Shelving my main rig with the GS3000e for now and switching to my GH4 + iFi iDSD Black Label. Unfortunately, the main rig just pumps out too much heat. It was nice for winter, but the weather's warming up, and the building's central AC won't kick in until late June.

All I have to say was not once did I reply "do not buy that HP2 because it can't be serviced." I said that I wouldn't personally buy the HP2 (or any other expensive vintage headphone) because it can't be officially serviced. I only reply on this thread a few times every few months, and one of...

The fact is that Joseph Grado, as well as John Chapais, Grado's chief engineer back in the day, are dead, and Grado (the company) won't service the HP1000 anymore. Can it still be serviced? Technically yes, because anyone can open it up. Maybe someone has spare drivers in a drawer, or perhaps...

Good luck with the sale. I would never spend that much on a headphone that can no longer be serviced, despite claims that headphones can last "decades" with love and care. It's more of a collection piece than something I'd want to actually use. I wonder how many Sony R10s are still working, as...

Wouldn't surprise me if they don't have any more e drivers at Grado USA, even if only for repairs. This is the same company that put in e drivers at the tail end of the i series. I don't blame them, as they need to maintain their assertion that the newer drivers are always better, even if some...

Actually, the opposite was true. The RS1e sounded way too dark. It used a 50mm driver for the first time, along with the GS1000e and PS1000e. But the 50mm driver was tuned for G pads, not L pads. Also, the first production run of the RS1e (black headband) had the drivers sticking out of the cup...

From my email history with both Grado USA and Grado Canada it seems the USA side is blunt and succinct. The Canada side, because it's just one person doing the repairs, seems to be more professional with the correspondence. Maybe the USA side just gets too many emails per day. :slight_smile:

Last year I had to pay $400 CAD to get my GS3000e repaired due to L side grattle. It took almost 3 months and two attempts because the first attempt was botched, and I still had to cover shipping the second time. (They threw in a new pair of G-pads as an apology.) Now it's OK, but I expect to...

This is honestly the first I've ever heard of this phenomenon. I thought the goop hardened and made enough of a bond so that this doesn't happen. Sucks that Grado is charging for service, but most companies void warranty if it's not the original owner anyway. I would've insured the package and...

Last I heard a GH2 was in 2018 when Audio46 in NYC still had one for sale. Haven't been to fan meetup in a long while so there's no opportunity to try all of the rarer models. The PS500e wasn't on my radar because I have never been a fan of Grado's metal models. The Grado booth at Toronto...

Hopefully sometime in the future you can get your hands on the GH4, as it's slightly warmer than the RS2e, and was the final refinement of the e-series sound. Would like to hear your thoughts on it.

Immediately went to the final results, laughed at how Resolve couldn't spend $20 to listen to the Koss KSC75 and rank it, then moved on. Probably would've been F tier anyway because "muh on-ear" is bad. Tried all three, bought the GH4 over the other two. The GH4 was the final refinement of the...

Auditioned both. PS2000e weighs 530-540g which felt way too heavy and is heavier than some planars. GS3000x is 400-410g. I'd say the GS3000x is the warmer headphone of the two with a more impactful upper bass kick. GS3000e is lighter at 330-340g because it's full cocobolo instead of having a...

It seems to have more of a "corporate" feel now. The history is reduced to a single page, and there are no more pictures of the family. There no longer appears to be a link to blog.gradolabs.com even though it still exists, though it hasn't been updated in over a year. Strange direction that...

Just found out about this. $5500 CAD, urgh. That's more than double the cost of the Pro iCAN Original which I bought at the MSRP of $2400. I'll have to pass on this one. I don't daily an estat, so that part of the Phantom would be useless to me. Really wish that iFi would put the variable XBass...

It's kind of sad to see out-of-production models continually being recommended. The X-series models aren't terrible, but it seems like quite a number who have compared the older models against them will prefer the older models. After the Hemp sold very well (so much that there was a 2nd...

The GS3000e uses the same drivers. Agree, great headphone after the bass is boosted a little. I pair it with the Pro iCAN which has iFi's best implementation of the XBass feature that I originally loved on their Micro iDSD Black Label.

Grado uses glue. You could try gluing it back in yourself, but then you'll void any future authorized service. Grado charges a flat fee of $300 for GS3000e service. (I got my drivers replaced a year ago.)

Oh, most recently, a sealed Bushmills (2013) sold for $1000 on eBay. Not bad considering the original price was $400. That one had special display packaging and was most famously known as Grado's only semi-open headphone: the vents are just tiny slits on the side. (OK, there's also the SR40 but...

Not great. Typically the models that are valued above retail are legendary ones like the HP2, or some ultra rare variant like the SR300 w/Blackstar drivers, PS1, or more recently, the Oreo, of which 45 are known to exist as part of a contest. The GH4 never really got much hype.

I'd say it's the GS1000x because the stock tuning isn't as weighty as the rest, and reminded me of a less grainy GS2000e. The cup is half-mahogany which was the primary wood in previous generations. None of the other x-series models use mahogany. Note that the G pads may present a bit of...

Not certain about the GW100X, but I read the GW100 sounded different when it was wireless compared to wired. The wireless mode had some automatic EQ applied to it. I couldn't tell you which was better because I never demoed one myself. If that's the sound you want, then none of the x-series...

The GH4 shouldn't need EQ; it's the best stock Grado I've heard and that's why I have mine. (It also acted as a faithful backup while my GS3000e was being repaired.) I understand if you're putting Grado G pads on it, though, as those pads cause anything not designed for them to become sibilant...

When I demoed the entire X-series line (minus the SR125x) at Toronto Audiofest last year, the GS3000x stood out due to how much midbass impact it had. Significantly more than anything else in the X lineup, and it's the only one with metal, so that's probably your best shot. Unfortunately, I...

Curious to know your impressions and comparison, as it's been forever since I've heard a GH2. In other news, finally sold my Hemp last night after several weeks on the market. The darker muddier sound signature just wasn't for me. Hope the new owner enjoys it!