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Why are headphones so popular? 1] Good headphones cost a fraction of the price of good speakers.
2] Good headphones dramatically improve the sound of an ipod or other portables.
3] Difficult room acoustics are no longer a problem. You are always in the sweetest listening position.
4] Good modern headphones are comfortable & lightweight.
5] Receivers, plus most integrated amps, preamps & CD players have headphone jacks.
6] If your equipment does not have a headphone jack, a good headphone amp costs far less than a good power amp. Rega or Grado headphone amps sound far better than the headphone amps that are in receivers, integrated amps or preamps.
7] Headphones help family harmony or even sanity. Since not everyone in your home wants to hear the same music at the same time, headphones can definitely ensure domestic tranquility.
"ARE THE BEST AFFORDABLE SPEAKERS ACTUALLY HEADPHONES? I've reviewed a number of headphones for our on-line sister magazine PLAYBACK, & think that headphones may be the most cost-effective way to access true top-tier sound. Most flagship head-phones sell for under $2000, yet they deliver the well-balanced, wide-range frequency response, dynamics & lavish levels of detail of high-end loud-speakers selling for $10,000 - $20,000 or more. Granted, headphones cannot equal a great loud-speaker in reproducing a realistic soundstage, but they provide an almost microscopically intimate view of subtle details of most recordings. Not a bad tradeoff, is it?"ABSOLUTE SOUND April/May 10
HEADPHONE REVIEWS
GRADO All except iGRADO are handmade in N.Y.
iGRADO, $49, 5 STARS, TOP RATED, BEST PORTABLE HEADPHONES, "More detail, range, sense of of scale & sheer musicality than anything at this price." WHAT HI-FI AWARDS 2008
SR60i, $79, "For sheer musical enjoyment, these are hard to beat." BEST BUY, HI-FI CHOICE "Full bass & excellent detail resolution." EXCEPTIONAL VALUE, same class as $400 'phones, STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 10/09 5 STARS, TOP RATED, above $309 AKG K601; Bose Quiet Comfort 3 & Triport; $450 Shure 530; & Sony MDRV700dj WHAT HI-FI 7/08 "The Mighty Mouse of headphones; superb midrange transparency & natural dynamics. Well-balanced treble, well-defined bass. Can be driven directly from an iPod or other digital player. Comfortable." ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/10
SR80i, $95, BEST BUY, HEADPHONE UNDER $280, HI-FI CHOICE AWARDS 2008
SR125i, $149, "Neutral, detailed & warm sounding; extended frequency extremes & wide dynamic range. Sounds natural at a wide range of volume levels. Never aurally or physically fatiguing. Both musical & revealing, amazingly comfortable, more than any other headphone. Grado's biggest bang for the buck." EXCEPTIONAL VALUE, in same class as $430 headphones, STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 4/09 5 STARS, TOP RATED, above $309 AKG K601; Bose Quiet Comfort 3 & Triport; $450 Shure 530 & Sony MDRV700dj WHAT HI-FI 7/08
SR225i, $198, BEST BUY, HI-FI CHOICE 2/08
SR325i, $295, "Highly sophisticated & detailed sound with great extension." BEST BUY, HI-FI CHOICE 2/08 "Greater treble extension & more efficient than another companies' $600 headphones." STEREOPHILE RECOMMENDED 10/09; rated in the same class as $600 headphones "A unique, hear-through-the-veils kind of transparency." ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/10 "For under $650, you can achieve sound quality that costs thousands [with] Grado SR325 & RA1 headphone amp. Grados are chosen by the most discriminating sound pros." OPERA NEWS 10/02 5 STARS, TOP RATED, above $309 AKG K601; Bose Quiet Comfort 3 & Triport; $450 Shure 530 & Sony MDRV700dj WHAT HI-FI 7/08
RS2i, $495, "Remarkably vivid, vibrant & engaging midrange. Sweet, silky smooth highs & taut, lively bass. Gobs of resolution & inner detail. Truly breath-taking openness. As much resolution as $16,000 speakers. That's amazing." PLAYBACK
RS1i, $695, "A music lover's component." INNER EAR, v. 17, #3, 07 "I like these more than AKG K701 or Sennheiser HD650. Grado's luscious sound scores an immediate "wow". The hand-crafted, real-mahogany headphone has a technicolor-rich sound. I'm right there with the musicians. l love these. Speakers capable of even a glimpse of their astonishing clarity have stratospheric prices." HOME ENTERTAINMENT 12/06 5 STARS, TOP RATED above AKG 301xtra & K601; Bose Quiet Comfort 3 & Triport; Sennheiser 485 & 585; Shure Se210, 530 & 530pth & Sony MDRV700dj WHAT HI-FI 7/08
GS1000i, $995, "Comfort personified & built for long listening sessions. Your ears will never feel more coddled than with these luxury foam headphones. Terrific; an unforgettably mind-expanding soundstage." ABSOLUTE SOUND
EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/10 BEST HEADPHONE, "Nothing comes close. If you want to hear what your music really sounds like, the GS1000 will prove irresistable. HI-FI CHOICE AWARDS 2008 "The Rolls Royce of headphones. The most alluring trait was its mind expanding soundstage." ABSOLUTE SOUND 1/08 "I gush over the way they clarify live recordings. The sound seemed to surround me, with a rare ability to resolve depth, just as in a concert hall. Ditto for revealing rock & jazz CDs. Grados have always been exciting. The bass is deep, yet more controlled & precise than ever before. They are a natural for home theater. Their unfailing resolution of micro-details revealed the spatial cues & ambience of each locale. Their sound really pulls you into the music, so much so it's hard to stop listening." HOME ENTERTAINMENT 12/08 5 STARS, "Amazing performance, simply awesome," TOP RATED above AKG 301xtra & K601; Bose Quiet Comfort 3 & Triport; Sennheiser 485 & 585; Shure Se210, 530 & 530pth; & Sony MDRV700dj WHAT HI-FI 7/08
HEADPHONE AMP REVIEWS
GRADO Headphone Amp ALL GRADO AMPS are handmade in NY RA1, $350, "With tube-like timbre & a sweet, relaxed sound, it makes extended headphone listening a joy. Although battery-driven, it's more at home in your equipment rack than on the road. A beautiful wooden case finishes off this gem." ABSOLUTE SOUND 10/07 "Perfect for high-end road warriors. A specialist that brings out the best." ABSOLUTE SOUND EDITOR'S CHOICE 3/10 "High-end headphone amplification for any system. With Grado top-notch headphones, it's a sumptuous personal listening experience." OPERA NEWS 12/00 "For less than $650, you can achieve sound quality that typically costs thousands [with] the Grado SR325 headphones & RA1 headphone amp." OPERA NEWS 10/02 "Excellent value for the money. Clearly a music lover's component." INNER EAR, vol 17, #3, 07
PRO-JECT HEAD BOX SEII, $399, allows connection of two headphones each with its own volume control, 4x3x6" 5 STAR TOP-RATED above more expensive Musical Fidelity." WHAT HI-FI, AWARDS 2008
We also have available:
HEADPHONE AMPS: Creek, Grado, Music Hall, Rega, Vincent
HEADPHONES: Audio-Technica, Denon Pro, Grado, Sennheiser
This page last updated -7/10/10
Visitors since Jan 2001
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