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Grado SR80e Headphone Review

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Grado SR80e

Grado SR80e Open Back Headphone Review

The Grado SR80e are a definite improvement over the SR80i, with a slightly warmer, more balanced sound. Their retro styling may not appeal to all, but underneath the looks is a fine sounding open-back headphone. The undisputed king of headphones for rock music, these are sure to get you toe tapping and head banging in no time.

Pros:

  • Clean sound
  • Well balanced
  • Exciting

Cons:

  • Bass will not satisfy all
  • Comfort can be an issue for some

Aesthetics, Build Quality and Accessories

The Grado SR80e do not stray far from the classic low end Grado style, with very retro looks that are a love or hate affair. I think there is something quite pleasing about the design; it is wonderfully simple yet stylish and functional. All black with silver lettering, they don’t stand out with colours, but they do with their unique styling.

The build quality is nothing spectacular but you can change nearly every part on it, with an extensive community dedicated to modifying them. The cups are plastic but well put together, the headband is a vinyl covered metal band; the sliders are metal rods in rod blocks. The cable is dual sided, and feels quite substantial, it is rubbery under the y-split and quite thick, above the y-split they are prone to twisting and kinking a little. The construction is so simple, yet it works and they last for years, the foam pads will need replacing from time to time, but apart from that you can expect many years of service from a pair of Grado.

Accessory wise you get a a 3.5mm to 6.3mm jack adaptor, that is it. I know some models now come with the genuine Grado hard carry case which is a nice little added extra.

Comfort and Usage

The comfort of Grados has been talked about a lot, and as with the styling, it is a love or hate affair. I personally don’t find them uncomfortable; the earpads do need some time to settle in as they are a little stiff out of the box. The headphones are very light, they clamp a little tightly but the headband can be stretched to alleviate this. The weight of the headphones and the way they sit means they don’t really create a hot spot on the top of your head easily, even if they do lack proper headband padding. Some people do not find on-ear headphones very comfy, as for pads, the stock are very comfy but the L cush from Grado are even better if you want an upgrade.

The SR80e are an open back, on-ear headphone so they will not isolate from outside noise, also this means they leak sound. This means that using them around other people can cause annoyance, so please be considerate. There are benefits of an open-back headphone for out and about usage, you stay aware of your surroundings.
These headphones are perfect for home listening too; especially with the recent vinyl boom these play wonderfully with a good vinyl setup.

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READ MORE: Effect Audio Thor Silver II Cable Review

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Sound

Contrary to the belief that open headphone have a wide soundstage, Grado have a very unique sound for an open back design, being airy but very intimate, engaging and slightly aggressive.

  • Bass

These are not for the bass heads of the world; these are for those that appreciate the quality over quantity. The Grado of old used to be considered a little bass light, yet the new E series has more articulate and present bass response. It is far from being overwhelming but it is tight and fast, yet at the same time incredibly articulate. Bass guitar lines are so easy to follow, kick drums hit with authority and the PRAT (Pace, Rhythm and Timing) is class leading at this price. The bass fills out the sound keeping it exciting, yet they are so controlled, never encroaching on the rest of the frequency range.

  • Midrange

The SR80e has such a clean midrange; this is partly due to the incredibly well controlled bass. The midrange has no big dips or peaks; it is relatively well balanced handling male and female both with ease. Distorted guitars in rock music have power and authority, and the air and layering in softer acoustic and slower rock is excellent.

  • Treble

These is a bit of a peak in the treble but it does not induce fatigue or harshness, the old SR80 was slightly leaner sounding which lead them to be a little more fatiguing. The treble has been toned down a little over the ears, and they have become a more balanced sounding headphone. The peak brings out energy and sparkle in the initial cymbal crash in music, making them really engaging and not lacking up top at all. The treble is still refined though, and does not sound strained or forced.

As stated before the SR80e has an airy sound with excellent separation, however the soundstage is very small and intimate sounding.

Conclusion

The SR80e is a real step forward for Grado, toning down the highs a little, adding a little extra bass presence has made these less fatiguing and more balanced sounding. These will not appeal to bass heads, they fair better with music that is played on real instruments. They have long been favourites for people that enjoy rock music due to the speed and control of the sound. At the price point I still think Grado hold their own with a well balanced, aggressive and detailed sound, there is nothing quite like them.

Modifying

Now there is a whole community dedicated to modifying Grados, which can improve their sound for very little money sometimes. Please be aware that modifying them will void your warranty, but the benefits can be great. For under £200 you could have a set of wood cupped Grados that will sound nearly as good as their higher end models, and will be unique to you.
Here is an excellent thread dedicated to this:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/post-your-grado-mods.119314/

And also great places to get custom parts:

And I personally have a pair of SR60e which I replaced the cups and put dynamat on the back of the driver, along with getting some L cush pads and changing the cable. They are incredibly light and comfortable for long listening and the sound is just really fun. What I personally really like about the Grados is their way of allowing you to enjoy the music rather than try and pick flaws in it.

Focal Elear Audiophile Headphone Review – No Definition

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Focal Elear Open Back Headphone Review

Focal has caused a stir recently with their two new additions; the Utopia and the Focal Elear headphones. In the hunt for a snappy title, we have found that the word ‘Elear’ has no definition in either English or French, so we had to make do with a click-baity title instead.

With the Utopia at a wallet-wilting £3499, the Elear has missed out on a lot of attention due to its less sensational price. However, £899 is still a fair whack for a pair of headphones so let’s see if we can define ‘Elear’ here.

Pros:

  • Excellent clear sound
  • Strong, well made cable
  • Great presentation, beautiful!

Cons:

  • Some may find them heavy

Design and Appearance

The Focal Elear comes in a very impressive looking box, although it won’t stand up to much use without starting to look scruffy, as it’s made of paper-coated wood or card. Given the Elear’s intended uses however, we don’t imagine that it will need to go back in very often. The headphones themselves are very well built, with great styling. Imagine the Sennheiser HD600 being designed by a Frenchman and the Elear would not be far off.

Durability and Build Quality

The Elear is of relatively light construction in terms of the way the components fit together. For instance the headband and earcups have a little bit of give to them, but this is down to helping achieve a good fit rather than poor design. Whether these parts loosen in years to come, time will tell but we don’t think so. That’s where the lightness ends though, as the Elear weighs in at a relatively hefty 434 grams (15.3 Oz – nearly a pound!).

Also the cable is quite substantial; it makes most other cables look like spider silk but it’s not cumbersome; ‘reassuringly lavish’ probably fits. It’s a rubber-coated affair and matches the headphones very well.

Comfort

There’s plenty of padding under the headband and with the soft and pliable earpads on the Elear, no particular part of the head registers discomfort. These headphones can be worn for hours depending on your neck muscles; those 434 grams can start imposing themselves after a while.

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READ MORE: Shanling M1 Portable Audio Player Review

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Sound Characteristics

The Focal Elear‘s tuning is pitched slightly warmish, but with a respectable presence in the mid/treble region too. It is good at reproducing the subtle variations in volume offered by acoustic instruments and so excels with live and acoustic performances. Having said that, studio recordings are pretty convincing too. The Elear is fairly forgiving with less than perfect recordings, old records and music files; pops and scratches are there alright, but not brought into sharp relief. Enough fun can be had with old MP3 files without feeling as if we need to rush out and get these in higher resolution in order to enjoy the Elear.

  • Bass

Bass is in no short supply, but is well balanced with the rest of the frequencies; it doesn’t tend to dominate unless the music is already bassy. Sub bass gives a pleasant rumble if required, and mid bass is punchy and tight; it’s well behaved up to the midrange and the transition to the higher frequencies is nice and even.

  • Mids

Plenty of space here; decays are as long as needed and vocals/backing vocals are clear and well defined. Fans of acoustic and classical music are in for a treat as a strong impression of the recording space is given by the Elear, with the ebb and flow of natural reverb being very well reproduced.

  • Treble

Treble is not pushed at us but is very resolving and we find ourselves ‘reaching in’ to the recording to find tiny details which are all the more natural-sounding. Transient speed is excellent with clear, sharp percussive sounds. Also, be ready for unplanned sounds in recordings, such as when a singer opens their mouth, ready to sing. Unplanned perhaps, but fun to spot and enjoy as an added level of realism.

  • Soundstage and Separation

Width is great with studio recordings but as noted above, all the more realistic with recordings made within a performance space such as classical or opera. Imaging is impressive, with subtle harmonic details giving a strong impression of instrument shape and form.

Music genres good for and why

The Focal Elear is a good all-round choice; if this is the only headphone you have, it will do everything well but it really shines with classical and opera; anything which is recorded within a performance space really.

Summary

Focal’s Elear may sit in the shade next to Focal’s current flagship headphone (The Utopia) but can really dish up the goods. Prices for top of the range headphones have been pushing up and up recently, but if you wish to keep your feet on the ground then the Focal Elear is one of the best which can be had for under a grand.

MrSpeakers Aeon Headphone Review – A new Epoch?

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MrSpeakers Aeon Closed Back Headphone Review

MrSpeakers is one of those small companies which gets some big attention; not content with their excellent Ether models, they’re back with another design! The MrSpeakers Aeon is a slight departure from the norm, as MrSpeakers has elected to go with some teardrop-shaped earcups for this one. Perhaps they’re designed to match the tears currently falling down our cheeks.. but are they tears of pure frisson, or rage?

Pros:

  • Light and comfortable
  • Excellent sound for a closed back
  • Tuning/modding foam included
  • Isolation impressive

Cons:

  • Nothing worth mentioning!

Design and Appearance

Much like its MrSpeakers forebears, the Aeon is a light and thoughtfully constructed headphone with ‘memory metal’ headband and a decent real leather strap. The earcups are mostly plastic with metal housings for the drivers; it’s all rock solid though, despite the low weight of the Aeon.

Durability and Build Quality

There’s not a lot to go wrong with the design; there are no hinges which can sometimes give trouble eventually, and the sturdy case supplied with the headphones will protect them well between uses. The ‘Dummer’ cable is about 1.8m long and is much like those we’ve seen on the previous Ether models; fabric coated and substantial enough without becoming too cumbersome.

Comfort

Comfort is not an issue with the MrSpeakers Aeon; these are very light for what they do and can be worn for many hours. Clamping force may be more noticeable but the soft pads ensure that no pressure points announce themselves.

Suitability for intended application

The Aeon is primarily intended for the home or office, but wouldn’t look out of place outdoors. The Aeon is a little hard to drive with portable equipment so a separate amp may be required for this, or a capable player. The isolation on the Aeon is quite impressive so it could be a worthwhile thing to try.

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READ MORE: Shanling M2s Digital Audio Player Review

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Sound Characteristics

At first listen the Aeon is quite a neutral-sounding headphone; nothing sticks out too much and there are no obvious dips in the frequency response. After a while though, the Aeon’s character starts to come through. MrSpeakers has also included some small foam pads to modify the sound somewhat; this fills in the upper bass and smooths upper midrange frequencies a bit if needed.

  • Bass

Bass starts with a bump, and the sub bass is really rather nice; a lot of what certain tracks require is just waiting in the wings and pops out to make a great bottom end. Further up towards the upper reaches of the bass, there is a feeling that more presence would be good as it meets the midrange but it’s slight. Overall the bass is tight and well behaved, giving a solid feeling to proceedings.

  • Mids

Midrange is extremely clear and revealing; it has a natural and loose feel to it which is impressive for a closed-back model. It has a well balanced quality which is not too hard, nor too lush. There’s no issue with sibilance here either, despite the impression that midrange is fully present within the tuning of the MrSpeakers Aeon.

  • Treble

Up at the top, there’s good extension and a decent amount of sparkle although there is no obvious emphasis here; treble continues on from midrange without any problem. Cymbals are rendered very well with decent detail, and attacks are good and sharp.

  • Soundstage and Separation

We keep needing to remind ourselves that this is a closed-back headphone; the soundstage is very impressive indeed with great depth too. Imaging and separation are excellent, making a very entertaining and enjoyable headphone.

Music genres good for and why

Many genres were tried and none failed to hit the mark. Classical is treated with delicacy, hip hop is thrown down, and jazz gets playful. The MrSpeakers Aeon handles it all equally well!

Summary

MrSpeakers’ Aeon is a very capable headphone which is worthy of the high price, and equally suitable for use outdoors as well as relaxing at home.