Grado vs Grado

[ymmit 0]

Hmm.. Music by design close shop is it? I've been calling for the past 2 days, the number is correct, but no one's answering. Staff at Adelphi said store's lights are off.

[kelv 0]

Hi everyone, i dun mind doin the logo and submitting it 4 free, i am currently a 3rd year undergrad doing graphic design in Curtin. So if u guys wanna let me have a shot, please let me know the specifications (colours.etc format psd, tiff. etc) and details as to who i should submit it to.

 

Oh btw, Interesting reveiew Rameish cos i read alot about the grados but they wereall overseas sites, nice to listen from feedback here is sg too. oh and if u could reply my post about cmoy amps, pls tell me how they differ or compare to the porta cordas. Thanks.

[ahtiu 0]

Disclaimer: I am a Grado fan for some years and recently became a Grado dealer. I am also the Singapore Rep. for Corda products including the line of amplifiers. 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 ¡à the K-1000 is one and Stax is another but we¡Çre into the Super League category.

 

I will also not compare Grado with other brands until such time I carry them as otherwise it¡Çll be totally biased ¡à the AKG K-501, Beyer DT-150, DT-831 are very good cans for the money as well. 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 ¡à 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 sells 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.

Hi Rameish,

is the Grado SR80s suitable for Potables ?

thanx

[Rameish 0]

Yes they are but like all things do sound better with an amp. However it also depends on what portable you have. The only sure way is to demo it at Music By Design with your portable.

[ahtiu 0]

Yes they are but like all things do sound better with an amp. However it also depends on what portable you have. The only sure way is to demo it at Music By Design with your portable.

thanx, I'll try.

[ahtiu 0]

Yes they are but like all things do sound better with an amp. However it also depends on what portable you have. The only sure way is to demo it at Music By Design with your portable.

Hi Remeish,

hehee.. not sure if u allow me to audition ur Grado somedays when u free, coz I went to MBD afew times (yesterday at 4pm) and the door is locked *sob*.. I read frm tis thread tat the salesman not letting audition ?.. scare scare later kanna scold if neber buy....

 

if not, can advise roughly wat time MBD is open?

btw, do u made & sell head amps coz I'm no good in soldering & may not produce good quality ones.... thanx alot

 

 

Edited December 23, 2003 by ahtiu

[Blues 0]

ahtiu, don't be afraid to try the grados at MBD. They are fine people. I've entered the shop, listened to some rs-1 and sr-325 and went home emptyhanded but they still entertained some of my questions.

I can't help you with the opening hours though

[N3w_Typ3 0]

ya i agreed with Blues cos i was there TOo ( sorry that time i not into headphone and heard it cost $$400 to 600++ i scared to try ) But now i guess i am going crazy .. but i think you should bring a friend down with you maybe you feel better ?

[av98m 0]

Dude, just make sure you call and ask for an audition before you go down, to make sure that they are open. they're very nice people, I sat on their sofa and listened to the sr80s for nearly 45 minutes and I was never disturbed the whole time.

[ahtiu 0]

Dude, just make sure you call and ask for an audition before you go down, to make sure that they are open. they're very nice people, I sat on their sofa and listened to the sr80s for nearly 45 minutes and I was never disturbed the whole time.

thanx everyone.. I'll go down again...

 

Edited December 25, 2003 by ahtiu

[patt0n 0]

I tried calling Music by Design today whole day, they never pick up. Thought of going down today. Will try calling again tomorrow (Monday). hopefully they're open.

hi ymmit,

hv u manage to audit the Grado at Music By Design ?

how was it ?

[Rameish 0]

Music By Design has always provided excellent service and you never feel like you need to buy anything (ie no pressure at all). As for opening hours it has become a bit erratic so call ahead and go down at the stated time.

[evo 0]

as someone who bought SR60s from MBD, i have to say that their service was good

 

there wasn't the "hey kid, be careful with that piece of kit you're holding there" look

 

a gentle reminder, they don't accept NETS, just cash or credit card

[Guest Russ]

Hi guys,

 

Did anyone ever review the SR125s vs the SR225 please?

 

I bought an ipod and decided to get some headphones, SR80s I thought, then I looked around and thought "Nah, SR125s are better", now I'm look at the 225s and just read that the SR325s are better built so now I'm thinking about them. Wasted on an ipod I know but I don't want headphones that fall apart and I do have a proper hifi as well.

 

Thanks

[kehyi 0]

The MS1s look interesting...