Sennheiser vs Grado Headphones - Opinions Needed

I want to thank everyone who participated in this thread and shared their experiences and opinions.

A couple of weeks ago I ordered and just received my new set of Stax SR-404 Signature Earspeakers and SRM-313 driver unit. They sound wonderful right out of the box. I can't wait to hear them after they are broken in for a few weeks.

I'm sure that I am the only person here at Lockheed Martin that has a Sony NC-685V 5 disc DVD-SACD changer and Stax earspeakers in their cubicle. I can finally listen to my SACDS at work!

 

Stax Earspeakers... EXCELLENT choice! I got to listen to them at the CES a couple of years ago. They sound sweet and smooth. Congratulations!

 

Koss gave us some of these to demo at my office. We hated them. They weren't very comfortable and I found the sound rather muddy. If I ever paid as much for headphones that sounded as lousy as these at the MSRP they suggested, I'd feel really violated.

Sennheiser left us a box of different models to try out a couple weeks ago. I've been using the (I believe) HD 555's for the last couple of days, and have enjoyed them quite a bit. They didn't leave 600's, unfortunately. They had a pair hooked up to an iPod when I met with them, and I was pretty impressed with the sound. Also got to try a few other models, including the noise-canceling PXC-250. Very comfortable headphones, very lightweight. They didn't sound as muddy as other noise-canceling phones I've tried, either. Sennheiser definitely has the comfort thing going for them. They're far more comfortable than the vast majority of the headphones I deal in. Only the Bose Triport would come close.

 

Like rjb, I checked out various headphones including Senn's last year, and ended up getting AKG 501's. I like their clean neutral sound. I found Senn 580s to be too ballsy - too much bass, but stilll very nice headphones - I'm sure the bass could be tightened up with a good amp, but overall I think they are too bassy. The 600s were a refinement of the 580s, and also very nice, but too pricey for me. I think the AKG 501s are a steal for what they deliver.

 

Both the Sennies and the Grados have their merits (and drawbacks), but for my dollar, the Grado RS-1 is hard to beat. Yes, they're expensive in relative terms (though headphones get a lot more expensive), but I personally haven't heard a 'phone that does as many things right and is so easy to drive. They're also among the most liquid and "alive"-sounding 'phones I've ever heard, regardless of price. I suppose you really can't go wrong either way. The Sennhieser aslo has a lot to recommend it. Barring an audition, let your gut (and, if applicable, wallet) decide.

 

Unfortunately, like many people, I have a physical discomfort problem with Grados. I like cans that I can wear for hours with no irritation.

 

Headphones

The only pair of Sennheiser's I ever owned were back around 1995, and I was even more broke then than I am now, so I returned them the next day. I can't even recall the model number, but they were over $300 at the time. They sounded good, but I was using a $200 Sony portable CD player to listen on, so you can tell I'm the expert here on "sonic nirvana."

My girlfriend bought me a pair of Grado SR-125's for my birthday in early 2003. I simply didn't care for them. I thought they were rather annoying in the higher levels, and for the life of me I couldn't attain any genuine level of comfort.

I have a pair of those old green-ish Koss phones that have been mentioned in this thread, and although I believe they sound great, I can't wear them for more than a few minutes without losing my mind. So, basically I get an entire song's worth of listening pleasure before going crazy! They're ultra-heavy, and generally feel more like you're wearing a helmet than a pair of headphones.

Back in December (2003) my girlfriend wanted to buy me another pair of headphones, since I still hadn't found anything I like. I chose the Sony MDR-7506. Now, once again, I'm not the headphone czar or anything, but for me, these more than do the trick. I've enjoyed listening to my music through them.

Last but not least, a general comment. I really don't get a tremendous amount of pleasure using headphones. The ONLY reason I use them at all is because I'm still one of the unfortunate ones (an apartment dweller). I can't exactly turn on the stereo when the music bug hits me at 2AM. There's simply no comparison for me--I enjoy listening to music through speakers infinitely more than headphones.

Alrighty. Mark me in the category of "didn't add much to the thread" (smile) but I felt like expressing myself nonetheless.

MJM

 

MJM, your comments are very relevant and perceptive - I too prefer speaker listening to headphones, but with a couple of small kids, neighbours and a less than optimum room set up for speaker listening, I really only get to "grok" my music via headphones these days.

Having said that, I do enjoy the sound of my AKG-501's. They are a very nice sounding and comfortable headphone. It's interesting that many people have felt the 501s to lack bass, but I feel that they could almost do with less. I think most headphones are too bass heavy. I lived for years with a pair of Audio Technica ATH-7 electrect headphones, which served me well (until the earpads disintegrated) - these had a nice neutral sound, but very light on for bass - but this suited me because I could crank up the volume, and the mix was just about right. When I got my 501s, I was astounded at the bass extension in comparison to the old cans. I find I can listen to the 501s at lower volume and get satisfaction from the full sound. At higher volumes, they can just about blow my head off.

 

If anyone here happens to own the new Sennheiser HD-595's,
please post your comments. Thanks, John (Green Tea)

 

Same here...

Look here