Headphone listening set up woes

[adamrobertshaw]

Does anyone have experience of the higher end Grados like the GS1000e and how they compare to the Senny HD800?

I'm wondering if I made a mistake going for the 300 ohm HD800 rather than choosing something easy to drive like 32 ohm Grado.

I've been using Macs / Audirvana Plus into a TEAC UD-501 and then out to a Pathos Aurium. Unfortunately I'm getting distortion on highs on the HD800 when connected to the Aurium. This distortion disappears if I use the headphone output on the UD-501 but this unfortunately means I have to sacrifice the warmth of the Aurium amp.

I've also tried a PC and J River MC and the distortion appears again. I know the HD800 are not defective. I suspect that the software / USB decoding is the issue but I'm none the wiser as to why it is all OK until I use the Aurium for the amplification. The Aurium has no issues if I use SPDIF / coax into the DAC. So it is USB / software at fault.

Has anyone else had an issue like this?

I have a pair of Grado 325is and they don't distort at all. But they are a long way short of the HD800 (sound, comfort and listening fatigue). Hence why I'm interested in forum user experience of higher end Grados.

 

[dalethorn]

I have the PS1000e (I don't have any GS series), and while the PS1000e has its own charms, the fidelity is way, way less than the HD800.

 

[adamrobertshaw]

Thanks for the feedback on Grado.

The 325is are passable as an easy listen when plugged into a laptop or i-phone.

But absolutely no comparison to the HD800.

 

[dalethorn]

Thanks for the feedback on Grado.

The 325is are passable as an easy listen when plugged into a laptop or i-phone.

But absolutely no comparison to the HD800.

Walking through the last 135 or so headphones I've reviewed, looking for sound similar to the HD800, but perhaps easier to drive? The AKG K712 is one of my favorites, not as good as the HD800 by any means, but still good hi-fi.

Another two are the Shure SRH-1440 and 1840. The 1440 is perhaps the closest to the HD800, since the 1840 has a less-vibrant lower treble and lack of useful response below 40 hz or so. I've done critical compares of the Shure SRH-940 with the help of a few cooperative head-fi'ers, and it's as good as the 1440, but the build quality isn't great, and it's closed-back** and not extremely comfortable.

**Definitely the only closed-back headphone I've ever heard in the upper class of hi-fi sound.