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i think i prefer my ms2i to my rs2
except in terms of comfort


and great, well written review, asr
thanks for a good read

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Well have you heard SA5000, DT880, K701? Detail means things like ambient space, hearing pages turning and creaking chairs, and mic feedback and loss of breath, and....well I think you get the idea.

Nice review ASR. I think I need to spend more time with an RS1.

The soundstage didn't bother me at all, because of my primary choice of music. Everything is in your face to begin with, and from what I understand it's what Grado targets anyway. I think construction would be my biggest gripe, as it doesn't *feel* $500 more than other Grado headphones, from the headbands down to the pads. I had the same sense of something missing when handling a GS1000....other than the big pads.

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Finally I found out what PRAT meant, I have been trying to figure it out for myself but could not...It only took me 1 year to find out

THANKS Biggie

i like my detail not as detailed... you know what i mean? ^__^

i dont wanna hear the chair scrape on the floor, i dont wanna hear the page turn, i dont wanna hear the guy in the back row cough, etc...

the RS-1 is cool and all with its PRATiness... but for ~$650+ i could probably spend my money better.

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Yeah, "detail" is one of those words that can mean different things to different ears.

I understand exactly what you are saying, yet I can see how others can hear RS-1 as being very detailed. This is b/c RS-1 has a presentation akin to a TV monitor that has the contrast a bit turned up; there is apparently more obvious detail due to the over-contast, especially in upper-midrange/low-treble, but there is not actually any more "resolution." In fact, it may seem too grainy to some.

A genuinely higher-resolution presentation would actually have more sonic "pixels," as if the TV monitor actually had more pixels, i.e. 480i vs. 1080i, for example. With higher resolution and true detail, the picture/sound actually becomes smoother, less contrasty, yet reveal more information JIMHO...

Having said that, when I owned RS-1, I really liked it and thought the detail resolution was good-enough while not world-class. It is fun, involving, therefore musical. I just couldn't justify keeping it given the price...

asr, excellent review and I agree with most of everything that you stated. I got hooked on the RS-1 (I have the latest button-less version) when I bought it as it impressed the heck out of me for its PRAT factor. Before that I loved my HD650's and then the AKG-701's. But after I got the RS-1's I found myself almost always reaching for them instead of the other phones I have. There are times and certain music cuts when I find the AKG-701 sound better and more accurate and times when the Senn HD-650's sound lush and comfy and so inviting, but the RS-1 to me just sounded the most balanced and accurate on most music. I think it has detail, it's highs are just not as hyped up as the AKG-701's are. The AKG-701's though keep improving with burn-in and use. Well let me put it this way, if I had to get rid of all my headphones and could keep just one, which would I choose? It would be the RS-1's because they sound the best balanced with the broadest range of music and most of all they cough up that "slam" factor, that PRAT factor in spades. The Senn HD650's can lull me into a nice groove with its lush liquidy smooth presentation too, but not as often as the RS-1 can. The AKG-701 rarely does that for me except on a very few jazz cuts. I agree though that the RS-1 is a bit expensive. Oh, and it was very uncomfortable, hurting my left ear lobe when new... but like everyone says, it wears in with time (or your ears do like a bad shoe fit ache) and now the fit does not hurt nor bother me at all! Yeah! I love em'. (and yeah I still love my Senn HD650's and HD600's too) I am not decided about the AKG-701's yet.

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I agree. There is no lack of detail in the RS-1. I also agree that it was a great review. Even if I don't agree with it completely. Quote:



Those are all bright headphones, not more detailed. They etch the details so that they stand out more. Listen to something on your K701s and wait until you hear some minute sound... Then listen to the same thing one your RS-1s. It will still be there, it just doesn't shove it down your throat.

OK,
So for the knowledgable, are the RS-1s worth the $500 used or would it be a better value to go with the MS-2s new? I haven't had the opportunity to listen to either. (I do love the wood look but not $200 worth)

I think for $500 used, it's a reasonable buy. I think I would have a hard time paying premium for them. I just received a pair RS-1's for the second time and I think I'm more in love with the sound than when I first got them. The "you don't know what you've got till it's gone" cliche works for my case I guess. It's weird, the RS-1's with bowls don't seem to be as bright this time around which I'm gonna extend to my source. It's a tubeDAC so the sound is so much smoother than my first source. I still would like to save my ears and darken the sound so I'll still use flats once they arrive.

One thing I realized again was the fact that it seems like my left ear seems to hear better than my right ear. I put my DT770's back on just to make sure and I guess the driver distance makes it less noticeable. The PRAT and midrange is what I am fond of most with the RS-1's. Mark Kozelek's voice (Red House Painters/Sun Kil Moon) just comes to life as if they were meant to be heard on cans. Someone had mentioned earlier in the thread about the detail. The funny thing for me is I love hearing little quirks like the page sheet turning or a cough in the background. It makes the music more accessible like I was watching a good band play in a local venue. The RS-1's are driven by my RA-1 and the DAC I mentioned earlier.

Thank you for the objective review.

I see that you have tried 325i's as well, how would you rate it against the rs1? Is it possible that it is a more detailed can than the rs1?

Good job. Thanks much. Geo

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The 880's do not shove detail down your throat.. Do the SA5000? Yes. & when did the 701s become bright?

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I don't know about bright, but gosh dang, the K701s are so airy that no instrument has any weight when you listen through them.

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The DT880 was probably the headphone that I least meant my comment towards, but I do find it to be a little bright personally. As to when the K701's became bright... I've always found them to be on the bright side. It is possible that we mean different things by the term 'bright', that happens quite often.