Grado RS1i and RS1e side by side - Pictures!
Jul 12, 2014 at 3:31 AM Post #3 of 51
I took these pictures last night.
 
My primary goal in taking them
(before returning the RS1e's) was
twofold:
 
to generally add to the Head-Fi knowledge base
 
and
 
to show as clearly as I could the different ear cushions
("bowls") on the two headphones.
 
These are stock, not modded; these are the ear cushions
shipped brand new with each of these headphones.
 
I hope I was able to show that - when on the headphones - the RS1i bowls are deeper;
and the RS1e bowls are somewhat shallower, bringing the
drivers closer to the ears.
 
Certainly, though, the two are not identical (when on the headphones).
 
(When off the headphones, the cushions do appear identical > see EDIT
which follows.)
 
From my perspective, the bowls in place on the 1i are more comfortable.
 
 
 
EDIT 16 JAN 2015:
Reason: Clarification
 
 
I had just received brand new RS1e's from Crutchfield, a very reputable dealer IME.
 
I compared the cushions on them with those on my (relatively new) RS1i's.
 
What I found, IIRC, was that the two cushions - when off the headphones -
were identical.  Holding the two, measuring, examining - they were the same
as far as I could reasonably tell.
 
But - when placed on their headphones, the larger driver of the 1e
stretched the cushion so that it became "flatter" and more "dense" (or
harder = less "cushiony") as compared with the same cushion on the 1i's. 
 
This caused the 1e's' drivers to become closer
to the ears, since there was effectively less cushioning being provided.
 
Hope this clarifies things a bit
 
Jul 12, 2014 at 4:52 AM Post #4 of 51
thanks for doing this. man those e drivers are close to the ears. does that make the rs1e sound even more up close and personal than the rs1i?
 
Jul 12, 2014 at 5:31 AM Post #5 of 51
Thanks for those pics....wow....looks like ones ears could hit the driver for sure.
 
Just the pictures screams more bass and less sound stage....
 
Is the sound anything like an RS1i with flat pads on them.....I am just thinking out loud here, I have never heard them
 
Sep 16, 2014 at 5:27 PM Post #6 of 51
hi there
i have recently purchased grado rs1i but they have the red driver which is very close to 50mm .
if you remove the ear pad you will find the driver housing is mounted about 3mm proud of wood cup  where as the old rs1 were flush to the wood, this brings the driver closer to ear thus making the pads look shallower.
the pads are the same old same old.
so  as grado facebook states i may have an unbadge e series rs1i.
 
Sep 16, 2014 at 5:54 PM Post #7 of 51
Inner diameter of e series pads is wider? The lip of the driver is fully visible whereas the i series is not.
Are also the pad layers different??
 

 
 
Great pictures and comparo. The RS1s will always be in my heart :)
 
Sep 16, 2014 at 7:07 PM Post #8 of 51
hi again
pretty sure its the driver housing thats gives appearance of pads been different,
had alot of grado L cush pads in past year or so and none of them have been a perfect matching pair and these have been from grado official dealers too.
the driver housing covers alot of the inner contour of the pad giving shallower profile of inner ring.
they do hit my ears too so added G cush pads but slightly set back from the position it naturally would seat in as to place the driver about the 3mm away from ear, this seems to give me better soundstage and tames the aggressive bass they have being so close to ear.
 ( the normal position for G cush puts driver too far from ear which in turn kills the mids and bass some what )
hope this helps
 
Sep 16, 2014 at 9:22 PM Post #9 of 51
I disagree Michael, but even Stevie Wonder could tell that those pads are different from one another.
 
I can't help but Wonder (no pun intended), if Grado is going to keep making the ''old'' L-cush, and if so, will they label the new ear pads differently. I hope they will make both, I say, the more choice we have, the better, especially with Grado's sound being so ear pad dependent.
 
In the meantime, zazex, maybe you could try swapping the new and old ear pads, and let us know what you think.
 
Sep 17, 2014 at 5:10 PM Post #10 of 51
the driver of the new red drive unit grado is 3mm proud of the wood housing making the pad look shallower.
i,ve check with my older rs1 grados ( no longer working and striped for rebirth soon ) and they have a slush driver housing.
i have three pairs of  L cush pads including e series type and each one give the same impression of  swallow pad against proud driver housing.
the new e series pad on old rs1 give a deep pad profile.
 
Sep 17, 2014 at 5:58 PM Post #11 of 51
I thought the pads were the same between new e series and i only the protruding driver in e makes the depth factor shallower.
 
Sep 17, 2014 at 6:34 PM Post #12 of 51
I'm still wondering if Grado is going to continue making the old style ear pads, otherwise, sooner or later, we'll all have to ajust to the sound of the new pads, on our old Grados.
 
Sep 17, 2014 at 6:46 PM Post #13 of 51
my thoughts exactly, glad you agree.
its not my cup of tea though, maybe my ears growing old , thats why i,ve changed the pads to G cush in a slightly dumb position ( further back down wood cup ).
this puts the reigns on the bass and gives a bit of air to the mids/treble.
more concert hall than up close recording studio.
 
Oct 3, 2014 at 9:48 AM Post #15 of 51
Is the more protruded driver a necessity (due to size of driver, etc.) or is it intended by Grado (to get similar effects of the TTVJ flats, which exactly has same effect?)?
 

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