[TMC]

Quote:

Originally posted by Rizumu Get rid of bowls, bring back flats as standard pads!!! I like how the cups can swivel all the way around

Yeah flat pads would be nice. But I don't know why you actually like that the cups can swivel around a full circle or two? I always have to turn them back unless I want the cord pushing into the side of my neck.

 

[Beagle]

Quote:

Originally posted by braillediver I’m sure John Grado makes the Headphones exactly as he wants them to be. Being they are a successful product he’s probably not interested in taking suggestions on how to “improve” them. He does run a successful audio company and basically no one here does. The “problems” you point out about the cables don’t effect the sound and aren’t detrimental in any way. The more important issues to look into would be the repair records he’s accumulated over the years. Each headphone in the Grado product line is made for a specific price point. Incrementally going up in performance and cost. Any change even small in the cable design would probably adversely affect the cost structure. What’s interesting is the price of Grado headphones doesn’t seem to have changed in a long time. The RS-1’s lost the mahogany box but the price didn’t go up. I saw a 6 or 7 year-old receipt for the RS-1’s and they were $695 even then. John Grado knows his market, knows his product. He’s not competing with the big mass-market companies. R+D dollars are scarce and expensive. Basically you can make a product and make money or do R+D and spend money. Regardless of which you chose you still have bills and operating cost to cover. Mitch

Good post. Yup, the SR60, now 10 years old, is still $69, and the other models prices have remained as they were.

Quote:

Originally posted by MartinB when I have spent over 1000 USD on Grado products I think I have the right to complain about it.

Why are you spending so much money on products you complain about?

 

[MartinB]

Quote:

Why are you spending so much money on products you complain about?

No product is perfect especially not Grado. I love Grados products and that's why I buy them. You don't find out about weaknesses before you buy them. It's after you have lived with them for a while.
They have weaknesses(not alone to think that) and I don't think it's wrong to
point that out.

 

[TidesCAL]

Even if they're continued to be hand built, which means more jobs for more people, I'm pretty sure they could over time come up with a nice comfortable 'new' design for their headphones.

 

[MD1032]

My complaints:

1) BUILD QUALITY. It's unacceptable. The headphones are plastic-ey and don't have a solid feel to them at all, kind of like handling fine china every time I pick them up and put them on. The earcups rotate way too freely, with almost no resistance. If I tilt my headphones while in the air, the heavier side of the earcup with rotate towards the side tipping downward. The headband is a cheesy piece of vinyl (cheap vinyl, not even decent stuff) over a metal band. On the plus side, the cord and mini jack are very high quality, as are the drivers.

2) That tapping sound the wire makes when it moves around in the hole that leads into the earpiece, causing an annoying tap tap/thunk thunk microphonic sound in the earpiece that's quite loud. I called Grado and he said that the reason they don't glue the wires right to the earpiece was because the microphonics were terrible when they did that. Still, I can't imagine it would be too hard to figure out a way to remedy this. I tried rubber bands and it didn't work, so I guess superglue would be the only thing I can think of left. I don't want to do that, obviously, because it would be permanent and might yield the microphonics John spoke of.

3) Pads. I wish Grado would ship some different types of pads with the headphones, like flats, bowls, comfies, modded Senns, etc. Then the user could determine which they liked best and kept them.

Things I CAN'T complain about:

1) Sound. All is forgiven upon listening to these phones. They truly are wonderful sounding headphones for the money. Their detail and resolution amazes me, as does the soundstage (positioning is the main part of it). Bass is amazing, it's nice and tight in rock recordings when you need it to be, but it has very nice resonance on Classical recordings with bass drums, double basses and such.

2) Looks. I wouldn't care if these things were yellow and green with red stripes and were terribly huge, I'd still love them for the sound they put out. The design is built solely for sound, and I have no problem with it (it shows it).

3) Comfort. I have absolutely no problem with bowl pads, as they are circumaural on me and are actually quite comfortable. The only discomfort came from pressure against my head, easily remedied by bending the headand.

My $0.02

 

[SptsNaz]

Quote:

Originally posted by MD1032 3) Pads. I wish Grado would ship some different types of pads with the headphones, like flats, bowls, comfies, modded Senns, etc. Then the user could determine which they liked best and kept them.

Why would grado ever even think about using the senn pads when its SENNHEISER. I'm sure that first on their not-to-do list (Ship internationally is second) Don't know why, I just had to bring it up.

 

[hottyson]

Quote:

Originally posted by MartinB Hello all Grado and ex Grado owners out there! What do you think that Grado can improve for their next line of headphones??

I don't own any Grado headphones but I definitely would if they improve the comfort level.

I think that instead of making changes they should come out with a whole separate consumer line designed with durability, comfort, and a detachable cable like the Sony mini detachable headphone cable. I really like the Sony cable and connector.

 

[aerius]

A ball detent or something like that to stop the thing from spinning once it gets to the flat storage position. The pads will rotate with minimal resistance until it gets near the flat position where the detent comes into play and "locks" it flat. You can still turn the pads past the flat position without breaking things but it will take a bit of force so it's not going to spin itself.

Flat pads or vwap pads for better comfort. The stock pads hurt my ears.

A brown headband, yes it's superficial but I think it'll look better than the black one they use.

 

[TimSchirmer]

just bring back the hp1...

 

[MartinB]

Quote:

just bring back the hp1

Why? When they have the PS-1!

 

[jona]

I love the Grado sound & the light weight of these cans, but agree that any product can be refined. Suggested improvements:
1. Detachable cables would be nice, but extra weight would be a trade-off.
2. The earpads are a matter of preference & are easily changed. Gently washing the stock bowl pads softens them nicely. RadioShack #33-379's & Senn 414 are suggestions for aftermarket pads. Todd carries some flat pads as well. The perfect earpad offering might be a set of pads allowing the user to fine-tune the sound to taste (e.g. multiple size bowls vs flat, various acoustic foams to cover the driver).
3. Headband- IMHO- Grado could make some $$ by offering a nicer headband cover as an aftermarket item (e.g. upgraded vinyl or leather).

BTW- I have no complaints about the build quality. I do not equate build quality with bulk. My first Grado's (SR-80's) are still perfect after 2 years of daily use. I would rate the build quality MUCH higher than the Senn HD580's I got last month (loose cable, misfit earpads, much plastic flash on the earcups & headband).

Jon

 

[Quad]

Quote:

Originally posted by braillediver I’m sure John Grado makes the Headphones exactly as he wants them to be. Being they are a successful product he’s probably not interested in taking suggestions on how to “improve” them. He does run a successful audio company and basically no one here does. Mitch

I think that successful audio companies are so because they listen to customers the only industries that can get away with not doing so are monopolies or near monopolies. For example, large software firms seem to feel this way about their scum customers.

BTW I pretty much love my Grado's the cords do tangle but it gives me something to do. My cords have not gotten flat spots I will remember to be careful to not crush them and glueing in the cords to the earpiece has not made mine microphonic but has prevented the cables breaking on the inside as they did once. A removable cord I would like but purists would not like this so I would not do that if I were Grado. Modders have to have something to do with their time.

 

[austonia]

there is an example here

http://headwize2.powerpill.org/proje...=grado_prj.htm

of someone who converted thier Grados into having a cord that plugs in at the earcups.. this is exactley what I want.

Any DIY's want to make some money?? PM me

 

[MD1032]

Quote:

Originally posted by SptsNaz Why would grado ever even think about using the senn pads when its SENNHEISER. I'm sure that first on their not-to-do list (Ship internationally is second) Don't know why, I just had to bring it up.

You know what I mean!

I meant Grado could make a type of pad that was soft like the senn pads, which would drastically improve comfort and sound, as many say.

He could AT LEAST offer an alternate pad for purchasing on the site, but he's completely canned the idea of flat pads or anything other than the bowls and comfies on the SR-60's.

 

[SptsNaz]

I really don't know what he sees in the bowl pads. It must be some marketing technique to save money because the flat pads are light years better. The flats make the cans less bright, MUCH more dynamic, improve bass significantly and the comfort is much more tolerable.

PLEASE JOHN READ THIS DAMN THREAD