Grado SR60 - Excellent headphones

[e_dawg]

I recall there being a post some time ago from hmm... Buck, perhaps? about headphones, soliciting advice from members. He eventually settled on the Beyerdynamic DT831's -- an excellent closed headphone choice. I have never liked headphones myself, but decided that I would purchase a pair for listening to tunes at night, so as to preserve relations with my neighbours (apartment dweller).

I decided I would get the Grado SR60's after doing extensive research on the web. Only $69 US, but they are said to be competitive with units several times its price. I concur. I have used AKG K280's, Sennheiser HD330's, and Koss PortaPro's in the past (admittedly, not the greatest selection, but probably better than the average headphone user). Although the Grado's are the second cheapest set of cans I have ever used, they are easily the best sounding.

I have two criticisms of them: (1) they are a little light in the bass, requiring me to use a parametric EQ to add 5dB of boost from 20-60 Hz for some songs, and (2) my ears hurt after using them for more than half an hour partly because they crush my eyeglasses frames against my ears. Of course, tonal balance is subjective and not the problem with eyeglasses and headphones in general is hard to avoid.

Of course, these criticisms are far outweighed by the positives: excellent dynamics, clarity, freedom from resonances and colouration... just phenomenal sound for the money. But beware: after you use a good set of headphones like the Grados, you'll never want to listen to your crappy computer speakers again.

 

[timwhit]

I have a pair of Sennheiser HD580s that I bought a couple years ago. They are still the best pair of headphones that I have ever heard. And I can wear them for hours if need be with no fatigue.

I still prefer to listen through my NHT 2.5i's but they are big and make lots of noise, so sometimes I use the headphones.

 

[honold]

afaik the world's most popular studio phones are the sony mdr-7506. i used them when i dj'd, and every engineer/dj i know uses them. they have a great range, and you can wear them for 12 hours on end with absolutely no problems. exceptional comfort.

 

[e_dawg]

Tim,

The Senn HD580's are legendary. Unfortunately, they are quite expensive as well! Then again, so are your NHT's. Nice equipment you have, I must say. I have the old NHT 2.1A's, long before the 2.5i's were produced... not that I could afford something like the 2.5i's at the time anyways.

honold,

How much are the 7506?

----------------

The phenomenal thing about the SR60's is that they only cost $69, yet sound like they're $200 phones.

 

[e_dawg]

I have the old NHT 2.1A's, long before the 2.5i's were produced... not that I could afford something like the 2.5i's at the time anyways.

Let me try again. What I wanted to say was that I have the NHT 1.3A's. I wanted the 2.1's, which were the old version of the 2.5i's long time ago, but alas, I couldn't afford them.

 

[timwhit]

Tim,

The Senn HD580's are legendary. Unfortunately, they are quite expensive as well! Then again, so are your NHT's. Nice equipment you have, I must say. I have the old NHT 2.1A's, long before the 2.5i's were produced... not that I could afford something like the 2.5i's at the time anyways.

honold,

How much are the 7506?

----------------

The phenomenal thing about the SR60's is that they only cost $69, yet sound like they're $200 phones.

I only paid $110 for my HD580's from eBay, but the cables were broken so I had to spend and extra $20 replacing them. I never got to hear these headphones before I bought them, but I haven't been disappointed.

I paid $790 for the 2.5i's, which I think was a pretty good deal at the time. I listened to a lot of speakers in that price range before I bought these and as far as I'm concerned there wasn't anything that could compete. You can't even find the 2.5i's anywhere anymore. They stopped producing them last year and they are now very hard to find.

 

[adriel]

Well I'm finishing up on selling my audio gear to finance something else, but while I recoup and save up for the next level, I'm considering a pair of headphones...

Jecklin Float 1 jpg

Ugly? Or very ugly. Anyone remember these? I read they've been around for 3 decades, although recently replaced with a new lineup.

 

[Piyono]

I love the imaging and transient response of a good pair of headphones. I've only ever had the opportunity to listen to dynamics, so my reference is somewhat limited, but I've listened to quite a number of sets in my 26 years.
If I'm in a quiet room all by myself I like to listen to just about any type of music on the Sennheiser HD600 cans. Expensive, yes, but compared to any pair of decent speakers and an amp they're a veritable bargain. I might actually buy my own pair one of these days.
In the studio I've always been a fan of the classic AKG K240 series (I have three pairs of different vintages), and now the new K240 Studio 'phones, which (finally) address the high-impedence issue and allow just about any amp to drive them to good levels.
I also just picked up a pair of Sennheiser HD 280 Pros. A bit bulky but they have very good isolation and sound very nice for the price (less than $200 CAN). I use them a lot when tracking acoustic instruments in the same room as the performer because their high level of isolation allows me to make critical mic placement and EQ decisions quickly and accurately.
AT my PC I use a Sennheier m@b 40 stereo headset. They're the most deceptively simple yet rugged set of computer cans I've ever come across. Leagues ahead of any Plantronics crap in terms of bulk, sound quality and build quality. Too bad they're out of production (methinks).

For comfort nothing I've ever strapped on tops Sennheiser. I'll wear a pair for hours without realizing I've got them on, whereas, say, My K240s will leave me with sore (outer) ears after only an hour and a half (of constant use).

And that's the good word.


Piyono

 

[Mercutio]

I can't stand wearing headphones, myself. My glasses are extraordinarily heavy, and anything that presses against my ears makes that worse.

My one concession to my neighbors' enjoyment of my music was to put a much smaller/lower powered set of speakers in my living room. I use an Acoustic Research HC5 sub/satellites set there, now. It's a bit less fun with the projector than the older pioneer towers (I moved 'em to my spare bedroom), but the cost for the set (from overstock.com) was VERY competitve with higher-end computer speakers and, frankly, still sounds quite a bit better than $250 sets from Klipsch, Logitech or CSW.

Anyway, shortly after I found the set I bought (paid $180 for a new pair), I found the same set, refurb'd, for $130, here.

 

[blakerwry]

My glasses are extraordinarily heavy

Perhaps it's the pie?

 

[Mercutio]

MMMMMmmmmmmm... pie.
obyugogHug.