[goober-george]

Nice review on the 325e, makes me want to listen to a pair. I'm more curious about the ms-2e though and have yet to hear any impressions.

 

[borrego]

Out of all headphones I have owned, the SR325e does benefits the most from more burn in. My pair was the early version still with the 6.35mm plug. I bought it barely used with 10hrs of use as claimed by the seller. With more burn in the SR325e improves with a even more dynamic sound, and can handle high volume transient with less distortion. It is as if the muscle of the drivers are stretched and loosen up.

I wonder if the sonic performance differences between the 2 GS1000e are due to different batches of wood cups.

 

[Nerrel]

I'm presently using RS1i's and I wanted to know if it was the overall uncomfortableness of the RS1e's or its SQ that's untenable, and which other Grado hp's do you prefer more?

Sound quality.  The RS1e is less comfortable for sure, especially when wearing glasses, but comfort never bothered me that much... I am a longtime Grado fan, after all.  
 
I love my 225e and RS1i.   The 225e is maybe my favorite... I know it shouldn't be, as the sound isn't as polished in many ways, but it's just the funnest and most satisfying to listen to.  For $200, it does everything I want and more.  
 
The RS1i is also a generally great set of headphones.  Beautiful, open sound with great detail.  I only bought the 'e' due to upgrade-itis, and it turned out to be a waste of money.  At this point I'm considering selling the e and keeping the i, though my original plan was the other way around.  I really wish I had returned the RS1e during the one month window I had after purchase, but I wanted to give them a chance to grow on me.  Never happened.
 

What I want to know is if the more protruded driver is by design. I saw that the cushions on the first Grados (HP1) are very thin, almost flat, but with an opening, so the drivers will touch your ear.

Maybe Grado want to mimic this and get back to this design.

 
When I asked Grado they said it was simply due to accommodating the larger drivers.  I don't think it had anything to do with sound quality or fit beyond that. 
 
The GS1000 and PS1000 have the same protrusions, but the G-cush pads make it a non-issue. 
 

Did you carefully volume-match the RS1i vs RS1e?

Your comments exactly matches with my initial impressions of my SR80i and SR80e (with equal burn-in time), and the more upper mids is due to the higher sensitivity-volume.

Plus, with the RS1e, the more upper mids is what a more protruded (driver nearer your ear) will do exactly. Hmmmmm...I'm wondering how the RS1e would sound with a G-cushion?

 
Yes, I kept the sound settings as neutral as I could while listening to both.  And the drivers themselves aren't any nearer to the ear than normal, just the plastic protection grill that protrudes out. 

 

[joseph69]

   
 
The RS1i is also a generally great set of headphones.  Beautiful, open sound with great detail.  I only bought the 'e' due to upgrade-itis, and it turned out to be a waste of money.  At this point I'm considering selling the e and keeping the i, though my original plan was the other way around.  I really wish I had returned the RS1e during the one month window I had after purchase, but I wanted to give them a chance to grow on me.  Never happened.
 

So I'm a bit confused, or maybe I missed something 

Why did the RS1e turn out to be a waste of money?
Why do you prefer the RS1i over the RS1e?
Thanks!

 

[Nerrel]

Waste of money may have sounded a little harsh, but it was a waste in the sense that I won't be able to make up the purchase price if I resell them and keep my RS1i at this point. 
 
I've posted my thoughts a few times over the past few months... basically the RS1e has an awkward frequency balance that makes them unlistenable for me.  The treble is too rolled off, making the music sound congested and dull while eliminating transient details.  Strings almost sound like they've had some sort of FM-radio filter applied to them.  It's a very different balance than the RS1i, surprisingly so. 
 
I can never stop fiddling with them and just enjoy the music.  I've tried a few mods and other adjustments to fix the sound, but the treble is extremely flat no matter what.  I never had that problem with the RS1i; I just listened and had a good time.  Even though I thought they left room for improvement, I never wanted to alter their sound in any way. 
 
There are some advantages to the e model, like the fuller midrange and smoother sound, but I can't get over the treble enough to enjoy them. 
 
I should say that I'm using a pair of red-driver RS1i's, not a full RS1e.  I don't know if there are differences between the versions that could explain the awkward sound... maybe the RS1e actually did receive some more tweaks by the time it went into full production.  I'd love to give the RS1e a second chance by trying another model, but unfortunately the $700 price makes that hard to do. 

 

[joseph69]

  Waste of money may have sounded a little harsh, but it was a waste in the sense that I won't be able to make up the purchase price if I resell them and keep my RS1i at this point. 
 
I've posted my thoughts a few times over the past few months... basically the RS1e has an awkward frequency balance that makes them unlistenable for me.  The treble is too rolled off, making the music sound congested and dull while eliminating transient details.  Strings almost sound like they've had some sort of FM-radio filter applied to them.  It's a very different balance than the RS1i, surprisingly so. 
 
I can never stop fiddling with them and just enjoy the music.  I've tried a few mods and other adjustments to fix the sound, but the treble is extremely flat no matter what.  I never had that problem with the RS1i; I just listened and had a good time.  Even though I thought they left room for improvement, I never wanted to alter their sound in any way. 
 
There are some advantages to the e model, like the fuller midrange and smoother sound, but I can't get over the treble enough to enjoy them. 
 
I should say that I'm using a pair of red-driver RS1i's, not a full RS1e.  I don't know if there are differences between the versions that could explain the awkward sound... maybe the RS1e actually did receive some more tweaks by the time it went into full production.  I'd love to give the RS1e a second chance by trying another model, but unfortunately the $700 price makes that hard to do. 

Thank you, I was just curios to know what you didn't like about them. Although I've never heard them, it sounds like your describing the MS-Pro from what I've read about them compared to the RS1.
Thanks again

 

[XLR8]

   
I should say that I'm using a pair of red-driver RS1i's, not a full RS1e.  I don't know if there are differences between the versions that could explain the awkward sound... maybe the RS1e actually did receive some more tweaks by the time it went into full production.  I'd love to give the RS1e a second chance by trying another model, but unfortunately the $700 price makes that hard to do. 

 
Well frankly that is major weirdness.
The red driver is the newer driver so from memory it was placed into the shell of the rs1i at the point of changeover in June/July of this year.
If anything it should sound more like rs1e as the cup is the same as the rs1i, but the driver is the new generation......
 
Unless...........
 
the red blob was placed on the older rs1i driver which may explain the differences in the sound signature you are accounting for.
Again major weirdness and I guess we will never know.
Nerrel can you look at the drivers through the both sides and see if they look identical/different in any other way?

 

[Nerrel]

The red drivers aren't just placed in the RS1i shells, the earcups are also the newer type from the RS1e; there's an obvious difference in the wood grain and finish.  Pretty much everything seems to be the same as on the RS1e aside from the plug, which is the classic 1/4" instead of the new 1/8". 
 
I was kind of upset when I received them in the mail, since I waited a few months before buying to avoid getting an early run model.  I wonder if Grado would be kind enough to let me exchange them for a real RS1e if I contacted them....

 

[pdrm360]

  Waste of money may have sounded a little harsh, but it was a waste in the sense that I won't be able to make up the purchase price if I resell them and keep my RS1i at this point. 
 
I've posted my thoughts a few times over the past few months... basically the RS1e has an awkward frequency balance that makes them unlistenable for me.  The treble is too rolled off, making the music sound congested and dull while eliminating transient details.  Strings almost sound like they've had some sort of FM-radio filter applied to them.  It's a very different balance than the RS1i, surprisingly so. 
 
I can never stop fiddling with them and just enjoy the music.  I've tried a few mods and other adjustments to fix the sound, but the treble is extremely flat no matter what.  I never had that problem with the RS1i; I just listened and had a good time.  Even though I thought they left room for improvement, I never wanted to alter their sound in any way. 
 
There are some advantages to the e model, like the fuller midrange and smoother sound, but I can't get over the treble enough to enjoy them. 
 
I should say that I'm using a pair of red-driver RS1i's, not a full RS1e.  I don't know if there are differences between the versions that could explain the awkward sound... maybe the RS1e actually did receive some more tweaks by the time it went into full production.  I'd love to give the RS1e a second chance by trying another model, but unfortunately the $700 price makes that hard to do. 

 
It's interesting that how we hear differently. to me the RS1e's sound is a bit more natural and also fuller than the RS1i, though the differences are subtle and they still sound like Grado headphones.

 

[pdrm360]

  The red drivers aren't just placed in the RS1i shells, the earcups are also the newer type from the RS1e; there's an obvious difference in the wood grain and finish.  Pretty much everything seems to be the same as on the RS1e aside from the plug, which is the classic 1/4" instead of the new 1/8". 
 
I was kind of upset when I received them in the mail, since I waited a few months before buying to avoid getting an early run model.  I wonder if Grado would be kind enough to let me exchange them for a real RS1e if I contacted them....

 
Are your red drivers cups larger than the RS1i's cups or their size are same? 

 

[Genjisleeps]

Hey guys, are the SR80e's good with a Fiio e12 and X5 combination? I like bass and great sound in my headphones, the one I use mostly now is my J.V.C HA-SZ2000. So yea...I chose the SR80e's through the desciption on the Grado's page and the price but I know nothing on the headphones. So how do these sound?

 

[joseph69]

  The red drivers aren't just placed in the RS1i shells, the earcups are also the newer type from the RS1e; there's an obvious difference in the wood grain and finish.  Pretty much everything seems to be the same as on the RS1e aside from the plug, which is the classic 1/4" instead of the new 1/8". 
 
I was kind of upset when I received them in the mail, since I waited a few months before buying to avoid getting an early run model.  I wonder if Grado would be kind enough to let me exchange them for a real RS1e if I contacted them....

I myself would rather have the RS1i with the (e) series drivers as you have, due to the fact that its terminated with a 1/4" jack.
 

  Hey guys, are the SR80e's good with a Fiio e12 and X5 combination? I like bass and great sound in my headphones, the one I use mostly now is my J.V.C HA-SZ2000. So yea...I chose the SR80e's through the desciption on the Grado's page and the price but I know nothing on the headphones. So how do these sound?

The 80's are excellent headphones with quality bass, but not quantity.

 

[pdrm360]

  I myself would rather have the RS1i with the (e) series drivers as you have, due to the fact that its terminated with a 1/4" jack.
 
The 80's are excellent headphones with quality bass, but not quantity.

 
Good point. 

 

[joseph69]

   
Good point. 

 

[stacker45]

After noticing that the PS1000e's were compressing my ears, I compared them with my old PS1000, and it was obvious that those two sets of G-cush were shaped diffrently. I e-mailed Grado, and ask if they would keep on producing the old G-cush, and to my surprise they said that they were the same.
 
I e-mailed them back, saying that since I had both pairs at the same time, and therfore I wasn't going on memory, that there is absolutely no doubt thet these two sets of pads were shaped diffrently, means that there are MAJOR sample to sample differences, and I told them that at $1900 Canadian, I expect tighter tolerences among the samples.
 
Here's what I think is going on. Because other people have also noticed a difference between the new, and old pads, and also, because there are Frankeistein (new, red driver, with old i serie markings), headphones going around. I believe that they don't want to waste old i serie cups, they simply make Frankeinstein models, creating all this confusion among us.
 
I think that the same thing is, happening with the pads, wich would explains why the first e series buyers weren't noticing any differences when they compared  the e, and, i  series pads.
 
Needless to say that I am not impressed with all this. and, I wouldn't be suprised if Grado (who I believe, are among us here on Head-Fi) eventually reajust their aim down the road, based on what we write here, about their products.
 
On a not so different note, yesterday, while attempting to swap my SR80i's flats, for some L-cush, my right side driver came unglued, and seperated from it's housing. So today I went to check out the new SR80e, but I forgot to bring my flats, so I wasn't able to get an accurate reading of how the new e  serie compares with the i serie. I was pleased with what I heard, even with the S-cush, so  I decided to buy a pair. They didn't have them is stock, so I placed an order, and because they had some at their other store, just outside Montréal, I should get them sometime this week. I'll be sure to report back on how they sound, with the flats, and I'll also try them with the L-cush.
 
Oh!, and FYI, the PS1000e that I tryed a few weeks ago, were numbered in the 34XX range, and they had the ''new'' pads.