[metalears]

Hello,
 
I'm a happy Grado user for a long long time and I can surely say that I've developed a taste for the Grado 'house' sound too soon after my first purchase from Grado, SR80. Now over the past time, I've acquired SR225, SR325i (gold cup edition), iGrado, GR8.
My latest purchase (13th of Sep) was the famous Grado RS2i. I bought this pair of amazing cans due to the price difference between the RS1i's that would not and probably could not compensate the sound improvement.
I'm happy and amazed with this pair (RS2i) after my long time with SR325i, for which my ears are totally accustomed to, after a excessive use. After a burn-in time of about 24h (I know that these cans need at least 120h), the sound is amazing, headstage a tad improved, bass range is deeper but treble still a bit shrill.
 
My amazement was that when I used to listen to my old-faithful SR325i's, the aluminium air chamber would vibrate when I did touch them, on bass-emphasized tracks (Also on SR225). But to my amazement, with almost the same amount of bass my ears are preceiving, the mahagony air chambers of RS2i are almost not resonating at all! This brings me the idea that the perfect frame that a headphone drive can be mounted on must be a wooden one, surely due to the absorption of resonant air waves on the wooden material; which is far better than ALL KINDS OF PLASTIC and METALS. Therefore, the natural & untouched pure sound generated through the drivers can be emitted and full performance of the headphone is achieved.
 
I'm waiting for your feedback, what do you think? Do have similar opinions and/or experience with your Grado's?
 
Thanks a lot.

 

[Greeni]

You are right, the RS2i treble has a slight shrill quality. I discussed this in this thread:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/481695/rs2i-piercing-treble
 
Over prolonged it gets tamed down to a large extent.
 
For me the principal advantage of the wooden chamber is better preservation of timbre, warmth, tonality and reverbation of the harmonics. 
 
Some consider that wooden material are not necessarily more accurate in terms of frequency response, when it comes to "measurable" accoustic precision. Certain composite materials exhibit even much less resonant characteristics than wood. Cost factor aside, however, woods seem to retain more of a human touch.

 

[Kevin Brown]

Shoot, I seem to be following in your footsteps, having started with the SR80i's, then to the SR125i's, and I'm now using the SR225i's and I have the SR325is's on the way.  But I have a hankerin' for the RS2i's as well.  (Although I'm curious about the HF2's too.)
 
I'll have to check my 225's and 325's out for the resonance you mention.  Although I don't really listen to bass heavy music, and I try not to listen that loudly either.
 
Great comments though !! 

 

[metalears]

Thanks guys for your answers.
 
Yes, Greeni, I totally agree with you. Wood is not the best resonance absorber, though it looks much more natural than other materials 

. It also gives its unique warmth and timbre to the sound and those are the most important characteristics..
 
Kevin Brown, I guess you should listen a bit loud with bass-heavy tracks to feel the vibration

 

[volume]

I have had the SR325is and now the RS1i's,whatever has been said about the differences between the two are correct.The only thing I don't like about the RS1i's is that they are very sensitive,therefore lots of volume.Not always a nice thing, especially with the full sized rigs.

 

[Jeff]

I like the direction they took with the PS1000. Wood inside the metal housing. Creates an interesting combination with a great sound.

 

[winzzz]

why would you touch the chamber when you're listening to music anyway ?

 

[metalears]

Quote:

why would you touch the chamber when you're listening to music anyway ?

For re-adjusting the position of the cups while I listen. So I discovered the vibration.. LOL