But, if John Grado is either incapable of, or too lazy to grab hold of this opportunity, then he and we are the loosers. BTW, I hope that John Grado is reading this thread.
I hope he reads this thread but skips your post. John clearly stated why he has not really gotten into the whole new headphone thing - his priorities are very clear, spending time with his children and family is much more important to him than going through extensive research and development which would take away time he would rather spend with his kids.
It's easy for people to harp on the RS-1's, saying they are colored and what not or that they don't compare to the big-wigs like the HE90 or R-10. In my humble opinion, they are right up there, the RS-1's can do things which simply amaze and in certain aspects are unparalled by anything else i have ever heard. Sure they aren't perfect and are not for everyone, but they have a very unique and special "flavor" that on some music sounds heavenly, and it makes me realize that John is a freaking genius to be able to make certain instruments sound so freaking real. He has proven to me that he has the ear, know how, and resources to create something truly special, and I would imagine and bet that we have not heard the end of what John Grado is capable of.
__________________ Meridian 508.24>Chimera Labs Advantage II>Eddie Current Zana Deux>Grado Vintage RS-1 brown headband
I understand a dad wanting to spend quality time with kids and family. But, John is also heading one of the very very few American headphone companies, and I hate to see this company merely sitting back on its laurels, and just continue to crank out its old and proven technology. I would hope that if John wants more time for wife and kids, that he'll put someone else in charge of advancing his company's technology and developments; i.e., someone who has more time, interest, and ambition with regard to making this company great. Thus, what John should do is *delegate* this responsibility to someone who is at a point in career where they don't need to devote most of their energy to family, rather that to the job. My hope remains that Grado Corporation will take over from Sennheiser, the credit for producing the world's best headphone, and hopefully at a price that's less than $3.5K. It would be nice to see a US company assume this position, and it would be great for us headphone enthusiasts to have such a headphone available to us. And, as a Grado headphone and amp purchaser and user, I do hope that John Grado reads this.
Originally Posted by recstar24
I hope he reads this thread but skips your post. John clearly stated why he has not really gotten into the whole new headphone thing - his priorities are very clear, spending time with his children and family is much more important to him than going through extensive research and development which would take away time he would rather spend with his kids.
It's easy for people to harp on the RS-1's, saying they are colored and what not or that they don't compare to the big-wigs like the HE90 or R-10. In my humble opinion, they are right up there, the RS-1's can do things which simply amaze and in certain aspects are unparalled by anything else i have ever heard. Sure they aren't perfect and are not for everyone, but they have a very unique and special "flavor" that on some music sounds heavenly, and it makes me realize that John is a freaking genius to be able to make certain instruments sound so freaking real. He has proven to me that he has the ear, know how, and resources to create something truly special, and I would imagine and bet that we have not heard the end of what John Grado is capable of.
We'll see how it turns out. It will be awesome to see the new streetstyle Grados but beyond that I'm sure we'd like some things to look forward to. If John doesn't want to do it, then who's gonna force him? I say he should enjoy his family, but keep exploring that 'Grado' sound or maybe take a new approach - consumers like that.
Originally Posted by mikeg
I understand a dad wanting to spend quality time with kids and family. But, John is also heading one of the very very few American headphone companies, and I hate to see this company merely sitting back on its laurels, and just continue to crank out its old and proven technology. I would hope that if John wants more time for wife and kids, that he'll put someone else in charge of advancing his company's technology and developments; i.e., someone who has more time, interest, and ambition with regard to making this company great. Thus, what John should do is *delegate* this responsibility to someone who is at a point in career where they don't need to devote most of their energy to family, rather that to the job. My hope remains that Grado Corporation will take over from Sennheiser, the credit for producing the world's best headphone, and hopefully at a price that's less than $3.5K. It would be nice to see a US company assume this position, and it would be great for us headphone enthusiasts to have such a headphone available to us. And, as a Grado headphone and amp purchaser and user, I do hope that John Grado reads this.
For john to go the way of big companies, always making new products would be a tragedy to the instiution. It says something about how he cares abotu the quality of his product, and his values as far as hand made, vs big factories, effiency, and assembly line.
Let him keep things the way it works, He doesn't need big time clientelle to continue his buisness, he is in the perfect niche right now, and gets the respect and dues he needs to stay satisfied.
Why mess with what works? I like the quality of grado products, a problem with audiophile sickness is never being satisfied and always wanting better. Sometimes a good thing doesn't need to be always improved and tinkered with.
That's the difference to me between quality, and just new technology.
Since John owns Grado Corp., I know that no one can force him to match Sennheiser's HE90. But, since John knows that the HE90 is almost unanimously considered by Head-Fi members to be the world's best headphone, I hope that his pride will cause his company to rise above their second rate status; i.e., second to Sennheiser, and Sony, in the production of top-notch headphones.
Originally Posted by deadlierchair
We'll see how it turns out. It will be awesome to see the new streetstyle Grados but beyond that I'm sure we'd like some things to look forward to. If John doesn't want to do it, then who's gonna force him? I say he should enjoy his family, but keep exploring that 'Grado' sound or maybe take a new approach - consumers like that.
Sennheiser's Orpheus HE90 is *old technology*, and what I'm hoping is that Grado will use new technology to produce a headphone that's better than the old technology HE90, although at a lower price. But, it's doubtful that Grado is really up to the challenge. Seems that they just want to sit back on their laurels, and keep on punching out their same old headphones. I suppose that their corporate motto is "lets just play it safe." Too bad for the rest of us.
Originally Posted by mjg
For john to go the way of big companies, always making new products would be a tragedy to the instiution. It says something about how he cares abotu the quality of his product, and his values as far as hand made, vs big factories, effiency, and assembly line.
Let him keep things the way it works, He doesn't need big time clientelle to continue his buisness, he is in the perfect niche right now, and gets the respect and dues he needs to stay satisfied.
Why mess with what works? I like the quality of grado products, a problem with audiophile sickness is never being satisfied and always wanting better. Sometimes a good thing doesn't need to be always improved and tinkered with.
That's the difference to me between quality, and just new technology.
Sennheiser's Orpheus HE90 is *old technology*, and what I'm hoping is that Grado will use new technology to produce a headphone that's better than the old technology HE90, although at a lower price. But, it's doubtful that Grado is really up to the challenge. Seems that they just want to sit back on their laurels, and keep on punching out their same old headphones. I suppose that their corporate motto is "lets just play it safe." Too bad for the rest of us.
Mikeg,
Is it that you don't like grados or something?
Why do you jump to these conclusions, most people who enjoy what they have aren't complaining about the companies ethic or what they do.
You can't compare grado to sennheiser, particuarly because sennhesiser is a major industry player, though thye do have audiophile products, obvfiously you know it's not their only application. They are enabled to take these risks, if they don't do well, they end production anyways. There isn't a legacy behind sennheisisers like there are with grado stuff. I think it's special the way it is.
The sitting back on their laurels thing i think is exageraated, but totally redoing their entire line, according to what i understand is saying their is a problem with a particular product. When a product is doing well, people like it the way it is, and buy it alot, doesn't it seem as if they are doing the right thing?
We are the kinds of customers for grado, and probablly alot of people who aren't posting here, competing with sennheiser probablly is the last thing on johns mind, for a damn good reason.
Just to add, he didn't leave out making a statement product in the interview as an impossiblity, they might try and make another top dog headphone, but why must it be to say they are the best? I think the competition is what's wrong, and maybe you call it complacent but they are satisfying a good part of highend headphones by continuning their tried and true headphones. I'm sure he can care less if we think he90s are the best, and that's still just an opinion anyways.
It's interesting hearing the opinions of what John Grado should do with his company. Even though some of it's criticism, it's earnest, and shows that Grado Labs in its current state has rabid fans chomping at the bit.
The rational fan in me wants to see Grado Labs become an international force with a larger portfolio of amazing products that rival the best the biggest players have to offer. And that Grado's products garner more mainstream acceptance. Grado headphones become better finished and at lower price points.
The other part of me loves that Grado Labs is a smaller company that produces retro looking headphones out of a house in Brooklyn. And the headphones really look like they were made by a few dudes in a basement and i dig that it screams "I wasn't built on a massive assembly line in Taiwan." This part of me loves the fact that John Grado doesn't release new products in cynical yearly intervals just to sell something 'new' to a jaded market. When the product decides it's ready, John will sell it.
Both views have merit, but from the sound of the interview, John Grado sounds like he knows what he wants out of work and life, he's attained it, and he's satisfied. That's really admirable and I can't fault him for it. That's exactly what I want for myself.
My hope remains that Grado Corporation will take over from Sennheiser, the credit for producing the world's best headphone...
Why? National pride? Bragging rights? Niether of those put food on the table.
Did it ever occur to you that there's a reason Sony stopped producing the R10 and Sennheiser stopped producing the HE90? Despite your assumptions on the economics of the matter, perhaps the business of selling $3000 limited-run headphones isn't really all that profitable.
Sure, I think it'd be cool if the "HE90 killers" were hand-made right in Brooklyn, but it's not my nights and weekends that would need to be sacrificed, it's John Grado's.
Originally Posted by mikeg
...what John should do is *delegate* this responsibility to someone who is at a point in career where they don't need to devote most of their energy to family, rather that to the job.
You mean he should *hire* someone to take on this responsibility. Do you have any idea what it takes to research & develop a product like what you're describing?
I assume you have pretty good ears, and you must have a few bucks laying around that you could afford all that gear in your profile...how about you hire a few engineers and create the world's greatest headphones yourself Mr. Armchair Audio Engineer...you got the "gumption to take on this challenge" and risk your retirement fund?
Living to please other people is a dangerous, fruitless game. If I had the choice of being Van Gogh or a happy but unknown 18th century portrait painter who supported his family, I'd take the portrait painter gig any day. You say John Grado is too lazy, cowardly, or incompetent to try to "beat the HE90"...I say he's wise enough to know not to bother.
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I've just read this entire thread, and what a fun one at that! I can see where it really would represent one of those "special moments" in life that Jason described so well. Thanks, John, for taking the time and being so candid. And thanks, Jason, for sharing it all with us and giving us a front row seat.
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