[62ohm]

 
I'm not. Grado headphones seem to have come down in reputation a lot over the years and from listening tests, they are really unimpressive (and uncomfortable) to me. RS2i sounded really boring to me during a test, was not worth the asking price. GS1000 was even less involving. The few Hifi stores around me feature them and I've done multiple comparisons on various set-ups.
 
On a positive note, SR-80 is still the best open back headphone you can get for $100. The rest of the line doesn't seem to scale up particularly well (PS500 sounded like the SR-80 with added bass). And again, none of them are particuarly comfortable.
 
For about the price of the RS2i, get the HE-500. Much better in every conceivable way.

 
 
Can't really get HE-500 in NZ, I don't think there's a store that sells HiFiMan here..
 
RS2i, meanwhile, costs $570 (NZD), cheaper than HD600 and HD650 which costs $630 and $700 respectively.
 
And yes, while I can't say I'm 100% shocked by the outcome of Grado cans on the list here (I always found Grados to lack a bit of clarity), they do possess that distinct fun house sound.

 

[GoldfishX]

Just based on comfort, I would say the HD600 is worth the extra dough. I just can't justify the high price on the RS2i. It's a $300 USD headphone at best to me and even at that price, I would probably pass on it. Auditioning Sennheisers right next to various Grados was a serious mismatch (and I'm not even a major fan of Senns).

 

[BenF]

   
 
Can't really get HE-500 in NZ, I don't think there's a store that sells HiFiMan here..
 
RS2i, meanwhile, costs $570 (NZD), cheaper than HD600 and HD650 which costs $630 and $700 respectively.
 
And yes, while I can't say I'm 100% shocked by the outcome of Grado cans on the list here (I always found Grados to lack a bit of clarity), they do possess that distinct fun house sound.

 
Wow, 630$ NZ is 518$ US. You can get HD600 for just 310$:
http://www.accessoryjack.com/sennheiser-hd600-open-dynamic-hifi-professional-headphones.html
or HD650 for 400$
http://www.accessoryjack.com/sennheiser-hd650-open-dynamic-headphones-grey.html
 
Both have free worldwide shipping.

 

[62ohm]

   
Wow, 630$ NZ is 518$ US. You can get HD600 for just 310$:
http://www.accessoryjack.com/sennheiser-hd600-open-dynamic-hifi-professional-headphones.html
or HD650 for 400$
http://www.accessoryjack.com/sennheiser-hd650-open-dynamic-headphones-grey.html
 
Both have free worldwide shipping.

 
wow what a price, is that safe? I've never bought any expensive stuff online before xD
 
 
Tempting...
 
 
edit: would buying online from another continent manifest a problem when going through the customs?

 

[BenF]

   
wow what a price, is that safe? I've never bought any expensive stuff online before xD
 
 
Tempting...
 
 
edit: would buying online from another continent manifest a problem when going through the customs?

This site is 100% safe, I've bought from them before, as did many others.
You can ask them to lower the package's value to avoid or at least lower the customs tax, usually customs don't question the declared value - although there is no guarantee.

 

[ssrock64]

As to the Grado question, I've always avoided their mid-price offerings. The SR80 is the sweet spot for value and the PS1000 sounds better than the HD800 to me, but I've rarely bothered buying anything in between. Yet again, there are those who swear by the RS1.

 

[seeteeyou]

.

 

[korzena]

 
I'm not. Grado headphones seem to have come down in reputation a lot over the years and from listening tests, they are really unimpressive (and uncomfortable) to me. RS2i sounded really boring to me during a test, was not worth the asking price. GS1000 was even less involving. The few Hifi stores around me feature them and I've done multiple comparisons on various set-ups.
 
On a positive note, SR-80 is still the best open back headphone you can get for $100. The rest of the line doesn't seem to scale up particularly well (PS500 sounded like the SR-80 with added bass). And again, none of them are particuarly comfortable.
 
For about the price of the RS2i, get the HE-500. Much better in every conceivable way.

 
It seems a quite natural thing that it happened - other companies produce headphones of similar quality, better design, more comfortable and at lower prices. Grado's pizza box strategy doesn't seem to work so well either. They still seem to have a huge distribution network all over, but they will probably need to do something more in regards to the products, something innovative. 
 
Although I liked PS1000 for its sound a lot, I've never decided to buy it because of the price and poor comfort - the two things about Grado I dislike the most.
 

  As to the Grado question, I've always avoided their mid-price offerings. The SR80 is the sweet spot for value and the PS1000 sounds better than the HD800 to me, but I've rarely bothered buying anything in between. Yet again, there are those who swear by the RS1.

I had a short audition of RS1 in a shop once. First listen was on a solid state amp and sounded terrible! Then on Cary SLI-80 and it sounded great! I don't know!

 

[Saren]

 
 
Quote:

   
wow what a price, is that safe? I've never bought any expensive stuff online before xD
 
 
Tempting...
 
 
edit: would buying online from another continent manifest a problem when going through the customs?

 
Yeah its safe, not sure on your custom laws though. I've brought from them in the past with no difficulty and they sent mine via free fedex.

 

[Dubstep Girl]

i personally hated the ps1000. the sr325is sounds just as good but not as heavily U shaped and bright. and its 5 times cheaper too.
 
the rs1i is my favorite grado and the best sounding imo. with the hf-2/ps500 coming close.

 

[philo50]

^^^^^"hate" is a very polarizing word

 

[ssrock64]

  i personally hated the ps1000. the sr325is sounds just as good but not as heavily U shaped and bright. and its 5 times cheaper too.
 
the rs1i is my favorite grado and the best sounding imo. with the hf-2/ps500 coming close.

Even within the faction of Head-Fi that loves Grado, there's more factions that love and hate various models. It sounds like your Grado tastes are precisely the opposite of mine.

 

[arteom]

If you are looking at mid price Grado's I'd take a close look at the Alessandro MS-Pro's. These can's don't get the attention they deserve. Sound is refined yet fun. Supreme mids, open on top (not peaky or sibilant), tight bass. They are something quite unique!! Their going rate has also been pretty fair in the FS forums.

 

[Saren]

Exactly what I'm looking at. I have heard the PS1000 briefly and for the price we have here ($2000) I'm not all too interested. However what I am interested in is the Alessandro MS Pro and using the distancers plus G cush mod. For me the RS2 and SR60i were too peaky in the treble for me.

 

[stacker45]

  i personally hated the ps1000. the sr325is sounds just as good but not as heavily U shaped and bright. and its 5 times cheaper too.
 
the rs1i is my favorite grado and the best sounding imo. with the hf-2/ps500 coming close.

 
Funny it took you so long to realize you hated the PS1000!