[dffman2001]

What better place than here to do market research. Niche market, unique concentration of consumers that not only spend, but spend constantly.

 

[Eagle_Driver]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Futhermucker Does Todd the Vinyl Junkie ship Grado's to Canada? Or is this thread just concerning me for nothing?

Unfortunately, Todd does not sell Grados to any foreign country in which Grado has authorized distributors. Even more unfortunate, Canada is among the countries in which there is an authorized Grado distributor.

 

[jpr703]

The music lover in me wants Grado to be sucessful.

The economist in me seriously disapproves of the way they do business.

 

[Canman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MD1032 Well I think this just means full MSRP all the time, no exceptions. It sucks, but I guess it's Grado policy. They're getting a little more profit-based it seems as of late.

Grado has always been a for-profit company. As always, I think many of these claims about John's business are unsubstantiated and ill-informed. John is the third generation to run the family business out of their building in Brooklyn: You can judge his business all you want but John is still the guy that knows it best.

 

[bhd812]

I think GRADO is smart on how he runs his business!

think about it for a second, unlike senn's that loose their value up to $100-120..Grado does not! they keep a relative high value.

Of course with the ps-1's americans have to pay the inflated price to, but if you want to play you must pay!

Grado runs a company that keeps up with senn and sony in terms of headphones while at the same time only employing 17 people unlike the thousands of people the others do.
Grado also has a hell of a line up of phono cart's and has there own cables and even a headphone amp....
thats alot of product for such a small company to make, hell I have more people at my company but I just offer a service...noway could I turn out so many products like he does.
If you dont like how Grado runs his business then dont buy them and shut up, or be smart and by them used from someone in america, which honestly a used set is totally worth the asking price.

My only gripe with GRADO is they dont support headfi (or atleast that I know of) as a sponsor...to me they should cause we are their core market, but John is a great guy and offers amazing customer service...and he only has 17 people!!! omg

 

[Daroid]

I think to allow American distributors to sell in the US only is a very short-term temporary fix to protect their isolated business. They gain practically northing by doing it since it won't increase their sales in the US (Is Grado as known as Sennheiser or Sony in the US ?) and most people in the EU would rather go for the known brand (if we're talking $120 SR-60 for example vs. Sennheiser HD555 or similar).
---

Quote:

Originally Posted by bhd812 unlike senn's that loose their value up to $100-120..Grado does not! they keep a relative high value.

For every ten headphone shops, only one sell Grado (~) - the rest at least sells Sennheiser = more sales, higher competition, Sennheiser is a more known brand, thus people buy them which all ends up in lower prices and thus higher loss of value, when people discover that there are numerous identical Sennheisers up for sale at the used market. I don't know, but if you ask the average American, does he know who/what Grado is ?

Quote:

If you dont like how Grado runs his business then dont buy them and shut up

Agreed, good point.

Quote:

My only gripe with GRADO is they dont support headfi (or atleast that I know of) as a sponsor...to me they should, cause we are their core market, but John is a great guy and offers amazing customer service...and he only has 17 people!!! omg

Then don't buy them (just kidding

) Why support us, when they can still sell them to us ? - being good-hearted isn't a requirement.

 

[Canman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daroid I think to allow American distributors to sell in the US only is a very short-term temporary fix to protect their isolated business. They gain practically northing by doing it since it won't increase their sales in the US (Is Grado as known as Sennheiser or Sony in the US ?) and most people in the EU would rather go for the known brand (if we're talking $120 SR-60 for example vs. Sennheiser HD555 or similar).

It is possible that John doesn't have the production capacity to support growth in the European market. In addition, it is more difficult to provide service to customers in other countries due to language and distance barriers.

In these cases, it may be to John's benefit that he keeps prices high in Europe. In banking, I see many small business owners who don't know how to handle growth. Growth can take them out of control and actually cause them to lose money in the long run due to uncontrolled expenses, poor service, and unhappy customers. It is possible that John is controlling his output to remain at a comfortable operating capacity. Again this is just a possibility because I don't know his business, but it goes to show how restricting growth and managing output can be due to good management on John's part rather than bad judgement.

 

[Zanth]

I will agree with Canman in theory. No idea what John is trying to do but Canman's reasoning makes sense. Figure this, before John stepped into Joe's shows, Grado was ready to close its doors. John comes in, a man on a mission, and not only brings Grado out of the red but makes it a VERY successful company again. Go read some of the info on their site. It is quite an incredible story. John and his family sleeping on the top floor of the house, the main floor being the contruction site and the basement the machine shop. He knew when to tighten his belt and perhaps he is bracing for a growth that he can't necessarily keep up with at this time. I will say that if the PS-1's were cheaper I would have bitten, but then that is me setting priorities with my wallet. Others who can afford the PS-1's have. Those who could afford various models have. They are great phones with a great look (beauty always being in the eye of the beholder) and indeed they do hold their value. Did I mention they sound awesome? Yes yes...I'm biased

 

[MD1032]

Well, like it's been mentioned before, it's time to get back to the Joe Grado stuff. They've got the bucks, it's time to see HP-1000 construction quality again and HP-1000 quality sound, and not at $1400 either.

 

[Mule]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NotoriousBIG_PJ Ebay would occasionaly have new rs-1's for $500, with a $550 price showing up regularily. Biggie.

I've wondered about the Ebay sellers since Grado's stated policy is, or was when I last read it, no auction selling. Some dealer hooking up his brother-in-law for some run around the rules?

 

[rickcr42]

Quote:

It is possible that John doesn't have the production capacity to support growth in the European market

Something I hope never changes.I am more comfortable with the hand build one at a time method than i am the get 'em built fast and out the door mass production way of doing business.

I have seen far too many "once upon a time" high end companies go away because they took the volume end of production more seriously than the quality end once the name established.Usually it is a sellout to a larger company wanting to cash in on the name but sometimes just greed to get more dollars in the coffers no matter what.Lower margins/higher profit/lower quality
But after a couple of years people forget the name was even associated with high end sound and next thing you know a once respected name is on display "blister packed" at K-Mart.

 

[bln]

Grados may be hand-built one at a time, but I don't think that necessarily contributes to their build quality. Sure, I like their sound and even their looks, but they're kind of flimsy and seem to vary from pair to pair in their construction, indicating a lack of consistency and quality control. Several times before I've had to send back Grados with dead channels or imbalances, loose and missing pieces, and problems of that sort.

 

[NotoriousBIG_PJ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mule I've wondered about the Ebay sellers since Grado's stated policy is, or was when I last read it, no auction selling. Some dealer hooking up his brother-in-law for some run around the rules?

Well I haven't seen these deals lately so it looks like Grado had something to say.

Biggie.

 

[swalker]

I gotta agree with bln.. hand-built or not, the build quality of the modern Grados are rather subpar compared to other similarly priced headphones. I'm all for designing headphones for the best sound characteristics sought by the designer but at the price of high-end Grados, I'd really expect something more refined along the edges and simply of a more "solid" feel.

 

[rickcr42]

Quote:

Grados may be hand-built one at a time, but I don't think that necessarily contributes to their build quality. Sure, I like their sound and even their looks, but they're kind of flimsy and seem to vary from pair to pair in their construction, indicating a lack of consistency and quality control.

i have as yet never had a reliability or and other issue with Grado cans exept for a couple of self destructs that were fixable.and that is part of the intent .

I remember when the original grado headphones came out.Can't remeber the exact year but the Audio Advisor catalog was only 5X7 inches if that is a help

They were not intended as a consumer can at first but as a professional monitor for the studio and the design reflected that :

1-Matched drivers
2-the earcups allowed the headphones to be set with the earpads flat on the console so they were out of the way instead of sticking up and in the way
3-the design was one that was easily serviced by removing and popping on whatever broke because of the way the parts attached

That last is no accident and neither is the resemblance to military and avionic cans,another area where servicability is paramount so the parts need to be easily replaced without tools or at worst,the minimum of tools such as a pocket knife.I have repaired my cans in the woods after some nasty "endoes" while mtn.biking and after a second or two of popping the parts back on and brushing myself off it was back to hammering the trail.
Can anyone say there is an easier headphone to take apart and put back together withpout screwing it up ?

but the two originals were extremely expensive for the time and even in todays market would be considered high end.The pair with the phase switches more so.

But that was Joe Grado.John Grado took the basic design and re-voiced for music in the home AND offered models at all price points.So from the "all out ' studio cans which most could not afford but were built like a tank to consumer grade cans at a more reasonable price but as lower priced versions do,with reduced "quality" of parts such as plastic where once was metal at that price.
You don't build a $1,000 headphone and sell it for $60.At least I would not.
And yet,because of the difference in look and method of construction there is not much gray area with grados.Love them or hate them and not many fence sitters.
But whatever model is used to voice them it is a sound that suits me and my listening style like no other headphone.I like dynamics over absolute detail and prefer to have the "feel" of the live event from loud to soft over absolute harmonic accuracy.You can stand in different areas at a concert and it will sound different depending on where you are but the impact of the live event remains no matter if you are in the bathroom.You KNOW when the band quit and the "filler" music between bands is turned on even without seeing it and even though it is the SAME sound system playing the music as the band played through.

yeah,i like the grado impact over all headphones i have so far listened to and they do the "big event" better to my ears than any other.For the solo instrument or single vocalalist have my 'stats even though they sit on the stand mostly unsused.

Just me and what i like.