[gaszto]

Dear forum members,

Currently I'm using Grado SR80e and B&W P5 S2. I like the Grado detailed upper mid range, clarity, really fantastic for acoustic music, but something missing under 70Hz. The P5 have a great bass performance, but missing the live, detailed, presentation what I like in Grado.

I looking for a new headphone similar sound character to Grado with good sub bass, and huge sound stage and the impedance should be more than 70 Ohm. My budget is around 300$-400$

Any recommendation?

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Currently I'm using Grado SR80e and B&W P5 S2. I like the Grado detailed upper mid range, clarity, really fantastic for acoustic music, but something missing under 70Hz.

On the Prestige series, everything is missing under 70hz.

The P5 have a great bass performance, but missing the live, detailed, presentation what I like in Grado.

I looking for a new headphone similar sound character to Grado with good sub bass, and huge sound stage and the impedance should be more than 70 Ohm. My budget is around 300$-400$

Any recommendation?

Just use an equalizer app and boost everything from 70hz to 125hz and at around 1000hz.

 

[gaszto]

I have forgot to mention, that I'm using the headphone with a Canamp headphone amp. But I also want to build a tube amp. This is the reason of the required impedance. Equalizer is not my way...
My first picks Beyerdynamic DT880 or Sennheiser HD-650 or something. As I checked the measurements, it looks like all Grado have a sharp roll-of around 100Hz.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

I have forgot to mention, that I'm using the headphone with a Canamp headphone amp. But I also want to build a tube amp.

The CanAmp's high current performance is making the Grado more Grado-ey.

If you're chasing the sound of a Grado with a Heed (or a Perreux), no combo will have anything that will match your expectations, not even with making the power to sensitivity effectively equalized in output and much less a high voltage and depending on tube amp topology, markedly lower current delivery amp design.

It's like having a Shelby Cobra with a 5.4L V8, and you're looking for something that not only beats it objectively, but subjectively drives just like it but faster...but then every other option is like a GT with a V12 (British or Italian, doesn't matter, both are nothing like the Cobra V8), a 911 Turbo with the engine in the rear and has AWD, a Lambo, etc, and then at best you have something like that lightweight British kit car that uses an LS6 engine but it's behind the driver but is as sparse as the Cobra save for a roof.

Equalizer is not my way...

You're already going with hardware that's deliberately not aiming for a flat sound.

You're basically using an equalizer but with more steps.

I mean at least not going for a V8 and just using some high tech variable vane geometry turbo on a Korean engine has the practical reason of "no need for a cylinder shut down tech like Chrysler's to have a car that doesn't waste fuel at idle but can quickly overtake slow trucks."

My first picks Beyerdynamic DT880 or Sennheiser HD-650 or something.

Bottlehead Crack on the HD650 but at best it's going to be kind of like an RS2e. In other words, it's only kind of like a Grado, as opposed to your starting point of Grado-er Grado with a Grado driven by a Heed.

 

[gaszto]

The CanAmp's high current performance is making the Grado more Grado-ey.

If you're chasing the sound of a Grado with a Heed (or a Perreux), no combo will have anything that will match your expectations, not even with making the power to sensitivity effectively equalized in output and much less a high voltage and depending on tube amp topology, markedly lower current delivery amp design.

It's like having a Shelby Cobra with a 5.4L V8, and you're looking for something that not only beats it objectively, but subjectively drives just like it but faster...but then every other option is like a GT with a V12 (British or Italian, doesn't matter, both are nothing like the Cobra V8), a 911 Turbo with the engine in the rear and has AWD, a Lambo, etc, and then at best you have something like that lightweight British kit car that uses an LS6 engine but it's behind the driver but is as sparse as the Cobra save for a roof.




You're already going with hardware that's deliberately not aiming for a flat sound.

You're basically using an equalizer but with more steps.

I mean at least not going for a V8 and just using some high tech variable vane geometry turbo on a Korean engine has the practical reason of "no need for a cylinder shut down tech like Chrysler's to have a car that doesn't waste fuel at idle but can quickly overtake slow trucks."




Bottlehead Crack on the HD650 but at best it's going to be kind of like an RS2e. In other words, it's only kind of like a Grado, as opposed to your starting point of Grado-er Grado with a Grado driven by a Heed.

Summarize: there are no other headphone recommendation what have Grado-like dynamics, detail and clarity with extended low end, and good synergy with an OTL tube amp?

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Summarize: there are no other headphone recommendation what have Grado-like dynamics, detail and clarity with extended low end, and good synergy with an OTL tube amp?

No.

You can kind of come close to a Grado sound (maybe with low end bass) with a high sensitivity headphone and a really good OTL amp. Hell, you can use a Burson Conductor and an AKG K702 or HD650. Your problem is you don't just have a Grado, you have a Grado powered by a Heed (Perreux would be in the same vein).

In short - you're not just chasing a Grado, you're chasing a very Grado kind of Grado.

 

[gaszto]

No.

You can kind of come close to a Grado sound (maybe with low end bass) with a high sensitivity headphone and a really good OTL amp. Hell, you can use a Burson Conductor and an AKG K702 or HD650. Your problem is you don't just have a Grado, you have a Grado powered by a Heed (Perreux would be in the same vein).

In short - you're not just chasing a Grado, you're chasing a very Grado kind of Grado.

Ok, I understood, that the Heed Canamp with Grado not a best option, but earlier I've used a lot of other amps.
First I've started with JDS Labs C-Moy, then I've built a Grado RA1 clone, then a Beyerdynamic A1 clone, JDS Labs O2 amp, then I've tried with Heed Canamp, later I've modified Canamp, change feedback resistor to reduce the gain, and I've changed the stock Polyester capacitors to a really good sounding Polycarbonate.
Meantime I've built a tube amp for my speaker system and I've replaced my NAD3020i amp. Then I've realized something missing from the headphone system. (the warm tube sound, with great bass, and the harmonics. This is what I want to hear with the headphone system. Because with (OTL) tube amp difficult to drive the low impedance headphones, started to looking for a new headphone similar sound character, with extended low end, and higher impedance.
Of course it is possible to build a tube amp to drive Grado, but it's need a good output transformer, what is expensive, and the low end extension problem is not solved.

 

[ProtegeManiac]

Ok, I understood, that the Heed Canamp with Grado not a best option, but before I've used a lot of other amps.

Uhhh...that's not what I'm saying.

I'm saying that if you like Grado the Heed likely can give you even more of that Grado sound.

Meaning that if you try to chase that sound using something else, you've got even further to go.

It's like on the scale of Absolutely not Grado >> HD650 with Burson Conductor >> Grado headphone >> More Grado-ey Grado system with a Grado headphone and a Heed or Perreux

So if your goal was just to kind of get to where any Grado on a regular amp is, fine, you might get close, but then you're using something that makes for a wider gap.

That's why I'd much rather put a mild enough low shelf boost to the Grado you have using digital EQ so you get as much bass as you can get before it becomes a problem for the amp's current and damping factor or the drivers' suspension.

Of course it is possible to build a tube amp to drive Grado, but it's need a good output transformer, what is expensive, and the low end extension problem is not solved.

Or just...ya know...put a mild enough low shelf boost to the Grado you have using digital EQ so you get as much bass as you can get before it becomes a problem for the amp's current and damping factor or the drivers' suspension.