Grado sr60i vs Technics rp-f500

[bezzy3004]

Hi all,

I just recently purchased a pair of sr60i's to replaced my damaged Technics rp-f500 that i bought for about £45 several years ago. I must say i am blown away with the Grados but before i bought them i thought the technics where very good also having never bought a more expensive pair.
I managed to repair the technics and decided to compare them like for like on the same mp3 player and same peice of classical music my mp3 player is at full volume i think its struggling to deliver any kind of proper oomph. I expected the Technics to be totally outclassed on the sound front but i'm struggling to notice much of a difference i want the grados to blow them away but everything seems as clear and where it should be in the Technics the volume seems a bit higher in the Technics is this because they are easier to drive and will the extra volume help the technics? i cant understand if i have to listen harder maybe theres not really that much in it. Seriously im worried the Technics sound more detailed, clearer and soundstage much more defined is this possible? I supose the only real test would be to blind test somone who knows nothing about headphones and see which they prefer, if they choose the technics well maybe we have a bargain pair of very under rated cans. The technics specs are:

40mm Driver
Circumaural.
7-28000hz
can buy now for £16.99!!

[Drubbing]

THe tech specs mean nothing, and will have no bearing on how they both sound.

It's possible you're more familiar with the technics and can hear the things you know are there, and where they 'are'.

It's also possible you expected too much from the Grado's. Even some high end phones don't blow people away, because that's what they're expecting to happen. Both these phones are in the same sort of price/capability range, even though the technics can now be bought cheaper, audio doesn't move forward as a technology, like computers do.

Sometimes it takes a while to hear the difference - they may well have a similar sound presentation. A-B comparisons aren't always reliable between similar capability phones. Listen to one for a while (days) then go back to the other. One piece of classical music isn't really a good run - try Rock or something like that, (if you listen to it) with the Grado's, that's where they punch out a lively sound.

And extra volume doesn't add extra SQ. Listen and enjoy, that's the main thing.

[bezzy3004]

Originally Posted by Drubbing

THe tech specs mean nothing, and will have no bearing on how they both sound.

It's possible you're more familiar with the technics and can hear the things you know are there, and where they 'are'.

It's also possible you expected too much from the Grado's. Even some high end phones don't blow people away, because that's what they're expecting to happen. Both these phones are in the same sort of price/capability range, even though the technics can now be bought cheaper, audio doesn't move forward as a technology, like computers do.

Sometimes it takes a while to hear the difference - they may well have a similar sound presentation. A-B comparisons aren't always reliable between similar capability phones. Listen to one for a while (days) then go back to the other. One piece of classical music isn't really a good run - try Rock or something like that, (if you listen to it) with the Grado's, that's where they punch out a lively sound.

And extra volume doesn't add extra SQ. Listen and enjoy, that's the main thing.

Thanks for that feedback i accept everything you said and will try the recommendations you put forward, i just cant get my head around the fact the Grados are a multi award winning and highly recommended pair of cans and the technics seem to give them a run for their money.

[Drubbing]

True, your experience is odd. It's a deserved reputation the Grado's have, I was impressed with mine from first listen, but the next best thing I'd heard before that was CX300s canals. Who knows, it could be you have some underrated phones in the technics.

Even so, I heard many other more expensive phones on my Grado buying visit and my first reaction was 'why are these so much?' They didn't sound that much better from the Grado's.

There isn't a massive blow away factor with phones in my experience - the differences do take time and ear adjustment. I've bought some 'better' ones since, and they don't knock my socks off, they just do things differently, and some things better than the Grado.

In fact, the thing that has lifted both my phones considerably is adding a really good source, such as the DACmagic, and even that took a few hours listening and some differing music, to adjust to it and realise what they were doing - then I really was impressed.

See how you go, they might blow you away yet.

[herbsz]

Hi bezzy,

was going to get some of these after what you said but can't seem to find any instock at £16.99. Can i ask where you saw them at that price?

Rgs