[fc911c]

Has onyone tried differant pads on them? I have been moving the phones around on my ears and also adjusting the distance between the driver and my ear with some interesting results.

I also noticed that when they played at a normal volume, which is on the low side for them to sound good, by moving driver closer to the ear they became so much louder that I had to lower it quite a bit. By moving them closer it really helped the midrange and bass and toned down the brightness.

Has anyone tried any of this?

Thanks
Frank

 

[riceboy]

Thanks Frank for your impressions. I haven't tried it, but I'm sure I will. The do listen to them at lower volumes as well and I like how they sound. It is a very different sound from the other Grados I heard.

 

[Torula Yeast]

Nice thing about the GS1k is that they can provide ample bass even at the distance from one's ears that their pads place the drivers, but that's for my taste. With, say, the regular size Grado bowls, yes, you'll get even more of that delicious bass and midrange at the expense of detail and soundstage. The smaller bowls on the GS1k aren't for me, but if you're digging their sound but want to tone down the brights and a wide-open soundstage isn't a priority for you, I'd think you'd be satisfied ordering the smaller bowls from Grado world hq.

 

[fc911c]

Quote:

Originally Posted by riceboy /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks Frank for your impressions. I haven't tried it, but I'm sure I will. The do listen to them at lower volumes as well and I like how they sound. It is a very different sound from the other Grados I heard.

yeah its worth a try its amazing how these small adjustments make such big differances in the way phones sound. I think driver distance from ear has the most affect on the way phones sound.

Thanks
Frank

 

[lmilhan]

Yep!

Tried them with flats and bowls.

My favorites were bowls (with tube amplification). Sadly, I didn't like them enough to keep them, and it wasn't for a lack of trying either, been through 2 pairs now. I just never warmed up to the Bagel pads, and I just never found them as enjoyable as my RS-1s or my PS-1s (even with bowl pads).

Granted, the genres of music I listen to most just didn't mate well with the GS-1000s. If my music collection consisted mainly of Jazz, Acoustic and Classical, the GS-1000s would definitely have been a keeper, and my can of choice. Really nice phones for those genres of music. I just never became a fan of how they sounded with my preferred musical tastes. That honor goes to the PS-1s.

But yeah, the GS-1000s are a finicky beast, especially when you are using the bagel pads. You really need to mess with head/ear placement in order to get to their 'sweet spot'.

 

[fc911c]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Torula Yeast /img/forum/go_quote.gif Nice thing about the GS1k is that they can provide ample bass even at the distance from one's ears that their pads place the drivers, but that's for my taste. With, say, the regular size Grado bowls, yes, you'll get even more of that delicious bass and midrange at the expense of detail and soundstage. The smaller bowls on the GS1k aren't for me, but if you're digging their sound but want to tone down the brights and a wide-open soundstage isn't a priority for you, I'd think you'd be satisfied ordering the smaller bowls from Grado world hq.

I guess it's worth a try. I guess that's one of the things I am dissapointed in with them is, I like to listen to phones a little louder, long as it's clear.


Thanks
Frank

 

[riceboy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lmilhan /img/forum/go_quote.gif But yeah, the GS-1000s are a finicky beast, especially when you are using the bagel pads. You really need to mess with head/ear placement in order to get to their 'sweet spot'.

LOL I couldn't agree more. They are a beast when I have to use the bagel pads. I do have to mess with them to get that nice sweet spot with my head/ear placement. Nice to know others have experienced the same thing.

 

[fc911c]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lmilhan /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yep! Tried them with flats and bowls. My favorites were bowls (with tube amplification). Sadly, I didn't like them enough to keep them, and it wasn't for a lack of trying either, been through 2 pairs now. I just never warmed up to the Bagel pads, and they just never found them as enjoyable as my RS-1s or my PS-1s (even with bowl pads). Granted, the genres of music I listen to most just didn't mate well with the GS-1000s. If my music collection consisted mainly of Jazz, Acoustic and Classical, the GS-1000s would definitely have been a keeper, and my can of choice. Really nice phones for those genres of music. I just never became a fan of how they sounded with my preferred musical tastes. That honor goes to the PS-1s. But yeah, the GS-1000s are a finicky beast, especially when you are using the bagel pads. You really need to mess with head/ear placement in order to get to their 'sweet spot'.

yep I pretty much agree with all you say. One good thing is, I like Jazz and Classical so I guess it time to build a good collection of CD's around the GS's.

One other thing did they design these for a Marty Gra head? LOL I have a big head and I have the sliders bottomed out.

Thanks
Frank

 

[Torula Yeast]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lmilhan /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yep! Tried them with flats and bowls. My favorites were bowls (with tube amplification). Sadly, I didn't like them enough to keep them, and it wasn't for a lack of trying either, been through 2 pairs now. I just never warmed up to the Bagel pads, and I just never found them as enjoyable as my RS-1s or my PS-1s (even with bowl pads). Granted, the genres of music I listen to most just didn't mate well with the GS-1000s. If my music collection consisted mainly of Jazz, Acoustic and Classical, the GS-1000s would definitely have been a keeper, and my can of choice. Really nice phones for those genres of music. I just never became a fan of how they sounded with my preferred musical tastes. That honor goes to the PS-1s. But yeah, the GS-1000s are a finicky beast, especially when you are using the bagel pads. You really need to mess with head/ear placement in order to get to their 'sweet spot'.

I'm glad I'm not the only person struggling with whether to keep 'em. I've been a/b-ing them w/my 325i's, trying to figure out if it's worth the diff in price. (Edit: Actually, this pair is going back no matter what; the dang left driver unit fell off the headband rod the instant I first took 'em out of their box. John really needs to hire a new build QC person. Or hire a build QC person, period, I don't know which.) I *definitely* like the bagels, and will mate a pair to the 325i's if I decide I want to stay with the aluminum cans. Not that the woodies don't do a sweet job, mind you, but the 325i's fanaticism w/producing detail is my fave thing about 'em, and the gs1k's have higher priorities in their presentation.

But then, when I have the iPod on shuffle, and I get a break from my mostly rock collection in the form of an orchestral track through the gs's, it's like gobs and gobs of creamy sonic sweetness.

 

[riceboy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fc911c /img/forum/go_quote.gif yep I pretty much agree with all you say. One good thing is, I like Jazz and Classical so I guess it time to build a good collection of CD's around the GS's. One other thing did they design these for a Marty Gra head? LOL I have a big head and I have the sliders bottomed out. Thanks Frank

I agree Frank that I like the GS1000s for jazz, vocal jazz and even classical. Also, they do fit well around my big head lol.

 

[fc911c]

Quote:

Originally Posted by riceboy /img/forum/go_quote.gif I agree Frank that I like the GS1000s for jazz, vocal jazz and even classical. Also, they do fit well around my big head lol.

Here is somethings you might want to try it really helped.

First you want to get them to fit as tight as possible, I did this by slightly bending the head strap right above where the head strap meet's the peices that say L R. Put you thumb behind head strap right above the plastic L R peices and bend inwards there. DO NOT BEND STRAP right at where the strap inters plastic peice that says L R. you could and probibly will brake it.
This really help to bring up volume sound quality especialy the midrange and tone down brightness. Even tight they are the most comfortable phones I have.

The second thing I did was wash the pads with soap and water to soften them up, then I put them in betwween two towels and pressed down flat on them to get out excess water then put them a side to air dry , they take while. Don't put them on wet it might stain the wood. After drying I put the pads only on a table and put a couple of heavy books on top of them and left them there for a few hours. This help to move the driver closer to the ear.

Over all it seemed to improve the sound qiute a bit and cost nothing JUST BE CAREFUL WHEN BENDING HEAD STRAP.

BTW they sound really good now with Stevey Ray Vaughn now

let me know what you think

Frank

 

[Mindless]

I haven't tried flats and bowls very extensively, but in the end, I came back to the bagels. They had much better imaging and spacious sound. The others were a bit too up-close for my taste.

 

[fc911c]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mindless /img/forum/go_quote.gif I haven't tried flats and bowls very extensively, but in the end, I came back to the bagels. They had much better imaging and spacious sound. The others were a bit too up-close for my taste.

Well after I made some slight adjustments I have to agree the Bagels soumd good now. I might just try the bowls for the heack of it.

Frank

 

[b0dhi]

I tried C-pads, flats and flats+EQ. Some quick impressions:

flats: strong reduction in mids and highs. A strong increase in bass. Very unbalanced sound. Slight reduction in bass definition.

flats with EQing to compensate for reduction in mids and highs: a bit more bass than bagels, soundstage still pretty big but more "flattened". The sound is not so sweet at lower volumes, and also a bit more fatiguing. Overall pretty good.

C-pads: slightly more closed in feeling. No significant change to FR. Slight distortion during strong bass hits (not sure why. Might be a construction issue). Slight loss of definition.

bagels: after trying different pads in different ways, I went back to the bagels every time. Even for a basshead like myself, they just have a very rich and delicate sound over the other pads. An airier sound, with more definition down in the bass. Sometimes the bass is a bit under-whelming for me, but I use the bass-boost switch on my amp for those situations. Overall, I believe, the most satisfying pads (and that's saying something, since they have less bass than the flats+EQ...).

 

[Bootleg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by riceboy /img/forum/go_quote.gif I agree Frank that I like the GS1000s for jazz, vocal jazz and even classical. Also, they do fit well around my big head lol.

I also tried riceboy's gs1000's and they fit on MY big head...I like them much better than the RS1's....based on a very short listening session.