KneelJung
1000+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jul 3, 2010
- Posts
- 1,111
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[size=medium]I had to laugh…I looked up fetish in the dictionary and it’s defined as an object of irrational reverence or obsessive devotion. That probably more aptly describes my feelings toward my Grado’s; or just a headphone fetish in general. When I first stumbled across Head Fi though, I never imagined that I would end up with multiple pairs of headphones, or get into DIY and modding.[/size]
[size=medium]Anyway that’s pretty much the course my head fi journey and headphone fetish has taken, and it all started with the SR60, a very capable and fun head phone if you like bluesy guitar driven rock. Of course one must upGrado , which is how I ultimately ended up with an HF2 after a couple other Gradoations along the way. Although I made a brief pit stop along the way and took a lap with the d2000. I liked some things about the d2000…it just didn’t quite have the sound sig I was looking for. I pretty much found it boring, but it was during this time that a seed was planted that I should consider a Fostex T50. I bought an HF2 instead fell in love with it, started reading the SR60 mod thread, and then actively participating in it. My first set of woodies, were a pair of Cocobolo cups fashioned with a drill press. Back then the enthusiasm was all about modifying your SR60 up to something akin to an RS1. I don’t know that any of us ever achieved that level of fidelity, but we sure tried, and had a really good time along the way. [/size]
[size=medium]We weren’t just modding the SR60 over there either. All the Grado models were fair game. One of our denizen’s (schwallman), even had a little faux pas with his HF2, more on the relevance of that in a moment. Anyway I decided I wanted to know what an SR225 sounded like wood to wood with the SR60. I already had an idea what they sounded like plastic to plastic. Actually I think I was just rationalizing buying another headphone. The cups I had custom lathed turned out great, and the 225’s I seated in them sounded pretty awesome too; but now I was curious, how did my woodies compare to an RS1. So after positing that very thought in the SR60 mod thread, I got a PM from another head fier (pbstefandwich) offering to loan me his MS Pro’s. Needless to say his offer totally blew me away. A couple of other people were involved in Stefan’s generosity too. The long and short of it is a woodied 225 can run with the MS Pro, and It can hold it’s own against my HF2 as well.[/size]
[size=medium]Both of those head fiers figure into this post in another way too. I just bought a pair of woodied T50’s from schwallman who acquired them by trading that HF2 to Marty of Martin Custom Audio. Marty also crafted a pair of custom cups for pbstefandwich to seat a pair of Magnum drivers in; and those headphones are on my ears as I type this. Also as I type this I’m waiting for the return of my woodied SR60 and modified T50 that were forwarded to Tyll after another head fier spent some time with them. That head fier (questhate) has subsequently picked up a T50 too.[/size]
[size=medium]Which brings me to my question…how many Grado afficianado’s also have a T50 on their headphone stand, or some other ortho? Off the top of my head I know of quite a few.[/size]
[size=medium]And here are a few pics…[/size]
[size=medium][/size]
[size=medium][size=medium][/size][/size]
[size=medium]… these are for my Grado head, at least for the next couple of days. Unfortunately I have to relinquish and send them on their way. I am very grateful however for having had the opportunity to listen to them. The Cocobolo cups were turned by Marty of Martin Custom Audio.The Magnum drivers, and the detachable cable were provided by pbstefandwich, the owner of these beautiful headphones.[/size]
[size=medium]And these are for my Fostex fetish…[/size]
[size=medium][/size]
[size=medium][/size]
[size=medium]…These beautiful headphones were also made by Marty of Martin Custom Audio.[/size]
[size=medium]I’ll post some impressions of both headphones when I get the chance. Anyway this thread is for all you Grado heads with a Fostex fetish, and whatever else you might want to talk about.[/size]
[size=medium]Anyway that’s pretty much the course my head fi journey and headphone fetish has taken, and it all started with the SR60, a very capable and fun head phone if you like bluesy guitar driven rock. Of course one must upGrado , which is how I ultimately ended up with an HF2 after a couple other Gradoations along the way. Although I made a brief pit stop along the way and took a lap with the d2000. I liked some things about the d2000…it just didn’t quite have the sound sig I was looking for. I pretty much found it boring, but it was during this time that a seed was planted that I should consider a Fostex T50. I bought an HF2 instead fell in love with it, started reading the SR60 mod thread, and then actively participating in it. My first set of woodies, were a pair of Cocobolo cups fashioned with a drill press. Back then the enthusiasm was all about modifying your SR60 up to something akin to an RS1. I don’t know that any of us ever achieved that level of fidelity, but we sure tried, and had a really good time along the way. [/size]
[size=medium]We weren’t just modding the SR60 over there either. All the Grado models were fair game. One of our denizen’s (schwallman), even had a little faux pas with his HF2, more on the relevance of that in a moment. Anyway I decided I wanted to know what an SR225 sounded like wood to wood with the SR60. I already had an idea what they sounded like plastic to plastic. Actually I think I was just rationalizing buying another headphone. The cups I had custom lathed turned out great, and the 225’s I seated in them sounded pretty awesome too; but now I was curious, how did my woodies compare to an RS1. So after positing that very thought in the SR60 mod thread, I got a PM from another head fier (pbstefandwich) offering to loan me his MS Pro’s. Needless to say his offer totally blew me away. A couple of other people were involved in Stefan’s generosity too. The long and short of it is a woodied 225 can run with the MS Pro, and It can hold it’s own against my HF2 as well.[/size]
[size=medium]Both of those head fiers figure into this post in another way too. I just bought a pair of woodied T50’s from schwallman who acquired them by trading that HF2 to Marty of Martin Custom Audio. Marty also crafted a pair of custom cups for pbstefandwich to seat a pair of Magnum drivers in; and those headphones are on my ears as I type this. Also as I type this I’m waiting for the return of my woodied SR60 and modified T50 that were forwarded to Tyll after another head fier spent some time with them. That head fier (questhate) has subsequently picked up a T50 too.[/size]
[size=medium]Which brings me to my question…how many Grado afficianado’s also have a T50 on their headphone stand, or some other ortho? Off the top of my head I know of quite a few.[/size]
[size=medium]And here are a few pics…[/size]
[size=medium][/size]
[size=medium][size=medium][/size][/size]
[size=medium]… these are for my Grado head, at least for the next couple of days. Unfortunately I have to relinquish and send them on their way. I am very grateful however for having had the opportunity to listen to them. The Cocobolo cups were turned by Marty of Martin Custom Audio.The Magnum drivers, and the detachable cable were provided by pbstefandwich, the owner of these beautiful headphones.[/size]
[size=medium]And these are for my Fostex fetish…[/size]
[size=medium][/size]
[size=medium][/size]
[size=medium]…These beautiful headphones were also made by Marty of Martin Custom Audio.[/size]
[size=medium]I’ll post some impressions of both headphones when I get the chance. Anyway this thread is for all you Grado heads with a Fostex fetish, and whatever else you might want to talk about.[/size]