Quote:
Originally Posted by Currawong 
I discovered the SR-5NB Gold not long ago, and they rival O2s for the time they spend on my head. I've heard them described as Grado-like, which I can understand from having briefly tried HF-1s. How do they compare to the RS-1?
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To my ears, the SR-5NB Gold is a more revealing, more transparent headphone. There is just something about electrostatics with small jazz ensembles and acoustic guitar that is tough to beat using dynamic headphones. That said, the RS-1 (reversed HD-414 pads w/hole)/RA-1 combo provides a richer, more lush sound, which does a wonderful job with vocals, particularly female. There is a warmth to the vocals that the Stax misses. The Stax can be almost
too revealing with certain recordings. Both set-ups excel at what they do best, and that's why there is no such thing as "one headphone fits all." Just my opinion, based on my ears, of course.
