kitt wrote:
The Fuze sounds so good that I’m looking to get some new cans to get even more out of it, and I wonder if anyone has any advice? (I’ve looked at earlier posts, and I know choosing phones is a very subjective thing, but comments would be useful. I bought my last phones, Sennheiser HD238s after a quick listen in a shop, which wasn’t enough, and this time I’ll probably end up buying online and not get any trial at all).
I mostly listen at home, using Sennheiser PX100s (old style), Koss Port Pros, or if I’m on the go or in bed Koss KSC75s. I tend to listen mostly in quiet places, or in bed, and the Fuze has no trouble with these phones. I play mostly Rock, acoustic, folk-rock, and vocal music, and some classical. I’d be listening to the new phones at home, so size isn’t an issue (but comfort might be as I’ve got a big head 
).
I bought some Sennheiser HD238 Precisions, thinking this was an upgrade, but am a bit disappointed with them. The Fuze will work them ok, but they sound a bit muffled and distort the highs a little. I get the same when listening through other players, or my stereo, so it’s the phones not the player. I’ve since seen mixed reviews of these phones. I prefer the sound of any of the other phones to the (dearer) 238s, and am still looking for a bit more oomph! and that “front row feeling”.
I’m tempted to try the Grado SR60i, and wonder if anyone here has any experience of using these with the Fuze or can suggest any other cans? (I wouldn’t outrule the Grado SR125s, either though wouldn’t want to spend more than £150 tops. I’m wondering if the Fuze can power the SR60is or 125s ok, and how do they compare to the PX100s or KSC75s in sound?
I have a Fiio E3 amplifier, but it doesn’t improve the sound of the Fuze to my ears and I’d rather not get into amps if poss.
Thanks folks.
The SR60i’s are just plain awesome…I have used them with my old Fuze, old Clips, and now my Clip+. I also have the PX100 and KSC75.
Black_Rectangle’s impressions of the PX100 in comparison to a Grado are pretty accurate. I have to use some mild EQ tweaks with the PX100, because they do sound muffled to me on the upper midrange and high range. That said, they’re comfortable to wear and portable as all get out.And with other players that have better EQ settings and enhancements, these things have excellent bass performance…but with the Sansas’ suspect custom EQ, I just boost the upper mids and highs a little bit.
The KSC75’s, on the other hand, are a little too bright-sounding, and lack bass, unless I press them against my ears with my fingers, and they need more power to run…got turn up the Sansa a fair amount to get the same kind of volume as the PX100. Actually, the FiiO E3 , combined with my Clip+ (on the Normal EQ ) , works pretty well with the KSC75’s…but it’s more of a hassle to carry around.
The SR60i’s, these are what the KSC75’s want to be when they grow up. Like the KSC75, you need a little higher volume setting compared to the PX100, but you don’t need any EQ adjustments. My Clip+, in a quiet room, will play them uncomfortably loud if I crank it…but I’d prefer not to be deaf quite yet. The E3 actually works well with these too…gives them a slight bump in bass without really muddying things up…but it’s really not necessary, they sound fine without it.
As far as a suggestion for you…from your currency figures, I gather that you are in the U.K., which makes it more difficult, and definitely more expensive, to get Grados…but there is a worldwide alternativethat you can take advantage of, that would have saved Black-Rectangle some money if he’d known of it…the Alessandro MS1i. It is a slightly hot-rodded Grado SR125i, but it costs less!
