[Calsdad]

A music magazine in the UK contained a brief section on headphones in this month's issue.

It recommended the SR60s for classical music (which suprised me a little), and then went on to recommend buying a headphone amp for them - citing the Graham Slee Gram Amp 1 as a good budget choice.

But the Gram Amp 1 is a record player pre-amp: http://www.gspaudio.co.uk/preamps/gr...plifier_st.htm
Does the journo know something I don't (I am new to the world of head fi), or has he made a boo boo?

 

[agile_one]

I agree with you that the reviewer made a mistake (or is is an idiot). Likely he meant to say the Graham Slee Solo headphone amp, which is well regarded by those who own or have heard it.

I think the Grado SR60's, as good as they are for the cost of entry, would be considered as entry level headphones for classical music, however, and while they do benefit from an amp, sound great without one as well.

All in all, the advice given by that music rag seems suspect, and would put me off any other advice they handed out.

 

[doctorjuggles]

It also has to be mentioned that even if the writer meant the Slee Solo amp, that's a ~£350 amp. Which would probably sound great with the SR60s, but as he's talking about 'budget choice', it seems that they're a bit mismatched.

I know, however, that some headphone amps can be used as pre-amps, so it's possible that the Gram Amp could be used in the reverse configuration, I guess, although I have no experience with Graham Slee's stuff.

Care to let us know which mag it is? I'd be keen to check it out and see if there are many other inaccuracies in it, as this may just be a one off.

 

[Calsdad]

The mag was "Classic FM".

From the pictures I've seen of the amp, it doesn't even have a headphone socket, so I think he is very confused.

He also said there were absolutely no drawbacks to the SR60s, whereas it didn't take me long at all to identify that some find them uncomfortable.

In praise of the article, it got me interested in looking for some good headphones, and I ended up here

Mind you, he also recommended the Bose noise reduction cans, which also throws doubt on his judgement.

 

[Calsdad]

BTW do you know if the Solo amp is an allrounder, including classical. The reviews I've seen don't talk much about it's preformance with classical, or jazz/swing.

Is it easy to 'match', I've read good things about it's use with Senns and AKGs but do you know if it would suit Beyer DT880s?

 

[hugz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by doctorjuggles It also has to be mentioned that even if the writer meant the Slee Solo amp, that's a ~£350 amp. Which would probably sound great with the SR60s, but as he's talking about 'budget choice', it seems that they're a bit mismatched. I know, however, that some headphone amps can be used as pre-amps, so it's possible that the Gram Amp could be used in the reverse configuration, I guess, although I have no experience with Graham Slee's stuff. Care to let us know which mag it is? I'd be keen to check it out and see if there are many other inaccuracies in it, as this may just be a one off.

~£350 amp matched with entry level phones.... someone's got his priorities a little off.

A UK mag should be recommending alessandro over grado

Also, grados aren't exactly the first point of reference for classical. They're okay, but not a match made in heaven

 

[hugz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by doctorjuggles It also has to be mentioned that even if the writer meant the Slee Solo amp, that's a ~£350 amp. Which would probably sound great with the SR60s, but as he's talking about 'budget choice', it seems that they're a bit mismatched. I know, however, that some headphone amps can be used as pre-amps, so it's possible that the Gram Amp could be used in the reverse configuration, I guess, although I have no experience with Graham Slee's stuff. Care to let us know which mag it is? I'd be keen to check it out and see if there are many other inaccuracies in it, as this may just be a one off.

~£350 matched with entry level phones.... someone's got his priorities a little off.

A UK mag should be recommending alessandro over grado

Also, grados aren't exactly the first point of reference for classical. They're okay, but not a match made in heaven

conclusion: reviewer possibly not genius

 

[TooNice]

And considering that the Grado are not exactly.. particularly good bang for buck, you are not short of options in that price range.