What happened to Grado's reputation? - Page 37

Grado makes very good niche products--at least within the Prestige line.  More power to them and extra points for still being making them in the USA.  Were I to own only one or two decent headphones, none would be a Grado.  But since I don't, I'll take at least one and an Alessandro to boot.

So true. One of the big lessons I've learned in audio over the past ten years is that people tend to discount companies and products that happen to be a little older than others. I liken Grado to Magnepan. I've owned Maggies since 2005 and I can't imagine owning anything as my main speakers. It wasn't until only recently that Magnepan updated their line, and their previous line was nearly ten years old. But as recently as 2010, the Maggie 3.6 (the model I own) was named Speaker of the Year in one or two major publications. Even though it was the same model that was produced nearly a decade earlier, it held up so well that it was still among the best - if not THE best - values in audio at its given price point. Older Maggies on the used market are some of the hottest speakers, many times being sent back to the company for a quick once-over and refurb job. Magnepan just does it right, and even though they move at a snails pace, the products they put out stand the test of time. It seems to me that Grado is very similar. A company that has a long standing track record and a signature sound that has allowed many, many people to enjoy their love of music. But as you said, newer does not always mean better.

 

Grado-bashing has been a sport on Head-fi since I got here - I suspect that its been around as long as Head-Fi itself. I havent heard a single pair of Senns that I really liked, but I dont start threads to bash Sennheiser - wtf is wrong with some of us ? If you don't like Grado headphones, dont buy em - pretty simple, really. If you want them to release something new and shiny, fine, but don't bash them because they don't share Sennheiser's willingness to churn out new product every year. As Focker mentioned above, there are certain brands in higher-end audio which stick with the same design for many, many years - it gives their clientele a degree of certainty when they need to replace their cherished electronics. Boring ? That's a matter of opinion. 

Some people just don't like music that's in their face, which is kind of an oxymoron to me.

Whatever Grado's reputation is nowadays, it hasn't put me off from coveting one of these iconic headphones from the USofA. The question for me is which one. I had my heart set on the RS1i but I've started noticing the PS1000 lately and it looks to be getting some more love around here.  

 PS1000 rules

 

 Just converted a mate of mine - he was heading for an LCD-3 but no longer after a recent audition of the big chromies!

 

Excuse my drool :)  I'm targeting a pair of PS500s, but would you consider the 1000s a significant leap from there? Those are beautiful headphones!

 

 Would not know! Yet to hear a pair of PS500's - don't know anyone down here in Melbourne with a pair as yet,

 the local distributor is yet to even put them on his site. I can tell you it's made my 325i a bit lonely of late, my

 amp allows both of them to be driven at the same time - detail is superior on the PS1000 and the sound stage

 is very much a night and day difference. The PS1000 is also quite sensitive to sources, amps and cables I've found.

 

 It's just a tad warmer all round than the 325i - that's what everyone is saying about the PS500.

 

Wow...well enjoy those beautiful headphones, Gwarmi!!!

I still agree with the age old adage that there's nothing better for rock than Grados. I've tried quite a few brands and none of them seem to capture that magic that Grado puts out. I'm a Grado man for life, albeit I will buy other brands, just to see what's out there. 

I noticed on my Nova that the PS500 is about 1-2 dB louder than the 325i when driven together.  You?
 

 

 With both the PS1000 and 325i plugged in, I find that the PS1000 can take much more on the volume dial. I'll do some testing next week

 when my RS1i arrives - back to back testing with the 325i.

As a noob, I'm guessing the reputation has died off because the user base has not expanded.

 

Grado has really sabotaged themselves by stubbornly sticking to their original design. This keeps them in good standing with their old school, diehard customer base and relegates them to a cult classic and quite possibly a dying one at that.

 

My noob opinion about what Grado needs:

• a new product line that looks stylish and therefore attracts new customers
• a new product line that looks and is comfortable to most users
• advertisement for that product line
• placement of that product line in mainstream sellers like Best Buy

 

Sorry, but a product really does have to look cool. Witness the success of Beats. Adapt or die.

 

Grados as earpads are not comfortable for a lot of people. I know there are seasoned users who will reply "they feel fine to me" but in reality, that doesn't translate into more sales.

 

Listeners seem to learn of Grados more through word-of-mouth than anything. That's not good enough.

 

I didn't seem Grado when I've walked into Best Buy or Frys. Only in my local audio boutique, "Audible Arts" in Campbell.

 

Grado will either adapt or slowly but increasingly be outsold by "lesser" brands.

But why should Grado do all this? They have a pretty solid customer base, a tiny manufacturing plant, and a good reputation (even here on Head-FI, where they're slammed). I don't see the need for growth for growth's sake. There's definitely a space in this hobby for boutique products and producers.

I'm kinda glad that Grado is nothing like Beats ;)