Which pads for Grado 325i?

[35674]

deleted.

 

[kevin1592]

wheres the poll?

 

[Ruppin]

Got the flats from Todd. Putting the speaker closer to the ear improves the sound for me. Among other things, it cut the brightness which was a problem for me.

 

[cheechoz]

Stricktly bowls, and nothing else! I wouldn't want anything to get in the way of that beautiful detail the 325i's dish out!!

 

[35674]

deleted.

 

[OceanEnthusiast]

i listened to bowls for a long time on my 325i's. have the 414 (aka vwap) flats with the hole cut, but the sound is just too bloated and dull, so I've kept the bowls on. but the bowls to me have a little too much treble emphasis, and the bass could use a little more body.

so about 2 weeks ago i decided to try reverse bowls (again) after about a year of having the 325i's. perfect, seriously. the difference over regular bowls is very slight, nowhere near as different as the 414 pads, which are a completely different sound (i really don't care for the 414's). but with reverse bowls, more like regular bowls but more bass presence, highs don't pierce, can turn the volume up a little more, mids are fuller. to my ears, clarity on the top end is still retained, unlike with the 414 pads, which to me sound muddy. for me, the sound is what i've been looking for. so get used to the bowl sound first, then try reversing them.

 

[acidboy84]

How come no option for Todd's flats? Still deciding of getting it or not.

 

[OceanEnthusiast]

pretty sure todd's pads what is meant by 'flats'.

'vwap' = 414 pads

 

[milkpowder]

Bowls are still my premier choice because they give the best balance of sound. I have tried the bowls, HD414 pads (unmodded) and the TTVJ flats. The HD414 pads are a little too soft for support of the relatively heavy metal housings and don't sound great with the SR325i. I didn't bother making much comparison with the other pads as it was an arse to put on and also an arse to take off (too tight a fit). Anyway, the sound didn't impress me at all so let's move on.

The TTVJ flats take your ears away from the driver and also create a cylinder of air right next to your ears. The result is a much too prominent and powerful bassline and an overwhelming amount of lower midrange. Highs are indeed tamed, but sound muted in the presence of the strong lower frequencies. I don't like them at all.

The stock bowls are my favourite because I like and don't particularly mind the brightness of the SR325i. After 500+ hours, the SR325i don't sound as bright as they did and the bowls are actually tolerable. Bass is reasonably punchy while maintaining a certain level of balance of the frequencies; highs obviously have the most emphasis. Details are preserved and mids are not overemphasised.

 

[Icehawk]

Bowls with RS inserts.

 

[augustwest]

I like reversed bowls with most Grados.

- augustwest

 

[35674]

deleted.

 

[Naris]

I'm fond of bowls and flats. Bowls in general though. Flats are good when I want a more upfront and harder hitting sound (I think it cuts some of the brightness and adds a bit of bass). I've tried reverse bowls, and they aren't all that comfy to me. Never tried vwap or anything else.

EDIT: With the exception of the c-pads, all of the pads aren't that expensive. You could just buy all of them, give each a try for awhile, then sell the ones you don't like at all.