Grado vs Grado

[Rameish 0]

All headphones are fully run in. For run in procedure for a minimum of 72 hours click http://www.cryophilia.com/sgheadphones/ind...ct=ST&f=2&t=169

 

Also this will be a work-in-progress type of post as I will add my comparison between the SR-80 and SR-125, between the SR-125 and SR-225, and between the SR-225 and SR-325 (I will not compare the RS-2 or the RS-1 as there is really no alternative ¡Y´ the K-1000 is one and Stax is another but we¡Çre into the Super League category.

 

Those that like the Senn HD-600 sound will find Beyer DT-250 (250 ohm to their liking as well). There are other cans like the Sony CD-3000 and Audio Techica W-1000 that offer good value. These headphones belong in the Good Headphone Brigade. I cannot comment on what I have not heard but you may wish to give Ultrasone a good listen as well. Oh yes, if you can afford it do listen to the Etys.

 

Grado SR-60 vs Grado SR-80

 

Price: SR-60 is about S$120 and SR-80 is about S$170 (I'm putting in "about" because of crazy foreign exchange rates right now and the price may not hold for long).

 

The SR-60 is my personal headphone for about 2 years while the SR-80 I borrowed from a friend to whom I introduced Grado to some 1.5 years back.

 

The Grado SR-60 comes with what is commonly known as the comfy pads while the SR-80 comes with the so-called donut bowl pads. Since the comfy pads on the SR-60 covers the driver, the first thing I did was use the same donut bowl pads on both models. Do they sound the same was the burning big question in my head?

 

The SR-60 exhibited greater clarity with the donut bowl pads - as to be expected - but brought with it a certain roughness/harshness as well. That is to say the greater resolution that the donut pads brought came with a price. The SR-80 had the same level of resolution (or very slightly more) but was smoother, had the grit yet sounded refined. There was also better weight to the music presentation. In that I mean focus was better. An all round improvement over the SR-60 IMHO. And all this was out of a Panasonic SLCT-570 portable with no amplifier. With the Porta Corda, the same difference was still there but both headphones improved.

 

The Porta Corda II also showed the limitation of both headphones as well as the Panasonic SLCT 570 portable. Anyone who has used the Porta Corda II with an outboard 15-volt regulated power supply and a home CDP which outputs 2 volts rather than the 0.6 Volt of a portable will know what I mean. Rawhit of head-fi was one of them. And Ryan experience a bit of the improvement while still using a portable. Like I¡Çve always said even to Guyferd etc ¡Y´ get your source sorted out. Otherwise, even the world best amp will only amplify the unmusical, lightweight sound and the headphones will faithfully let you hear it. Anyways, the two headphones "played the notes well" if you like but the decay of the notes (and as such the flow of music) was just not there. Very enjoyable no doubt but you had to strain to hear the decay. Switching to the Corda HA-1 and then HA-2 with the Rotel RCD-971 CD players brought about improvement in imaging and dynamics but it was mainly due to the Rotel CD player ability to retrive more information than the Panasonic portable. Both headphones were better but the improvements were marginal. Still, SR-60 and SR-80 offer phenomenal value for money at their respective price points.

 

Conclusion: If you have a good portable cd player and are budgeting for a portable amp go for the SR-80. If you just have an average portable (no line out etc) then the SR-60 is just fine. In my opinion it is not worth the money to buy an amp for the SR-60 because for just S$50 more you get better value in the SR-80. That coming from a guy who used to sell Corda Amps! But if you're buying the SR-80 then please buy an amp for them in the future - it needn't be a Corda or Grado amp, Headroom's Airhead works just fine with Grados.

 

Note: The driver housing right down to the button size of the model number for both SR-60 and SR-80 (stuck onto the grill) are the same (I didn¡Çt measure them but put them side by side without the pads). I can only conclude the drivers are not. You¡Çll soon be able to hear this yourself once I pick up and burn in my demo SR-80 and SR-125.

 

Stay tuned for next week¡Çs episode of the Grado Wars when the SR-80 meets the SR-125. LOL

 

Have fun and enjoy the music.

Edited May 6, 2004 by Rameish

[Rameish 0]

Why nobody interested in low end Grados huh?

[Blues 0]

LOL!

I read the review.. but I saw noone replied also..

maybe lower end grados are not really popular here... unlike in head-fi.

[evil-zen 0]

i guess no one replied because not many people here have experiences with grado.

[fishball79 0]

Rameish,

 

Well reviewed. Hope to see more of such quality in reviews here. I visually compared the sr60 and sr225, both look the same too. One difference though, the fine fabric that covers the inside of the case on the sr225 is purple whereas it is greyish green on the sr60.

 

Something i did when i was bored

 

http://www.fujifilm.com.sg/html/fotoView.p...698e5cfdde2db4d

 

This shows the price curve of all grado headphone models. It closely resembles a x=y square curve eh?

[ablaze 0]

hey, as always, nice review Rameish. always a good read

[Rameish 0]

fishball,

 

I like your curve. What I also found interesting is the steepness which seems to indicate two value-for-sound the super gentle one up to SR-80 and the gentel one up to SR-325 and the steepest one for the Reference Series ones.

 

Between the two SR-60 and 80, I find the 80 offers great deal more bang for the buck.

Let's see if this holds true when I compare the SR-125 to it.

 

 

[N@Z 0]

A very good read Rameish. Unlike yourself though I find the SR80 harsh without an amp.

 

I'd like to add to the reference made to the Grado SR80 & Headroom Airhead. The Total Airhead was the one I used with the SR80s. This amp is quite smooth sounding especially with the rolled off highs. It helps to take the edge of the SR80 noticeably without sacrificing detail & the forward nature of the headphones. Making it more tolerable for longer listening sessions.

[fishball79 0]

Rameish,

 

Glad you like it. It seems to indicate the SR80 and SR225 being the most bang for buck as they a both are at the end of the least steep curve. This also assumes that the improvement of performance is linear and that our subjective judgement is also linear (equally critical and of praise as we compare better quality products).

 

In the end we are subjective creatures so one might truly believe the RS1s are worth the money despite it being able to buy 10 pairs of sr60... *shrug*

[Rameish 0]

Fishball,

 

Agree. Graphs can be misleading. A good friend of mine came by and gave the SR-225 and the SR-325 a long listen. My advice to him was get the most bang for buck and go for the SR-225. The SR-325 is better but bang-for-buck it's the SR-225. He said: "Hey I'm human and I do like eye-candy and am happy that's it's better anyway". I do admit the glove leather headband and the brushed aluminum look of the SR-325 is very good looking esp when compared to the SR-225 black ABS plastic and plether-vinyl headband cover. At least it's got a metal grill.

 

Also do not wash Grado pads - after washing they rapidly start to disintegrate (not overnight but withing a month they do).

 

N@Z,

 

Yeah the grit of the SR-80 is a there but that's what put the bite into trumpet playing. The more expensive models seem to have more "legato" and as such the music is smooth and linked together from note to note. I don't remember if that happends in the SR-125 but it does happen in the SR-225 and SR-325.

 

People, you're free to come by and listen 4 yourself to what I'm describing above (after the SARS outbreak is over). In fact I'm thinking of organizing the 1st SG Headphone Meet :-) before the end of the year.

 

 

[ablaze 0]

don't think it'll be over any time soon man

how about we wear a meet where every one wears a mask? that'll be good too if we take pictures so we can remain anonymous

[jtfoo 0]

 

Also do not wash Grado pads - after washing they rapidly start to disintegrate (not overnight but withing a month they do).

Now then I read this Too late, my wife already wash for me...

 

Any better ways to rid the pads of smell?

[N@Z 0]

So many white masked zorros around. I remember seeing in the paper ladies wearing designer labelled "over masks". Who will be first to design a SGheadphone or Head-Fi logoed one?

 

End of the year would be really great for me but if you'all decide to do it earlier then by all means, we can just arrange a pub/cafe meet, hehehe.

[evil-zen 0]

Now then I read this Too late, my wife already wash for me...

 

Any better ways to rid the pads of smell?

try using Febreze. A fabric spray that removes germs and odours. i've not used it on my headphones before but should better than the pads disintegrating.

[Rameish 0]

Ai yah. Just change the pad.

 

On Senn HD-600 fabric, Lysol spray works wonders. Just cover the driver portion (where the foam sits with a couple of tissues and spray the donut portion of the pad. Pleather can be wiped with glass cleaner - be gentle.

 

The Grado foam pad - I guess just sun it and air dry.

 

Of course you all of this at your own risk - had to put that in incase some yo-yo decided to spray the whole driver with Lysol.