[sling5s]

I know this is so unaudiofile like.
But I like the Grado RS1 unamped out my ipod.
I fine amping the Grado RS1 adds to much midbass and makes it too warm for me. I tried it with the pico amp and woo audio 6 and both seems to overwhelm everything with bass. Just too slow, warm and midbassy.

Anyone else?

Edited: 1/1/2010
This was my opinion based on flats because that's what they came with when I bought them used. Now with bowls, the bloated bass is gone and so is the warm and thick midrange. So I can say now I prefer them amped. Definitely. What I was reacting was the sound signature created by the flats.

 

[K_19]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sling5s /img/forum/go_quote.gif I know this is so unaudiofile like. But I like the Grado RS1 unamped out my ipod. I fine amping the Grado RS1 adds to much midbass and makes it too warm for me. I tried it with the pico amp and woo audio 6 and both seems to overwhelm everything with bass. Just too slow, warm and midbassy. Anyone else? BYW: I find this was to case too with my IEM.

What rectifier tube do you have with your WA6? If it is the stock Sovtek, you may want to roll another tube, as it's known for being VERY bottom heavy.

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sling5s /img/forum/go_quote.gif I know this is so unaudiofile like. But I like the Grado RS1 unamped out my ipod. I fine amping the Grado RS1 adds to much midbass and makes it too warm for me. I tried it with the pico amp and woo audio 6 and both seems to overwhelm everything with bass. Just too slow, warm and midbassy. Anyone else? BYW: I find this was to case too with my IEM.

Honestly, once you've heard the Mapletree Ear+HD with the RS1s...there is no going back!

The best synergy with the RS1s that I have ever heard!

 

[Gotham Historian]

Unfortuately, I only used my RS1 with my ipod and I had the RA1 amp which I couldn't appreciate very well with MP3 recordings. Subsequently, I stopped using the amp because it sounded the same to my inexperienced ears.

 

[iponderous]

I haven't heard the RS1 but I do have the SR125 and the HF2. Both of these sound good to me directly from my ipod but the performance of these phones improve when they are plugged into the headphone jack of the CD player or stereo amp. This suggests to me that as efficient as the Grado's are, you're probably not realising the potential of your RS1 using it unamped from your ipod.

 

[carledwards]

No, I can't say I do. The RS1 is excellent with the Heed, LD and even the RSA Hornet, but not straight out of the iPod. Not to my ears. BTW, nothing sounds good straight out of the iPod once you've heard the Hornet!

 

[bdr529]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gotham Historian /img/forum/go_quote.gif Unfortuately, I only used my RS1 with my ipod and I had the RA1 amp which I couldn't appreciate very well with MP3 recordings. Subsequently, I stopped using the amp because it sounded the same to my inexperienced ears.

Isn't the RA1 just a CMOY?

 

[Bilavideo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sling5s /img/forum/go_quote.gif I know this is so unaudiofile like. But I like the Grado RS1 unamped out my ipod. I fine amping the Grado RS1 adds to much midbass and makes it too warm for me. I tried it with the pico amp and woo audio 6 and both seems to overwhelm everything with bass. Just too slow, warm and midbassy. Anyone else? BYW: I find this was to case too with my IEM.

You raise a valid issue. Far too often, the amp either adds nothing (I'm speaking of a world full of cheap amps) or it treats all bass as equal. The "bass is bass" mentality of many bass boosts is bogus. If you boost the midbass, the presentation gets muddy in a hurry. For bass boost to work properly, there needs to be an intelligent cutoff frequency. Often, we're looking for more "bass presence," which is the low bass between 50 and 150 Hz. As you push past 200 Hz, things get thick in a hurry. You don't need more midrange on a pair of Grados. Amping is really about recovering that "bass presence" lost by using open-air chambers instead of the acoustic suspension of closed cans. You're sacrificing volume of bass for better bass and better clarity and detail higher up.

It's also important to look at your music. Classical and acoustic need less bass than rock, jazz, hip hop, disco and R&B. People who love their unamp'd Grados are a bit like the devotees of the Etymotics ER4. These folks know they're making a tradeoff, but they gladly give up a little thump for clarity and detail. Having a good amp helps you close the gap - basswise - but good amps are also a bit more expensive.

There's a whole world of fun you can have with an unamp'd RS-1.

 

[plonter]

will all the headphones i own and owned, i don't think i ever preffered one of them unamped (that is, by a full size amp...there is always some kind of amplification). i simlply think that you just don't like how your amp sounds.
I think that a dedicated amp is always superior to a low level portable amp or dap internal amp.

are you using a tube amp? if you want a non muddy and less bassy/warm presentation you can try a SS amp. with my headroom amp,I find the RS1 too bright and trebelish and aggresive, but my earmax pro tube amp give them what they need. imo,the rs1 goes best with warm tube sound, it amazingly lushes the mids and makes the whole sound much less agressive than with a normal ss amp.
sound is a matter of taste, so go for what sounds best to you, even if it mean using you ipod's internal headamp. by the way, my RS1 also sound amazing straight from my D2...some dap's sound really good, and the RS1 is very efficient headphone.

 

[panda]

you just don't like the sound signature of the two amps you tried, not that you prefer 'unamped' in general. if all you are using for a source is an ipod anyway, don't even bother with an amp, it's overkill and you could even get by with downgrading to the sr225 model.

but don't make the mistake of thinking that rs1 don't 'need' an amp. they absolutely come alive to an amazing extent when properly driven.

 

[sling5s]

Quote:

Originally Posted by panda /img/forum/go_quote.gif you just don't like the sound signature of the two amps you tried, not that you prefer 'unamped' in general. if all you are using for a source is an ipod anyway, don't even bother with an amp, it's overkill and you could even get by with downgrading to the sr225 model. but don't make the mistake of thinking that rs1 don't 'need' an amp. they absolutely come alive to an amazing extent when properly driven.

Probably right. I'm sure I need one that gives it that clean and fast punchy bass without adding warmth. I do admit that amping it with pico or wa6 does improve it in all other areas. I just don't like the added bass and warmth.

At this moment, my taste preference has also been affected by the hd800, which are really fast, clean, bright headphones.

I also found, that grado's just need a lot of volume to bring it to life. At low volumes, I find it uninvolving. But at high volumes, they come to life.

 

[plonter]

fast,neutral,balanced presentation is all about SS amps...at least most of them. but take into acount that the headphone might have a sound sig of their own, and there is nothing you can do about it except using EQ.
listening to the RS1 right now, they have a very punchy and deep bass, even more than the HD650 imo. but again, i am using it right now with the earmax pro which is warming them up considerably.
ss amps from my experience usually tends to add punch to the low registeres but not neceseraly warmth (like tubes does). and a good ss amp can give you (and probably will) even more dynamic and "brightness" which you tend to like then just the ipod, but with a better SQ overall for sure.

 

[sling5s]

The whole problem was in the pad/bowls. Having got these grado rs1 used, the bowls were so old that they were completely squashed with wear.
Hence my ears were right on the driver.

Now having purchased new bowls, I can't tell you how different they sound.
Before the amp just accentuated everything making the midbass even more bloated but now with new bowls, everything sounds amazing, and even more so with an amp.

Can't believe how much the pads impact/effect the sound. I say this because I also purchased a pair of jumbo bowls/bagles (gs1000) and again the sound changes drastically. The midrange and bass reduces but the soundstage increases. They sound pretty much like the gs-1000 from what I remember, having owned it for a short period. The gs-1000 with less bass. With the two different bowls, it's like having the rs1 and gs1000.

In short, I take it back. They do sound better, now, with an amp.

 

[Bilavideo]

Check this out. You can have that vaster soundstage and get the bass you lost by using a strong amp with variable bass boost. Grados unamped sound great - don't get me wrong - but with a strong amp, you will discover just how much thunderous bass is available to your Grados. It would blow you away.

So yeah, if you want to save $300, keep your RS-1 and get a decent amp ($500). Technically, you're not "saving" money but the RS-1 with a decent amp will destroy the GS-1000 without one. Now, a GS-1000 with an amp . . . .

The RS-1 plus amp is a great choice, provided you have a decent amp. I didn't see this happen till I got my M^3 plus STEPs. Bingo! We have a winner!

 

[sling5s]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bilavideo /img/forum/go_quote.gif Check this out. You can have that vaster soundstage and get the bass you lost by using a strong amp with variable bass boost. Grados unamped sound great - don't get me wrong - but with a strong amp, you will discover just how much thunderous bass is available to your Grados. It would blow you away. So yeah, if you want to save $300, keep your RS-1 and get a decent amp ($500). Technically, you're not "saving" money but the RS-1 with a decent amp will destroy the GS-1000 without one. Now, a GS-1000 with an amp . . . . The RS-1 plus amp is a great choice, provided you have a decent amp. I didn't see this happen till I got my M^3 plus STEPs. Bingo! We have a winner!

I have the woo audio 6 with power supply upgrade and it gives the grado the power it needs to shine in every way.