Where do people buy Grado headphones?
My dog ate my cheap Aiwa's, and I was thinking about upgrading.
Listened to Sony MDR700DJ's at Best Buy, but they're $150 and I heard that Grado SR60's sound better.
Trying to find a vendor. Does anyone buy them locally, or from a website?
Thanks
[294 byte] By [
Randy_M] at [2007-11-9 13:25:59]
# 1 Re: Where do people buy Grado headphones?
try head-fi.com
they have lots of links
# 2 Re: Where do people buy Grado headphones?
Or bypass those fools at head-fi.*org* and go directly to www.headphone.com
The SR60 does sound much better for home and not-very-noisy-environment-portable use to the MDR-V700DJ, but not if you're using them in high noise environments like the city, public transport, etc. They also leak sound quite badly. People around you will be able to hear everything you're listening to.
It also depends on what sort of music you listen to. If you listen to a lot of pop, the SR60 doesn't have that much bass impact. The SR80 is better for that and is altogether a better sounding phone than many closed phones, the V700 included. But it suffers from the open headphone problems once again.
I use my Grado RS-1 when I'm in the garden or I might taken them with me on a trip where I might be in a peaceful place somewhere. I wouldn't take them into town - The Shure E1 or the MDR-V700DJ is what I take then.
# 3 Re: Where do people buy Grado headphones?
Or bypass those fools at head-fi.*org* and go directly to www.headphone.com
www.headphones.com
You forgot the 's'. :)
# 4 Re: Where do people buy Grado headphones?
Those are the wrong guys. Don't correct me if you don't know yourself in the first place. It *is* www.headphone.com. Headroom gives you service that only genuinely obsessed headphone geeks can.
# 5 Re: Where do people buy Grado headphones?
I already have a pair of Shure E2's for airplanes and lawn mowing. The Headroom website states that the SR80's needs an external amp not to sound murky. What do you think about that? I would only be using these phones for my 3G iPod at home, so I don't really care about sound leakage.
I DO care about comfort, however. Since I can't seem to find a local source to try them, how are they for, say, an hour or two of continuous use?
I'm totally open as to open vs closed earcups.
My main listening if pop and non-heavy-metal rock, with some classical, jazz and new age.
Thanks for any opinions.
Randy
# 6 Re: Where do people buy Grado headphones?
I would get the Grado SR 60's-- They are comfortable, two hours of listening no problem. They are open cans, and sound simply fantastic. I would not buy the SR 80's unless you plan on buying an amp. The SR 80's add A LITTLE more bass, but for the type of music you listen to, it's probably not going to make that much difference between the amped SR80's and the unamped SR 60's (and you don't want the SR80's unamped--most people feel the SR80's unamped actually sound worse than the SR60's unamped, although this isn't universally accepted). IMHO, the SR 60's are simply the best set of unamped cans you can get for the ipod. They are unbelievable, especially at that price. One thing I'll caution you on--they sound different than closed cans, but once you get you used to them, you'll swear by them. And for what you listen to (which is very similar to what I listen to), I think you'll be blown away.
I have the Shure's too--and if you like the Shure's, you'll love the Grado's...The Shure's are kinda the earphone equivalent of the Grado SR 60's--very similar sounding with regard to bass, highs and lows (But the Grado's do sound significantly better).
dmt1 at 2007-11-15 15:33:13 >
# 7 Re: Where do people buy Grado headphones?
If you're parroting headroom's review, I guess you need an amp :rolleyes:. Practically speaking, with the iPod's amp the SR80 (and the RS-1, which I use) is a no brainer. The 80 is much better for pop and general use on the iPod. The iPods amp may be quite powerful, but bass is not the iPods strong suit. The extended response on the SR80's really helps to bring out the lows in situations like this.
# 8 Re: Where do people buy Grado headphones?
Thanks for all the info....my local audio shop carries Sennheiser, so I'm going to stop on the way home from work and sound-test the HD497, which the Headphone site says sound similar to the SR60's. Wish there was a local vendor for the Grado's, though.
# 9 Re: Where do people buy Grado headphones?
Before you go and buy those Sennheisers, check out Headroom's return policy. It's fairly risk free. If you don't mind your phones being open, you owe it to yourself to try a Grado. Especially the SR80 for pop.
http://www.headphone.com/layout.php?topicID=6&subTopicID=51
# 10 Re: Where do people buy Grado headphones?
Well, went ahead and ordered the SR60's from Headroom. If I don't think they have enough zing, I'll see about trading for the 80's. Thanks for all the help, guys.
Cheers
# 11 Re: Where do people buy Grado headphones?
www.amusicdirect.com has audiophile components of every sort. Ask them to send you a catalog and you'll see what I mean.
dinged at 2007-11-15 15:38:18 >
# 12 Re: Where do people buy Grado headphones?
Just got my SR60's today, and I think they sound FANTASTIC with my iPod. Bass sounds super tight, and not boomy like the Sony's I tried.
I'll never use cheap headphones again.
$76 with 2nd day Fedex, best money I ever spent.
# 13 Re: Where do people buy Grado headphones?
Yep--gotta love the grado's. And BTW, it's not JUST headrooms review--the same point has been made in several audiophile forums, so suggesting I am merely "parroting" their review is a bit misleading. Still maintain that the Grado SR 60's are the best unamped headphone for the ipod--not everyone may agree, that's cool, everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
dmt1 at 2007-11-15 15:40:22 >
# 14 Re: Where do people buy Grado headphones?
I bought a pair of SR60's for my cousin last year and have had the opportunity to test them head-to-head with a pair HD497s in a quiet environment a few months ago.
The Senns were much more comfortable and I could wear it for longer periods of time due to its lighter mass and better fit to my noggin'.
The Grados beat the Senns when played through my unamped PCDP. Crisper vocals and better bass (not as boomy as the Senns).
One thing to note was that the Grados had been worn in whilst the Senns were straight out of the box.
# 15 Re: Where do people buy Grado headphones?
Originally posted by dmt1
Yep--gotta love the grado's. And BTW, it's not JUST headrooms review--the same point has been made in several audiophile forums, so suggesting I am merely "parroting" their review is a bit misleading. Still maintain that the Grado SR 60's are the best unamped headphone for the ipod--not everyone may agree, that's cool, everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
Nothing misleading about it. There's what's typically referred to as unamped (5mw -> 16 ohms) and there's unamped in this case (iPod's 30mw -> 32 ohms). There's quite a difference between the two. The SR80 is comfortably powered by the iPod, as is my RS-1 (people will tell you that also needs an amp). I have a META and Supermini and they're gathering dust.
