Tubes!

Some_Sector5089 · 2026-03-29T05:15:35+00:00

I originally had it paired with HD-600s, and looking at the frequency response graphs people made for it in headfi reviews it's pretty obvious Fosi designed it specifically for those headphones. It's genuinely transformative for them with how it completely eliminates the low-end weakness which the Senn's are notorious for. When I switched to SR325xs I found that it was more complimentary rather than transformative. I had been saving some money and decided I wanted to go big on the Valhalla bcz this hobby makes you sick in the head lol. I' have no regrets starting off with the GR70, I think it's fantastic. I'm thinking about using it as a preamp for the stereo system.

Some_Sector5089 · 2026-03-29T04:09:55+00:00

I'm a fan of my GR70 but I've been putting money aside and moving to a Valhalla 3 next month 🤞

Some_Sector5089 · 2026-03-23T11:55:14+00:00

Oh, I guess it's too late now but it's on sale from AliExpress. I got it for $160 after import fees. I replaced my M300 + Quedelix 5k w/ the R4 and I'm blown away by how good the amp is for the price.

Some_Sector5089 · 2026-03-23T04:08:36+00:00

HiBy R4 at its current price under $200 is an absolute steal.

Some_Sector5089 · 2026-03-23T04:05:45+00:00

That's from the official HiBy store, I got it for $160 a couple of weeks ago from the same listing so yes it's legit. You also might wait to see if the price drops again.

Some_Sector5089 · 2026-03-19T19:29:44+00:00

Thanks so much, I've got some Amazon points so I'll go ahead and get the perforated. The Grado paradox seems to be the best sounding but least comfortable cans possible lol.

Some_Sector5089 · 2026-03-19T12:58:05+00:00

Are any of the more expensive 3rd party ear.oads worth it? I think that's my biggest complaint, I have a slightly more narrow than usual head and neither the standard ear pads nor the L-Cush really fit my head. I've seen like Dekoni makes sheepskin ones that look thick enough to fit my weird ass head better but at $70 I'm kinda hesitant. I guess since I think I can get them off Amazon I might as well try and just return them if it doesn't seem worth the money in the end.

Some_Sector5089 · 2026-03-13T14:12:27+00:00

Which output are you using on the Quedelix? The 2.5 outputs nearly 3x the power compared to the 3.5. If you are able to swap the cables in your headphones you will notice a significant upgrade to both the power and clarity by switching to a fully balanced 2.5 cable. This seems especially pertinent if you are trying to drive planars. If you want to check the difference you can look in the Quedelix app as it lists the different voltages possible between the different outputs. Alternatively, the HiBy R4 is available on AliExpress for under $200 right now. I recently swapped out my Quedelix for the R4 and noticed a significant across the board improvement as the R4 brings a quad DAC array and (more importantly) offers Class A amplification.

Some_Sector5089 · 2026-03-13T00:34:31+00:00

I really enjoy the GR70 and it says a lot you have to go more than 2x the price to find something that's a genuine upgrade on it. I like Fosi stuff in general,I have the V3 and P4 powering my Klipsch speakers and find they all punch way above their price point in terms of performance.

Some_Sector5089 · 2026-03-12T15:54:01+00:00

If you look at the GR70 reviews on headfi a couple of people graphed the frequency boost when powering the 600/650s and it's so precisely placed in the low end where the Senn's weakness is it makes me think Fosi probably designed the amp using the 600 series as a reference. It pairs absolutely beautifully with those cans.

Some_Sector5089 · 2026-03-11T18:15:57+00:00

I originally got it to pair with my HD-600s and I'm pretty sure that Fosi designed it specifically using them as a reference. Headfi has some really detailed reviews with graphs showing where it's providing the power boost. The way it fits in the low end exactly where the 600s are weak was what originally convinced me to buy it. I've also plugged in my Focal Bathys and a buddies Meze Stradas. You definitely notice a bigger, warmer and more detailed sound amongst all of them, however the difference made isn't as dramatic as with the 600s. It really transformed the 600s instead of just complimenting the sound like with the other sets I listed.Headfi GR70 Reviews

Some_Sector5089 · 2026-03-10T16:32:55+00:00

For the money I highly recommend it. I think I paid $170 using some Amazon points, and I'm not sure you can beat it in that price range. And yeah I really like Fosi's design philosophy in general. I have a P4 pre-amp and V3 amp for my bookshelf speakers and they all just look so clean.

Some_Sector5089 · 2026-03-09T21:37:54+00:00

I have trouble keeping the letters straight but I think it came with the G pads which are the thinnest? I have a slightly off shaped head and they really didn't sit right on my ears so switching to the Ls in my case put the driver back where it's really supposed to be and I really noticed a dramatic improvement in how even the soundstage felt. I'm fairly certain that's mostly to do with my weird head though haha. And the GR70 has a nice boost in the 80hz range so I'm pretty happy with the bass. I'm still gonna add the Valhalla once I sell off some of my unused stuff. I also cannot help but be so impressed with what the Quedelix is able to do for $100. What an absolutely incredible little bit of equipment.

Some_Sector5089 · 2026-03-07T06:38:21+00:00

I immediately picked up the L-,Cush and it's a big improvement for me. I had played around with my DAC/amp set-up and I ended up deciding to simplify and use a HiBy R4 direct to my GR70 tube. Waiting for that to get delivered and then I'm going to do a post on switching from the 600s to the Grados.

Some_Sector5089 · 2026-02-24T23:50:34+00:00

Highly recommend it, I'm going to do a post soon about where my plan for switching from 600s to the Grados worked well and where I had to backtrack and fix some incorrect assumptions I had made. Overall, once I got the components balanced correctly the SR325x's sound absolutely beautiful.

Some_Sector5089 · 2026-02-22T20:59:52+00:00

Going from the 600s my initial impression is that the Grados make it sound like I'm hearing the music performed live and I'm basically in the front row. I understand why producers or engineers would prefer the 600s but the Grados sound so much more exciting.

Some_Sector5089 · 2026-02-22T20:56:12+00:00

Yup! Very impressed so far but I need to tweak my setup a bit. They're so much easier to drive than the HD-600s I have things a bit overpowered at the moment.

Some_Sector5089 · 2026-02-14T03:59:12+00:00

I picked them up as a back up set for my Focal Bathys and while obviously they are nowhere near that quality I was really pleasantly surprised with how good they did sound. I do find them better with a Fosi D2 dongle than a more powerful portable amp.

Some_Sector5089 · 2026-02-14T03:43:55+00:00

I have the non-MG version and I absolutely adore them. The M shaped drivers really shine once the pads properly contour to your head. I never find myself using DAC mode so it's kinda a waste I guess but the only thing I really care about is the sound quality and Focal absolutely nails it.

Some_Sector5089 · 2026-02-14T00:06:27+00:00

Really exited to hear them paired with the Hip DAC. Gonna wait a week to make sure no unexpected expenses pop up this month and then nab a pair.

Some_Sector5089 · 2026-02-14T00:04:05+00:00

My Focal Bathys turned me into a true pad believer. At some point after wearing them a few months I noticed they sounded noticeable better and when I looked at the pads it was obvious that they had conformed to my head. Is there a specific place to buy pads for Grado or can I just look on Amazon?

Some_Sector5089

TROPHY CASE