Grado science and oddities

Grado stuff for the most part, again. -- Link to the Grado factory!: http://www.gradolabs.com/page_tour.php

241 - 276 of 276 photos

This image was taken from ChefGuru, these are the new improved by Joseph Grado flat pads (they're the one on the left hand side, compared to old flat on the right). ChefGuru said there was a noticeable difference in the material used and the design (even though they look similar in the photos), and that they sounded obviously different (and better). Joseph Grado says "approximately 400% more detail output". They cost 150$ plus shipping. According to ChefGuru, clarity is improved, midrange shoutiness lessened (by distancing, because the pads are thicker), bass is fuller (probably because the pads are denser), etc. read more about them here http://www.head-fi.org/t/603635/joe-grados-new-earpads-for-the-hp1000/30#post_8306150

(2/2)

Jun 29, 2012

A HP-1 recently sold by LCFiner, this is the most "matte metal" one I have ever seen! The contrast between the "wet" HP 1000s I have posted pictures of earlier in this album is huge. (1/3)

Jul 2, 2012

Very very old SR60, judging by the thick headband, the font, the absence of a bubble on the plastic of the gimbal, and by its box! (next picture)

Jul 6, 2012

These are the first/earliest Grado boxes, I think the change to their nowadays style for the headphones under the RS1 happened somewhere around 1998-99

Jul 6, 2012

Thank you pcf for lending me your photos!

(1/2)

Jul 6, 2012

(2/2)

In 2009 and with the release of their PS-1000, Grado started offering wooden boxes (on the left) for 75$, you would tell them which headphones it was for and they would put the proper foam fitting in it before sending it to you. The product became discontinued in 2011, argh.

Jul 6, 2012

Nick01 SR300!

It's funny how the cheapest of all the HP 1000 --the HP3-- became the rarest, and so did the most expensive and (supposedly) better of the SR-'s --the SR300.

I'm not too sure if it's a problem in the amount of units that were made or just the low demand for them, but it could be both.

They vary by little from the other models. HP3 is just a black marking ("HP3") on the edge where the pads go, and SR300 is a "SR300" button.

Jul 9, 2012

A comparison between the two main letters disposition on the buttoned RS1, the 180 text and the middle spotted dots. On the left is the older scheme, mainly found on the Super Vintages. Photo by member "Rav"

Aug 4, 2012

In order for the Headphile C(ircumaural)-Pads to spouse vertically the shape of your head you got to bend your headband this way... see next picture for a better example.

Aug 9, 2012

You do this to the John Grado headbands if you want to use Headphile C-Pads. For the Joseph Grado it's unnecessary because the headband as more vertical "play".

The C-Pads are said to be the most comfortable (very much unequivocally; of course the contact surface is Beyerdynamic velour pads, so it'S understandable). Reviews of their sound strongly opposes, from love to hate. They add bass, diminish or increase soundstage, strip all or only part of the Grado magic and air... I'll give my thoughts in a thread and give the link here once I get the money to buy one pair for myself.

Aug 9, 2012

Those buttons are quite rounded and unusually high (for a button of this font)... most other vintage As (not the earliest one) with the same font have a more streamlined, flatter and squarer edges button.

Aug 9, 2012

This is the box in which came the first RS1s who had their wooden boxes. A box in a box! Picture is courtesy of PCF

Aug 9, 2012

"Stock" photo (but I guess not for their website, this is picture taken in 1997) of the RS-2; notice the gold lettered "R" rodblock. I didn't know that ever was to be found on the vintage/-est RS-2. Lucky owner of this pair (at least one) has a very rare thing in his hands!

The RS-1 being one year older have had more pairs with those gold letter rodblocks, it's a common trait of the Super Vintages.

Aug 9, 2012

SENNHEISER HD485 Ear cushions, fits Grado (1/2)

Aug 11, 2012

Earliest RS1i... John Grado said they begun using a different species of mahogany wood for the "i" woodies (GS-1000i, RS1i, half of the PS-500 and -1000), you can compare that change with the next picture of a RS1.

Aug 11, 2012

Latest RS1 (non-"i"), also called the "buttonless RS1", just before the "i" upgrade. Square rods were still used

Aug 11, 2012

SENNHEISER HD485 Ear cushions, fits Grado (2/2)

Aug 11, 2012

Interesting Photoshop art, made by Fabio Lanzoni on Head-fi (1/2)

Aug 11, 2012

Dimensions of something that looks to be HF-2 cups!

Aug 11, 2012

Various cup lengths, RS-2 in the middle and RS-1 on the right.

Aug 11, 2012

Complete "disassembly" of a SR225i, notice the plastic adapters on the top right corner of the pic.

Aug 11, 2012

Interesting Photoshop art, made by Fabio Lanzoni on Head-fi (2/2)

Aug 11, 2012

Picture of a WHITE SR-100-0 (and black painted metal grids)

Aug 14, 2012

Picture of a normal SR-100 (non "-0") (white punched plastic grids, like a SR-125i, first vinyl headband, coming from leather), John Grado's idea for lowering production cost

--Photo that I stole from PCF (thank you :)

Aug 14, 2012

SR40, like the iGrado, also had SR60 drivers in it, but it was so much a "closed" design that it sounded unequivocally bad (according to very much all the reviews).

It was very harsh too, much worst than a SR60... very few are in the wild because Grado quickly put an end to it. It doesn't look to fit this standard head well.

Aug 15, 2012

Magnum drivers V4 black, the most recent ones. Careful the paint is quite shallow and will scrape off if you touch it

Aug 15, 2012

This headphone is completely stock, it's a vintage SR100. You can see how the cheese clothes on the driver caps were mismatched quality from the start (though they probably started their life being fully white and very much identical), and with age one became pinkish-almost transparent, and the other pinkish-white

Aug 15, 2012

Very clean pink drivers for that RS1, but I'd like to see your face when you'll see which the RS-1 ! (click next)

Aug 18, 2012

Tada! It was won on eBay recently and sold by a Grado rep. The oldest RS-1 I've ever seen. It has RS-1i type gimbals (with round rods, instead of square ones)

Aug 18, 2012

Something that has been looked at on two HP-2i, it could be a common trait of all upgraded HP-1000 by Joe: a new patina developed by the of the headphone metal that can be better observed by when this demarcation is present under the locking screws. My pair

Aug 18, 2012

Aug 18, 2012

My pair. Keep in mind that depending on the angle and the lighting it's not always apparent

Aug 18, 2012

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Comments (7)

devouringone3 5/15/12 at 10:08pm

Hey guys I've been trying like crazy to re-order these pictures properly, it's hardly doable... maybe there is too much pictures, or the Head-Fi Gallery system isn't mature enough. Maybe it's because of the traffic, let me try another day... this album photo would do great with some order in it.

Benny-x 5/21/12 at 1:20am

"So most head-di'ers aren't audiophiles", awesome. Nice pictures by the way, it's fun to see what stuff someone else in the same hobby finds around the internet that they think is interesting. I liked most of them.

devouringone3 5/21/12 at 11:47am

Yeah I find that stuff thoroughly interesting, lol. Even though any non Head-Fier would find absolutely nothing in these pictures other than rubber, wood, plastic and metal.
I don't remember saying that "most head-fi'ers aren't audiophiles"?
Although some people do think audiophile is a derogatory term.

Benny-x 5/21/12 at 7:02pm

Yeah, anyone else wouldn't find anything in them, besides maybe some strange Asian girls wearing giant gold headphones...
As for the Audiophile thing, it's in one of the pictures you have. It's a comment by some guy who's avatar looks like a peashooting-plant from Plants vs. Zombies. It was funny. As for it being derogatory, I don;t find it to be. I suppose some people could, but I just think of it as a technical term for anyone interested in audio to this degree :-) When I talk about it though, I always say I'm just really into music and components ;-)

devouringone3 5/21/12 at 7:12pm

Yeah me too lol... I say that I have headphones that are "good sounding".
On AnythingButiPod.com forums the term "audiophile" is highly frown upon because it makes them think of the guy from Head-Fi who listens to cables and headphones, but not the music. Music is a pretext to listen to headphones, instead of the contrary, but I don't think such a thing really exist. Everyone here try to honor their music, and buy gear because they like it and want it to make the best out of it.
Hey, people change their avatar, lol, I'll try to browse my pictures to find the comment in question but you should tell me on which image he did it ;) instead.

Benny-x 5/21/12 at 7:24pm

Haha, I didn't know that. I'm not a member over there, but I do visit from time to time when I can get some info they have. As for that definition, I can understand how people come to that conclusion, there's a lot of gear-traders here that cycle through gear so often that I can't see how they enjoy any music they're hearing. But at the same time, I wish I could have heard some of the stuff they've listened with :-p But yeah, like you said, most people are just trying to make their stuff sound as good as they can so that they can enjoy it :-)
As for the picture, it's one of a member called "Bellsprout", so maybe a Pokemon or Digimon character? Anyway, here's the link, http://www.head-fi.org/gallery/image/view/album/649542/id/607036/sort/display_order . It's also photo 203 if that doesn't work.

devouringone3 5/21/12 at 7:31pm

OH YEAH, LOL, THAT! :P The joke was mostly about the Bellsprout Pokémon hahaha. Actually I did not even got to remember that thread until you got me reading the text in the photo. I first though you were relating to a commentary made about one of the picture in my album. Yeah that thing looks like the plants-defender in Plants vs. Zombies ;) except Pokémon came like 10 years before :P.
The thread in question, http://www.head-fi.org/t/606277/audiophile-not-a-music-lover, in the first post, has a link to Ken Rockwell's opinion about audiophiles, and it's definitely one of the nastiest around, lol. Actually it tarnished the word a bit for me, after a read of the article.
Thanks for clarifying this small issue lol