Headphone reccys

Try some cheapo pairs. I reckon you’ll dislike them just as much (maybe less) but you won’t have wasted as much money. My lads 30 quid Akgs were just as good as a pair of 800 pound sennheisers

What are you using to drive them?
My headphones sound nothing like your description of them in general.

Not wishing to be rude on you Westie. Perhaps just give up on headphones and move on. If you fancy having last chance, maybe try out a Stax system?

S.

Obviously not for you then...
Some AKG earspeakers would be an interesting experiment though.

I haven't read every post here so apologies if my post clashes with someone else's.
i have grado 325 with walnut cans I fitted myself, I haven't tried replacing the cable but am considering it and would most likely fit plug and socket so other cables could be swapped in. I've had them many years and tried several ear pads, the originals were like wearing a hair shirt and I couldn't listen for long. I tried over ear pads and the bass was boomy and overblown. I now have foam pads but are much bigger diameter, if they get hard I will replace them as that's when I think they become uncomfortable. I've tried several headphone amps and outputs from amps and dac's and the only one that brought them to life was a little dot 1+ but only with a different valve and OP amps. Since then I bought a project ds2 digital for its dac and phono stage and was very surprised how the grado's sounded through that. I also have a Bakoon 11R amplifier with headphone out that is really rated by those on headfi, so I was very disappointed with the combination, but as the Bakoon is in my listening room where I would only use speakers it's not a problem. 

I took over Andrew's account when he became a "Normal" member, so there are a few posts that were made by Andrew that are now "mine"

Dont worry, Andrew and I know what we've said lol

Yes, spot on but I cant fix it without just deleting the posts.

Maybe i could put a little note on the posts to identify who wrote it.

For me comfort is deciding factor for head phones.

I have a pair of Alessandro Music Series 1 (modified Grado SR80e?), bought direct from Canada as they were cheaper than buying Grado!

Replacing the headband with this: turbulentlabs.com/shop/grado-leather-headband-black/

and the foam pads with Senheiser HD414 (yellow pads), made them wearable for much longer. I found the standard Grado/Alessandro pads to be hot/itchy torture, also tried the "I Cush" (I think - it was a few years ago) and they were also very hot/uncomfortable.


The great thing about Grado 'phones is that there is a wealth of information on the web about modifications.


Many years ago I used Senheiser, HD 400's and 414's. Tearful when they gave up the ghost, light, comfortable and easy to pack away for backpacking holidays with my old Sony walkman cassette player - Pink Floyd DSM never sounded so good as when laying on my back (head out of tent) watching the stars on exmoor

I think I have your taste in headphones Jerry. I have the Grado S60s but also find them a little bright and part of it I think with open back ones like this is that you don't get a pressurised enough bass response. Have several pairs of Sennheisers including some HD570s but my favourites are inexpensive little Sony MDR-XD200s. They have a better balance than the more expensive ones I use, cover the ear well. They have some gimmicky sound mode switches on them but I leave them on "music". The others which I quite like are my wireless Sennheiser HDR170s. Great on music as well as for film (late night movies in "virtual surround sound" without waking the family).

What surprises me is just how good some of the less expensive in-ear ones have got. You don't have to spend much more than £30 to get something decent (enough) these days.

For me though, serious listening isn't done on headphones as good as they might be. I miss the sense of scale, the visceral impact of low notes and depth of soundstage that you only get with a pair of nice big floor standers.  Can be difficult to balance on your shoulders mind....

It is Andrew, and not Oli.

Looking for a closed back headphone up to £200 (yes you Jerry since our tastes in headphone are very similar HD700's and PSB M4U1's) Missed out on a used pair of Oppo PM 3's, didn't bid high enough although I guess they still went for a good price. I like detailed sound without an over powering bass. Any heard these. www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Denon-AH-MM400-Music-Maniac-Over-Ear-Headphones-Natural-Walnut-OPEN-BOX-1YW/283423118448?epid=1742334606&hash=item41fd559470:g:-74AAOSwbllckNna

If you are just looking for a sonic upgrade, try one of these www.ebay.co.uk/itm/The-Bards-Headspace-by-Sonneteer-Get-Real-Sounding-Headsets-Great-for-Gamers/283584063843?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

I've got 5 of the cute little things, wherever I can plug cans in there's a Bard Headspace.

Here's a comment from someone else who took my reccie on the Headspace widget - theaudiostandard.net/post/181490/thread

antonio - go the the end of the linked thread if you get dumped halfway through it!