Grado SR60i

[Stuart]

Just bought some of these. The most I've spent on headphones by a long shot, but I wanted something that would work well between my mac and my home amp, which would be comfortable watching TV on the iPad (I don't get on with in-ear 'phones) and which would look good with the rest of my home set up.

Anyway I'd read good reviews about these headphones (What Hi-Fi award winners etc etc) but I must say that I'm blown away by the quality of the sound. Absolutely superb - I lack the hi-fi speak waffle about soundstaging etc in my vocabulary, so all I'll say is that I've been listening to music today that I haven't listened to for years. I can't put them down - highly recommended.

So what say you, Hi-Fi enthusiast PHers? Anyone else got a pair?

[shirt]

I've a pair of sr80s which are great around the house. I would highly recommend a headphone amp as your next purchase.

[andy_s]

Great sound, really good although a bit uncomfy after a few hours but a small price to pay. I've stuck with mine for a few years now and replaced the pads once in that time and have had no issues at all. Super kit.

[Parabola]

I recently got some Grado SR80i. Absolutely love them.
Have also been rediscovering all my favourite CDs.
As recommended abouve, it might be worth getting a headphone amp too.
I got the FiiO E5, £13 from Amazon. Made the Grados sound even better when used with my NAD amp.

[shirt]

this thread made me dig out my grados. seems the mouse I've been hunting has taken a liking to them and nibbled through the cable. death to all mice!

for those of you with the 60s, check out headfi.com. there's a tutorial whereby you can perform a simple but very effective mod by removing the back and peeling off 2 layers of backing material. makes for a more open, airy soundstage.

[722Adam]

I love my SR60is, in fact I'm using them now. I don't have huge amounts to spend on hi-fi gear (especially as I'm now at uni) but do enjoy good quality sound. As soon as I bought these I questioned whether I'd bought something I couldn't really fully enjoy, as they're at their best connected to an amp of some sort, which I don't have. But even running them via my Bose PC speakers transforms music. It even persuaded me to re-rip al my CDs in lossless format as you could pick out imperfections and lack of detail.

[Stuart]

Interesting comments about using a headphone pre-amp. I'm actually using these plugged into my iMac and using iTunes. Would using a headphone pre-amp do anything here, and is using the pre-amp setting in the iTunes equalizer a worthy substitute? I'm guessing not, but worth asking anyway...

[722Adam]

Stuart said:

Interesting comments about using a headphone pre-amp. I'm actually using these plugged into my iMac and using iTunes. Would using a headphone pre-amp do anything here, and is using the pre-amp setting in the iTunes equalizer a worthy substitute? I'm guessing not, but worth asking anyway...

I've found plugging mine straight into my iPod and even my laptop doesn't give the best sound, someone will correct me in a minute but I think it's because the iPod/laptop haven't got the 'oomph' to drive the headphones, whereas my speakers, which have their own mains power supply do, and give a fuller, richer sound. Amps etc will do the same but even more so I imagine.

Like I said, this is just what I've heard and found out experimenting myself, and I'm sure someone who knows what they're talking about will be along soon to give you a proper explanation