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Grado SR80e

68.6.222.217

Posted on May 21, 2017 at 14:26:37
pictureguy
Audiophile

Posts: 22597
Location: SoCal
Joined: October 19, 2008



Got these as a store closeout / out of business deal with a new pair of earpads.

For MY use? Probably are better, but not for that kind of cash.

Great sound for music and late at night, perfect for movie listening without disturbing anyone.

I'll edit this later and insert a photo of my Storage Solution purchased at a local beauty supply house.

I wish it had a plug-in / replaceable cord, but at this price? Can't beef.

Comfortable, even out to an hour PLUS. On-Ear design doesn't heat my ears like an over-ear can would and is substantially MORE comfortable than any in-ear.
Semi-open air design means they are NOT silent to nearby sitters, but they are also not blasting loud and distracting.
My preamp OR my DAC drive them well, as does my iPhone. As close to a 'single' solution as I'm likely to find.

Too much is never enough

 

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RE: Grado SR80e, posted on May 21, 2017 at 15:49:41
Travis
Audiophile

Posts: 6170
Location: La Grange, Texas
Joined: November 25, 2001
They're just fine. I wouldn't worry too much about fancy cables unless you just want to throw money around. Just enjoy the cans.

325is owner for 4 years.


"If people don't want to come, nothing will stop them" - Sol Hurok

 

RE: Grado SR80e, posted on May 21, 2017 at 16:35:27
pictureguy
Audiophile

Posts: 22597
Location: SoCal
Joined: October 19, 2008
Thanks for answer.
No, I'm not going to spend some huge sum on cables for 80$ cans.

Total Agreement.

what I'm cocerned with is RePair. I've fixed headphones before and the microscopic wires with fill are insane to solder.
I've been successful, don't get me wrong, but would simply rather repalce than do surgery.

I suspect that treated properly, these are 'long term'.
Too much is never enough

 

RE: Grado SR80e, posted on May 21, 2017 at 17:37:01
Travis
Audiophile

Posts: 6170
Location: La Grange, Texas
Joined: November 25, 2001
Grado repairs unmodded cans in Brooklyn.


"If people don't want to come, nothing will stop them" - Sol Hurok

 

RE: Grado SR80e, posted on May 21, 2017 at 17:52:45
pictureguy
Audiophile

Posts: 22597
Location: SoCal
Joined: October 19, 2008
I'm a very high grade solderer but HATE the tiny wires with nylon reinforcement.
Fixed 'em before but not a big fan.

Maybe my new Hakko solderring station will help. I've finally retired my Unger Imperial pencil to the melting plastic role.
Too much is never enough

 

RE: Grado SR80e, posted on May 22, 2017 at 07:30:28
neolith
Audiophile

Posts: 4841
Location: Virginia
Joined: February 21, 2002
Contributor
  Since:
December 2, 2004
Don't worry about the cable going south. I have had a SR60 for over 10 years without issues. OTOH my 4 month old Hifiman HE-400s has a broken cable on the right even though I had put heat shrink over the cable/plug junction to protect them on day 1.
I looked up the impedance on your pre (Parasound P5, yes?). It is 100 ohm and the Grado's are low impedance phones (32 ohm). So the match is not very good - you may be losing bass. Probably better to listen via the DAC or consider a headphone amp with low output impedance.



"Our head is round in order to allow our thoughts to change direction." Francis Picabia

 

RE: Grado SR80e, posted on May 22, 2017 at 11:20:45
pictureguy
Audiophile

Posts: 22597
Location: SoCal
Joined: October 19, 2008
I don't see the callout for headphone output impedance anywhere. Has anyone measured it?

100 ohm on the single ended, for sure, and 470 per leg of the balanced.

My DACMagic+ will be tested here shortly. That may have lower output impedance to match the Grados.
Too much is never enough

 

headphone output impedance, posted on May 22, 2017 at 11:49:19
neolith
Audiophile

Posts: 4841
Location: Virginia
Joined: February 21, 2002
Contributor
  Since:
December 2, 2004
A phone call to Parasound may get you an answer. I just looked up the output impedance on the DACMagic+ - 50 ohms. Again, not ideal for the Grado's.
You might want to look into a headphone amp with a low output impedance (<3 ohms). FWIW, I am using a Objective O2 with the Grado SR60 and the Hifiman HE-400s (22 ohm) with great results. It has an output impedance of 0.54 ohms. It costs about $150 with rear RCA inputs and rear power input option (highly recommended options).



"Our head is round in order to allow our thoughts to change direction." Francis Picabia

 

RE: headphone output impedance, posted on May 22, 2017 at 15:49:12
pictureguy
Audiophile

Posts: 22597
Location: SoCal
Joined: October 19, 2008
I could ALWAYS hook 'em up to the output of my power amp.

Maybe use a 10ohm or so, 1 watt resistor?

Emotiva does something similar with one of their power amps with a coupled headphone output.
The fans of EMO enjoy that feature and some even have some $$$ phones.

Does Bottlehead make an inexpensive kit? How about some kind of opamp based headphone amp?
I have a CMOY I use for iPod duties.
Too much is never enough

 

RE: headphone output impedance, posted on May 22, 2017 at 17:35:43
neolith
Audiophile

Posts: 4841
Location: Virginia
Joined: February 21, 2002
Contributor
  Since:
December 2, 2004
The Grado SA-1 is just a no frills Cmoy with a real nice wood box. I used one with great success with the SR-60. Give it a try. I have no prejudice against opamps. The Objective O2 is opamp based as is the Schiit Audio Magni-2 ($99, output Z = 0.2 ohms). I don't know about the Bottlehead amps but as a rule tube amps are going to have much higher output Z than opamps.



"Our head is round in order to allow our thoughts to change direction." Francis Picabia

 

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