what sound are you looking for… what grado are you thinking about
i’m not looking for a specific sound, that’s not my focus. I’m rather fascinated by HPs in general and how different they can shape the sound, i really like hearing the same records on different tunings/soundstage/imaging/detail-levels. You see, i already own HPs with differren tunings and i appreciate them all.
Rearding Grado, that might be a topic for itself. Is Zeos right about the GW100 being superior due to DSP correction? Or should i start with SR60e/SR80e… at least, these three HPs are also in my price range. Guttenberg said, that Grados remind him of horn speakers, that’s why they’re too extreme for many people. Which Grado, up to the 325, would you recommend?
if you are really wanting to go grado i feel like unless you want to use exclusively wireless go with the SR80e’s if you want warmth, if you want more trebel go with the 60s… but grado are more into acoustics and rock so they might not be perfect for everything
If you’re willing to stretch your budget just a bit ($420) I would HIGHLY recommend the Grado Hemp LTD Edition. They are the most natural sounding headphones I have tried so far and have a great all rounder type tuning with surprising bass, lush grado mids, and bright but smooth treble.
If you can’t stretch you budget then try they SR225e or SR325e. From what I hear these are brighter but still fairly smooth and still have those signature Grado mids.
The sundara are also a rather well liked option. I think I would recommend the sundara over the aeon since the 1sy gen aeon are supposedly rather compressed and a bit boring.
Oh. That’s somthing else about the Grados. They have great dynamics. The SR80e and Hemps (the Grados I own) both have a very lively and exciting sound that I love. Also with the Grados I would recommend looking at these pads since they are great for if you find the bass too light or the upper mids too shouty. I also fond the flat pads to he more comfortable.
These are also a good cheap option, but they do not sound quite as good as the TTVJ pads, at least on my Hemps. I can’t try the TTVJ pads on my SR80e since they got stretched out and are now too big to fit.
2 Likes
i actually dont think he has to stretch his budget at all…
the DT1990 are 550 dollars and thats on his list so the grado hemp could definitely work
thanks guys for your advise, yes, theese hemps also got my attention, since they’re THE GOAT currently for grado fans… what a nice pair of headphones! I could stretch my budget that far, it would be the same price as a new DT1990 here in germany 
I could even get a (very) used DT1990 for 280 € and a used Aeon Flow C for 320 €… these are dream prices currently. But it already helps that you’re have a clear opinion about Sundara > Aeon. Sundara is very popular, a guess for a reason. But reagrding the hemp … it’s more difficult to get a good price for them in germany. I don’t find any online seller located in germany that has it in stock. But it seems, that grado is also very popular in the UK where i (afaik, damn brexit) could still import without fees from. You guys happen to know any UK/European online store which has the hemps in stock?!
just wanted to give you guys a final update, i just ordered a Sundara. I don’t own any Hifiman yet, let’s see what the quality and everything else is about. It’s also nice to have a second planar next to the EL8C, i have enough with a dynamic driver. Also they will pair nicely with my Mojo, so i might give them a try outside, since i have regular walks in the park. Let’s see how ridicuIous that looks. Could have gotten the Grado Hemps for 499 €, but considering everything, also the price, the Sundara just won.
3 Likes
I doubt the sundara will look bad. They may look out of the ordinary but the cups are simple and the headband doesn’t stand up above your head much so you won’t look like a cyberman like some other suspention strap headbands. I hope you like them.
1 Like
Although I am a Grado lover, I really enjoy the Sundara’s. They are a great all rounder for a pretty good price. 
1 Like
just wanted to say - i got the Sundara last week and was very impressed by the soft but wide sound, fine trebles, really high fidelty stuff. really, really great. Unfortunately, i will now return it to Amazon due to a rather light, but definitely audible channel imbalance. Everything that should have been center image, was slightly moved to the left. Initially, i thought this was not the HPs fault but rather the known problem of my SMSL SP200’s volume knob. But i did also have it on my Mojo and my NDH20 didn’t have the problem on the SMSL. Really disappointing. It was my first HiFiman and, at least for now, will propably be my last. If you already know about possible QC problems, you get more aware of this stuff. But if it really happens to you, you’ll still be bummed. I really, really liked the sound though.
4 Likes
Maybe give the SR325e a shot, or if you can still get them a a comparable price, the DT1990. If you really liked the sundara then maybe get another set but a open box one from Hifiman direct. These are apperently ones that have been returned and then fixed and check over by a person, so they are less prone to QA issues.
Edit: here’s a link but it looks like the open box might only be available in the USA and Canada?
https://store.hifiman.com/index.php/sundara-openbox.html
well … now i have a Focal Clear on my head. 
I couldn’t be happier. I still know how good the Sundara is and what makes him special, but the whole experience about having another HP in roughly the same, sub-500€ range, that also wasn’t working perfectly, made me think again. I forged the decision to really gear up now. The currently available offer, Clear for 999€, and also my taste in music, did the rest. The Clear is the best HP i’ve ever heard by far (!) and i’m enjoying it way more than the Sundara. It’s my end-game for now as it feels like the beginning of a journey, so much to discover with these cans… wow. I couldn’t be happier.
4 Likes
Did you get the rupert neve RNHP amp to go with your clears? It supposed to be a great pairing and a great amo in general. Also if you really want to complete the M0N stack you can get the Bifrost 2 for your DAC.
not yet, my bank account has to recover… having the Clears is like a good basis to further grow on in the future. Until then, my Chord Mojo and SP200 do a very decent job. Even if i know, it’s not ideal, i’m enjoying the hell out of it.
3 Likes
Did you buy the clears the auditorium shop in Germany?
yep, exactly. 
Perfect service, delivery came really fast, great packaging … and they even put in a free magazine as a gift. Absolutely superb service… really felt like a premium purchase experience. 
2 Likes
Well that escalated quickly…
Congrats on the Clears!
1 Like
I always wondered about the price, they have it at 999€ for quite a while now and everywhere else it’s quite a bit more expensive. It’s a good deal for us Germans I guess 
1 Like
yep, it really is. Cheers to our Franco-German relationship, it really pays out sometimes. 
1 Like