Quote:

Originally Posted by drez 

To be honest though my main reason for selling Grado is lack of bass extension and very uneven treble quality compared to the LCD-2 (and the LCD-2 is in turn not known for great treble...)  

To me the tonality with acoustic instruments was a little off also, but of course tonality is not important for rock music.

Unfortunately my audio descriptive vocabulary was pretty lacking at the time I owned both of these pairs but to be honest the Grado sounds pretty unrefined and compromised for the price.

IMO RS1i does crunchy, guitars and percussion with excellent PRAT but just doesn't sound like $700 level headphone.  SR325 is probably more on the money at its price point. 

I would only recommend the RS1i if you are a massive electric guitar fiend and don't mind the other shortcomings and questionable value.

In the end I chose LCD-2 because it delivered all the energy rock needs (save for crunchy guitars) without the shortcomings of the RS1i.  

 

huh?

I can't think of a genre where tonality is more important.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vonx 

huh?

 

I can't think of a genre where tonality is more important.

To me tubed out guitars and harsh vocals, syntehsizers etc are not really trying to be pitch perfect to begin with, but YMMV.

I tended to notice the quirks with the upper midrage tonality more on acoustic instruments in classical and jazz music.  To me the RS1i has good tonal saturation but just occasionally sounded off in certain frequencies.  Probably all those upper midrange frequency spikes that make guitars sound crunchy.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DivergeUnify 

Since we're on the topic, I'll take this opportunity for the thousandth time to ask whats a good amp that will power both of those cans, that won't degrade sound quality.  Looking for amp/preamp combos.  Something in the pricerange of E7E9( could even be that combo), 300 max? :D

Just an amp or a combo?
 

Audio GD NFB-12

Matrix Mini-i 

Matrix M-Stage

Nuforce HDP

Hifiman EF2A (obligatory tube option)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vonx 

 

huh?

 

I can't think of a genre where tonality is more important.

+1

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris_Himself 

 

Just an amp or a combo?
 

Audio GD NFB-12

Matrix Mini-i 

Matrix M-Stage

Nuforce HDP

Hifiman EF2A (obligatory tube option)

Thanks!  Combos containing dac and amp.  For the M-Stage for example can I get an option for a usb input, since thats how I'd be using it

Just kidding, there are usb and non usb versions on the TamAudio website.  Does anyone have any experience with the

OPA627AP + biasing mod?   Worth it?

Hey guys,

I'm not able to decide about my next headphones. I'm caught between RS1i and LCD2. I listen mainly to rock music like Pearl Jam, Pixies, Smashing Pumpkins etc.

A couple of months back I purchased HD650 and Schiit Valhalla amp and now I know what people meant when they said HD650's are laidback.

Considering the RS1i's are $700 and will not require a great deal to run whereas the LCD2's are $1K and will need an amp that costs around the same to drive them properly, I'm slightly inclining towards RS1i's. Or do you think its better to wait till I can afford LCD2's and an amp to go with it? I'm really hoping these headphones do great for rock and are more forward than HD650's.

Thanks.

You can get both on the secondary market...grados about 500, LCDs in the 750-800 range

Id try to preview them first

Quote:

Originally Posted by rdnrvn 

Hey guys,

 

I'm not able to decide about my next headphones. I'm caught between RS1i and LCD2. I listen mainly to rock music like Pearl Jam, Pixies, Smashing Pumpkins etc.

 

A couple of months back I purchased HD650 and Schiit Valhalla amp and now I know what people meant when they said HD650's are laidback.

 

Considering the RS1i's are $700 and will not require a great deal to run whereas the LCD2's are $1K and will need an amp that costs around the same to drive them properly, I'm slightly inclining towards RS1i's. Or do you think its better to wait till I can afford LCD2's and an amp to go with it? I'm really hoping these headphones do great for rock and are more forward than HD650's.

 

Thanks.

You might be used to a more darker sound since you have been using the senn's, so I think a safer upgrade would be the LCD-2 (aside from money)

Grado's are pretty bright, which isn't bad, but it might be like stepping into a spotlight after living in a cave your whole life (not saying you have, just a metaphor :) ) and the brightness could be a bit too much. 

$ wise, I heard someone else say the Sr325's are worth more their price than the RS1i, so that might be an option too, (although I think those are even brighter)

I think you've narrowed your choices down really well though and regardless what you choose, your going to get a fantastic headphone for rock/metal and the likes :D

Just be impulsive, go with your gut, and buy one. 

You can't go wrong either way 

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhiteCrow 

I feel people that say the Higher end grado's are too bright are the people that have yet to hear them. Base there "opinions" on what other people who have not heard them or heard only the low end models on a bad source say.

 

Not sure if you were referring to me, but here's the list of Grados I've owned over the years:

SR60/SR125/SR225i/SR325is/RS1/RS1i/HF-2

And I've very extensively listened to the GS1000 and PS1000. And to my ears, the SR325s were too bright and sizzly. This is NOT an absolute statement, just that with my ears I found them with too much up top for my preferences (a few others have also reported this). YMMV of course. I eventually sold them in a few months and picked up the RS1s. Liked both the RS1 and RS1i very much...but I seem to have settled into the HF-2s (kinda fits my preferences now best).

As stated, at the time I owned the above Grados, my amp was the much vaunted MAD Ear+HD; which is very well respected for its synergy with Grado headphones. My source was a Marantz CD player feeding my (now sold) PS Audio DLIII.

Really glad this thread exists. I recently got the PS500's, and have been loving them.

But I still wanted to try the RS1i's later in the year. Now I'm considering skipping those and trying the LCD-2s. I know they aren't the same price range, but I've always wanted to try the LCD-2s for a long time. 

The only thing that worries me is the weight. I hear they are really heavy. Having tried out the HE-500's (I found those to be too heavy for my small noggin), I'm thinking I should just skip the LCD-2s. I was getting really extensive headaches as a result of the weight of the HE-500s. One good thing about the Grados is they are fairly light. 

And damn, 325i's been getting a lot of praise here. :P

Quote:

Originally Posted by MacedonianHero 

Not sure if you were referring to me, but here's the list of Grados I've owned over the years:

 

SR60/SR125/SR225i/SR325is/RS1/RS1i/HF-2

 

And I've very extensively listened to the GS1000 and PS1000. And to my ears, the SR325s were too bright and sizzly. This is NOT an absolute statement, just that with my ears I found them with too much up top for my preferences (a few others have also reported this). YMMV of course. I eventually sold them in a few months and picked up the RS1s. Liked both the RS1 and RS1i very much...but I seem to have settled into the HF-2s (kinda fits my preferences now best).

 

As stated, at the time I owned the above Grados, my amp was the much vaunted MAD Ear+HD; which is very well respected for its synergy with Grado headphones. My source was a Marantz CD player feeding my (now sold) PS Audio DLIII.

no I was not referring to you. I forgot to quote the post I was referring to.

I owned both the LCD2 and the HE-5LE for a while. If the hifiman cans feel heavy for you, the LCD2 will feel like two bricks taped together and squeezing the side of your head. They probably aren’t gonna help you

If you found the HE-500 light, then it might be a different story, but I think you can skip the LCD2 from what you said.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by satanigatan 

Really glad this thread exists. I recently got the PS500's, and have been loving them.

But I still wanted to try the RS1i's later in the year. Now I'm considering skipping those and trying the LCD-2s. I know they aren't the same price range, but I've always wanted to try the LCD-2s for a long time. 

 

The only thing that worries me is the weight. I hear they are really heavy. Having tried out the HE-500's (I found those to be too heavy for my small noggin), I'm thinking I should just skip the LCD-2s. I was getting really extensive headaches as a result of the weight of the HE-500s. One good thing about the Grados is they are fairly light. 

 

And damn, 325i's been getting a lot of praise here. :P

Quote:

Originally Posted by LCfiner 

I owned both the LCD2 and the HE-5LE for a while. If the hifiman cans feel heavy for you, the LCD2 will feel like two bricks taped together and squeezing the side of your head. They probably aren’t gonna help you

 

If you found the HE-500 light, then it might be a different story, but I think you can skip the LCD2 from what you said.
 

LCD-2 sounds amazing but it really does feel like a pair of giant saggy boobs smushing me to death. Some people are into that, some people aren't :D

My head isn't really that big either.. I hope.

Thanks for this, appreciate it. Are the LCD2 so heavy because of their drivers? Kind of crazy they make them so heavy. Is weight typically a problem for most? Or is it only people like me that have sensitive little heads! :p
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by LCfiner 

I owned both the LCD2 and the HE-5LE for a while. If the hifiman cans feel heavy for you, the LCD2 will feel like two bricks taped together and squeezing the side of your head. They probably aren’t gonna help you

 

If you found the HE-500 light, then it might be a different story, but I think you can skip the LCD2 from what you said.