SR80e

Grado SR80e with Grado G pads

Over the last decade or so, I’ve collected quite a few low fi and mid fi headphones. In a given month, I listen to all of them and a number of IEMs besides. For the price of one $1000 US headphone, I have a wide range of choices, depending on the music I’m listening to. All of my headphones have been purchased used or at a steep discount. They were purchased off of FBM, craigslist, eBay and various retailers who do sell some used items. Most of the headphones I have were $100 a pair and none over about $150. Also, I don’t sell something once I’ve acquired it. I just keep using it or repurposing it. In closed backs, I have the FIIO Ft1 and HiFiman HE R10D. In open backs, I have the Sennheiser HD 58x, GRADO 80e, the FIIO 350 ohm FT3 and the Audio Technica R50x. In planars I have the Monolith m1060c and the HiFiman Sundara. I’m running all of these balanced with the exception of the Grado. Also, I mix and match with my headphone amplifiers that are both balanced: IFI Zen Can solid state class A and Apos Gremlin tube amplifiers -each of which cost $150 or less. I believe I get more enjoyment out of my group of headphones then I would from one “ endgame” headphone - which rarely turns out to be an actual endgame headphone based on what I’ve seen in Reddit. Anyway, what I’m listening to the most right now is the FT3 on the Apos tube amplifier and the R50x on the solid state amplifier.

DT 990's and the DT 900 X's. I don't live a life where I could afford something expensive, but I will say I've listened to some nice headphones at stores and events and at friends' places, and none of them have that perfect sound profile and wearing comfort for me. The velour pads and the cups large enough to fit my whole ear without smushing them, and the brilliant nice highs with a good amount of bass and really open soundscape? Yeah, I just love them. I mess with EQ a bit to get my headphones to sound just right, and those need the least tuning from whatever I've had and sound good on several different amps and DACs I've tried. I remember first hearing the DT 990's at a friend's house and I sat there through a dozen songs and before I went back home had ordered my own pair lol. For on the go, I love most Grados, and miss my SR80e's and their nice punchy sound and completely invisible feeling of wearing them on my head. Fuck that cable though, the only pain point of those headphones plus the reason they're broken right now, and repair shops want me to pay as much as I originally paid for the cans to fix the cable, eugh.

Porta is my choice for streets. Grado SR80e for home. Sometimes I take grados outside.

I have grado sr80e. when plugged into the source directly, it is bright. But, when I use a decent amp, it has a beautiful bass