[headfry]

without wanting to answer for ruthieandjohn, the comment and chart seems to indicate the GS1000i is the fave.
 
 
I'd like to re-iterate that the GS1000 series for some reason is somewhat overlooked, with other Grados getting much 
more frequent posts.
 
One thing about the GS1000i, to my ears at least (and with my equipment) it benefits from a slight eq boost in the midrange,
otherwise it sounds a little thin there. With a bit of the right eq, this phone is absolutely end game, think of a high end, pinnacle version of the SR325E (I own and love both).
 I also listen at low to moderate volume levels, both cans excel at low volumes too!
 
positional resolution (love that term), overall resolution of sound and soundstage are all fantastic with the GS1000i,
and they don't require a really expensive dac/amp (they do benefit from a good one tho).
 
The PS1000 of course will better the GS somewhat, but the much higher price, more critical of amp
and much heavier construction will lead many to the GS series!
 
John, I love it that you're spreading the news about the GS!

 

[mikey1964]

Well, from my personal preference perspective, no way can the PS1000 top the GS1000i. I have both and due to my being somewhat of a treblehead, the GS1000i is just so much more airy and detailed sounding than the PS1k. There's also the bass on the GS1ki, there's something surreal and sublime about it that makes it stand out from all other cans I own.

 

[ruthieandjohn]

Well, from my personal preference perspective, no way can the PS1000 top the GS1000i. I have both and due to my being somewhat of a treblehead, the GS1000i is just so much more airy and detailed sounding than the PS1k. There's also the bass on the GS1ki, there's something surreal and sublime about it that makes it stand out from all other cans I own.

Surprises me to say it, but I put the GS1000i above my PS1000, my PS1000i, and even my prior favorite, the RS2e. The GS1000i may not best the others in everything, but for me, certainly in most things. It has even caused me to fleetingly fantasize about selling most of my 24 Grado collection and just keeping it, the RS2e, the PS1000, the Bushmills, the HF1, the..., the...! Only fleetingly!

 

[stacker45]

  Well, from my personal preference perspective, no way can the PS1000 top the GS1000i. I have both and due to my being somewhat of a treblehead, the GS1000i is just so much more airy and detailed sounding than the PS1k. There's also the bass on the GS1ki, there's something surreal and sublime about it that makes it stand out from all other cans I own.

 
If you're a treblehead, you'd probably like the first gen GS1000,I've compared both the GS1000, and the i version, and they have the most ''airy'' and extended treble that I've heard from Grado.

 

[robm321]

^ Agreed

Well, from my personal preference perspective, no way can the PS1000 top the GS1000i. I have both and due to my being somewhat of a treblehead, the GS1000i is just so much more airy and detailed sounding than the PS1k. There's also the bass on the GS1ki, there's something surreal and sublime about it that makes it stand out from all other cans I own.

And agreed.

 

[mikey1964]

   
If you're a treblehead, you'd probably like the first gen GS1000,I've compared both the GS1000, and the i version, and they have the most ''airy'' and extended treble that I've heard from Grado.

I'm somewhat of a treblehead, not a flag waving, card carryin', chest thumping one!

 I had an Audio Technica ATH-AD2000 previously, the treble it presented was just shy of my max tolerance. Somehow, I didn't quite enjoy its treble when compared to the GS1000i....though female vocals on the AD2000 is simply gorgeous. I'm pretty happy with the sound sig of my GS1000i, especially THAT distinct bass. I was quite taken aback first time I'd heard the GS1000i, didn't even believe it would have such great bass given it uses foam pads instead of the usual pleather/leather/velour.

 

[chry5alis]

I'd like to share my recent experiences in audio.  I'm a big fan of my gs1000e, I love them.  I pair them with a set of fidelio x2s and between the two of them, my audio needs and preferences are pretty well covered hopping back and forward depending on what mood and music I'm listening too.
 
Recently I saw an offer for the hd600 though and I was too tempted to pass by  a) to see what all the talk is about and b) to hopefully be my 'middle-man', jack of all trades headphones.
 
The hd600's arrived and on try they sounded very good.  Nice soundstage, very fine and precise instrument seperation, tonally superb.  A genuinely good and impressive headphone.
 
But I found them bland.  I tried.  I genuinely tried and tried to like them but I just found my music bland through the hd600 compared to my gs1ke.  The grado statements had similar bass, less mids and sharper highs than the sennheisers, but the difference was far greater than just levels of frequency response.  And more than the superior soundstage and positioning from the grados.
 
The telling point came one night when I listened to some floyd on the hd600 and suddenly realised that I was feeling nothing.  On an emotional level, the music passed me by.  And Floyd never passes me by!  I quickly A>B'd to my grados, replayed the track..  and there it was, it was back!  My foot was tapping again and I was getting lost in the music.  Theres a dreamy quality to this headphone, a flight of fancy that gradually builds up and takes me away.  The hd600 for all its positives couldn't match or compare to it.
 
Perhaps a tad unfair on the sennheiser because I haven't allowed any burn in but they are now boxed and ready for return as I write.  They sounded nice, but on reflection - sonically lame for my tastes.  Give me Grado any day!

 

[stacker45]

  I'm somewhat of a treblehead, not a flag waving, card carryin', chest thumping one!

 I had an Audio Technica ATH-AD2000 previously, the treble it presented was just shy of my max tolerance. Somehow, I didn't quite enjoy its treble when compared to the GS1000i....though female vocals on the AD2000 is simply gorgeous. I'm pretty happy with the sound sig of my GS1000i, especially THAT distinct bass. I was quite taken aback first time I'd heard the GS1000i, didn't even believe it would have such great bass given it uses foam pads instead of the usual pleather/leather/velour.

 
The GS1000's top frequencys can only be heard by bats, so you'd probably prefer that aspect of their sound, however, the i serie does have a bit deeper bass.
 
If you're more of a treblehead, than a basshead, I still think that the GS1000 is worth a try.

 

[mikey1964]

   
The GS1000's top frequencys can only be heard by bats, so you'd probably prefer that aspect of their sound, however, the i serie does have a bit deeper bass.
 
If you're more of a treblehead, than a basshead, I still think that the GS1000 is worth a try.

I don't know if that's a dig at me

, but I simply prefer cans with some sparkle and airy. Had my hearing tested and at my age, I can hear up to ~13kHz, nothing above that. My firend who's in his mid 60's can hear up to only 7kHz, I've chided him often for listening to music on his cans at outrageously loud level......ear bleeding to me.
 
As for the GS1k, I didn't know that there was a GS1000, but then, I should have known since the non-lettered suffixed versions are usually the first gen. That makes my GS1000i what? 3rd gen after 'e' version? I find the GS1ki I have now to be pretty much perfect, great treble energy, pretty decent mids (though female vocals still loses out to the AD2000's take on female vocals) and a bass that I would describe as sublime and surreal.

 

[headfry]

If you haven't already done so, I've found that mildly increasing eq in the mids - through some
trial and error - fixes the midrange from somewhat distant/thin to perfect and seamless -
making my listening to GS1000i fantastic. I've long maintained that this slight eq boost is desirable
and fixes the only real flaw with the phone! I also listen at low volumes - the Grado's excel here, esp the 1000i's-
and will continue to advocate for it, for hearing health! I get the full impact and experience of the music -

at low to moderate listening levels.
.

 

[ruthieandjohn]

Used Grado GS1000i stated to be in 10/10 condition for $750 here

I absolutely love mine... the favorite of my 22 or so Grados!

 

[chry5alis]

A question to all..

By estimate, how many hours do you think are on your gs1k by now? Id especially like to hear from anyone with the e-series.

I reckon mine must be around 600 hours by now, and last night they were sounding incredible.

Accoustic guitars improve their tone with age and playtime, I wonder if the same principles apply to accoustic headphones?

 

[ruthieandjohn]

A question to all..

By estimate, how many hours do you think are on your gs1k by now? Id especially like to hear from anyone with the e-series.

I reckon mine must be around 600 hours by now, and last night they were sounding incredible.

Accoustic guitars improve their tone with age and playtime, I wonder if the same principles apply to accoustic headphones?

My GS1000e are 13 months old and at about 300 hours and continue to improve. Here is my comparison of them at about 50 hours vs 250 - 300 hrs, both times compared to the Joseph Grado HP1000. Higher numbers are better.

 

[ruthieandjohn]

I was just amazed to find that my GS1000i outscored the HiFiMAN HE1000 and HE-6 in my 10 acoustic tests.  Table is below; more details are here.
 

Grado GS1000i won more acoustic comparisons than the HiFiMAN HE1000 and HE-6, due to its transparency and soundstage and despite its modest subbass.

 

[jrflanne]

I have GS1000i's playing through a Bifrost Multibit and Valhalla2 (low gain). They do not sound their best at high volumes (neither do my ears), but the sound, weight and comfort make them easy to work with. I've had them for quite a while and still enjoy the heck out of them. I have LCD-2's in the other room which sound better at high volumes but at reasonable levels the GS1000i is hard to beat.