Bengineer Posted December 27, 2020 Posted December 27, 2020 (edited) Both on the G cush pads? Stock ones? Edited December 27, 2020 by Bengineer
RePete Posted December 27, 2020 Posted December 27, 2020 On 27/12/2020 at 1:49 AM, Bengineer said: Both on the G cush pads? Stock ones? Expand Yep stock G pads On 27/12/2020 at 2:10 AM, Bengineer said: PS1000e seems like a winner! Expand PS1000 (not e) is my preference this morning. That could change this afternoon . The RS1e might be first to go due to a Boxing Day sale which got me .
Bengineer Posted December 27, 2020 Posted December 27, 2020 Much difference with the "e"? Seems like not much changes hey.
RePete Posted December 27, 2020 Posted December 27, 2020 Some models the “e” variant is more different than others. on the PS1k I’ve read the bottom end rolls off earlier and this seems to be confirmed by the frequency response graphs you know how it goes in this hobby, everything has to be taken with a grain of salt till your own ears confirm it
Bengineer Posted December 27, 2020 Posted December 27, 2020 Very much so. Trick is trying to get my ears into a lot of these cups. Not easily demo'd 1
petng Posted December 27, 2020 Posted December 27, 2020 I say the next step up would be to grab a pair of ps1000e for around $1100-1300. This would give you an impressive improvement over the GH4. After that the pinnacle would be the GS3000e which is what I have atm!!
Bengineer Posted December 27, 2020 Posted December 27, 2020 Another point to PS1000e. You had the pleasure of comparing the 3000e to the likes of a PS1000 or GS1000 or GH1-4 ?
petng Posted December 27, 2020 Posted December 27, 2020 I keep coming back to Grados. This year I had Sony z1r, zmf eikon, Final D8000, Final Sonorous viii. sold everything and keep the GS3000e. the Grado has a musicality that the others can’t touch. in saying that I have a focal utopia coming this week. 1
Bengineer Posted December 27, 2020 Posted December 27, 2020 I can definately see the appeal of them. Did you have any Grado prior to the 3k?
virtua Posted December 27, 2020 Posted December 27, 2020 I've really liked the Grados I've auditioned before which were the 325e and GH3. They do something really unique where the sound is very energetic and focused, generally a more intimate soundstage all the while feeling very open. I don't have a pair of my collection currently but have definitely considered it even just for how amazing they sound for rock.
RePete Posted December 27, 2020 Posted December 27, 2020 On 27/12/2020 at 9:02 AM, petng said: I say the next step up would be to grab a pair of ps1000e for around $1100-1300. This would give you an impressive improvement over the GH4. After that the pinnacle would be the GS3000e which is what I have atm!! Expand You’d have to pick up a second hand PS1000 to get it for $1200 ish there is a pair of GS3000e on gumtree for $2000. I made an offer but fortunately he declined 1
bruc3 Posted December 28, 2020 Posted December 28, 2020 I've never heard a Grado before, so what is the appeal to them? I just recall people saying that they are very bright headphones, and dont seem to know much else about them to be honest.
Bengineer Posted December 28, 2020 Posted December 28, 2020 On 28/12/2020 at 10:25 AM, bruc3 said: I've never heard a Grado before, so what is the appeal to them? I just recall people saying that they are very bright headphones, and dont seem to know much else about them to be honest. Expand Some models are bright, and a bunch aren't. Seems to be some gems. They have a unique staging and imaging, and a inherent "excitement" with the sound. 1
cogitator Posted December 29, 2020 Posted December 29, 2020 On 26/12/2020 at 9:06 PM, Bengineer said: Really isn't much saving grace. Plastic cheap looking rod blocks. Cheap basic metal rods with dipped rubber top grommet thing. Plastic gimbals!?! Unpadded headband. Fixed, thick, basic cable. Pads from the 1980s. The wooden cup is the only part that is on par for quality for the price. Everything else is stuck in the 1980s. For $799, the GH4 is up against the likes of Beyer DT1990 and DCA Aeon (original). Both a lesson on actual quality of build. And the Grado retain a lot of these cheap parts moving up the line, where they start competing in price with Focal and ZMF. Not trying to bag on them too much, I like the aesthetic and the sound. But they are taking the piss in today's market. For something not truly made from scratch in house by a monk, the price doesn't reflect the quality of materials used. Expand You forgot to mention the beautifully presented pizza box you get a bonus! Grados' only saving grace is their sound (on a handful of their headphones). I don't see any talk of John's creations? Now these were something else... 1
Bengineer Posted December 29, 2020 Posted December 29, 2020 Yeah, forgot the box! ZMF I get handmade Wood cups. Metal everything. Leather and padding. Lovely pads and a seahorse case.
cogitator Posted December 29, 2020 Posted December 29, 2020 (edited) @Bengineer I suggest hunting down some vintage Grados (for instance, buttoned RS-1 with square rods or older). Sweeter sounding without the harshness of their later brethren. Better headband too. If you want neutral, a HP1000, the build quality of which makes other Grados feel like toys. Failing that, or if you prefer to stick to recent variants, I suggest a PS1000 (not e). Careful amping is needed to make them sing and tame the highs. Edited December 29, 2020 by cogitator 1
Bengineer Posted December 29, 2020 Posted December 29, 2020 On 29/12/2020 at 3:13 AM, cogitator said: @Bengineer I suggest hunting down some vintage Grados (for instance, buttoned RS-1 with square rods or older). Sweeter sounding without the harshness of their later brethren. Better headband too. If you want neutral, a HP1000, the build quality of which makes other Grados feel like toys. Failing that, or if you prefer to stick to recent variants, I suggest a PS1000 (not e). Careful amping is needed to make them sing and tame the highs. Expand Finding a HP1000 ain't gonna be easy Nice cans though. 25-30 years old now no? I'm looking for a close to neutral one with the highest resolution they have. Any peaks I can EQ out. And comfort and build I can mod to suit too.
Bill_F Posted December 29, 2020 Posted December 29, 2020 True story: a few years back my ex girlfriend and I had a falling out and she stomped on my GS1000 and submerged them in a bubble bath. They actually played fine after that; the only problem was a chip on one side of the wooden housing. I gave them away after that and have yet to return to the Grado fold... 1 1
Bengineer Posted December 29, 2020 Posted December 29, 2020 (edited) On 29/12/2020 at 4:10 AM, Bill_F said: True story: a few years back my ex girlfriend and I had a falling out and she stomped on my GS1000 and submerged them in a bubble bath. They actually played fine after that; the only problem was a chip on one side of the wooden housing. I gave them away after that and have yet to return to the Grado fold... Expand Why did you split up? You and the Grado that is? Edited December 29, 2020 by Bengineer 1
cogitator Posted December 29, 2020 Posted December 29, 2020 On 29/12/2020 at 6:27 AM, Bengineer said: Why did you split up? You and the Grado that is? Expand 1
Bill_F Posted December 29, 2020 Posted December 29, 2020 Started doing most of my critical listening on loudspeakers. For cans, I switched to IEMs and haven't really looked back. I find IEMs better for portable use, including knocking around the house. Grado ergonomics are particularly ill-suited to mobility. That said, I retain a strong affinity for the Grado sound--and their pizza boxes! Started with the SR80, then the RS1, (with the matching head amp) then the stomped-and-dunked GS1000. 1
cogitator Posted December 29, 2020 Posted December 29, 2020 (edited) On 29/12/2020 at 3:35 AM, Bengineer said: Finding a HP1000 ain't gonna be easy Nice cans though. 25-30 years old now no? Expand 31 - released in 1989. I still kick myself not picking up a pair that showed up on eBay Australia about 20 years ago. It went for $265 - I thought it was too expensive. No other pair I know of has showed up since. You would have to buy it overseas. The happy part to the story is that I ended up finding an even rarer pair of SR200 with the black star drivers. Less than 300 pairs exist. Edited December 29, 2020 by cogitator
cogitator Posted December 29, 2020 Posted December 29, 2020 On 29/12/2020 at 3:35 AM, Bengineer said: I'm looking for a close to neutral one with the highest resolution they have. Any peaks I can EQ out. And comfort and build I can mod to suit too. Expand That’s a tough one. Outside of the HP1000 driver variants (all vintage and difficult to source), Grados are coloured to varying degrees. You could look at Alessandro’s which are more neutral than their Grado equivalents, but nothing like the neutral HP1000’s.
Bengineer Posted December 29, 2020 Posted December 29, 2020 On 29/12/2020 at 7:03 AM, cogitator said: That’s a tough one. Outside of the HP1000 driver variants (all vintage and difficult to source), Grados are coloured to varying degrees. You could look at Alessandro’s which are more neutral than their Grado equivalents, but nothing like the neutral HP1000’s. Expand Doesn't have to be strictly neutral. Just not overly bright, or bass light, or super dark. I have the GH4. I like them. Inject some more resolution / refinement I'd be happy!
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