Classifying versions of the RS1: Your Guide (Work in Progress) - Page 13

I do miss them occasionally, but my 325is is actually doing a pretty good job as a replacement for the time being.

I sold them to buy my fiancee her wedding ring... so I don't really regret the sale.

Wanted to drop a note in here that I've gone back to the RS1, years later. Picked up a brand new RS1i today with the sale proceeds from my W1000X. While I liked the W1000X tremendously, I'd been considering such a move for some time. 

 

I'm planning on doing a full review after about a hundred hours are on these. I'm interested in sitting down and objectively figuring out how the RS1 has changed over the years, given how little information my primary post contains about the RS1i. I think when I initially created this thread, the RS1i was slowly trickling into stores, and interestingly has remained relatively consistent in both appearance and packaging since. 

 

The RS1i exists in a really funny section of Grado's lineup right now. It isn't their high end (where it sat for quite some time) and in many ways is the least changed within their structure.

 

I intend to address several points:

 

Given that this is a 13+ year old headphone design, is it still competitive? 

 

Does the burn-in process resemble what I remember from past RS1 burn-ins? 

 

How do they play with various pads?

 

Have my tastes changed over the past few years, and how do they scale with a variety of music?

 

I'm tremendously looking forward to getting to know these again. Pictures will be provided, but you'll have to bring your own tea and snacks.

 

 

 

Thanks! The RS1 have always been one of my favorite, if not favorite headphones. So far they sound better (less shouty) than the two Classic RS1's that I'd had a few years ago. I found the RS1 Classics to be rather unbearable in the mid to upper register for the first 100 or so hours of listening, which I define as "shouty." Like someone yelling in your face.

 

These are, as of now, more similar in sound design to the RS1 Classic; but I'd wager that they will end up with less treble energy and a generally smoother midrange. This is an educated guess only, though.

Edited by Mercuttio - 11/18/11 at 7:36am

I've done a preliminary update to the list, with the information I've gathered so far.

 

A video review is probably in the cards.

 

I think the main thing I've discovered is that I like this a great deal better than the buttonless RS1 I'd previously heard. I had been generally lumping the RS1i into the same category as it, but that was evidently foolish.