[trellus]

I wondered if anyone else has experienced this with eGrado headphones or perhaps with SR60e (since they share same driver as eGrado) headphones.
 
On my eGrado phones, the right driver (and only the right driver) rattles on frequencies 65Hz and below at moderate volume (7 steps below max on iPhone 6S Plus) but is fine at 70 Hz and above at the same volume.  The left driver is always fine with those same frequencies even at the "higher" volume.
 
Test I am using:
https://open.spotify.com/album/6JRoMQ8qGhkiigZfhCHnXF
 
This pic shows the volume at which 65 Hz and lower tones rattle the right driver:
 

 
I've heard others mention in reviews of the eGrado driver rattle, but I haven't noticed that anyone tested frequencies/volumes, or found that it was only one driver, as in my case.

 

[DivaFonda]

This happened to me also, with the left ear. I shook the headphone to see if there was indeed a loose driver and the sound changed, more bass and rattle only at the very top of the volume bar.

  Totally strange. I think I read in another thread that you sent these off for a new pair. How is the new pair if you don't mind me asking?

 

[trellus]

New pair - or old pair repaired, I'm not sure - came back and had no problems.

I did run once in them and noticed the rattle again shortly thereafter but I'm wondering if this time it was because a hair fell in there or something while I was running.

It only happens at higher volumes and I've only needed that high of a volume outdoors so I am not certain if it is still doing this since I've only used it indoors since then without the rattle.

 

[DivaFonda]

Thank you for the reply! I've seen this problem listed on about 3 Amazon interviews also. I contacted Grado, since Amazon only offered a refund but no replacement. I'll see what they say. It does happen at high volume and bass heavy tracks. Not that I listen like that all the time. I was testing them and putting them through their paces. Great sound for jogging and errands. If I can find one with no rattles, these would work for days when I want to leave my expensive sets at home.

 

[trellus]

I think because of the way drivers are designed and the way that air impacts them, I would not recommend eGrado headphones for jogging... I found that when my speed increased and air was whooshing in, it actually started a rattle unrelated to the issue above, it's as if the force of the wind itself was causing it, because it would stop as soon as I slowed down to a walk.
 
I would recommend the Koss SportaPro for jogging if you want something open with good sound quality.  SportaPro are bassier and not as detailed as eGrado but still very good SQ, fantastic for the price and similar to the famed Koss PortaPro headphones.

 

[DivaFonda]

Thank you for the advice! So simple walking while running errands? I do a lot of that too.
 
BTW, my pair has tamed up a bit with the rattling. Now they only rattle if I go crazy with the volume. These are open back but I didn't even hear my roommate come in when I was testing high volume. I'm also guessing that perhaps loud volume is what is bad for these. Someone in another forum said Grados really shouldn't be that loud anyway. I don't know about that, but I do have to say that these ones are plenty loud at lower volumes, at least indoors. I'm not sure I can get on the Grado hype train yet, but these aren't bad.

 

[trellus]

  Thank you for the advice! So simple walking while running errands? I do a lot of that too.
 
BTW, my pair has tamed up a bit with the rattling. Now they only rattle if I go crazy with the volume. These are open back but I didn't even hear my roommate come in when I was testing high volume. I'm also guessing that perhaps loud volume is what is bad for these. Someone in another forum said Grados really shouldn't be that loud anyway. I don't know about that, but I do have to say that these ones are plenty loud at lower volumes, at least indoors. I'm not sure I can get on the Grado hype train yet, but these aren't bad.

 
I'm not hearing any rattling at all right now -- just tested them by going outside... however, the day I heard it there was a pretty stiff wind, and so when I ran it made it even stronger.  
 
Basically, I'd say for basic walking around, even outside, unless there is a stiff wind, they are fine, and even then, only at high volume, but ironically, that's when I crank them up in order to hear over ambient noise.
 
I would not keep the eGrado as my *only* portable open headphone option, but it is my favorite of the ones I have overall, with the caveat of how I use them.  Using them at the gym I've had no problems, and I will actually take them to the gym with me tonight here shortly to confirm that assessment.
 
My other portable open headphones are:
 
* Koss KSC75 -- originally, I wore them as they came with ear clips, but I broke one of the clips and I now use them with a Parts Express cheap $2 headband -- drivers pop right into that headband.  About $15 for the earclips themselves, great clear sound, nice highs, bass-light, though.
* Koss Sportapro -- I like how these stay securely on my head.  Definitely stronger bass than the KSC75, a little less detail though, to my ears, but a fun signature, and no rattling! (None on the KSC75, either).  They cost me roughly $25 on Amazon last year.
* Sennheiser PX 100-ii  - These are my favorite because of the single cable (left-side), extreme lightness and excellent sound quality for the price.  Better bass than KSC75 and not as boomy as the Sportapro.  These cost me about $55ish on Amazon last year.  I wouldn't jog with these, though, as they aren't as secure on head.
 
I like the eGrado because of their unique Grado sound, so they would probably be my favorite "all-around" super-portable open headphone but the rattle can become an issue in high winds (I walk a lot -- no car) and if I jog.  But I really dig the Grado house sound.

 

[DivaFonda]

I sent this eGrado back and ordered another. I'm going to see if this is simply a problem with this particular set or many of them, since I've seen this complaint several times. I loved the sound too, it just bothered me that at high volume, the left driver badly rattled. At reasonable volume, it was OK and I guess I could have lived with that. But I cranked up my other headphones and none of them rattled like that. I may just pull the trigger on the SR60e itself since I've never heard of the full size model having driver rattle, just distortion at high volume. I wouldn't listen that loud anyway with normal usage. Although I really loved the portability of the eGrado. We'll see.

 

[trellus]

Update this thread when you get the new eGrado -- I'm curious as well as to know how pervasive the issue is.  I have also seen others mention it, but it's a rather small crowd who buys these apparently since far fewer people discuss it (or its predecessor the iGrado) than the SR60e or SR60i on which these portable variants have been based.
 
I've never had any variant of SR60, but I have had both the SR80e (gave away) and SR80i (just recently bought used to replace SR80e) and I don't recall hearing any rattle -- though I admit I've not done the same test, but haven't encountered it with normal, even loud (to my ears) listening volumes, and like you, I discovered my eGrado rattle at moderate volume.

 

[DivaFonda]

Here's something weird. I just watched this video and it sounded a lot like what I experienced, especially on two or three of those tracks. Bass causes a problem for this headphone too. Another Grado, but much more expensive. I wonder if they had a strange batch of drivers recently.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9toCmgjb3lk

 

[trellus]

I think Zeos' explanation that it might be wind catching the mic is possibly true in this case, since he was asked many times in the comments of that video about it and offered it as an explanation and given his bluntness I'm pretty sure if he had heard that when listening on his ears that he would have answered that when asked.

I played a couple of those songs (Lose Yourself to Dance by Daft Punk and 3005 by Childish Gambino) on full volume on my Grado SR80i just now and didn't hear any rattle.

 

[trellus]

However, trying those same two songs on my eGrado on my iPhone 6s Plus, I did get rattle on right drive at high volume (starting at about 4 from highest setting), but that volume was also too loud for my ears, though I imagine it isn't for some people.

 

[DivaFonda]

That was my experience too, on both iPhone and computer. Annoying rattle on anything above medium with any bassy song. I must listen to a lot apparently, judging by how the first set reacted to every other song. I even tested my other sets again. No bass distortion, only the eGrados. But it's true that it only happened on high volume. If I stayed on low to medium I was fine. I just was not sure I wanted to keep something that can't handle volume. If the next set has this problem, I may just keep it at lower volume, It gets plenty enough loud without cranking it to the top.

 

[DivaFonda]

Just got the new set, better plastic seams and only a slight rattle at top volume with bassy songs. Much better!!!
 
However, this set does seem to have less of a bass response than the other set. Maybe that's why the other set rattled. Maybe the little plastic frame can't take the bass and they redid some newer sets. Just speculation though.

 

[trellus]

Possibly. Hard to know for certain without a large sample, I suppose. My repaired / replacement eGrado cans came back better but not sure whether they were tweaked or replaced.