To give some context, this is what I tend to listen to as of now. Im big on trap, nu metal, rock, and r&b. I want a fun pair of headphones since that is what ive been used to and enjoyed very much so for the past couple years (Former 7hz Timeless and, Sony XM4, and Beats Fit pro user) and I would like to game on them. I have been dead set on my pair being the Hemps for a while now, but the Emu Teaks seem just as if not more promising and for an equal price range. What experiences have you had with either of these pairs, or both if you have had the opportunity to experience them?
I’m interested to hear why you’ve been set on Grado Hemps with everything that you’ve said here. What draws you to them?
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Between Hemps vs Teaks I would choose Teaks if I were you. Your previuos headphones and iems in general have relatively big amount of bass meanwhile Grados are bass-light.
The Hemps have one trick and one trick only, they are awesome for Rock. The Teaks don’t have as much bass as people might think, it’s clean deep bass, but not even close to the bassiest, they have quite the hot treble too, vocals are more present than any other fostex driver I’ve heard, no beats/sony xm bass here.
Both come with cables that suck for different reasons, my Teak cable just disintegrated on its own whereas the Hemp’s cable is just the most stubborn rope you’ll encounter in the headphone world except for the crappy stuff that Focal calls cables.
In case you’re open to alternatives and you can buy used in that price range, there’s a couple of other HPs that come to mind, Denon 7200 (balanced), Campfire Cascades (supposedly bassy, probably too much bass for rock, haven’t heard them myself though so maybe someone else can chime in).
Edit:
I’d take the Teaks without EQ as an allrounder over any other headphone in the sub 500 range, it might not be quite as good of a value as the OG Nighthawk (sub/~200 used) when it comes to technicalities, but the NH is a 2nd/3rd/etc. pair specialist kinda HP unless you only listen to R&B, trip hop, funk, etc. (maybe the Sash Tres can beat the Teaks, heard good things about it)