Bert Hopman
New Head-Fier
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2015
- Posts
- 5
- Likes
- 10
As a new member I like to post my experience with my Final Pandora Hope VI and a borrowed Grado PS500.
The Grado PS 500 is a no-nonsense on ear headphone with a open-backed design and about the same price tag as the Final PHVI
Why this comparison between complete different HP’s ? Well there are some interesting similarities and differences between the two.
I like to do this comparison with three music tracks containing pop, jazz and classic. Some passages in the tracks will help to uncover the nature of the HP’s.
The headphones are original as they came from the supplier and burned in for more than 200 hrs.
False Start;
During the first listening session I discovered a strange difference in sound between the Grado and the Final. The liveliness of the Final was in compare with the Grado a little less. I wondered what caused this degraded sound. After a few moments I realized the differences in the number joints between the Grado and Final. The Grado has got one 6,3 mm Jack against two 2,5 mm mini jacks and a converter jack from 3,5 to 6,3 mm. So three times more connections collecting dust and dirt !
It was time for some brushing and waxing with a contact cleaner like BlueHorizon CleanIT.
This did the trick and the Final PHVI was back in the competition.
Pop – Acoustic Alchemy – The Beautiful Game – track 07 – The Last Flamenco.
Chosen because of the sturdy and exciting rhythm, thin spatial chorus on the background, cool guitar playing and especially the modeling synthesizer bass line.
First impression of the both is that the Grado produces a significantly leaner and dryer sound image. The bass response is not as impressive as at the Final. Surprisingly differs the middle and high not so much. Both very detailed, fast and velvety.
The separation between the instruments for both is almost perfect. Also at high volume.
The Grado gives here a slightly sharper view and something more spatial display. This can be caused by the psychological effect because of the less prominent bass.
On the other hand, the listed modulating synthesizer bass is no match for the Grado. A modulating bass line is here hardly audible while the Final quite turns out here with a full well-defined bass. Because of the superb sound image with impressively low I choose here quite clear for the Final PHVI.
Jazz – The Coryells – Chesky 2K- Track 03 - Goodbye Porkpie Hat
This is a track with a subtle and intimate jazz scene where father and two sons Coryell plays a brilliant composition by Charles Mingus. Dedicated to the the brilliant saxophonist Lester Young with his inseparable Porkpie Hat. The excellent quality of the track lends the voice of Murali Coryell and the attacks of the guitar work very well.
Here comes the sublime middle and high from the Grado forward. The voice of Murali sounds slightly more with character here as at the Final. The bass is just like the previous track a lot thinner with the Grado but that can have this composition. The hefty bass of the Final here does something off of the intimate character. The separation of the instruments and vocals are also perfectly again. Noises, echo’s and spaciousness on the record are very well audible on both. The beautiful vocal dubbing at the end is the best represented by the Grado. This round is in my opinion for the Grado PS500.
Classic - C.P.E. Bach - Freiburger Barockorchester – Hamburger Sinfonien – Track 1 - Sinfonie C-Dur.
A beautifully recorded small orchestral work of a son of the great master J.S.Bach.
This is perfect music for testing your audio gear.
Any coloring or hardness comes directly to the light. So I was very curious about how these two would perform.
Both of them are lightning fast and precise and give the different instruments a perfect image. The Grado clearly produces a lighter atmosphere as the Final. However the sound field was less wide and deep as the Final. The Grado was very neutral here but more detached as the Final.
After half a minute listening with the Final you will be completely sucked up into brilliant atmosphere drawing. The strings have a phenomenal velvet resolution that continues to fascinate. Add to this on the solid foundation of cellos and double basses ... Truly magical!
Conclusion;
It was not easy to compare these HP’s because the efficiency was quite different. Too much different volumes between the HP’s disturbs a fair result.
Both seems to be super headphones with their own character. The Final makes a very dynamic impression with a great bass. The Grado is here more modest but also very enjoyable to listen to. Sometimes applies this reluctant character just better at certain pieces of music and tastes differ... Of course, these HP's are best as a premium audio gear is used.
Finally some advantages and disadvantages one by one I've experienced.
Grado PS500 ;
+ Small, light and compact form
+ Easy flat storage
+ Jackplug 6,3 mm
+ distinctive Grado middle and high
+ Simple cardboard (pizza) storage box
- Cord is on the short side
- No adapter plug to 3.5 mm included
- Bass is on the thin side
- Gives a lot of ambient noise
Final Pandora Hope VI;
+ Luxury and solid performance
+ Very dynamic and spectacular fidelity
+ Very high efficiency
+ Cord is easy removable for an upgrade
+ 6,3 mm adapter plug included.
+ Beautiful storage box with a lining of artificial fur,
also nice for warming up your hands in the winter
- 3,5 mm plug
- The cord is also somewhat to short.
- A little lighter would be nice.
The Grado PS 500 is a no-nonsense on ear headphone with a open-backed design and about the same price tag as the Final PHVI
Why this comparison between complete different HP’s ? Well there are some interesting similarities and differences between the two.
I like to do this comparison with three music tracks containing pop, jazz and classic. Some passages in the tracks will help to uncover the nature of the HP’s.
The headphones are original as they came from the supplier and burned in for more than 200 hrs.
False Start;
During the first listening session I discovered a strange difference in sound between the Grado and the Final. The liveliness of the Final was in compare with the Grado a little less. I wondered what caused this degraded sound. After a few moments I realized the differences in the number joints between the Grado and Final. The Grado has got one 6,3 mm Jack against two 2,5 mm mini jacks and a converter jack from 3,5 to 6,3 mm. So three times more connections collecting dust and dirt !
It was time for some brushing and waxing with a contact cleaner like BlueHorizon CleanIT.
This did the trick and the Final PHVI was back in the competition.
Pop – Acoustic Alchemy – The Beautiful Game – track 07 – The Last Flamenco.
Chosen because of the sturdy and exciting rhythm, thin spatial chorus on the background, cool guitar playing and especially the modeling synthesizer bass line.
First impression of the both is that the Grado produces a significantly leaner and dryer sound image. The bass response is not as impressive as at the Final. Surprisingly differs the middle and high not so much. Both very detailed, fast and velvety.
The separation between the instruments for both is almost perfect. Also at high volume.
The Grado gives here a slightly sharper view and something more spatial display. This can be caused by the psychological effect because of the less prominent bass.
On the other hand, the listed modulating synthesizer bass is no match for the Grado. A modulating bass line is here hardly audible while the Final quite turns out here with a full well-defined bass. Because of the superb sound image with impressively low I choose here quite clear for the Final PHVI.
Jazz – The Coryells – Chesky 2K- Track 03 - Goodbye Porkpie Hat
This is a track with a subtle and intimate jazz scene where father and two sons Coryell plays a brilliant composition by Charles Mingus. Dedicated to the the brilliant saxophonist Lester Young with his inseparable Porkpie Hat. The excellent quality of the track lends the voice of Murali Coryell and the attacks of the guitar work very well.
Here comes the sublime middle and high from the Grado forward. The voice of Murali sounds slightly more with character here as at the Final. The bass is just like the previous track a lot thinner with the Grado but that can have this composition. The hefty bass of the Final here does something off of the intimate character. The separation of the instruments and vocals are also perfectly again. Noises, echo’s and spaciousness on the record are very well audible on both. The beautiful vocal dubbing at the end is the best represented by the Grado. This round is in my opinion for the Grado PS500.
Classic - C.P.E. Bach - Freiburger Barockorchester – Hamburger Sinfonien – Track 1 - Sinfonie C-Dur.
A beautifully recorded small orchestral work of a son of the great master J.S.Bach.
This is perfect music for testing your audio gear.
Any coloring or hardness comes directly to the light. So I was very curious about how these two would perform.
Both of them are lightning fast and precise and give the different instruments a perfect image. The Grado clearly produces a lighter atmosphere as the Final. However the sound field was less wide and deep as the Final. The Grado was very neutral here but more detached as the Final.
After half a minute listening with the Final you will be completely sucked up into brilliant atmosphere drawing. The strings have a phenomenal velvet resolution that continues to fascinate. Add to this on the solid foundation of cellos and double basses ... Truly magical!
Conclusion;
It was not easy to compare these HP’s because the efficiency was quite different. Too much different volumes between the HP’s disturbs a fair result.
Both seems to be super headphones with their own character. The Final makes a very dynamic impression with a great bass. The Grado is here more modest but also very enjoyable to listen to. Sometimes applies this reluctant character just better at certain pieces of music and tastes differ... Of course, these HP's are best as a premium audio gear is used.
Finally some advantages and disadvantages one by one I've experienced.
Grado PS500 ;
+ Small, light and compact form
+ Easy flat storage
+ Jackplug 6,3 mm
+ distinctive Grado middle and high
+ Simple cardboard (pizza) storage box
- Cord is on the short side
- No adapter plug to 3.5 mm included
- Bass is on the thin side
- Gives a lot of ambient noise
Final Pandora Hope VI;
+ Luxury and solid performance
+ Very dynamic and spectacular fidelity
+ Very high efficiency
+ Cord is easy removable for an upgrade
+ 6,3 mm adapter plug included.
+ Beautiful storage box with a lining of artificial fur,
also nice for warming up your hands in the winter
- 3,5 mm plug
- The cord is also somewhat to short.
- A little lighter would be nice.
