PS1000 Appreciation Thread - Page 3

priest - I like your moniker, avatar and agree with your signature - based on my experience ... so will heed to your advise on ps1000 burn-in ... it has some "best of" features and I find it so colored and un-balanced in frequency spectrum ...

Will burn-in change my love for it?

Will find out ...

Cheers

Sunil

Okay thanks --- I hope you'll keep us posted. My love for the headphone has definitely increased over time, although I liked them from the beginning. Of all the headphones I've owned, it's the only one that has made me lose interest in other headphones. Even if that doesn't last, which I'm sober enough to realize it probably won't, I still think it's notable.

On another front, has anyone noticed that the PS1000 doesn't handle poorly mastered material that well? I played a first generation CD transfer the other day (Bruce Springsteen's The River), and it didn't sound that great. Up to that point, I'd been giving the headphones only high-quality, modern recordings or digitally remastered older ones.

cause they are detail freaks

Quote:

Originally Posted by priest 

On another front, has anyone noticed that the PS1000 doesn't handle poorly mastered material that well? 

Quote:

Originally Posted by saisunil 

cause they are detail freaks 

Well, I find this generally true as one moves up the line with any brand. The PS1000 is very good at resolving low level information; it's got an earthy grounded quality, low sound-floor, very low distortion (I'm sure though big 0.5kg dampeners on each side of the head have a lot to do with this.)  I personally find this one of its very special qualities.

I've been too lazy, but one of these days I'll pull out my speaker measuring system and make a headphone - simulated ear - microphone interface to actually measure the 2nd, 3rd, etc. order distortion across the spectrum. I guessing it would be very low - it certainly sounds like it (based on my experience evaluating speaker drivers and building speakers.)

On poorly recorded material - I only like listening to Beatles in the car or on a cheap radio if you know what I mean.

Quote:  Originally Posted by purrin
 

Originally Posted by priest 

 

On another front, has anyone noticed that the PS1000 doesn't handle poorly mastered material that well? 

  

Quote:

Originally Posted by saisunil 

cause they are detail freaks 

Well, I find this generally true as one moves up the line with any brand. 

I'm not 100% sure that this has been my experience. For instance, I find the HD 800 and the Edition 8 handle all recordings fairly well, but the PS1000 I'm not sure can make that claim. On the detail side, I think the most detailed I have heard is still the K 702 by a hair, and that one also can handle poor recordings okay. I need to do some more listening experiments to verify these very brief and off the cuff impressions, but I'm feeling lazy too, and I just want to listen to the PS1000.

Maybe it's because of the upward tilted frequency response of the PS1000?  Badly mastered 80's pop can be rather unlistenable.  Some old recordings that lack bass can sound too thin.

Hi,

I've been using my Benchmark DAC1 Pre both as a source and amp for my PS1000.  I've been reading mixed opinions on the Benchmark Pre (great DAC/not to so great amp).  I was wondering if anyone out there had this setup and could give me their feedback.  I've been thinking of buying a GS-X amp while keeping the Benchmark DAC.

I have to say the sound is great: organic and warm like you would expect from a pair of Grado cans.  However, the updgrading bug bit me and I'm seriously considering a stand-alone amp, but I don't know if anything will be that much of an upgrade over the Benchmark.  

Benchmark is known for pro/studio - some say like sterile sound quality - so the upward tilt may not sound pleasing through benchmark ...

Hope you can have an opportunity to listen to your new amp with ps1000 before making that move ...

I actually don't think the "Pre" (with the LM4562 opamps throughout) is that offensive and suspect the bad reputation of the Benchmark DACs for sterility was based on the older non "Pre" units with the 553x? opamps.

I would go tubes or at least hybrid though for anything with a Grado driver in it. GSX is nice, but Grados don't respond that much to balanced. If you are considering spending that much (on GS-X), you may as well get a very very nice source and pair with a good amp. There is a thread around on amps for PS1000.

See thread with LCD2.. nothing much in it now: http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/525661/ps1000-vs-lcd-2/15

I briefly considered replacing PS1000 with LCD2, but scratched that idea for now. LCD2 and HE6 are too FOTMish right now. I've had way too much experience in hi-fi and headphones (had RS1 way back 1998) and know better by now. While, I haven't heard the LCD2, I would bet it comes down to system component synergy to what sounds better. I may pick up LCD2 anyways because I do need a 2nd headphone for my office.

Quote:

Originally Posted by purrin 

See thread with LCD2.. nothing much in it now: http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/525661/ps1000-vs-lcd-2/15

 

I briefly considered replacing PS1000 with LCD2, but scratched that idea for now. LCD2 and HE6 are too FOTMish right now. I've had way too much experience in hi-fi and headphones (had RS1 way back 1998) and know better by now. While, I haven't heard the LCD2, I would bet it comes down to system component synergy to what sounds better. I may pick up LCD2 anyways because I do need a 2nd headphone for my office.

The LCD-2s have been out for over 6 months now and are still the most talked about and lauded headphones around Head-fi. And I'm sorry, but they are simply the best cans I've heard/owned (including my collection and especially the PS1000s...which aren't even my favourite Grados).
 

I'm taking your opinion with a grain of salt, after all you do prefer T1 and RS-1 over PS1000.   But we'll see. I'm on the LCD-2 pre-order list now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by purrin 

I'm taking your opinion with a grain of salt, after all you do prefer T1 and RS-1 over PS1000.   But we'll see. I'm on the LCD-2 pre-order list now.

I do...not a very well hidden fact. But honestly I LOVED my T1s and HD800s and thought, no way the LCD-2s are better...turns out I was wrong...really wrong. Sorry your wallet had to hear that. Unlike the HE-6s, you won't need a good speaker amp to drive them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MacedonianHero 

... But honestly I LOVED my T1s and HD800s and thought, no way the LCD-2s are better...turns out I was wrong...really wrong. Sorry your wallet had to hear that. Unlike the HE-6s, you won't need a good speaker amp to drive them.

Looks like your wallet got a lot more hurt than mine.  I got my PS1000 used (any Grado over SR225 is a rip-off) and have gotten a lot of use of out them!