Grado Reference RS2 Headphones

Wow...where to start, as I said this is MY Audio Nirvana.

I suppose I should start by saying that I love the Grado sound, or at least I thought I did as I had only tried the sr80i and bought them and the 225i and was underwhelmed by the price to performance. The signature of the sr80i was a fantastic fit for me but I HATED  the high end. The Grado RS-2 were some what of a shock to me thinking the Grado sound was very in your face and Bright, with NO bass and a sibilant high end. The RS-2 are not at all like that in fact I think the 325is start to capture the house sound rather well but are still fathoms below the Vintage RS-2's.

Build: Well the 325is I fell are built better as they are....ya know METAL, but eh RS-2s are no slouch and head and shoulder above the sr series below the 325is. The wood is so fantastically treated and dark it's more of a work of art then a headphone cup. The headband is nice and soft and real leather which is nice. Other than that they are the "classic" Grado build.

Comfort: Well In the store with the incredibly used pads I found they quite comfortable. With new pads they start to die into my ears but that will change with age and it's not really that bad. People seem to complain about the headband hurting their head but I have never experienced that with any headphone as of yet and this is no exception.

Sound: OH MY GOD!!!! I was flabbergasted, awe struck, dumbfounded and beside my self. The RS-2 still retain that very rich , detailed, in your face, and involving midrande. The bass is still a bit lacking but blows the k500 and k601's away in that department. Bass texture is just dripping from the wooden cups and has a resonation that is almost Cello like in nature giving string and classical instruments such depth and warmth it's hard to find a comparison. The High end is MUCH MUCH smoother than the sr60-225i and DAMN SURE more smooth AND detailed then the GS1000 from direct comparison. The overall tone is a very pleasing tone, Rich involving mids complemented but such a detailed and textures bass with pretty descent extension and these are all tied to gather with a very clear and resolute high end that I can find neither hide nor hair of sibilance. Very warm overall and very VERY pleasing for my musical choices.

Overall I'm head over heals in love with these headphones, the warmth and resolution, almost two polar opposites rolled into one headphone but it pulls it off so pleasantly it's hard to find a downside other than the price. I wish they had made less of an impact on my funds but for performance like this I'm not going to whine.

Me and the man working the shop where I bought them from had a lengthy decision and from what we came up with the best way to describe them is like a fine wine. A full bodied richness with a bright splash and a smokey sultriness with oakie Woodie undertones pulled into a package with a warm exaction.