[nickchen]

Got them almost new from Comfy with ~50h on them.

1st Impression: Most beautiful fons I've ever held in hands.
2nd Impression: Heavy like hell, the bowls stink peppermintish. Comfort non-existing. That will be reversed 414s soon.
3rd impression: Neutral, powerful, rich sounding.

Very detailed. Soundstage is astonishing for a Grado/Alessandro.

My loved MS1 sounds surprisingly thin, dull and congested in comparison. That's good. I feared the difference to be minor, but the step is comparable to KSC75 -> MS1.

 

[apnk]

Sexy cans!

 

[kramer5150]

Cool!!! you got the RS1 headband!! Consider yourself very fortunate.

 

[terance]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kramer5150 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Cool!!! you got the RS1 headband!! Consider yourself very fortunate.

That looks like the same headband I have on my SR325i

i didn't know the headbands were different?

 

[lmilhan]

They are great cans.

They are as light as a feather compared to the PS-1s or the HP-2s.

Enjoy your new toy! IMO they represent the sweet spot in the Grado/Alessandro lineup when a price/performance ratio is considered. And to think that you can score a used pair for $200 - at that price it is almost like you are stealing them.

I use them in my work rig. I use them with flat pads and drive them with a Tomahawk. They sound stunning in this configuration.

Definite keepers.

As it turns out, my pair has an RS-1 headband as well.

 

[kramer5150]

Quote:

Originally Posted by terance /img/forum/go_quote.gif That looks like the same headband I have on my SR325i i didn't know the headbands were different?

theres a more narrow stitched headband that normally comes on the MS2 and SR325i (or... at least it used to)...

I found a couple 325is with the thicker headband at headfest. So... apparently there is some variation out there.

Did Grado / Alessandro officially switch over to use the thicker RS1 headband on the 325i/MS2 ?

 

[M0T0XGUY]

I don't think they officially switched anything, there have always been Grado models floating around with different variations of headbands, among other things. I assume it happens when Grado is pounded with orders for one headphone, and because they don't have enough parts, they just "borrow" them from a similar model. Probably cosmetic things only, but with Grado quality control as bad as it is today you never know if they sometimes switch drivers and cables...

 

[nickchen]

I'm not sure if I'm happy about the wider RS1 headband, as my old Beyer DT770 pad only fits by the skin of one's teeth. Was a sweet combination with the narrower MS1 headband, but it's more urgent for the heavy MS2 beast.

 

[M0T0XGUY]

You can stretch the Beyer headband to fit around your headband by only connecting the outer two buttons; it'll look strange but it will function correctly. And if you really don't want it on there, I'm sure you can send it back to Grado and they'll replace it with a 325i headband, though I don't think its worth the hassle or the money.

 

[nickchen]

Quote:

Originally Posted by M0T0XGUY /img/forum/go_quote.gif You can stretch the Beyer headband to fit around your headband by only connecting the outer two buttons; it'll look strange but it will function correctly.

Yes, tried that already, looks a bit dorky but works passably. Nothing but trouble when being half-bald...

Amount of presented details is on par with my polite DT880, wow! That causes some listening fatigue, as everything bangs directly on your eardrums instead of being spread over a huge soundscape. Great fun, but reading some complicated thread and listening to Acid Jazz doesn't work with the MS2. Looks like they want my complete attention. A bit like a passionate henna-red woman...

 

[Veniogenesis]

Grados/Alessandros are so tiring but yet so good. As non-neutral as they are, they just sound so fun.

I hope to try the MS-2i someday; they're one of the only Grado cans I haven't heard, but I'm thinking they probably deliver the best value for the money in my opinion.

Congratulations on the purchase!

 

[iPatcH]

I think I've found a way to make Grado bowls more comfortable... I should make a thread on them, hehe.

 

[nickchen]

I'll try soap and lots of hot water for bowls as first attempt. Guess the bowls end up at my MS1.

The MS2s are on reversed 414s already, sounds quite similar, but lightyears better comfort.

 

[F107plus5]

As to the question of the wider headband, my MS2i that I received back in September appears to have the same wider unit. So it seems they have been shipping with the RS1/2 GS1K band at least that long.

Perhaps it's less expensive for them to order and purchase and handle only two rather than three bands. Whatever the reason; it's a nice band!!

EDIT: Oops; Unless you're trying to install a DT770 pad I guess.

Yeah; I have the same bald spot forming.

Glad to hear you're having fun with them, Nico!!

 

[fureshi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nickchen /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'll try soap and lots of hot water for bowls as first attempt. Guess the bowls end up at my MS1. The MS2s are on reversed 414s already, sounds quite similar, but lightyears better comfort.

the difference in sound between bowls and reversed 414 is quite subtle. they had bass level somewhere between bowls and normal 414 while it felt like soundstage and highs were about the same as bowls. i agree that the 414s are way ahead in comfort but because of the weight of the cups, they tended to droop down since the total pad area is less. still, this was the configuration that i used when i had the ms2.