[eclein]

macrojacks post started my brain back up.....Limba Wood.....A head-fi friend in Florida was making them and I was sort of promoting the whole mod your Grado thing so I had cups in several different types of wood and I'd do comparisons between them it was the most fun I've ever had here....
 We thought Coccobolla wood, or whatever the correct name and spelling are, would be the best and most exotic but it was the tip of the iceberg.

John R had just sent me the Grado's because the high end was wacked and he never used them and I met this guy online at head-fi and boom we swapped like 6 or 7 different ones in mine here and the Limba wood always smoked all the others. I'll never sell these or trade away as these babies are sweet!!!!

[jarcher]

I'd say IMHO that what eclein has done is what you need to get the best out of Grado's - i.e. get the best bang for the buck SR80 nor 125, dump everything but the drivers + encase w/ wood.  Bravo.

Or if you want a budget planar magnetic headphone, buy a Fostex T50RP for $100 off of Amazon.com, then mod the bejesus out of it if your a tinkerer.  Don't know if there's some mod that can let you do "open back" for that "airy" sound quality you want a la Grado / Audeze / Hifi Man / etc, but supposedly there's a wiki + boatloads more on the internet about every possible mod done.

[Letitroll98]

Funny, what started me looking for another set of decent phones was the desire to mod my JVC HARX900's and have something in situ to listen to while the mod was taking place and/or I broke something.  I'm very ham handed these days.  I'll almost positively be down to your place Sunday after next, I think that's when the meet is scheduled, the 24th, right?  Anyway, the offer to listen to some Grados is much appreciated.

As an aside, the JVCs are a way underrated headphone.  Stock they are easily better than Senn 580's and approach 600's in some ways.  Modded they are suppose to be world beaters.  We'll see.

I thought about the Fostex and then mod, but it seems pretty iffy when you can buy a set of Mad Dogs for fairly reasonable.

[brooklyn]

Hi everyone, I’ve been using the Grado SR325i for around a month now and I do like the sound quality of them
but there’s no real comfort as far as I’m concerned. I listened to music last night and watched a couple of movie’s
and I found myself constantly shifting the headphones to find a different spot on my ear for more comfort.

For the life of me, I can’t understand why Grado, knowing that many people find there ear pieces uncomfortable
don’t make ones that can be worn for a couple of hours at a time without having to move adjust them on the ear.
Maybe they just aren’t the headphones for me….. also, I can take or leave the retro look..

I know they have after market ear pieces but I believe the one’s on the SR325i’s have the one’s that are supposed
to be more comfortable (picture below)

For that reason, I’m thinking of trying the Hifiman HE400 headphones before there all gone at the $300.00 price tag.
I don’t remember if someone here on the circle has a pair and if they really like them and find them comfortable.

[Letitroll98]

That's a great pic, looks like an ad pic or something.  The comfort thing seems to be a universal issue that never gets fixed 100%, either it doesn't bother you that much our it does.  No one ever said, wow, I really fixed that issue, these feel great now.  Another reason to dip your toes into Grado rather than dive all in.

I heard the HE400i and they were very comfortable.  But the rep I talked to said the i version was so different that they really should have made it a new model, 420 or something.  The original 400 is said to be very colored toward the dark end of the spectrum.  The HE400i was quite neutral, only slightly gentle on top, all in a good way to my ears.  If you like the dark side maybe the original is the bargain for you.

[adydula]

If you want comfort try BeyerDynamics T90's...I listen for hours and they are very comfortable...

Alex

[brooklyn]

Hi Letitroll98, thanks for the comment on the picture.. I actually was talking about the Hifiman HE400i’s but didn’t see that I missed the i.   

For me, headphone comfort is paramount because I like to listen to music or watch movie’s late at night when I get off work but I find the Grado’s are just not cutting it in that department for me..

The Hifiman HE400i’s get good marks by the audio press and thought I might give them a try or maybe even something else in that price range.

Regards,
Brooklyn

[brooklyn]

Hi adydula, the BeyerDynamics T90’s look like the Mercedes Benz of headphones but unfortunately there a little more then double the price of what I want to spend. I will have to do some research before I decide on another set of cans..

I also have the AKG Q701’s and though they are large, they are very comfortable, even for a few hours. Now that I finally tried the Grado’s to see what all the fuss is about, I think it’s already time to move on. That’s to bad because they do sound great.

[dB Cooper]

I also have the AKG Q701’s and though they are large, they are very comfortable, even for a few hours. Now that I finally tried the Grado’s to see what all the fuss is about, I think it’s already time to move on. That’s to bad because they do sound great.

That's pretty much been my reaction to the Grados- nice sound but comfort is just not there. The flat pads, which are no longer used, were abominable; the stock cups still allow the inner surface to contact my earlobe, and the big cups are not bad, but they're another $45 or so and even then the headphones lose the comfort battle- badly- to just about any AKG, Senn, or Beyer model. Like you say, too bad because they do have a nice sound.

[eclein]

Brooklyn I saw the larger G Cush type (I think thats the letter) on Amazon by Zonks for $19 which isn't horrible. Everybody says they will fit but the ring of foam that ultimately attaches to the ear cups looks too small to me but I hear people say they fit. Its too bad they are not the 325e's or I'd make an offer to ya for the Grado's. I'm lucky and they sit perfectly on my head and ears with the foam you see in the picture (L Cush I think)........
 I really want some PS500e's but $595 is a tough price for me to get....I'll wait a few months and watch head-fi for used ones......try the HE400's but you may find them heavy....not sure. My HE5-LE's were a bit heavy as I remember but the sound is amazing. 

[mcgsxr]

I owned a set of 60i's that I fully modded a number of years ago.

DIY Indian Rosewood cups, mesh rears, leather headband, holes in the back of the driver, removed the white coating off the front of the driver, replaced the cable with Vampire wire and a 1/4 plug.  Used them with a hybrid tube headamp.  Only with the large cups did I find happiness for comfort and sound.  I wore those phones for 5-6 hours at a time in my home office.

I took them to a Head Fi meet in Toronto, and listened to many other Grado's with the same amp I was using.  None up to the PS1000 ( I think ) were interesting to me.

Here's a few pics before I installed the brown leather JMoney headband.





I sold them off a few years back and have not played with headphones since, other than my iem's for plane travel.

The large cushions are very comfortable, but I found they brought more treble to the party.  The best sound was the mid sized cups, though I could not wear them for more than an hour, especially with glasses on.

I would buy another set of low end Grado's in a heartbeat.

I also liked the MS-1 Allesandro's too - they reminded me of the 225's.

[Guy 13]

Hi mcgsxr,
that nice little girl has a contagious smile.
Who is she ?

Guy 13

[mcgsxr]

The small one exploring the headphone experience is my youngest daughter.  She turns 9 this November.  I think she was 7 in the pic.

I bought her and her older sister sets of Nuforce iems around Xmas this year, as they are prolific users of iPad mini and I was tired of hearing it.

They are good students too, so I can live with some screen time for them.

[brooklyn]

Brooklyn I saw the larger G Cush type (I think thats the letter) on Amazon by Zonks for $19 which isn't horrible. Everybody says they will fit but the ring of foam that ultimately attaches to the ear cups looks too small to me but I hear people say they fit. Its too bad they are not the 325e's or I'd make an offer to ya for the Grado's. I'm lucky and they sit perfectly on my head and ears with the foam you see in the picture (L Cush I think)........
 I really want some PS500e's but $595 is a tough price for me to get....I'll wait a few months and watch head-fi for used ones......try the HE400's but you may find them heavy....not sure. My HE5-LE's were a bit heavy as I remember but the sound is amazing. 

Hi eclein, I contacted Grado about the larger G cushions but they don’t
recommend them for the 325i’s, they say it changes the sound quality.

They did recommend washing the cushions with mild laundry detergent
and water. I think someone also mention that on Audio Circle a while back
on a different thread.

I will see how that pans out, they do sound really good and I would hate
to part company with them but if I have to I will.

[plaf26]

Got an old pair of Grado SR200's.  Is there any way to tell if they are the rare collector's items with the more expensive HP 1000 drivers that Grado shipped them with for a short time?

[brooklyn]

I don’t know much about Grado headphone’s other then owning SR325i’s for a short time. The internet
does show the the SR200 with the HP1000 drivers are collectable but it was hard to gauge a price.

The ebay ad below shows a pair that didn’t sell in January 2014 for
the $350.00 asking price.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Grado-SR200-Headphones-Rare-/281232181576

[mcgsxr]

Pull the sponges off.  Are the drivers pink?

[motosapien]

I'm well pleased with my SR80s.  Also got the Grado extended cord for some mobility.  The on the ear gives a more spacious ambience than over the ear.  They are cooler as well and very comfortable.   That being said, I have not auditioned many hfs so my opinions are narrowly informed.

[brooklyn]

Hi eclein, I contacted Grado about the larger G cushions but they don’t
recommend them for the 325i’s, they say it changes the sound quality.

They did recommend washing the cushions with mild laundry detergent
and water. I think someone also mention that on Audio Circle a while back
on a different thread.

I will see how that pans out, they do sound really good and I would hate
to part company with them but if I have to I will.

I just wanted to mention that I did try soaking/washing the cushions in the sink
with laundry detergent by hand, it did help a bit and has certainly made the Grado’s
a little more comfortable for extended use.

[restrav]

i listened to a GS1000e for a week or so. i'll be writing a review ... it does rock ... but it is a bit of a hard sell though at that price ... Grado is a weird company ... .they just do they're own thing.