Grado-rama: A Guide to Grados

If you don't mind answering, which are the differences between DHSA-1 and DHSA-3 (non F) and which one of them do you think is the better option for Grados/Sennheisers HD600/650/580?

 

The differences are just changes that happened as it was refined. The 1 uses MOSFETs, the 3 uses BJTs. The 1 uses off the shelf Cinemag transformers on the output, the 3 uses Lundahls that were developed for the circuit. The 3 has a better PS, better regulators, and a few other circuit updates. None of the changes had to do with cost savings - all were to make it sound better.

 

Amazing, thanks for replying!

Just one more if you don't mind. Do you think the DHSA-3 is a better option than the DHSA-3F for Grados/Sennheisers?

 

The 3 really is just a 3F with a transformer on the output. So, if one were inclined, one could just wire the output transformer with an input and output jack and connect it to a 3F to make a 3.

As to which is better, I think it is personal preference. The transformer has costs and benefits, and how to weigh those is going to differ by person and by headphone.

 

Hi, I have sr60x sr80x sr325x and hemp. I see that the sr80x drivers seem to be the same of 325 and hemp with back painted black
https://photos.app.goo.gl/9RRasMRe35nM8Crt8
Do you think these headphones mount same drivers and sound differences are due to cups?

 

I've enjoyed Yaxi pads on my Porta Pros so I decided to try them on my RS-2x. They arrived this morning so here are a few quick and dirty measurements against the stock L-Pads, and F-pads.

Slightly used stock pads (weren't left squished under a book to try and get them close to stock for this test). The Yaxi look very close but really sound like they have a slight veil compared to stock. I still think the stock L-pads book squashed edition are my favorite, light, agile, resolving, and work very very well with the Piety.

 

After an initial glance at this thread I went and found my SR80s that I bought around 2002 after signing up for Head-Fi. I used them for a couple of years with a portable CD player and generally enjoyed the sound although the comfort was always an issue for long term listening. Then they ended up in a box somewhere until about 10 yrs ago when I thought i'd give them to one of the kids. The pads were crumbling so I spent the money for another set, and then my kids weren't impressed with them so they went into a box again.

So when I dug them out again recently, the pads were in need of replacement so I bought the Geekria flat pads because they were cheap, and the Yaxi pads were double the price and had mixed reviews. Currently at work I use Koss KSC-35 with the PE headband and Yaxi pads. I really enjoy these just streaming music and podcasts from my phone with no additional DAC or amp. I also have a pair of PortaPros with stock pads that I'll use on the go, but I actually prefer the KSC-35s with the cheap headband.

A few pages back I think @philipmorgan asked about how these compare to Portapros, and when I started listening again to my old SR80s with the flat pads (With a Geshelli J2 and SW-51+) The first thing I thought was that these sounded like Koss KSC-75/35/Portapros, but went one better with the larger drivers. The flavor was similar but there was just more with the larger drivers. I'm going to use these for a couple weeks at work with a phone as source but I really like these. The flat pads made them wearable for me.

If I ever decided to buy another Grado I'd probably step up to one of the "Made in Brooklyn" models, but I wonder how much better the latest SR-80 is from one thats 20+ years old?

 

Going back some 15 years I had the KSC-75 as my entry level champ, and bought the Alessandro MS-1 (I believe a SR-125 derivative, tuned to be a bit smoother?) as my next step up.

At first blush, they had the same overall energetic sound signature which is great for a portable. But as time went by.... I tried so long to convince myself that I liked the MS-1, but they were simultaneously both too bright and too cold. Always left wanting some warmth, some soul, a goddamn break from the relentless assault. And that's before we even get into the comfort....

I still haven't heard any of the properly warmer woody Grados, but I'd take the KSC75 over the low end ones any day of the week.

(Thinking back through history, i replaced both of these phones with the ATH-ESW9. Complete opposite end of the spectrum; comfy, warm and relaxed like swimming inside a beanbag. Then these were replaced by some DT1350, which are one of my favourite headphones, portable or no. Just absolutely perfect tone and energy)

 

All the headphones are made in Brooklyn in an area taken over by the Chinese

 

That area is taken over by hipsters, just like Chinatown. Maybe they will move to the PRC next.

 

Thanks for the clarification. The Grado website seemed to be intentionally vague about this on the Prestige series models. So I guess if I ever bought another pair of Grados I would probably look above that.

 

There's a few videos on Youtube of Grado Lab tours and you see them building up the Prestige series headphones in their Brooklyn shop. All of their headphones (SR60 and up) are built in Brooklyn. Their IEMs aren't built in Brooklyn.

 

Also I'm pretty sure their wireless headphones are a white label job, but I can't recall primary sources for that. Not sure where the idea that there were Prestige series ones not made in their atelier took hold.

 

“She just wants to be part of the socially responsible world”

 

So I took a look at the Alessandro website after what feels like a decade. Can we take a moment to appreciate that not only has the website barely changed at all, but that their pricing also seems to be the same?

If we compare SR125 vs MS-1, SR325 vs MS-2, and RS-1 vs MS-Pro, the Alessandro's are looking like relative bargains if you're buying new.
https://alessandro-products.com/headphones/

 

How are the Alessandro versions different from stock? Better? Different?

 

The Alessandros have traditionally been known as less abrasive alternatives to the Grado versions.

Someone needs to get ears on the MS-Pro - for science!

 

https://www.changstar.com/www.changstar.com/index.php/topic,392.0.html

https://reference-audio-analyzer.pro/en/report/hp/alessandro-music-series-two.php, and HD600 on this rig for comparison: https://reference-audio-analyzer.pro/en/report/hp/sennheiser-hd-600.php (I do think they're underreporting treble levels in their published reports, so keep that in mind)

I will say they don't seem to strictly follow conventional Grado house sound. I have always seen Alessandros touted as more "professional" oriented gear than anything else, and I can actually see that working out; the justification for overly bright Beyers and such has always been that it makes it easier to catch issues in recordings etc, never mind that they can be unpleasant to actually listen to.