** WHOAH & YO! ** Black Dragon GS-1's GS 1000's GS1s :^)

[Audiofiler]

I searched the cable and headphone forums for any threads geared towards the Black Dragon Single Terminated GS 1000s, but came up with little..

Well after owning and hearing the stock GS 1000s, I was very impressed. Although their sound signature has been deemed the Un-Grado of the lineup, there are passages and music selections that these cans absolutely excel at and then some that other cans simply can not match..and still other music selections that some feel that HP/PS-1 do better than the GS1000.

The Black Dragon GS1000 is possibly the most detailed yet balanced sounding Grado phones produced by John Grado at low levels.

Not only is the Black Dragon Cable sturdy and professional looking, its effect on the GS helps the phone become more full sounding overall; but the phone still has the attack and an enthusiasitic or livelike reproduction of the master analog signal that is just sublime. There is no struggle to discern the marks in the mid band or anywhere really in the FR or within the sound stage. The sweet Grado Mid Range is here, and further from the RS away from the listener, the sound and presentation is more realistic yet littered with detail and dymanics. The GS exibits massive imaging abilities VS other Grado phone and the Black Dragon cable seems to improve upon this trait. The marks in the extreme lower and upper register are improved in the way of clarity and overall tone. And although indicitive of a Grado phone which tends to be with a slight color, this works to a positive attribute in making certain genres more life-like.

The larger headstage of the GS accentuates the note decay with vast depth and pinpoint accuracy imaging, which together helps place much of the music accurately. This effect helps to portray nice control of tempo and PRaT. This gives the soundstage as a result a more 3D and organic body.

On the Beatles MFSL Help (LP), and in the song "Another Girl" --when the song goes .."I ain't no fool but I don't take what I don't want.."

The speed and rhythm of this song, as it thumps, delays, and bounces along naturally to retain its tempo is absolutely life-like on the BD GS1000. I can not explain it really, it sounds magical, alive, and 3D in terms of the imaging and tone. The imaging capabilities of the GS really help the phone shine in this area. Where the BD GS1000 differentiates and relates itself from an HP-2 (HP1000) is in imaging a more 3D headstage while pulling off its own "disappearing" act. (like the HP1000 disappears sonically, this phone may disappear comfort-wise).

The headstage appears clearer and easier to distinguish between transients and primary soundstaging bearing more depth and breathing more realism into music.

[Jahn]

Congrats! You might be the first to offer impressions of this combo, so thanks! I embrace the "Most Un-Grado-like Grado" family, so I'm glad you have as well and are enjoying it!

[angler31337]

Thanks much! I enjoyed reading your thoughts and I envy your acquisition.

-Angler

EDIT: Corrected spelling of my name. (See next post).

[darkninja67]

Originally Posted by angler31337

Thanks much! I enjoyed reading your thoughts and I envy your acquisition.

-Anger

subtle (well kind of)

Congrats to the OP on finding a pair of headphones that he seems to love.

[Audiofiler]

Originally Posted by Jahn

Congrats! You might be the first to offer impressions of this combo, so thanks! I embrace the "Most Un-Grado-like Grado" family, so I'm glad you have as well and are enjoying it!

Quite the honor having Jahn be the first to post a reply to my thread, thanks much.
Hope some of this information is useful to those that care to hear my feedback..as the intention was to help provide feedback in this are ...and currently I could find none of.

Originally Posted by darkninja67

subtle (well kind of)

Congrats to the OP on finding a pair of headphones that he seems to love.

Thanks man!!

[darkninja67]

Originally Posted by Audiofiler

Whether you agree or not, as to the sound and output of the new Grado GS1, if you are a music fan *not just a Grado person*, you owe it to yourself to hear these period, I am stunned by their output..
.

That part scares my wallet.

[LeChuck]

Eventually it's going to be hella confusing destinguising between the Headamp GS-1 and the Grado "GS-1" in searches.

[darkninja67]

Originally Posted by LeChuck

Eventually it's going to be hella confusing destinguising between the Headamp GS-1 and the Grado "GS-1" in searches.

Yeha it kind of bothers me as a GS-1 amp owner. Should be the Grado GS1Ks if anything.

[jpelg]

Are you using one of your PCDP's as a source?

[A.Thorsen]

Originally Posted by Audiofiler

Also, speaking to the peaks on the graphs folks have discussed, these cans do not project the sound in the same signature/manner as the stock GS1's, and my advice... consider buying a miniature fridge and stage to put by your listening chair, you are back on the stage people...come down from the 10th row, the mids are shredding again, and they are not jangling in your ears with 300% of the volume in the upper register, making the music and the Mids difficult to enjoy

So, in other words, the Black Dragon's helped these GS1000's to sound more like AKG 701's?

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

Seriously, though: Great thread!

[Audiofiler]

Originally Posted by jpelg

Are you using one of your PCDP's as a source?

sources used thus far..
PD-F908 Pioneer
63 Marantz
#39 M.Levinson SE
Rotel 971
SL-D3 Technics turntable with Grado stereophonic cartridge
Thorens td 160 w silent stage I

My PCDP sources used...so far and in the order of synergy with the GS1's ..
D-303/335/515/33/15/



edit to learn how to spell stereo..

[Audiofiler]

Originally Posted by A.Thorsen

So, in other words, the Black Dragon's helped these GS1000's to sound more like AKG 701's?

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

Seriously, though: Great thread!

funny you mention that, those two are going to head to head tonight and tomorrow with the GS1 stock and the RS-1, and the HD-580 w/blue dragon...
should be interesting..

[A.Thorsen]

Originally Posted by Audiofiler

funny you mention that, those two are going to head to head tonight and tomorrow with the GS1 stock and the RS-1, and the HD-580 w/blue dragon...
should be interesting..

You hear that hush going over the crowd right about now?

I'll be very interested to see how all that comes out.

[J-Pak]

Black Dragon is a copper cable right? I was under the impression Grado already used 18 (or 24) AWG high purity copper in their cables.

[Audiofiler]

Originally Posted by J-Pak

Black Dragon is a copper cable right? I was under the impression Grado already used 18 (or 24) AWG high purity copper in their cables.

The cable uses a 4 99.999% pure Copper 21.5 AWG Teflon insulated stranded Litz conductors.