[rds]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mercuttio /img/forum/go_quote.gif Man, I just can't figure out the rhyme or reason to the color of the L&R letters. It's like it alternates whenever Grado felt like it. That's the older box but it's got silver paint while mine had gold and it is from years later... so weird.

It could be as simple as getting a good price on a certain paint. Also, they could have been experimenting with different paints (for durability). Remember Grado was a very small operation during these times.

 

[Audiofiler]

Merc,

Nice read and cool idea for a thread, like an organized model timeline for the RS series.

On the vintage RS..the headband on early models was more like the HP Series than the current RS series. Meaning that the Vintage RS-1's I owned all contained a headband with a harder sturdier wire that stayed in place like the HP Vs clamped naturally inward as the current John Grado phones.

Also, the early vintage RS-1's contained metal/machined rod tops Vs plastic rod tops which I also posted recently in your thread in the high-end forum.

 

[adanac061]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mercuttio /img/forum/go_quote.gif Man, I just can't figure out the rhyme or reason to the color of the L&R letters. It's like it alternates whenever Grado felt like it. That's the older box but it's got silver paint while mine had gold and it is from years later... so weird.

I wish I could put Mr Whiskers on the case, but sadly , he is no longer around.
(He was actually a real cat) ... R.I.P Mr whiskers.

 

[pcf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by adanac061 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I wish I could put Mr Whiskers on the case, but sadly , he is no longer around. (He was actually a real cat) ... R.I.P Mr whiskers.

Hi adanac061,

Thanks for all the work you and Mercuttio put in! We're all enjoying the thread so much!

-Paul

 

[Mercuttio]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Audiofiler /img/forum/go_quote.gif Merc, Nice read and cool idea for a thread, like an organized model timeline for the RS series. On the vintage RS..the headband on early models was more like the HP Series than the current RS series. Meaning that the Vintage RS-1's I owned all contained a headband with a harder sturdier wire that stayed in place like the HP Vs clamped naturally inward as the current John Grado phones. Also, the early vintage RS-1's contained metal/machined rod tops Vs plastic rod tops which I also posted recently in your thread in the high-end forum.

Yeah, my headband is definitely of different stock than RS1 Classic headbands, you can see very clearly the metal inside and it's quite thick.

I think otherwise though I've got the metal machined rod tips thing in there... I'll go back and make sure though.

My question though for the new RS1i is this: I've been hearing rumors about balsa wood cups and non-leather headbands for a while now. Did any of that come true? Doesn't seem like it...

 

[BushGuy]

Comparing my two pairs re the pics of ebay Vintage sale on page 1.

........ Vintage (no serial) ,... Semi (#1106)
Box ..... Grado Black w/the heavier latch -...................
Headband ..... Brown ,....... Black
L/R Printing ... Silver ......., Silver
Cup Printing .. 180degree ,.... all-around
CenterDot ...Typeface same as eBay sale pics same as eBay sale pic
Cup Color ... both pair virually same medium coloration
Gimbel Cutout ...Circular ,...... Circular
RodCaps ...metal ....... , Plastic
Driver Silk ...white ,....... black

I thought I was seeing some driver pink when I got them - but must have been wrong as they were not clearly so as pair on page 1. My feeling is Grado, naturally, continued to use a parts supply until depleted..........no group of components finishes out equally, not matter how well-planned .
So, to some degree every sample of model "A" will not be exactly the same...ditto "B", "C". "D" and so on. The differences are, however, interesting. Like you - I don't get the L/R Silver/Gold.
............and if it turns out my drivers are not old - then how does that affect valuation compared to other pairs that are otherwise the same (eg. 180degree printing, metal rodcaps, etc.).

NOTE: I typed the text listing the attributes of each pair in separate columns.....and the post does not show that spacing. So now have added comas to help. Sorry

 

[falis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mercuttio /img/forum/go_quote.gif ... My question though for the new RS1i is this: I've been hearing rumors about balsa wood cups and non-leather headbands for a while now. Did any of that come true? Doesn't seem like it...

I hope that was a tongue-in-cheek comment. Definitely not the case: mahogany and leather.

- Ed

 

[BushGuy]

It is tempting to say something like Genuine Plastic Imitation Balsa..........but, I won't

 

[pcf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BushGuy /img/forum/go_quote.gif Comparing my two pairs re the pics of ebay Vintage sale on page 1. ........ Vintage (no serial) ,... Semi (#1106) Box ..... Grado Black w/the heavier latch -................... Headband ..... Brown ,....... Black L/R Printing ... Silver ......., Silver Cup Printing .. 180degree ,.... all-around CenterDot ...Typeface same as eBay sale pics same as eBay sale pic Cup Color ... both pair virually same medium coloration Gimbel Cutout ...Circular ,...... Circular RodCaps ...metal ....... , Plastic Driver Silk ...white ,....... black I thought I was seeing some driver pink when I got them - but must have been wrong as they were not clearly so as pair on page 1. My feeling is Grado, naturally, continued to use a parts supply until depleted..........no group of components finishes out equally, not matter how well-planned . So, to some degree every sample of model "A" will not be exactly the same...ditto "B", "C". "D" and so on. The differences are, however, interesting. Like you - I don't get the L/R Silver/Gold. ............and if it turns out my drivers are not old - then how does that affect valuation compared to other pairs that are otherwise the same (eg. 180degree printing, metal rodcaps, etc.). NOTE: I typed the text listing the attributes of each pair in separate columns.....and the post does not show that spacing. So now have added comas to help. Sorry

Hi BushGuy,
Are you saying that the drivers on your vintage RS1 might have been replaced at some point ?
I am most interested in how those different drivers would affect the sound. I can't do my comparison myself. My other pair of RS1 is buttonless with new cable so will sound different anyway.

 

[Henmyr]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BushGuy /img/forum/go_quote.gif snip

Try looking at the mesh from different angles and in different light. My white mesh looks brown/grey discoloured with indoor lighting, but while looking at it in daylight from the side it has a very distinct red/pink appearence.

...or I just see what I "want" to see

 

[BushGuy]

Henmyr and pcf
I have no way of knowing the history of this pair, but the white silk looks does not look as obviously discolored as I've seen in some pics of other pairs. Ditto for my serialed pair in this regard. The mesh is clearly whiter on the R (vintage) side, than the other three (though that driver is more coppery than the Left one). You're right regarding light. The right driver - looks coppery color mostly concentrated in the center half, Ditto the left driver, but less distinct - but nothing like the ebay seller was showing......
A side-light: Got a Kicas Caliente aprox 3 weeks ago and plugged RS-1 in after it was burned-in. WOW. Then sent it to a friend to hear with his pair of RS-1 - his response to me was it blew his other amp away when he plugged in his RS-1. Can't imagine getting deeper, tighter bass from RS-1.

 

[Bojamijams]

out of curiosity, what was his other amp?

 

[feckn_eejit]

Ser#1059 checking in. Round cut outs. Definitely not late friday. Guess this makes me Classic B.

 

[Mercuttio]

I'm still kind of curious as to what happened with the "Late Friday" sets. It looks like they changed the maker of the cups for a short period of time, and then went back to what they were doing before.

Does anyone have a particularly nice pair of these? I'd love to see nicely finished ones other than what I have in here.

 

[uberburger101]

Mercuttio, any idea which category this pair falls into?

No shots of the driver though.