Comaprison: Grado PS-1, K3000, HP3000
Feb 19, 2005 at 1:42 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 27

tkam

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Comparison: Grado PS-1, K3000, HP3000

Disclaimer: This is all in my opinion


Some of you may be wondering what are the K3000 and the HP3000 ? They are both hybrid CD3K headphones whipped up and assembled by Larry of Headphile.com. The K3000s are Bubinga Woody CD3K with K1000 drivers and the HP3000s are Maple Woody CD3K with HP1000 drivers. Both of the CD3K hybrids are cabled using Headphiles black silver cabling. The Grado PS-1 are the third pair of headphones in this comparison, they were produced in limited numbers by Grado for a client in Germany.

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Hi-Res Version

Build Quality:

Grado PS-1:

They have very similar build quality to all the other currently produced Grado’s. The aluminum driver housing is solid and appears to be of very high quality. I still think that the leather headband with the little strip of metal running through it is too flimsy and should be of much higher quality in a pair of headphones that cost this much. Although overall build quality is very good, I don’t see any points that appear as though they could fail easily

HP3000 and K3000:

I’m grouping these together because they’re build quality is pretty much identical. They use the CD3K headband assembly and driver housing and wood ear cups. The K3000’s ear cups are Bubinga and the HP3000’s are Maple. Unlike the “stock” Woody CD3K’s both of these headphones are open and contain metal screens that I believe are made out of stainless steel. The screens on the K3000’s are 2 inches in diameter and the HP3000 screens are 1.5 inches in diameter. I don’t like the use of plastic and these do use plastic at the points where the ear cups swivel side to side and move up and down. Those points still look solidly built though and the wood ear cups can’t be topped.


Comfort:


Grado PS-1:

The PS-1’s are very light weight and this is the only thing they have going for them in the comfort department. The headband and bowl pads are really uncomfortable. In fact I got so fed up with the headband that it I cut it off and replaced it with the DT770’s headband and that improved the comfort a lot. The bowl pads are really terrible though, I find them to be very abrasive and they become noticeably uncomfortable after about an hour of use. I’ll be getting a pair of Headphile’s new pads for Grado’s when they become available I think they will greatly improve the comfort level. For now though I find them difficult to wear for long periods of time.

HP3000 and K3000:

The HP3000 and K3000 are a world more comfortable than the PS-1’s. They just feel like I have a pillow wrapped around my head from ear to ear. I can and have worn these without any discomfort or fatigue for hours on end. The automatically adjustable headband and pads provide the optimum amount of comfort I couldn’t ask for anything more. These are definitely tops in the comfort department.

Sound:

Ratings 1-10 with 10 being the best

Bass:

The PS-1’s are renowned for having some of the best bass around and that reputation is deserved. The PS-1’s bass hits hard and has a lot of impact. The bass is much deeper than I recall hearing in any other Grados. The PS-1’s do have a lot of bass but it is pretty well controlled it is also very quick from note to note. The PS-1’s bass attack and decay is some of the best that I’ve heard. Rating: 9

The K3000’s bass has more visceral impact than the PS-1’s and nearly every other headphone that I can think of. It’s not quite as tight as the PS-1’s but it does go very deep. The K3000’s bass has a lot of presence but never overpowers the rest of the frequency spectrum and blends in really well considering how much there is. Rating: 9

The HP3000’s quantity of bass falls short of the other two, but that is not a bad thing at all. It is the tightest, most accurate and well controlled bass that I’ve heard. It’s also probably the fastest bass I’ve heard it has this amazing ability to handle really complex bass passages without ever sounding stressed or having any hint of distortion. Rating: 9.5

Mid-Range:

The weak point of the PS-1’s is their mid-range it is overshadowed by the superior bass and treble. I can’t figure out how the PS-1’s with all their bass manage to have a mid-range that is a little thin sounding. It’s not as lush and full as I would like and it can sound compressed during complex passages. Don’t get me wrong though it’s not bad at all vocals sound well balanced and like most Grado’s they are magical sounding with guitars. Rating: 8

The K3000’s mid-range is very reminiscent of the K501 and K1000’s it’s very smooth and natural. The K3000’s mid-range takes on a more forward and aggressive presentation than its siblings. The K3000’s mid-range does a good job portraying a sense of space and vocals have some real weight behind them. Rating: 9

Smooth, rich, lush, airy and liquid are the words I would use to describe the HP3000’s mid-range. It is a silky smooth sound that is very enchanting and natural sounding. As with their bass the HP3000’s mid-range handles layered complex music with ease. Honestly I think it may be the best mid-range around. Rating: 10

Treble:

The PS-1’s have an aggressive, energetic and forward treble. It is very detailed and its forward presentation really puts you right up on stage with the performers. The treble is musical and genuinely fun to listen to. The PS-1’s treble excels with upbeat and fast music its nearly impossible not to starting tapping your foot and become completely drawn into the music. Rating: 9

The K3000’s treble is not as aggressive as the PS-1’s but is equally if not more detailed yet it does not sound analytical in anyway. The K3000’s treble is airy and never sounds stressed or shrill. As with the K3000’s mid-range the treble has a full sound and instruments have a real sense of presence. Rating: 9.5

HP3000’s treble is extremely detailed, extended and accurate while maintaining a smooth natural presentation. Being really detailed while maintaining musicality is hard to do and the HP3000’s pull it off with ease. Rating: 10

Soundstage:

The PS-1’s are the only Grado’s I’ve heard that actually have a real soundstage. It’s not the widest or deepest around but is more than acceptable and allows the PS-1’s to handle layered and complex music better than the rest of the current model Grado’s. The PS-1’s instrument separation and spatial imaging are quite good. Rating: 6

The K3000’s soundstage is wide and extremely deep. Front to back imaging ranks right up there with the best headphones. The K3000’s sense of space, spatial imagining and stereo separation are also near the top. Rating: 9

The HP3000’s take the K3000’s soundstage and improves on it by being wider and deeper with even greater accuracy in instrument separation and placement. The HP3000’s soundstage width and depth are really incredible as it extends in all directions further than headphones have any business doing and yet the pull it off so well. Rating: 10

Overall Sonic Signatures:

The PS-1’s presentation is aggressive and right in your face with an abundance of bass response and a detailed treble. They sound their best with aggressive bass and treble heavy music. They are a truly fun pair of rock headphones that handle all music pretty well.

The K3000’s take the strengths of the K1000’s and add bass and a more upfront presentation making for an addictive sound that lies smack in the middle of aggressive and laid back.

The HP3000’s sound is best described smooth, lush and enthralling. It has the most well rounded sound of any headphone I know and it has no real weaknesses and nothing stands out because they do everything so very well.

Conclusions:

I really like all three headphones and I feel lucky to be able to own them all you’d have to pry them from my cold dead hands to get me to give one up. But if I was forced to put them in order from favorite to least favorite that order would be:

1)HP3000
2)K3000
3)PS-1

That order and the ratings throughout this comparison are not indicative of which one is better or worse. They are just my opinions relating to my own personal tastes.


If you like the current Grado lineup but want more and better bass plus a decent soundstage then the PS-1’s should be on your short list if not the only ones on that list. If you like the K1000’s but want bass and a more forward sound the K3000’s are right up your ally. For me though if I could only have one pair it would be the HP3000’s. They sound so smooth and natural I find myself thinking oh so that’s what that instrument is supposed to sound like. The HP3000’s transient response is uncanny and leads to their ability to deal with complex and heavily layered music in an effortless manner.

Final Words

The HP3000’s are the king of smoothville (yes I just made that up) other headphones can take up residence there but they know who’s boss
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Feb 19, 2005 at 2:57 AM Post #2 of 27
Nice review, but the ratings don't tell me much of anything, given that they range from 9 to 10.
 
Feb 19, 2005 at 3:11 AM Post #3 of 27
The ratings are there to show that all three headphones are outstanding and are not seperated by very much. I was trying to get the point across that which one is "better" comes down to personal preference.
 
Feb 19, 2005 at 4:20 AM Post #6 of 27
I still can't get over the fact that you cut the headband off of a $1400 headphone!
 
Feb 19, 2005 at 5:26 AM Post #7 of 27
How are you doing these comparisons when the K1000 driver has such drastically different amp requirements?

Even though the Dynahi may drive the K1000 driver well, I suspect there are higher-power amps, especially tubed, that may take the "K3000" to its real potential?
 
Feb 19, 2005 at 5:56 AM Post #8 of 27
Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon L
How are you doing these comparisons when the K1000 driver has such drastically different amp requirements?

Even though the Dynahi may drive the K1000 driver well, I suspect there are higher-power amps, especially tubed, that may take the "K3000" to its real potential?



I'm not sure where the "K1000's require a power amp" theory started but they are not that difficult to drive. Sure they are more power hungry than your average headphones but any amp that can output a decent amount of current will be sufficient. My Dynahi and Melos drive them without any problems and to levels well above what my ears can take.
 
Feb 19, 2005 at 6:53 AM Post #9 of 27
Why do you have the bowl pads on backwards?

Biggie.
 
Feb 19, 2005 at 7:03 AM Post #10 of 27
Quote:

Originally Posted by NotoriousBIG_PJ
Why do you have the bowl pads on backwards?

Biggie.




Yeah, a better comparison would be to test out with the bowls flipped propperly then the way you had them (out of preference I am assuming) and then flats.

Fine comparative review nonetheless!
 
Feb 19, 2005 at 8:23 AM Post #11 of 27
THose are amazing mods! Has anyone else tried this stuff with high end headphones?
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Feb 19, 2005 at 11:28 AM Post #12 of 27
Just got to chime in about how much I LOVE the HP3000s. I had a chance to listen to them while I was at tkam's a few weeks ago and what they are capable of is realy beyond words (but I'll try to express it anyway). I got to say I'm a grado man myself with the HP-1s being by far my absolute favorite stock headphone (I havn't heard the PS-1s), but the HP3000s take that wonderful sound and raise it to a completely new level. I was using some Shpongle tracks for a comparison and the atmosphere that the HP3000s create is insane. The soundstage is HUMONGOUS. On all other headphones Shpongle is great, but the sound never brought me "inside" the music like the HP3000s do. With my eyes closed I "felt" the sounds coming from all around me. It took the psychedelic aspect of the music up a trillion notches. The HP3000s are undoubtedly the best headphones for ambient music ever.
What all of that makes me extremely interested in (since HP3000s are WAY out of my price range) is Larry's grado circumaural mod. If he can take the drivers and place them in a circumaural frame and create such a wonderful sound I just have to find out how much of that he can duplicate with just the relatively cheap pad mod (and the comfort should prove a decent bonus). I gota start saving to buy that mod.
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Feb 19, 2005 at 11:49 AM Post #13 of 27
Hmm... so I'm assuming part of the soundstage enhanced properties of the hybrids are due to the fact that the Grado drivers are farther away from the ears, right?

If so, wouldn't that make them sound thinner and brighter as well? Kind of like the bowls vs. flats idea?

And... If that were true, then wouldn't that mean that if we put CD3000 drivers in a Grado enclosure, they'd sound much less thin and bright and more "in you face", with less soundstage?

(sorry, too many logic lessons in school... though I'm sure my logic is flawed in some way
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Feb 19, 2005 at 4:18 PM Post #14 of 27
Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoide
Hmm... so I'm assuming part of the soundstage enhanced properties of the hybrids are due to the fact that the Grado drivers are farther away from the ears, right?


The drivers are actually still very close to your ears but they are angled in the same way that the stock cd3k drivers are. I think that is what gives them their great soundstage.
 

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