69]

Quote:

Thanks! I see you just traded in for these. I've never heard the MS2i's but I'm sure they were quite the set. Yes, exactly how you describe the 325is sound signature. 
 
Are you using an amp for yours? 

Yes, the MS2i's are quite a set!!!
I use the 325is's coming out of an Adcom GTP-400 pre-amp/tuner from a Meridian203D/A converter from a Sony CDP-C701ES transport. I love the way these component's drive the headphone's, and there is more than enough power for them (I only listen to my music at moderate level's, and can only turn the volume up to about 9-10 o'clock maximum, wich I feel they sound best, after that my head would probably explode. Just out of curiosity, in the future I would like to listen to the Bellari HA540 headphone amp to so how well it goe's with the Grado's, because it is a hybrid, and I'm curious about it's sound signature. But in speaking with other Head-Fier's, most say I will probably not benifit, but I'd like to hear for myself. There is alot different opinion's on dedicated headphone amp's, so like I said I'll find out for myself.
 
What do you use?

 

[truflip]

That's some pretty serious looking stuff! I bet they drive those Grado's well! 

 
I actually don't have a dedicated headphone amp or DAC right now. I only have this little portable amp for mp3 players. For home use, I have just been using my home theatre receiver. I've never used it for headphones before but I find it drives my Grado's quite well.
 
Down the road, I would like a dedicated headphone amp and DAC. For now, I'm definitely appreciative of these 'phones with my measly gear but I know it's just a matter of time... unfortunately for my wallet 

 

[stacker45]

Quote:

So I accidentally clicked on Madonna's "Hollywood" on my MP3 phone with a Fiio E5 amp.  Holy c r * p !  It sounded so good on my 325i's that I didn't only complete it I listened twice and put it on my playlist-- the first Madonna song to ever make it there! LOL
 
I always maintained that my old burned in 225i was at par with the 325is except in the bass department but now I have to retract that statement -- my 325is has officially surpassed my 225i in all aspects (except comfort) with this track.  Now I maintain that the 225i is STILL excellent and better than a lot of more expensive sets, so is the SR80i but the 325is just has more of everything! 
 
So now I have to wonder...what does the HP 1000 sound like?

 
The HP1000 sound very neutral, so if you like your 325is, you might find the HP1000 lacking in treble presence, every detail is there but it's presented in a less sparkly fashion.

 

[joseph69]

Quote:

That's some pretty serious looking stuff! I bet they drive those Grado's well! 

 
I actually don't have a dedicated headphone amp or DAC right now. I only have this little portable amp for mp3 players. For home use, I have just been using my home theatre receiver. I've never used it for headphones before but I find it drives my Grado's quite well.
 
Down the road, I would like a dedicated headphone amp and DAC. For now, I'm definitely appreciative of these 'phones with my measly gear but I know it's just a matter of time... unfortunately for my wallet 

Well if you are enjoying your headphone's with your measly gear, that is the main thing to enjoy the headphone's, so that being said your gear is not so measly. So I'm sure they sound  great out of your A/V reciever. And from reading these forum's,
alot of people drive them off of their ipod's, cell phone's (un-amped) and they love the sound.
 
I feel it's a nice bonus for the Grado's to perform well out of such device's.

 

[maddin]

+1 on this. even if it is here by a lot of people considered as standard that you need certain cables, amplifiers and so on - it is nice that Grado headphones deliver already so much from many sources. Of course they can benefit from amplification but this morning I listened with my SR325i the first album of Danzig with my 15 year old portable CD walkman - and this was just great. So, if I were you I would just continue to enjoy listening music. After all this is what headphones are about and not about buying more and more things (though most of us end up like this... I include myself there...)

 

[EF88]

Quote:

 
The HP1000 sound very neutral, so if you like your 325is, you might find the HP1000 lacking in treble presence, every detail is there but it's presented in a less sparkly fashion.

 
Is it MORE detail (you hear more things going on) or is it simply the same detail but less treble?  I came from the SR 80i and I can say that everything on the 325i is more detailed...the treble to me seems to be the on same level but just more complex on the 325...but the bass is incredible, unlike the 80i -- as intricate as as a live performance but better because all the extraneous noise has been edited out. Thanks for giving me an idea...I can't find one to try out around here -- not even a PS 500

 

[bbophead]

Quote:

.I can't find one to try out around here 

Where is "around here"?

 

[truflip]

Quote:

Well if you are enjoying your headphone's with your measly gear, that is the main thing to enjoy the headphone's......

 
Quote:

+1 on this. even if it is here by a lot of people considered as standard that you need certain cables, amplifiers and so on.........

 
Thanks! You guys are absolutely right. I'm going to get a decent portable amp, call it a day and then just enjoy these bad boys. I love my Marantz AVR so I'm going to get that elusive Grado extension cord instead for home use. 
 
Listening to The Weeknd right now and some of the songs where the lows and highs normally fail on all other headphones, really and absolutely shine on these 325is. My girlfriend was over last night and she asked me if I ever "heard" this one song before. She meant really hear the extension on both ends. Its insane! 

 

[bearFNF]

Try reversing the pads (so teh flat back is against your ear instead of teh cup) on your 325i's and tell me what you think.
 
I have been driving mine with a Schiit magni and find it quite nice.

 

[joseph69]

Quote:

Try reversing the pads (so teh flat back is against your ear instead of teh cup) on your 325i's and tell me what you think.
 
I have been driving mine with a Schiit magni and find it quite nice.

How do you like the reversed (L) cushion's?

 

[bearFNF]

bare with me I am NOT a jedi master of descriping audio impressions.
 
Here are my thoughts. (disjointed as they are)
The reversed L cushions are the best sounding Good bass no shrilling highs and are more comfortable than both the S and the L (installed the right way) but less comfortable than the G.  Good compromise for now until I can do some more testing.
L cushions are good as is for sound, but a little shrill (but not too bad) in the highs and just right in the lows, but they are NOT comfortable me for long durations.  Ears start to hurt after about an hour or so.
S cushions are good also, a little more comfortable but still not there.  Highs and bass are both slightly muted, maybe quarter round mod?
G cushions (which are HUGE by the way) are the most comfortable but they are way to shrill in the highs, to the point of painfull and would not want to use them. maybe a cloth membrane would work (some have said that T-shirt material incovering the opening niocks the shrill down), have not tried it yet.  Did I mention these things are huge?
 

 

[stacker45]

Quote:

 
Is it MORE detail (you hear more things going on) or is it simply the same detail but less treble?  I came from the SR 80i and I can say that everything on the 325i is more detailed...the treble to me seems to be the on same level but just more complex on the 325...but the bass is incredible, unlike the 80i -- as intricate as as a live performance but better because all the extraneous noise has been edited out. Thanks for giving me an idea...I can't find one to try out around here -- not even a PS 500

 
I wouldn't want to say something that wasn't true, because it has been a while since i've heard the 325is, so i could't tell you if the HP1000s are MORE detailed than the 325is, but like i've said before, they definately don't sound as bright, but then, the 325is are i believe, THE brightes sounding Grados.