Which grado do you enjoy most and why? .....................................................................Go!

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thelostmidrange said:

Which grado do you enjoy most and why? .....................................................................Go!

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PS1000? Coz... PS1000?

that's impecable logic Zero, although not quite explanatory enough for me. Is there any overarching quality in particular that separates that model grado from others which cause you to want to don it upon your noggin with greater frequency?

thelostmidrange said:

Which grado do you enjoy most and why? .....................................................................Go!

Click to expand...

RS-1i. I like the intimate/close-up presentation they provide along with their overall tonal balance (the bass and treble is basically perfect as far as dynamic headphones are concerned imho - not too much, not too little, just right). Sure, the bigger Grados have a bigger stage, and the SR-325 are more up-front, but I like where the RS-1 are just set in that Goldilocks zone (at least imho) pretty much across the board. When listening to them I don't have a "I wish..." or "I would change..." thought about them. They just "fit" precisely, at least for me.

nice, now that's some useful info.......nice template for how others might offer their choice and explanation.......

Quote:

thelostmidrange said:

that's impecable logic Zero, although not quite explanatory enough for me. Is there any overarching quality in particular that separates that model grado from others which cause you to want to don it upon your noggin with greater frequency?

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Sorry, sarcasm button was on. xD
 
I like the PS1000 for the soundstage, the bass punch, the imaging, its like an upgraded soundstage version of the RS1i

nice. the two examples right there illustrate a point in how different cups affect sound. I would bet if one took those drivers out and swapped them. each of you would still be happy and would probably still share the same impressions and reasons for preferring the overall phone. Specifically, I feel it's that big massive clamped cup of the ps style that allows the solid platform for bass punch whereas the delicate wood cup doesn't support that as much. Each has that tradeoff. The rs will have a different kind of dynamics and liveliness in favor of the bass punch for example........The soundstage difference is pretty much a pad thing (G vs L) of course. Pads and cups makes a particular grado a grado in addition to slight variance in drivers. Nice little summation of grado extremes. thanks for playing fellers. I applaud your youthfull spirit

thelostmidrange said:

nice. the two examples right there illustrate a point in how different cups affect sound. I would bet if one took those drivers out and swapped them. each of you would still be happy and would probably still share the same impressions and reasons for preferring the overall phone. Specifically, I feel it's that big massive clamped cup of the ps style that allows the solid platform for bass punch whereas the delicate wood cup doesn't support that as much. Each has that tradeoff. The rs will have a different kind of dynamics and liveliness in favor of the bass punch for example........The soundstage difference is pretty much a pad thing (G vs L) of course. Pads and cups makes a particular grado a grado in addition to slight variance in drivers. Nice little summation of grado extremes.

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Yeah...what's your point?

Sorry I don't mean to downplay what you're observing, but I thought this was pretty well understood/acknowledged, especially since the GS-1000 came out. Changing the pads isn't going to mean a sure-fire change in sound either - like putting the bagels on the RS-1 won't turn them into the GS-1000; there's still some voicing differences beyond that.

Anyways - what you're saying is basically the reality of it - so then it's just up to you (or whomever) to pick whichever sound you like. Some people prefer the larger sound-stage, some don't, it's really a personal preference when it comes down to it. And that's what's neat about Grado's top end; they aren't just continuous improvements, they're all somewhat unique, so you both get to have the signature Grado sound, but with one of four (five?) distinct flavors.

I like to discuss basics and obvious things since hidden insights can sometimes get overlooked. Like when your 6 year old asks you why is the sky blue and it makes you stop and realize you know nothing about it since trying to tell him about refraction, sunlight and the way the human eye operates is not really answering his question. he wants to know WHY the sky is blue, not how it's blue and then it makes you realize you're spinning on a giant space rock held on by gravity alone. All from a little seemingly naive question.....The point I guess is to discuss the power of the cup and it's role. I like to try and get little discussions going back and forth instead of just isolated opinions being tossed out. You never know where a dialogue might lead. sometimes dead ends, sometimes interesteing alleyways or whole new vistas. In this case it was an interesting yet familiar alley I guess....although I might drop grados into two bigger categories rather than 5.

thelostmidrange said:

In this case it was an interesting yet familiar alley I guess....although I might drop grados into two bigger categories rather than 5.

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Yeah, this is certainly something that comes up in this thread.

As far as five, I'm meaning their four or five flagship models:

- RS-1
- GS-1000
- PS-1000
- PS-500

The question-mark was for more historic models that aren't mentioned as frequently or weren't mass produced. Yes you could broadly/generally categorize them into two categories, but imho that ignores more subtle differences.

yes, we could separate them into 25 categories if we wanted. but again in the interest of getting back to basics, I wonder if 2 wouldn't do it. Those that are damped by the cup (PS,GS) and those that aren't (RS, SR). Dead and alive if you will. Without the negative connotation of dead or the positive of alive. Let's assume both are valid ways to deliver grado goodness.

thelostmidrange said:

yes, we could separate them into 25 categories if we wanted. but again in the interest of getting back to basics, I wonder if 2 wouldn't do it. Those that are damped by the cup (PS,GS) and those that aren't (RS, SR). Dead and alive if you will. Without the negative connotation of dead of the positive of alive. Let's assume both are valid ways to deliver grado goodness.

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Can't agree - sorry. Firstly I can't agree because of the whole "damped by the cup and not" thing (both based on objective measurements and subjective listening - I find that most discussion about "damping" tend to go the way of catch-all anyways), and secondly because the SR and RS are quite different. PS-500 are reportedly different still (from everything; you'd have to ask someone who has one of the 1000 series cans as the PS-500 for more specifics though). You could sell me on the SR-60 through SR-225 (or 325) being relatively similar, and with higher-up models being improvements as you move up. The RS line being a different presentation to those, and the other three standing apart on their own. But trying to condense everything from the SR to the RS-1 into one box, and the GSK, PS-500, and PSK into another box is just too over-generalized. It doesn't recognize the relative diversity of the Grado line-up, and I think in part is responsible for a lot of the general confusion that new Grado customers are faced with (where you get the "no they're all a ripoff, the SR-60 is the same headphone, it's the same!" rantings).

Really, I'm not sure what the recent fascination with trying to over-generalize and categorize *everything* is (and I know you're probably take a broadside where you don't deserve it - I know we've chatted in the past and I have a rough idea of where you're coming from), but I think it really needs to end. It doesn't solve anything for anyone, and at the worst it may botch up someone's quest for a new headphone.

perhaps...... I certainly don't want to confuse anyone. It's hard enough to find the right headphone. But I wouldn't go so far as to say any line of thought 'needs to end'. i can say you've successfully driven this discussion to a grinding halt though. No worries. I'll continue it in my own mind with an alter ego who also dislikes over generalizations

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obobskivich said:

. Some people prefer the larger sound-stage, some don't, it's really a personal preference when it comes down to it. And that's what's neat about Grado's top end; they aren't just continuous improvements, they're all somewhat unique, so you both get to have the signature Grado sound, but with one of four (five?) distinct flavors.

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I think this is spot-on....case in point, although I love both my GS1ks and PS-500s, if forced to choose I'd pick the 500s. Although the GS1ks were nearly twice as expensive, and they are beautiful headphones, I'd agree 100% that they are closer to being, as you said, different flavors instead of being two points along a continuum. I'm quite certain that when I have the opportunity to pick up some RS-1s, they will follow suit and be another flavor, not necessarily better or worse than either of the others. 

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obobskivich said:

RS-1i. I like the intimate/close-up presentation they provide along with their overall tonal balance (the bass and treble is basically perfect as far as dynamic headphones are concerned imho - not too much, not too little, just right). Sure, the bigger Grados have a bigger stage, and the SR-325 are more up-front, but I like where the RS-1 are just set in that Goldilocks zone (at least imho) pretty much across the board. When listening to them I don't have a "I wish..." or "I would change..." thought about them. They just "fit" precisely, at least for me.

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This is how I feel about my Rs2's!....damn, I guess eventually I'm gonna have to get my hands on a pair to compare them(rs1).