Which Grado for me?
Jul 14, 2001 at 4:28 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 21
CHOPIN

CHOPIN

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I'm planning on buying either the Grado SR-325s or the Grado RS-1s. I will also be buying the Grado RA-1 headphone amp. Since my stereo will be middle-of-the-road - not audiophile - quality I'm thinking that the RS-1s would be overkill. However, I am also afraid that if I get the SR-325s I'll have constant, nagging doubts about how much better the RS-1s would have sounded. Aesthetically I like the mahagony of the RS-1s. Some pictures of the SR-325s show them as silver - which I like. Other pictures show them as black - which I don't like. What is the current color? Thanks for any feedback.
 
Jul 14, 2001 at 4:30 AM Post #2 of 21
FYI, CHOPIN, the SR-325's currently ship in a silver color.
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Jul 14, 2001 at 4:31 AM Post #3 of 21
RS-1!!!!!!!!!! RS-1!!!!!!!!!!!

that is what i would do. I've heard the 325s have a severely boosted treble - while the RS-1s, especially when paired with an RA-1, will be pure sonic bliss. good bass, silky mids, silky highs, hell, a silky sound.

then again, some ppl might like the 325s more. But not me - the RS-1s, paired with the RA-1, are my DREAM SYSTEM!!! (Stax are a sick fantasy for a kid like me, not a dream....)
 
Jul 14, 2001 at 4:34 AM Post #4 of 21
Quote:

Originally posted by coolvij
I've heard the 325s have a severely boosted treble - while the RS-1s, especially when paired with an RA-1, will be pure sonic bliss. good bass, silky mids, silky highs, hell, a silky sound...


Well, that is just about what Headroom says about the two Grados. The SR-325 can be "detailed" to the point of fatigue... sometimes to the point when someone at Headroom says "Grapola" or "Boy, they sound like grap"!
 
Jul 14, 2001 at 5:04 AM Post #5 of 21
Where's joelongwood when you need him? He would recommend the HP 1000s.

CHOPIN,

Demo the two. Your musical taste and your hearing will determine what sounds right for you. I was in a similar situation a few weeks ago. I demoed the 225 and 325, mainly for my forays into dance/trance/ambient. When I demoed I brought some jazz and classical as well. I did not experience the shrill, fatiguing highs that some have stated, and I demoed for about an hour. The bass in the 325 was tighter, more Grado sound to it. That's what I needed.

I ordered the 325s 2 weeks ago, still have not received them! If it takes any longer, I'll buy the RS1s instead.

joelongwood, you can't be asleep!

Regards - reynman
 
Jul 14, 2001 at 5:44 AM Post #6 of 21
Actually, reynman, I did attempt to go to sleep..........out in my tipi I've had in the yard for 3 years now. But as i was attempting to sleep, with my Grado SR-100s and new MD player by my side, I got stung by a yellow jacket on my foot. So I came in to watch it swell up.......which it is doing now!
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Anyway, as far as which Grado to get, CHOPIN, I can tell by your post that you really want the RS-1s.......just get them. I was in your position awhile ago and opted for the 325s.........a week later the MS-Pros.....then the HP-1s.....and finally the RS-1s, which I had always wanted, and they came in the mahogany box to boot.
As far as sound, I like the RS-1s better than the 325s.........warmer vocals. Bass is damn good, too. I don't think you'll be disappointed. Good luck.
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Jul 15, 2001 at 1:54 AM Post #9 of 21
[/B]So how do the MSP compare to the 325?[/B][/quote}

To my ears, Hongda, if you can believe it, the 325s sound a bit bass heavy with less detail than the MSPs. The MSPs are actually more detailed in the top end......their frequency response seems to be tilted upward. Depending upon the recording, sibilance can be a problem. The bass on the MSPs seems tighter and goes a bit deeper, whereas the 325s, on occasion, can color a male vocalist's voice with a touch of bass-heaviness.....with the MSPs, this is never a problem. Soundstage is a bit wider on the MSPs as well. Sonically, they are very different from each other. Hope this answers your question somewhat. These are general observations, because I've discovered that the amp I use has a subtle, and sometimes not so subtle, effect on the sound of each 'phone. I now have 6 headphone amplifiers, and I use the one that yields the best sound to my ears with each 'phone. The 325s sound their best with the first CHA47 that JMT built for me, while the MSPs sound best with the most recent amp he built.
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Jul 15, 2001 at 5:44 AM Post #10 of 21
Well, I have an RA-1 amp.


Would you consider it warmer or brighter than the 325? you mention both more detailed treble AND tighter, deeper bass.

or just forget the MSP and go with the RS-1 =) (kinda gotten used to the brightness of the 325 so I'm looking for something just slightly warmer. not really shopping around just looking
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)
 
Jul 15, 2001 at 1:14 PM Post #11 of 21
RS-325's kinda heavy compare to RS-1
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Jul 15, 2001 at 2:00 PM Post #12 of 21
OK, Hongda, here's the scoop:
MSPs are brighter than 325s, but with deeper, tighter bass. On the 325s, sometimes the bass extends into, and colors, the lower mids. On the MSPs, that doesn't happen.
As far as the RS1s go, they spend most of their time in their nice wooden box, and not on my head, but I can say they are definitely warmer sounding than both the MSPs and the 325s.
Hope this helps to answer your questions.
 
Jul 15, 2001 at 5:07 PM Post #15 of 21
Wow, you use the SR-100 more than the RS-1? Didn't you pay under $100 for those? That's funny, it gets more usage than the current most-expensive item in the Grado lineup.
 
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