*** Update *** After having these for a couple of weeks, I definitely notice that there has been a "breaking-in" period. The same music I first played through these is noticeably "warmer", with primarily low frequencies now being even more distinct. I.e. the sound is getting better - I am still happier with them now.
I wanted very good headphones - great sound for various music types, comfortable, light if possible, decent length cord. I've had Sennheisers many years ago. I did a lot of reading and inevitably ran into reviews everywhere, with everyone touting "their" favorite brand based on various aspects (clarity, range, etc. etc.) which could easily lead to analysis paralysis.
Anyway, I went for it and got these. Initial impressions: very retro-looking, without the hi-tech molded plastic and fancy box other brands have. That was my first "what did I just spend a bunch of my money on?" moment. The earcups spin freely, which is nice. They are not very tight on my biggish ears, and sit very lightly on my large head; as someone else noted, the headband can be bent. The cord is very thick and long; you'll need an adapter for a standard MP3 player headset, but Radio Shack has good gold-plated ones and Grado also sells one.
I sometimes listen to music in a noisy environment and upgraded to these from a pair of Sony noise-cancelling headphones. The Sonys had awful sound but did a good job of canceling out noise (though not as well as the much more expensive Boses, of course). The Grados, despite no gimmicks like noise cancellation, actually did very well in this environment.
Overall, the sound is very good with a variety of sources. It's very balanced and light, and lots of nuances come through that I've never heard before. For example, in a Beethoven piano CD I have, I heard for the first time that a particular phrase's harmony (deep notes) actually alternated between two adjacent notes; previously, that phrase always sounded like the same low note played repeatedly under the melody. Rock, metal, electronica, orchestral classical, vocal, pop, and other types of music all sound great on these, and after running various types of music past them I decided I had a real upgrade on my hands.
If, like I was, you are trying to decide on a good pair of headphones on a mid-level budget and are a little lost between Sennheiser, these, and maybe other good brands, you won't go wrong with these. That said, Sennheiser also makes some great headphones, though you'll probably spend more than for these for similar sound quality. Either way, you'll enjoy your music a lot, which is what counts. Good luck! |
Grado Prestige SR 125 - Headphones ( ear-cup ) home electronics.