[bagwell359]

It's hard to compare cans you haven't heard. It seems like a closed conversation. I've heard the 60, 80, 225, 325, RS-1 but I never got hooked. As for Audeze? Do not like the LCD-2 or 3. Like the original 4 but it's about as colored as I get.

I think since '15 there has been a blossoming of nice -> great cans. And a blossoming of prices.

Partial to the Voce over the 007/009. Like the Susvara and the Final D8k (w EQ). None of which I own. Have the HE-6se v1, HE-500, HEX v2 (all modded) and the HD-600 on a BHCs. Not SoTA, but not bad.

 

[Ragnar-BY]

Nicely written, but I can't disagree more with conclusions. No headphones reproduce the real sound one hundred percent accurately. Playing recorded audio is always a compromise. Each listener has his own preferences, and in fact, when choosing headphones, we choose what in the sound we are ready to give up, and what we are not.

For some, the tonal balance is most important, for some the main thing is dynamics and transients (my case), someone needs accurate images correctly placed on the sound stage. As someone who values dynamics and transients the most, I am very pleased with how headphones have evolved in recent years. Grados, which never been "the fastest", do not represent any value for me at all. However, I'm sure that there are enough people who think differently.

Today's TOTL headphones provide a huge choice. Dark, bright, v-shaped, mid-centric, Harman tuned - you name it. The chances of finding your perfect sound today are greater than it was thirty years ago.

 

[Arcamera]

Wonderful write-up.

I owned the Grado HP1000 for about 20 years. Loved it. But eventually wanted to move on to other flavors, improvements in certain areas. BTW, I like the Spirit Torino headphones as well (have the Grande and Twin Pulse). No perfect headphone though. (Truism). But I'm happy for the variety now. Lately I've been more a Meze fan.

 

[purk]

Love the review and thank you. The TOTL cans at the end of 80s and 90s are still very much relevant at the very top today. The R10, Qualia, Grado HP1/2, HE90, SR-007, K1000, and Omega to name a few.

 

[chesebert]

Thank you for the review. I don't know how I missed this post. I think TOTL cans in the past decade have become more transparent, greater resolution and more technically competent. However, in their pursue of technical betterment, something had to give and that is the timbre and odd looking frequency responses. I find almost all modern TOTL cans not listenable without EQ. Everything sounds wrong to me: AB1266, Susvara/HE1k/HE6, Utopia, Stax SR009/X9000, Raal, LCD5. I am super sensitive to timbre correctness given my 20yr marriage to Harbeth My decade of piano playing probably helped as well.

I think CRBN got good bones and I am pretty confident I can make it sound correct without major EQ surgery.

 

[alota]

i´m thinking to buy for third time the hp-2. just the confort is my problem. hp-1000 series is a masterpiece. about old headphones, i have, from many years, an ultrasone edition 5 limited bought used. probably not the best headphone regarding resolution but a balanced sound without listening fatigue.

 

[Hirsch]

I've owned about a half dozen HP-1000 variants over the years. Finally sold all of them. Then again, I've never been a big fan of neutral sound. I've had a bunch of high end cans come through, but there are still three headphones that I go to when I want to listen to music rather than headphones: Senn HE90, AKG K-1000, and Sony R-10. I've heard a lot that can be said to be technically better than some of these, but nothing that actually sounds better to me.

Note: At this point in my life, my hearing is definitely on the downswing, so it may be possible that I've heard better headphones but just didn't have the physical ability to know it anymore.

 

[number1sixerfan]

i´m thinking to buy for third time the hp-2. just the confort is my problem. hp-1000 series is a masterpiece. about old headphones, i have, from many years, an ultrasone edition 5 limited bought used. probably not the best headphone regarding resolution but a balanced sound without listening fatigue.

This was my only issue as well. I had 2-3 pairs long ago. Definitely more of a studio reference headphone, which was nice alongside the K1000, just couldn't get over the comfort.

I've owned about a half dozen HP-1000 variants over the years. Finally sold all of them. Then again, I've never been a big fan of neutral sound. I've had a bunch of high end cans come through, but there are still three headphones that I go to when I want to listen to music rather than headphones: Senn HE90, AKG K-1000, and Sony R-10. I've heard a lot that can be said to be technically better than some of these, but nothing that actually sounds better to me.

Note: At this point in my life, my hearing is definitely on the downswing, so it may be possible that I've heard better headphones but just didn't have the physical ability to know it anymore.

If you really love the K-1000, you should check out the Sr1a if you haven't. It's an upgrade in every category except bass.

 

[alota]

This was my only issue as well. I had 2-3 pairs long ago. Definitely more of a studio reference headphone, which was nice alongside the K1000, just couldn't get over the comfort.



If you really love the K-1000, you should check out the Sr1a if you haven't. It's an upgrade in every category except bass.

K-1000 was wonderful but difficult to pairing

 

[Hirsch]

Actually, I had an SR1a on a trial basis for a couple of weeks. It was an upgrade in many categories, but it appeared to be awful with some vocals. It also didn't seem to have the ability to expand and contract the sound stage the way the K-1000 can. When I went back to the K-1000 after the SR1a, I could hear many technical deficiencies in the K-1000 in comparison, but at the same time the K-1000 seemed to do a better job of putting the music together in a holistic and enjoyable way. Or, to phrase it differently, the SR1a drew attention to itself, while the K-1000 drew attention to the music.

 

[Chefguru]

This was my only issue as well. I had 2-3 pairs long ago. Definitely more of a studio reference headphone, which was nice alongside the K1000, just couldn't get over the comfort.

For those who feel the stock hp-1000 is a bit boring the improvements joe made on the final version, may make the difference since it is slightly more forward with improved bass.

 

[ESL-1]

K-1000 was wonderful but difficult to pairing

Difficult to pair is the SR-1’s middle name. A friend had them and bought and sold several amps trying to give the ribbons what they needed. He even had a Pass power amp that you needed a hand truck to move it.

The K1000 does not need big power at all but the amp should be very clean and smooth, no undue brightness. I am using a 30wpc NAD amp with mine and it does quite well.

 

[number1sixerfan]

Actually, I had an SR1a on a trial basis for a couple of weeks. It was an upgrade in many categories, but it appeared to be awful with some vocals. It also didn't seem to have the ability to expand and contract the sound stage the way the K-1000 can. When I went back to the K-1000 after the SR1a, I could hear many technical deficiencies in the K-1000 in comparison, but at the same time the K-1000 seemed to do a better job of putting the music together in a holistic and enjoyable way. Or, to phrase it differently, the SR1a drew attention to itself, while the K-1000 drew attention to the music.

I can understand this perspective as well. One of my biggest issues with the Sr1a is cohesion. Detail and immersive staging are it's primary strengths, but the overall experience isn't as cohesive as other TOTLs out there. At times feels like a bit of a one or two trick pony.

I did own both for months together and significantly preferred the Sr1a, but your thoughts here are also pretty consistent with how older TOTL headphones compare to most of the newer bunch--the new TOTLs generally outperform the old from a technical standpoint, but the OGs generally do better with tone/timbre and more of an overall natural sound. Kind of just have to pick your poison.

 

[peterinvan]

I joined the Grado fan club this year when I was gifted a pair of SR325is (circa 2014).

I enjoy reading all the posts (positive and negative) on the forums.

I bought a pair of SR325x to compare, but after modding the SR325is to lightweight balanced cables, and two holes punched in the damper felt, I am keeping the older ones and sold the SR325x.

My take is that old man Grado made a wise decision to adapt their core competency, i.e. the skills and tools to wind tiny coils in their movining coil cartrigiges, to winding very accurate voice coils on their headphone drivers. I believe it's the drivers that make Grado special, with the choice of cup material, pads, and heavy cables much further down the line of impact to sound quality. And in my experience, those drivers need to be as close as possible to your ears.

 

[Chefguru]

I joined the Grado fan club this year when I was gifted a pair of SR325is (circa 2014).

I enjoy reading all the posts (positive and negative) on the forums.

I bought a pair of SR325x to compare, but after modding the SR325is to lightweight balanced cables, and two holes punched in the damper felt, I am keeping the older ones and sold the SR325x.

My take is that old man Grado made a wise decision to adapt their core competency, i.e. the skills and tools to wind tiny coils in their movining coil cartrigiges, to winding very accurate voice coils on their headphone drivers. I believe it's the drivers that make Grado special, with the choice of cup material, pads, and heavy cables much further down the line of impact to sound quality. And in my experience, those drivers need to be as close as possible to your ears.

The build of the hp-1000 is significantly higher quality than modern grado.

1) the drivers float in the cup, they're secured via hex screws (not glued in) this allows for more air flow and better positioning of the driver
2) the headband has a screw in it to hold the cups in exact place (modern grado's are plastic and often slide around)
3) the hp-2i cable is 2x more flexible yet does not twist - has a separate line per channel into a XLR cable
4) inside the cup are cable strain relief pieces (idk how the **** modern grado thinks this is okay)
5) the headband has a steel rod over real leather (allows for more head positions and is sturdier than the thin one used on modern units)
6) mesh quality over the driver is thinner and more durable
Additionally, the drivers were hand tuned to neutral sound signature and designed to be used with flat pads (best bass of all pad types).

Here are modern grado's mess instead ... glued into wood, held together with plastic.