Introduction & Background
I was given the opportunity to test out the Grado GS1000 headphones by Head-Fi member Zanth. He is currently running the Headphone Loan Programme
[LINK], which includes a several pairs of Grado headphones: SR-60, GS1000, and an RS-1/RS-2 combo pack. If you meet the requirements for the Programme, I definitely recommend it, as I would not have had the chance to have such an extensive demo of the GS1000 without Zanth's generosity.
Test Methodology
To test the Grado GS1000, I used a fairly extensive test regimen. First, I picked out a number of songs that I was already quite familiar with, and that spanned my musical interests. I ended up with 27 songs that I used to compare the GS1000 to my standard, the Sennheiser HD580.
My gear lineup was as follows:
Source: AudioDIYLab DAC-301
Amplifier: Millett Hybrid MAX MOSFET Edition
Interconnects: Kimber Kable Timbre Interconnects
Baseline Headphones: Sennheiser HD580 with HD650 cable and HD600 grills
The only real way I could come up with to accurately describe the GS1000's sound was to compare the HD580s and the GS1000. My procedure for this comparison was to listen to a song on my test lineup first with the HD580, write down notes describing the details of what I was hearing, and then repeat the procedure with the GS1000, making sure to note any specific differences between the two headphones. I took about two weeks to go through the entire lineup, after which, I felt like I had a good idea of how the GS1000 sounded to my ears.
Test Lineup (Title - Artist - Genre)
1. What a Difference a Day Makes - Joe McQueen - Jazz
2. Take Five - Dave Brubeck Quartet - Jazz
3. Photograph - Jamie Cullum - Pop / Jazz
4. Move Along - The All-American Rejects - Alternative / Punk
5. Amsterdam - Coldplay - Alternative
6. Viva La Vida - Coldplay - Alternative
7. July, July! - The Decemberists - Alternative
8. Shankill Butchers - The Decemberists - Alternative
9. Hey Hey - Eric Clapton - Blues
10. Old Love - Eric Clapton - Blues
11. Concerto in E major, BWV 1042: 1. Allegro (J.S. Bach) - Hilary Hahn - Concert (Baroque)
12. Concerto for 2 Violins in D minor, BWV 1043: 1. Vivace (J.S. Bach) - Hilary Hahn - Concert (Baroque)
13. Prelude and Fugue in C minor, BWV 847 (J.S. Bach) - Sviatoslav Richter - Concert (Baroque)
14. Quando, Quando, Quando - Michael Bublé - Easy Listening
15. Don't Wait For Me - Josh Garrels - Folk
16. Cape Classico - Natalie MacMaster - Folk
17. Julia's Waltz - Natalie MacMaster - Folk
18. Volcanic Jig - Natalie MacMaster - Folk
19. Bell Bottom Blues - Derek and the Dominoes - Rock
20. Hotel California - The Eagles - Rock
21. Taylor - Jack Johnson - Rock / Pop
22. The Battle of Evermore - Led Zeppelin - Rock
23. Up Is Down - Hans Zimmer - Soundtrack
24. Kyrie for the Magdalene - Hans Zimmer - Soundtrack
25. The Road Goes Ever On... Pt. 2 - Howard Shore - Soundtrack
26. Concerto Grosso Op. 6: Adagio - Corelli (Master and Commander) - Soundtrack
27. Rocket Boys - Mark Isham - Soundtrack
As you can see, my playlist covered an extensive variety of music. I did focus in on instrumental works quite a bit, but I do think I hit a broad range of musical tastes.
Specific Song Comments
I made notes for every single song in my playlist, but I won't type all those out; they begin to be a little repetitive, so I've picked a few key songs that really show the differences between the HD580 and the GS1000.
2. Take Five - Dave Brubeck Quartet - Jazz
From the HD580, I felt that this song was portrayed in a warm tone, while maintaining powerful bass hits. The timbre seemed to me to have a rounded feeling. With the GS1000, I noticed a greater separation between instruments, and I noted that it "seems more like listening in a concert hall as opposed to a small room." The overall tone seemed crisper than the HD580, but the highs started to feel fatiguing to my ears.
4. Move Along - The All-American Rejects - Alternative / Punk
The HD580 gave this song a nice emphasis on percussion and vocals, but the guitar seem a bit muted. I felt as if I was immersed in the music; while it sounded slightly muddy, that feeling of being enveloped in the music works. The GS1000 gave a slightly different version of the song; the cymbals seemed to be emphasized more than than the guitar. This is due to the GS1000's greater emphasis on the high register. Also, I noticed that vocal harmonies came through quite a bit clearer than with the HD580.
6. Viva La Vida - Coldplay - Alternative
When listening with the HD580, the introductory strings were connected and not particularly crisp. The vocals sound very upfront and close, and the song has a smooth, yet still pulsing rhythm. Using the GS1000, the vocals seem echoey and thin. There is a definite sibilance to the vocals, the soundstage isn't very close, and there is much more separation between instrumentation and vocals.
9. Hey Hey - Eric Clapton - Blues
I absolutely love this song on the HD580; the beat is strong and rhythmic, and Clapton's guitar has a really nice tang to the sound. The vocals sound close and husky, and I can just envision Eric Clapton sitting right in front of me. With the GS1000, I was disappointed, as the guitar tone was shifted too much towards the treble end of things. There was no impact with the beat, and turning up the volume only led to fatigue. The detail exists in the song, but it's not quite as fun to listen to, although it is possible to hear more detail in some of the guitar runs.
12. Concerto for 2 Violins in D minor, BWV 1043 - 1. Vivace (J.S. Bach) - Concert (Baroque)
With the HD580, the 1st Violin is to my immediate right, and the 2nd Violin is to my immediate left. The notes aren't terribly crisp or defined, and the tone is very warm. The Continuo part is hidden at times behind the soloists. With the GS1000, each part is positioned similarly, but as if I had taken 10 paces backwards. The treble emphasis of the GS1000 works well for this piece, as it helps the violin tone shine more. There is quite a bit more definition to the violinists' notes, and the exactness of the Baroque composition demands that level of detail.
Conclusions
Having briefly sampled the other members of the Grado line at CanJam '08, I can tell you that the GS1000 is a definite departure from Grado's usual presentation. My comparison between the HD580 and GS1000 has led me to several conclusions regarding soundstage, tonal presentation, and musical detail. As for the tonal presentation, the GS1000 have a definite emphasis towards the upper end of the register; they do have much more present treble. Some people call this sparkle and detail, but my experience with the HD580 has led me to call it sibilance. Several of my test songs were rendered quite harsh, and made for an unpleasant listening experience.
However, this is not to say that there was no categories in which the GS1000 trumped my HD580; I should hope this would be the case, as the GS1000 cost about four times what I paid for the HD580. The Grado GS1000 had a broader soundstage than the HD580 to my ears; almost as if I was sitting 5th row in an auditorium with the HD580 and then stepping back to the 10th row to experience what the GS1000 sounded like. I found, particularly during instrumental works, that the GS1000 had more instrumental details than I could pick out while using the HD580. I'm not sure if this is due to the different driver technology of the GS1000, or the soundstage presentation. The drivers of the GS1000 do sit further away from the ear than the HD580, so that may also play a part in the differences.
The real question is whether I would purchase the Grado GS1000 if I had the chance (read: means). Being a poor college student, I can't come close to justifying such an expenditure, but even if I could, I don't think I would choose to own the GS1000. The sibilance that I experienced during some songs is enough of a distraction that I didn't find the listening experience very pleasant. I have since purchased a pair of AKG K702, and I feel like that pair of headphones gives me the additional detail of the GS1000, but without the treble sibilance.
Grado GS1000 Comparison
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