Back when I first started this hobby, one of the first things I learnt from this very forum was "Grado's are for Rock lovers." I consider myself a Rockfan, listening to everything that falls into the category, from Pink Floyd to Guns n' Roses, Nightwish to Opeth, God Is an Astronaut to The Eagles.
The love for music drove me to the Grado sound. Long story short: the very first moment I heard the burnt-in SR60i played Sweet Child of Mine, my journey as a Grado lover started. And despite how young and eager I was, I already know what cans my endgame would be: the Alessandro MS2.
And here it is, on my hands, the e-generation MS2e.
The Grado Looks
Interesting looks, eh?
For the uninitiated, what's this Alessandro that looks just like a weird Grado? Well it is a Grado, made by Grado Labs themselves and "tuned" by Alessandro Music Product. Unlike its twin brother - the Grado SR325e, the MS2e is immediately recognizable by the lack of the "button" at the center of the cups.
The removal of these 2 buttons certainly make the MS2e stand out among its Grado brothers, but does that make it a "beautiful" pair of cans? Well this is where things get heated: it's Grado, and I'm sure that some of us love this distinctively "retro" looks to death. But some, including my wife, would say Grado's are just... ugly. She wouldn't put my Grados in the same camp with the Fostex TH-X00 or Sennheiser Momentum M2.
Regardless of whichever camp I'm in at any given moment, I wouldn't even rate the MS2e as among the most "beautiful" in the Grado camp. Put it right next to its brother: I used to own a pair of chrome SR325is, and boys it looked stunning! In comparison, the powder-ish finish that Grado have used on the last generation i-series and all e-series models never truly won me. It looks okay, but it's no chromies.
The Grado Sound
How does it sound? In total, I owned 3 pairs of SR325is and 3 pairs of SR325e before I bought the MS2e. I did not even keep my stunning chromies, for no matter how many Grados I've been through, I never forgot why I chose the MS2 as my endgame cans right from the start: it is the refined version of the Grado sound that we have all known and loved.
So what is this Grado sound? Years ago, when I first heard the SR325is driven by the O2+ODAC, I was blown away by how musical it was. I will use the very same words to talk about the MS2e: The mids is forward, saxophone, cello and voices vocals leans on the intimate side with the right amount of edge – the kind of mids you'd want with both your Karen Carpenters harmonizing and your Axl Rose screaming. There is no upper-mid glare, which is a blessing for female voices, especially on Rock albums. While the MS2e's mid-range presentation does not have the same sweetness of the RS2e or the HD650, I still say they're great for any Jazz-y evening.
There's not much to say about trebles' extension – it's not as good as the RS1i but there's no feeling of roll-offs either. On another pair, I'd think this trebles will create a good soundstage, but this is Grado so the forward mids will put you into a small bar, where you are seated in the front row.
About the bass, I'd like to use head-fi's classic words: "not Beats by Dre." If you've ever tried listening to a Rock song on Grados, you know how crunchy, grindy these mean cans can be. And there's this way, how the bass and the mids mix together to create the distorted rhythm guitar sound that I have never found on other brands. If Rock/Metal is not your things, I still feel like these aluminum Grados can give you the Eminem experience of your life. Plenty of PRAT for the beats, but not invasive like Beats.
It's not nights and days from this, you know.
Now I know it's weird to spend so many words describing another model, but here's the catch: I could just use the above words to describe the MS2i, the SR325e and obviously our star, the MS2e. There's a limit to my vocabulary – English being my 2nd language after all, and the difference would be easier explained on graphs rather than by words. Unfortunately, I don't have graphs, but I can tell how the 325 models "evolve":
- From the 325is to the 325e: more perfect. The 325e managed to add this "euphoric" cloud over the bass and the mid ranges. You could say the 325e was between the 325is and very similar to what I heard on the RS1i. This increase in bass does not hurt complex passage at all, instead you'd feel an increase in both depth and quantity.
The added "bass cloud" certainly makes the mids sexier. I'm not sure if the trebles were toned down but I've never seen people complain about e-series troubles. No wonder so many people sang praises about the 325e – with the harshness gone, it marked the point where the 325 truly became the Prestige Series flagship.
- From the 325is to the MS2i, which I got to audition a few months after I sold my first 325is: a bit more spacious, a little bit more recessed mids and somewhat toned-down trebles. Still very much a Grado, still mids-centric and very energetic.
Going from the almost perfect SR325e to the MS2e, the changes are similar: the mid-range are a bit more distant so you'd hear a bit more soundstage. I don't see any significant changes in trebles or bass, which I think might come from the fact that the treble on the SR325e is already perfect. It's great for complex Metal passage and it's great for acoustic moments, I don't think we need to ask for more (in the price range anyway).
All in all, here's what the MS2e is: it's the most accessible version of the 325/MS2 line so far. If you have found the Grado trebles too aggressive and if you're not a fan of the "in your head" Grado way, the MS2e might be your chance to re-evaluate the Grado sound. But if you love the 325e, I don't see no reason for you to change. If you have the 325is or the MS2i, do upgrade (or just ADD the MS2e to your collection) though. Hardcore Metal fans might miss the brighter trebles, but in exchange you get the "bass cloud". You'd be surprised how a small increment in low-frequencies can improve the sound.
Oh, but the Grado comfort
If you want comfort, buy other Grados.
Before I go on with more praises tacitly disguised in the form of comparisons and stuffs, we must face the sad reality of loving Grado: they are not the most comfortable headphones around. Sadly, the MS2e (and all other 325/MS2 models) are actually the least comfortable among all Grados: they are on-ears and they have aluminum cups!
There's something we could do, thankfully. Number one: with all on-ears Grados, bend the headband out before you use it. It will not break and the pressure against your ears will be lessened. Number 2: maybe takeout the pads and wash them with water, they will get softer. Number 3: there's a mod to make Grado compatible with over-ears G-cushs, but I'm not sure they will work well with the MS2e.
I like Grados
While the MS2e is truly a great pair of headphones, it is still Grado so the unavoidable question is "What about other Grado models?". Here's how it is:
- Vs. the 225e: less controlled bass and trebles. At this price point I think the SR225e don't make a lot of sense, just get the 325e or the MS2e.
- Vs. lower-priced Prestige Series models: in the "glass half empty" way I'd say they sound muddier than the 325e/MS2e. Some people do love that sound, not to mention the added comfort on the SR60/SR80.
- Vs. the RS2e: the RS2e was the true surprise of the e-series. It marked the first time the RS2 could outshine the RS1, thanks in part to the RS1e's disappointing sound when it first got released. Take the legendary RS1i, add more intimacy to the mids and you got the RS2e. So if you like Vocals-centric music, buy the RS2e. If you want something more aggressive (but still versatile), get the MS2e. In a way, they do complement each other, but they're still bona-fide Grados.
- Vs. the PS500e: I've come to think of the PS500 line as "un-Grado": recessed mids, less trebles and plenty of tube-like bass. The same goes for new wooden "Heritage Series" (GH1) that people have reported to have a similar sound to the PS500e. For me, the MS2e, the other Prestige Series and the Reference Series hold the "true" Grado sound that I've loved ever since I got myself a pair of SR60i, so there's no comparison with the PS500e. They're just too different.
Amp? What amp?
Because we're talking about Grado, you don't necessarily spend thousands (or hundreds) on an amp. That being said, some entry-levels DAC/amp will do your Grados great. Some of my recommendation includes:
- O2/ODAC. Get the ODAC revB, though.
- If you like op-amp rolling and a colored sound, get a cMoy instead of the O2.
- If you like tube sound, get the Little Dot I+. It's actually driven by an op-amp with tube buffers.
- Pioneer XDP-100R is a good choice for a DAP, if you're a sucker for "musical" (as opposed to "neutral") sound like me.
- A Burson Play if you also have high-impedance cans. Make sure it's the new version though, because the original version got ground noise for low-impedance headphones, including Grados.
- A Chord Mojo or a M9xx would bring about noticeable improvement. Another contender in the price range is the iDSD Micro, but some people might find it too bright for Grados.
- A Chord Hugo, because you can.
The Grado fan's Alessandro
When I first started the head-fi journey, the reason I thought my journey would end with the MS2e was simple: I was a student, I didn't have much cash and I won't be able to spend too much on an amp. A low-impedance pair of headphones at $300 seems like a perfect choice to me at the time. It was expensive enough for me to have to work to reach, it was said to be the best Prestige (read: entry-level) model that inherits all of the SR325's greatness without its downfalls.
Years later, I've had the chance to own many headphones that are more expensive than the MS2e, including the RS1i and RS2e. But the MS2e holds their own: even with its signature Grado sound, the MS2e still have traits that make it better than its more expensive siblings in the Rock/Metal genres, namely the slightly "colder," more recessed mids in comparison to the RS2e. Going hands in hands with the change in mids is the slightly bigger soundstage, which makes the MS2e more suitable for Piano, Fusion Jazz or Symphonic Rock/Metal music.
Should you buy it? Well if you already own a Grado, please do consider the points I've mentioned in the previous sections. But if you never own a Grado, if you already have a Sennheiser, AKG or Audio Technica, buy the MS2e. No other brand can produce the Grado sound, and being one of the most versatile Grado I've ever own, the MS2e is your safest ticket to that musical haven.
The love for music drove me to the Grado sound. Long story short: the very first moment I heard the burnt-in SR60i played Sweet Child of Mine, my journey as a Grado lover started. And despite how young and eager I was, I already know what cans my endgame would be: the Alessandro MS2.
And here it is, on my hands, the e-generation MS2e.
The Grado Looks
Interesting looks, eh?
For the uninitiated, what's this Alessandro that looks just like a weird Grado? Well it is a Grado, made by Grado Labs themselves and "tuned" by Alessandro Music Product. Unlike its twin brother - the Grado SR325e, the MS2e is immediately recognizable by the lack of the "button" at the center of the cups.
The removal of these 2 buttons certainly make the MS2e stand out among its Grado brothers, but does that make it a "beautiful" pair of cans? Well this is where things get heated: it's Grado, and I'm sure that some of us love this distinctively "retro" looks to death. But some, including my wife, would say Grado's are just... ugly. She wouldn't put my Grados in the same camp with the Fostex TH-X00 or Sennheiser Momentum M2.
Regardless of whichever camp I'm in at any given moment, I wouldn't even rate the MS2e as among the most "beautiful" in the Grado camp. Put it right next to its brother: I used to own a pair of chrome SR325is, and boys it looked stunning! In comparison, the powder-ish finish that Grado have used on the last generation i-series and all e-series models never truly won me. It looks okay, but it's no chromies.
The Grado Sound
How does it sound? In total, I owned 3 pairs of SR325is and 3 pairs of SR325e before I bought the MS2e. I did not even keep my stunning chromies, for no matter how many Grados I've been through, I never forgot why I chose the MS2 as my endgame cans right from the start: it is the refined version of the Grado sound that we have all known and loved.
So what is this Grado sound? Years ago, when I first heard the SR325is driven by the O2+ODAC, I was blown away by how musical it was. I will use the very same words to talk about the MS2e: The mids is forward, saxophone, cello and voices vocals leans on the intimate side with the right amount of edge – the kind of mids you'd want with both your Karen Carpenters harmonizing and your Axl Rose screaming. There is no upper-mid glare, which is a blessing for female voices, especially on Rock albums. While the MS2e's mid-range presentation does not have the same sweetness of the RS2e or the HD650, I still say they're great for any Jazz-y evening.
The trebles were sparkling, oh the right amount of sparkling: it didn't screech like the notorious 325i but it give so much (Living Force) energy that every metal songs and every acoustic song sounded just... right. I have this hobby of, listening to Metal songs on Grados, I'd focus on cymbals, cow-bells or background piano notes instead of the guitar riffs or the main Vocals. Suddenly this intimate space with a lot of candles light up in front of me. That's how good it is.There's not much to say about trebles' extension – it's not as good as the RS1i but there's no feeling of roll-offs either. On another pair, I'd think this trebles will create a good soundstage, but this is Grado so the forward mids will put you into a small bar, where you are seated in the front row.
About the bass, I'd like to use head-fi's classic words: "not Beats by Dre." If you've ever tried listening to a Rock song on Grados, you know how crunchy, grindy these mean cans can be. And there's this way, how the bass and the mids mix together to create the distorted rhythm guitar sound that I have never found on other brands. If Rock/Metal is not your things, I still feel like these aluminum Grados can give you the Eminem experience of your life. Plenty of PRAT for the beats, but not invasive like Beats.
It's not nights and days from this, you know.
Now I know it's weird to spend so many words describing another model, but here's the catch: I could just use the above words to describe the MS2i, the SR325e and obviously our star, the MS2e. There's a limit to my vocabulary – English being my 2nd language after all, and the difference would be easier explained on graphs rather than by words. Unfortunately, I don't have graphs, but I can tell how the 325 models "evolve":
- From the 325is to the 325e: more perfect. The 325e managed to add this "euphoric" cloud over the bass and the mid ranges. You could say the 325e was between the 325is and very similar to what I heard on the RS1i. This increase in bass does not hurt complex passage at all, instead you'd feel an increase in both depth and quantity.
The added "bass cloud" certainly makes the mids sexier. I'm not sure if the trebles were toned down but I've never seen people complain about e-series troubles. No wonder so many people sang praises about the 325e – with the harshness gone, it marked the point where the 325 truly became the Prestige Series flagship.
- From the 325is to the MS2i, which I got to audition a few months after I sold my first 325is: a bit more spacious, a little bit more recessed mids and somewhat toned-down trebles. Still very much a Grado, still mids-centric and very energetic.
Going from the almost perfect SR325e to the MS2e, the changes are similar: the mid-range are a bit more distant so you'd hear a bit more soundstage. I don't see any significant changes in trebles or bass, which I think might come from the fact that the treble on the SR325e is already perfect. It's great for complex Metal passage and it's great for acoustic moments, I don't think we need to ask for more (in the price range anyway).
All in all, here's what the MS2e is: it's the most accessible version of the 325/MS2 line so far. If you have found the Grado trebles too aggressive and if you're not a fan of the "in your head" Grado way, the MS2e might be your chance to re-evaluate the Grado sound. But if you love the 325e, I don't see no reason for you to change. If you have the 325is or the MS2i, do upgrade (or just ADD the MS2e to your collection) though. Hardcore Metal fans might miss the brighter trebles, but in exchange you get the "bass cloud". You'd be surprised how a small increment in low-frequencies can improve the sound.
Oh, but the Grado comfort
If you want comfort, buy other Grados.
Before I go on with more praises tacitly disguised in the form of comparisons and stuffs, we must face the sad reality of loving Grado: they are not the most comfortable headphones around. Sadly, the MS2e (and all other 325/MS2 models) are actually the least comfortable among all Grados: they are on-ears and they have aluminum cups!
There's something we could do, thankfully. Number one: with all on-ears Grados, bend the headband out before you use it. It will not break and the pressure against your ears will be lessened. Number 2: maybe takeout the pads and wash them with water, they will get softer. Number 3: there's a mod to make Grado compatible with over-ears G-cushs, but I'm not sure they will work well with the MS2e.
I like Grados
While the MS2e is truly a great pair of headphones, it is still Grado so the unavoidable question is "What about other Grado models?". Here's how it is:
- Vs. the 225e: less controlled bass and trebles. At this price point I think the SR225e don't make a lot of sense, just get the 325e or the MS2e.
- Vs. lower-priced Prestige Series models: in the "glass half empty" way I'd say they sound muddier than the 325e/MS2e. Some people do love that sound, not to mention the added comfort on the SR60/SR80.
- Vs. the RS2e: the RS2e was the true surprise of the e-series. It marked the first time the RS2 could outshine the RS1, thanks in part to the RS1e's disappointing sound when it first got released. Take the legendary RS1i, add more intimacy to the mids and you got the RS2e. So if you like Vocals-centric music, buy the RS2e. If you want something more aggressive (but still versatile), get the MS2e. In a way, they do complement each other, but they're still bona-fide Grados.
- Vs. the PS500e: I've come to think of the PS500 line as "un-Grado": recessed mids, less trebles and plenty of tube-like bass. The same goes for new wooden "Heritage Series" (GH1) that people have reported to have a similar sound to the PS500e. For me, the MS2e, the other Prestige Series and the Reference Series hold the "true" Grado sound that I've loved ever since I got myself a pair of SR60i, so there's no comparison with the PS500e. They're just too different.
Amp? What amp?
Because we're talking about Grado, you don't necessarily spend thousands (or hundreds) on an amp. That being said, some entry-levels DAC/amp will do your Grados great. Some of my recommendation includes:
- O2/ODAC. Get the ODAC revB, though.
- If you like op-amp rolling and a colored sound, get a cMoy instead of the O2.
- If you like tube sound, get the Little Dot I+. It's actually driven by an op-amp with tube buffers.
- Pioneer XDP-100R is a good choice for a DAP, if you're a sucker for "musical" (as opposed to "neutral") sound like me.
- A Burson Play if you also have high-impedance cans. Make sure it's the new version though, because the original version got ground noise for low-impedance headphones, including Grados.
- A Chord Mojo or a M9xx would bring about noticeable improvement. Another contender in the price range is the iDSD Micro, but some people might find it too bright for Grados.
- A Chord Hugo, because you can.
The Grado fan's Alessandro
When I first started the head-fi journey, the reason I thought my journey would end with the MS2e was simple: I was a student, I didn't have much cash and I won't be able to spend too much on an amp. A low-impedance pair of headphones at $300 seems like a perfect choice to me at the time. It was expensive enough for me to have to work to reach, it was said to be the best Prestige (read: entry-level) model that inherits all of the SR325's greatness without its downfalls.
Years later, I've had the chance to own many headphones that are more expensive than the MS2e, including the RS1i and RS2e. But the MS2e holds their own: even with its signature Grado sound, the MS2e still have traits that make it better than its more expensive siblings in the Rock/Metal genres, namely the slightly "colder," more recessed mids in comparison to the RS2e. Going hands in hands with the change in mids is the slightly bigger soundstage, which makes the MS2e more suitable for Piano, Fusion Jazz or Symphonic Rock/Metal music.
Should you buy it? Well if you already own a Grado, please do consider the points I've mentioned in the previous sections. But if you never own a Grado, if you already have a Sennheiser, AKG or Audio Technica, buy the MS2e. No other brand can produce the Grado sound, and being one of the most versatile Grado I've ever own, the MS2e is your safest ticket to that musical haven.
