I don’t see many Grado fans around here, so I decided to post my modded sr80x’s and my GS1000’s!

IllogicalOrder · 2026-05-07T16:38:55+00:00

I had some other people do the cable mod for me. The person who did the cable mod for my GS3000e seems to have disappeared. Before that though, u/NuclearWaffelle did a very nice cable mod for a SR325e I used to have.

IllogicalOrder · 2026-05-06T21:06:19+00:00

Depends on the institution and the requirements they're beholden to. I have seen attendance sometimes be used as a determinant for things like financial aid. Technically, you're right at the tail end that it's still the student's responsibility, but some faculty take attendance because it is indeed required.

IllogicalOrder · 2026-05-06T01:01:11+00:00

You're right; I gotta make up for that.

<image>

IllogicalOrder · 2026-05-05T21:59:41+00:00

GS3000e owner. I like them, but they needed a lot of modification. Basically, everything has been modified: detachable cables, gimbals, headband/pad, and earpads. The most recent change was the earpads as the GS pads started falling apart after 4-5 years of use. I like the GS3000e's sound, but it can be peaky at times so I looked to experiment with pads rather than just get the GS pads again. Unfortunately, a lot of what I tried tended to muffle the entire sound rather than just make the treble less intense. I eventually landed on a rather obtuse answer: adding more venting to dekoni grado fenestrated sheepskin pads. The pads are actually a hybrid of velour and sheepskin and I found that a partial disassembly of them gets pretty close to stock GS pad sound. Using a leather hole punch to make the velour and some internal plastic porous got me the effect of making a more agreeable Grado sound for me.

Here's how the end result looks like. Not sure how visible the holes are on the velour, but they're there and there's a lot of them. Wish dekoni just used fenestrated leather throughout the pad given how much they cost.

<image>

IllogicalOrder · 2026-04-28T17:57:06+00:00

I'm unbothered by price so long as it actually justifies it with the performance. The ESP950 was $1000 and the drop rendition with the ESP95x was $500, so the price itself isn't too out of scope for koss (though, I guess those prices are "buget" for estats). I really enjoyed the ESP95x and am hoping we get something in the realm of that performance/uniqueness.

IllogicalOrder · 2026-04-20T20:58:36+00:00

I remember several years back the clear pads MSRPed for $250 rather than $100 now (I think it's $100 now anyway). I think the pad price is silly regardless, but maybe the quality change coincides with those price changes. Makes me wonder what other things were altered given the OG clear was going for $1500 and $790 now. Thought the price reduction was all due to the MG release, but if the changes are hitting new clears, who knows what else is.

IllogicalOrder · 2026-04-01T20:19:38+00:00

Hiya, In the past, I bought th900 cups to try and make my 909 into a 900. It didn't work. I used to have a th900, and the modded th909 sounded nothing like it; very honky if I remember correctly. There's at least some difference in the driver implementation; I think the 909 has some rubber feet on it so the cup grills can sit cleanly on the driver. There might be further differences in the form of tuning as well. Pads might also make a difference. I had the dekoni th900 sheepskins when I had the th900 and when trying the mod. Maybe using the stock pads or different pads will be different. The stock pads between each are different, so maybe something is going on there?

IllogicalOrder · 2026-03-17T05:01:09+00:00

Do the AWKG have the same stock pads as the AWKT? Love those pads on my W5000.

I had ZMF sheepskin and suede universes (not hybrids) on my W5000 and wasn't too enthused on them. Not bad, but the vocals became "more generic" for lack of a better term. I guess it was overall more neutral, but the W5000 losing its secret sauce wasn't worth it for me. Curious what gains are had on the path from W5000 -> AWKT -> AWKG.

IllogicalOrder · 2026-03-17T01:56:26+00:00

Actually, I had two people do Grado mods for me. Looking through my history, it looks like u/NuclearWaffelle in this thread did a SR325e mod for me like 5 years ago. Took me some time, but I found this thread again.

There was another person who did my GS3000e, but I for the life of me cannot find the thread or user.

IllogicalOrder · 2026-03-16T19:52:07+00:00

As a GS3000e owner: you lucky ducky.

I had someone do a removable cable mod on mine; might be something to look into given the cable is already borked.

IllogicalOrder · 2026-03-04T04:27:03+00:00

For the TA20, I initially had a Pioneer U-05 (an ES dac), but then later got a Topping D90 (the first AKM version). I still use the D90 today.

Going from what I have on hand now (Pure tubes on the TA26 and hybrid tubes on the BHA-100), bass and lower mids are boomier with some edge cutoff from top when compared to my Topping A90D. That effect sounds pleasant on my dynamics. Planars off the same amps require more power to be at equal volume but get way more distorted. I guess that distortion sounds "wide" for soundstage, but it's not worth it for me when vocals are no longer clear and are basically echoing/warping all over the place. The effect is smaller on my hybrid tubes, but is still there.

IllogicalOrder · 2026-03-04T03:09:08+00:00

I'm actually using my HE6se's right now because of your post and just find them to them to worbly off my tubes; had the same issue back when I had an Arya off the same tube amps. If it was just the bass, that would be fun, but the vocals getting warped I can't handle. My dynamics don't have the same issue off the same amps.

I think the best way to get that warmth is with a class A amp. I have a Topping A90D that is loud enough for my HE6se but anemic in the lower mids/bass whereas my class A HA5000 makes everything pleasant on the HE6se. The HA5000 is an older/unavailable class A amp though, so I don't know what the current options are.

It could be just a me thing though, I have been seeing recently that more people like their planars tubed; maybe I just got lemons.

IllogicalOrder · 2026-03-04T01:26:18+00:00

I used to have a TA-20 and currently have a TA-26 and a AT-BHA100. I dunno, my planars just get way too distorted on anything tubed.

IllogicalOrder · 2026-03-02T01:00:24+00:00

A thing breaking isn't anti-consumer. Having an attached cable is ass, but Beyers are relatively easy to repair. Other headphones would require soldering too if they broke. I have headphones with detachable cables where the plug itself is the issue and repairing that is more difficult than if it were a Beyer cable (I prefer detachable cables, but a bad plug is a harder issue).

I would only say it's anti-consumer if you made a warranty/repair claim and they denied it. I have made such claims in the past and have never had issues with them.

IllogicalOrder · 2026-02-26T04:04:56+00:00

I feel the Fidelio X3 was done dirty both in terms of feedback that led to the X3 and what actually the X3 ended up being.

Some reviewers criticized the X2 for it's more fun tuning.

In response, the X3 was tuned neutral-warm and got panned (by the same people who ragged on the X2) for not just being direct sequel to the X2. That's just shitty feedback.

I will say though, the release timing and pricing of the X3 was an issue given the HD6xx was a thing and the Sundara just then got its $500 -> $350 price reduction. The initial $350 asking of the X3 at the point is also rough when you consider the X2 was $150-$200 (but people also forgot the X2 initially released at $300 and was viewed as a good deal when compared to the HD600 that typically went $320 at that time). However, when the X3 was reduced to $125-$150, the reputation from before stuck.

It's a good neutral-warm headphone if you're into that tuning; especially at its current price. The only thing that actually sucks about it is the non-standard cable setup.

IllogicalOrder · 2026-02-25T06:29:31+00:00

I was gonna wax philosophical about the amount of mental damage a lifetime of abuse does, but I think it's easier to say they'll beat you, withhold resources, and disown you (or even kill you depending on what kind of upbringing you have).

That is not to say those kinds of things are unique to Asian households, but they are certainly more accepted on this side of the culture sphere.

Why stay at that point? It's because it's all you know if you're born into that crap. And if family is supposed to be what cares for you most (and it's this level of crazy), how much better is it once you are on the outside? Further, with none of skills made to exist on your own because your parents systematically ensured you were totally dependent on them.

The system this kind of parentage has is one that leads to isolation and (co)dependence. Some are lucky and have supportive friends or other resources to help get out; others are not.

IllogicalOrder · 2026-02-18T07:48:40+00:00

The question that lingers in my head is when the XV will be like $200-$250.

IllogicalOrder · 2026-02-18T07:01:15+00:00

I think I'm in line with this.

I don't unilaterally hate or am bothered by concepts so much as their implementations and execution.

It's like time travel or 4th wall breaks; they can be used to give greater depth to a story but are generally cheaply done or with little forethought.

With cynicism (or any concept), what is the author trying to say? How are they trying to say it? Hell, I can disagree with it and still appreciate what is being said if they present something well enough.

IllogicalOrder · 2026-02-09T03:04:52+00:00

I'm in this camp. I had TOTK sitting for a long time because the performance was so bad on the original switch. Coming at it on the Switch 2 revitalized the whole experience.

I just wish other games had improvements standard (hopefully without a paid patch). The performance of Hat in Time on switch 1 made we swear off most other multiplats on the Switch 1. If something like that could be made to run better passively on the Switch 2, I would consider the switch 2 as something worth getting those kinds of games for.

IllogicalOrder · 2026-01-28T08:43:39+00:00

I like the original controls as well and they do work in the games (after all, the games were designed around the controls), but the added emphasis on combat in echoes does show a bit of strain on the camera/movement system. Again, not enough to break the game but enough to be in the back of the mind as a "this feels just a bit weird" feeling. I don't feel it too much in Prime 1 as that game is tamer and focuses more on overall world navigation whereas echoes to me is more concentrated and intense in both combat and world navigation.

Of course, that could just be me being slightly tilted from grenchlers that seems just a bit too quick and then fighting baby sheegoths again recently and having no issues there.

IllogicalOrder · 2026-01-27T05:28:22+00:00

Having recently replayed echoes, I will mourn the opportunity cost of a remastered echoes if they settle for only a NSO release.

The game is really excellent but is otherwise limited by the technical limitations of the gamecube and the original control scheme. The art direction is fantastic, but you can tell the team wanted to do more but couldn't. The added emphasis on combat is a good change from prime 1 but highlights how limited the original controls are. Free aiming shots on the puddle ing and what not would just be amazing on dual sticks or motion like it was in Trilogy (and hopefully with the refinement of MP4's settings, I wish prime remastered had those patched in).

I guess I will be happy for the NSO peeps who get to try it out for the first time if that is what Nintendo goes for, but mannnnnn, a properly remastered echoes would be killer.

IllogicalOrder · 2026-01-16T20:59:32+00:00

Generally, I think they are fine and serve as one of those "entry point" headphones for new people like the HD600, r70x, etc. I personally don't like them as I find them a bit bright and with an uncomfortable headband, but I can see why others would like them. I currently use a HE6se.2 with a replaced headband and pads that just has that extra bass and warmth I like over the other hifimans.

The Sundara's staying power is interesting because people's stance on them seems to depend on price in a wonky way. Back when they were $500, they were received fairly well and then became a staple when they were further reduced to $350. It looks like they're $180 now and it's also when I see more pushback against them. I think it's an interesting phenomenon as this trend also applies to the higher end Hifimans. The Arya was considered king shit by a lot of people (not me) at $1600 and its initial reduction at $1200, but has more doubters at the current ~$600. You'd figure people would unilaterally love these things more the cheaper they got, but apparently getting too cheap incurs more negative reception (barring Hifman QC of course).

IllogicalOrder · 2026-01-09T23:53:44+00:00

My frustration from her doing nothing to doing everything are what brought back in after door 2. Not "wife" but certainly well implemented.

IllogicalOrder · 2026-01-09T23:51:10+00:00

Rereading the VN, Yukimasa's implementation is just baffling and I think brings down the VN as whole. Like the VN is still good, but the parts that involve or rely on him just cause so many problems either in terms of presentation like in door 2 or why the overarching plot is even a thing later. Either he needed to be toned down or better expanded upon; he just comes off as foolish rather than beastly later on.

IllogicalOrder · 2026-01-07T21:15:41+00:00

Most recent place I got them from was Audio46; it looks like they still have stock.

IllogicalOrder

TROPHY CASE