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Nov 4, 2012 at 1:47 PM Post #5,401 of 64,913
Nov 4, 2012 at 1:53 PM Post #5,402 of 64,913
Quote:
I've actually also begun to think of upgrading from 325is to ps500 after visiting this fair yesterday and giving them a new listening. Although I got the 325is in soul purpose of them sounding good on my digital piano, I have started to think would the ps500 still fit better for allrounded, as the piano doesn't produce that much lower bass so the clarity of the 325is' might not be something that the ps500 couldn't reasonably match though being much warmer by sound.

Don't know from "digital piano" but on a 9' Steinway or Fazioli, the 325is sounded less colored in the mid-bass of the piano than the PS500.  YMMV.
 
Nov 4, 2012 at 2:01 PM Post #5,403 of 64,913
Yes, I don't doubt that. And I got the 325is for just the same reason that they just sounded better for my piano in mind. And as the piano should have Yamaha CFX sampling in it the comparison should be there somewhere "close".

But as said if I'd just keep these on the piano then having the SR325is would be my choice. But as I've shifted to using these also for music listening and for that I am almost shifting towards the PS500. But as said I think I'll go evaluate this once again, and if I think that the PS500 can't match what the 325is do for my DP then I guess nothing but having set of two is the option.
 
 
Nov 4, 2012 at 8:34 PM Post #5,405 of 64,913
Nov 5, 2012 at 8:42 AM Post #5,407 of 64,913
You can add another description of 'impulsivity' to dictionary as I went to pick up pair of 500's today. Thankfully they gave me pack fully what I did pay for the 325is' in change and still the price was 50€ down from what they ask for 500's off the shelf.

Did play records from my piano and test them next to each other and have to say that the 500's just gave me more life like feeling of what I heard. Hopefully I feel the same once I get home and test on the actual thing. But ofcourse it's now beginning the burn in all over again. But must say that what I heard during weekend already was true. I just enjoy the 500's so much more on most musical styles. Only thing I did notice was that the high end on 500's can be a bit piercing sometimes, atleast straight off the 325's. But then again hello the mids on 325 straight off the 500's.
 
Nov 5, 2012 at 9:23 AM Post #5,408 of 64,913
Quote:
You can add another description of 'impulsivity' to dictionary as I went to pick up pair of 500's today. Thankfully they gave me pack fully what I did pay for the 325is' in change and still the price was 50€ down from what they ask for 500's off the shelf.

Did play records from my piano and test them next to each other and have to say that the 500's just gave me more life like feeling of what I heard. Hopefully I feel the same once I get home and test on the actual thing. But ofcourse it's now beginning the burn in all over again. But must say that what I heard during weekend already was true. I just enjoy the 500's so much more on most musical styles. Only thing I did notice was that the high end on 500's can be a bit piercing sometimes, atleast straight off the 325's. But then again hello the mids on 325 straight off the 500's.

It took me about nine months to figure out the mid-bass of the 500's and I had them both for comparison.
 
Nov 5, 2012 at 10:37 AM Post #5,409 of 64,913
Here's a shot of my PS500's with the LD I+ that I just received. It's a fantastic combo!!



Classy! Beautifull subtle mods on the PS500! Great job!

I am going this route after saving up for my Amp/DAC.

My plan is just to buy an AMP/DAC combo with a $150 price tag or lower. I am still new to this hobby and do not want to spend that much....

I have an iMac 2008 model and an Ipod touch around 2008 model too...

The sound from ipod touch is decent, but the volume is almost to the max on my PS500s.
For the iMac using Itunes and built in preamp equalizer, the volume is decent halfway, but the quality is still not good enough. My plan is using the PS500s 20% desktop mode and 80% portable (inside the home) using the Ipod touch.

I have been looking for the FIIO E7 or E17. Any recommendation? The cheaper the better.

Since the DAC will not work on the Itouch, maybe i might just get a cheap FIIo amp for the Itouch and a decent DAC for the Mac?



Thanks!
 
Nov 5, 2012 at 10:56 AM Post #5,410 of 64,913
I've actually also begun to think of upgrading from 325is to ps500 after visiting this fair yesterday and giving them a new listening. Although I got the 325is in soul purpose of them sounding good on my digital piano, I have started to think would the ps500 still fit better for allrounded, as the piano doesn't produce that much lower bass so the clarity of the 325is' might not be something that the ps500 couldn't reasonably match though being much warmer by sound.


First of all I fell in love with Grados when I bought the 325is. I like the clarity from the type of Genre of music that I listen too. The bass is decent, if the song has one. It could have been my perfect cans, but I need an all around cans that can do lower bass music such as vocal trance.

The SR325is is perfect on pianos and guitars but is its too intimate if you wanted a bit of a larger soundstage. The PS500s gives you about 5 rows of seats back to the soundsource, thus gives you a tube like sound. If you do not have a tamed bass from a song, the piano sound will stand out on PS500s and still a clear and crisp sound and a bigger soundstage and not a studio effect one. Remember it can still be better since I am not using an AMP and only using iMac desktop Itunes combo.

If money is an issue, 325is is the best for Piano. It gives you a fast real sound without a bass extension coming from the PS500s.
 
Nov 5, 2012 at 11:32 AM Post #5,411 of 64,913
I actually decided to go with the 500's already. But as I noticed there at the store already, the piano sound is mellower and has more bass notes to it, so no suprise here. What I cannot now test out is that do I actually feel the sound is still more real than on the 325is'. But don't get me wrong, as I'm here listening to music and burning these babies in I'm enjoying every note I hear.. so for me the 500's fit better for the music, but if it would be a perfect world I would have kep the 325is for my digital piano alone. But I can't quite say that money wouldn't be an issue as having the two now was never a possibility for me at this stage. If I would have ended up paying more for the 500's than if I'd pick them up straight away two weeks ago already then money might have been issue for me at this stage.

Although I might think that as these 500's are a bit too soft for my DP, the 325is might have been a bit too bright though still I think preferred them on it. Actually when I originally got my digital piano while back I found the sound to be a bit too soft and lacking mids, but in time learned to like it. So maybe 325is where something I hoped for the sound to be in the first place. And as it is a digital device there's no saying that the audio equipment on it would produce the sound they should, or that even they'd be fully burn in themselves. But maybe I can test out 60i's etc. and see how they would fit the sound on my DP.
 
 
Nov 5, 2012 at 12:50 PM Post #5,412 of 64,913
I actually decided to go with the 500's already. But as I noticed there at the store already, the piano sound is mellower and has more bass notes to it, so no suprise here. What I cannot now test out is that do I actually feel the sound is still more real than on the 325is'. But don't get me wrong, as I'm here listening to music and burning these babies in I'm enjoying every note I hear.. so for me the 500's fit better for the music, but if it would be a perfect world I would have kep the 325is for my digital piano alone. But I can't quite say that money wouldn't be an issue as having the two now was never a possibility for me at this stage. If I would have ended up paying more for the 500's than if I'd pick them up straight away two weeks ago already then money might have been issue for me at this stage.


Although I might think that as these 500's are a bit too soft for my DP, the 325is might have been a bit too bright though still I think preferred them on it. Actually when I originally got my digital piano while back I found the sound to be a bit too soft and lacking mids, but in time learned to like it. So maybe 325is where something I hoped for the sound to be in the first place. And as it is a digital device there's no saying that the audio equipment on it would produce the sound they should, or that even they'd be fully burn in themselves. But maybe I can test out 60i's etc. and see how they would fit the sound on my DP.

 


The sound is more real on the PS500s is due to a larger soundstage effect. There is echoing effect were on the 325is , the sound comes in fast and ends fast. It is like listening next to the source vs 10 feet farther were the sound hit and reflected back from everypart of the wall and back to the listener.

Have you tried the RS2i. ? Maybe this is what you are looking for? Pretty close to the 325is with just a smooth MiDS and highs and decent bass. Mids and highs are still intimate but bettter soundstage than 325is. Like the SR325is the Rs2i bass will not over power both mids and highs.
 
Nov 5, 2012 at 2:07 PM Post #5,413 of 64,913
Quote:
The sound is more real on the PS500s is due to a larger soundstage effect. There is echoing effect were on the 325is , the sound comes in fast and ends fast. It is like listening next to the source vs 10 feet farther were the sound hit and reflected back from everypart of the wall and back to the listener.
Have you tried the RS2i. ? Maybe this is what you are looking for? Pretty close to the 325is with just a smooth MiDS and highs and decent bass. Mids and highs are still intimate but bettter soundstage than 325is. Like the SR325is the Rs2i bass will not over power both mids and highs.



Yeh, I actually got to test all 325is, RS2i and then PS500 next to each other, and your description is right. If the brightness of the 325is would have been the problem for me, then the RS2i would have been my choice to go. But as I do own a 2.1. set instead of 2.0. it either tells that I don't have capable enough 2.0. or then that I like to have the lower end very much present with my music :) So yes, PS500 was my way to go.
 
Nov 5, 2012 at 2:29 PM Post #5,414 of 64,913
That must be a very good dealer you have in your area...It's really nice when you can audition the different headphones one after the other before you buy. That's a big reason why I'm planning to buy locally from now on since I have a Grado dealer only 15mi from my home. Hope you enjoy those 500s!
 
Nov 5, 2012 at 3:13 PM Post #5,415 of 64,913
That must be a very good dealer you have in your area...It's really nice when you can audition the different headphones one after the other before you buy. That's a big reason why I'm planning to buy locally from now on since I have a Grado dealer only 15mi from my home. Hope you enjoy those 500s!


True, the one in Illinois that I normally go to has a 90 day return policy no question ask. So not only you can audition it, you got a chance to burn it in and see if you really like it or not.
There motto is, " No Sale Is Final Until You Are Completely Satisfied." They do not charge restocking fee either if you decided to call it quits....:wink:

Ok guys, I am in the middle of building up my iTunes again and this time I am copying from CD to Apple lossless format.

My original plan was to buy a DAC/AMP for my iMac and itouch. Since my iMac has a crappy sound card compare to the portable Ipod touch or Ipads. Then also I remember people here were streaming their music from their desktop to their portables. So I looked online and did not even realized that the Itunes in my iMac desktop has a filesharing option were other device such as Ipads or Iphone can log in wirelessly and stream the music (apple lossless format) from my iMac desktop via iTunes. Right now I just wirelessly connect my IPad2 to my iMac iTunes and listen to my iTunes library wirelessly. (which are all apple lossless format) This will then save me money since all I need to buy is a portable AMP for the Ipad2 instead of buying DAC for the iMac.

The only problem is I need to turn the iMac on while listening to the Ipad2 . So far the sound quality is great ! Can anyone verify if I am really streaming apple lossless file ? I am just assumng it since the whole Itunes library are all Apple lossless format.

Now I can just buy a cheaper amp for the Ipad2. I am thinking of the Ipad mini since my wife like to buy one. BTW, I have an old Itouch and there is no option to link it to my desktop, maybe the newer model has the capability?

I am very happy to find this out...:D

Here is how it is done...

http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=related&v=1aEu0DFEp5Q
 

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