[dlparker]

I've searched all the circles and was surprised to find that there are no headphone specific forums, so I'm asking here.

It looks like the AVA products, both phono cartridges and headphones, have been discontinued. The phono cartridges is not really a surprise given the move to digital, but the 'phones disappearance is something of a puzzle to me.

Now (FINALLY!) to my question - have the recent upgrades by Grado (the ...i and ...e versions) 'stolen' some of Frank's improvements to the stock product? I can well imagine that a company like grado would keep on eye on improvements and mods that others have made to their products and incorporated them into their product revisions. I said "FINALLY" above, but here's the real question - should I wait for the AVA mods to come back, or should I just go for Grado's latest 225 revision?

[avahifi]

A:  We have never modified Grado headphones.  I still us a set of SR-200 versions here for testing. They are overdue for new foam ear pads.

B:  No AVA products have been discontinued other then when new and better designs become available. The phono cartridge was an exception when our builder retired.  The MK 5 DAC is unavailable until more of the AKM digital chips become available again, their factory burned down late winter. The Ultravalve vacuum tube amp is on hold until we can get power and output transformers again.

Frank

[charmerci]

I had the SR200 as I'm a dedicated AVA follower. I've got the hifiman 400i - you can find them on their website for $169. It blows the sr200 out of the water not even close. It's the first headphone in which I think can outperform a good loudspeaker. They are a bit in the heavy side though.

[dlparker]

Thanks Frank! I had somehow gotten it into my head that there were mods made to the SR-225. I need to get some kind of replacement ear pads for my GW-100 phones - my first venture into the Grado headphone family and the first Grado product since the early 80s - grado m series (I think) cartridge. Probably time to replace the stylus. It was Wayner who was modding the carts, right?

I really like the GW-100 phones, but the earpads keep coming off, the adjustment won't accommodate my apparently too small head, and the bluetooth performance is not ideal. v2 of the gw-100 v2 moves to bluetooth 5.0 from bluetooth 4.2, and I'm pretty sure there are after-market replacement earpads.

Thanks again!

[Mark Korda]

Hi, I have a pair of Grado's. I have gone thru 3 sets of ear pads and I rarely even use them. They are made of a foam rubber that is terrible. The foam rubber on my constantly used Audax co-ax's surrounds is still fine after 31 years. So what's with that Grado? It's like buying some new tires for your car and they blow out or fall apart after 1000 miles. I wouldn't purchase Grado's again until they addressed this problem which seems on the simple side and why haven't they?...Mark Korda

[dlparker]

Grado has everything covered except the ear pads and the ability to adjust the headband. The GW-100s are my first venture into the Grado can series, and I was really impressed with the sound. Bluetooth was pretty spotty though. That's what got me looking at ver. 2 of the GW-100s.

As far as the mods to the 225s that I thought AVA was doing, I think that on several different forums over the years I've read about people putting some sort of putty on internal parts of 'phones and speakers that damped unwanted resonances and vibrations of parts that weren't intended to vibrate.

As always - if it's sounds like I have the foggiest notion of what I'm talking about then you probably need to read my post again.

Hi, I have a pair of Grado's. I have gone thru 3 sets of ear pads and I rarely even use them. They are made of a foam rubber that is terrible. The foam rubber on my constantly used Audax co-ax's surrounds is still fine after 31 years. So what's with that Grado? It's like buying some new tires for your car and they blow out or fall apart after 1000 miles. I wouldn't purchase Grado's again until they addressed this problem which seems on the simple side and why haven't they?...Mark Korda