[WilliamLeonhart]

The PS500e to me is a bit of a disappointment. The original really stands out from the SR and RS bunch, but the e just "neutralizes" the sound too much. That's not to say that the PS500e is a bad headphone per se. 

 

[Zuqi]

  The PS500e to me is a bit of a disappointment. The original really stands out from the SR and RS bunch, but the e just "neutralizes" the sound too much. That's not to say that the PS500e is a bad headphone per se. 

+1
My opionion is that Grado try to make the PS500e  to be more neutral sounding, but they didn't really put things right. The bass is still a bit too much for me (maybe some will appriciate that), the mids is a bit recessed.
It's a plain sounding headphones. in terms of sound quality it can compete with models from other brands in the similar price range, but it' sound lack musicallity, which is the main reason that people choose Grado over other brands.

 

[GreenBow]

I'm all stressed with the PS500e getting hammered a bit here. If you go back to pages around 195 there is lots of praise. Fair's fair though. I am not grumping, just saying.
 
Currently I am thinking about the SR325e, PS500/e, and the RS2e.
 
I seriously like the sound signature of the SR225i/ e-drivers that I have. Therefor I am not going to wish the 325e had a more prominent vocal frequency equalising. (That seems to crop up occasionally.)
 
The RS2e I never even thought about until maybe two days ago. The PS500/e I thought was going to be a brilliant headphone. I made a list of the things that What Hi-Fi slate about the PS500, plus what I thought. (Copied in here)
 
The 4-star What Hi-Fi review of the PS500 negative points say: http://www.whathifi.com/grado/ps500/review#TXvFGwm6xIhl0CoD.99
Not the most luxurious build - not an issue for me.
could do with a touch refinement - tested at £700; now priced £600. 
leak a lot of sound - not an issue for me.
 
The PS500e really divides opinion. Essentially though if you get the chance of a pair for a bargain price you need to know what's going on. Only so little pro-attention has landed on them. I mean the sound of the PS is meant to be for studio monitoring. Maybe some people don't like that, or maybe it really is a bit of a horse. (I am not anti-horse btw. Heh heh!)

 

[WilliamLeonhart]

As I have said earlier, the PS500e is not a bad headphone in itself. I just like the PS500 more (I'm bought the original after auditioning both). It's just that when you compare the orignal PS500 to other Grados, it really stood out for its very prominent bass and warm sound signature. Grado did try to make the PS500 more neutral, which understandably pleases a lot of people. But I like the "tube-like" sound of the old more.
 
The same goes to 325e vs 325is. The 325e is fantastic, the lush sound of it is worth every dollar of the price. But I can't find the impact and intimacy of the 325is on the e (the e has both of those, but not IS-level), so I sold my 325e and buy another 325is.
 
I must say that of all the new Grado e series phones, the PS500e and the RS1e don't count as "upgrades" to me. For better or worse, to me they're like completely new product lines. 
 
And yes the 325e is IMO quite different from the PS500e. If you like the 225i/e so much, I strongly suspect you'll like the 325e more. Just my 2 cents.
 
Quote:

  I'm all stressed with the PS500e getting hammered a bit here. If you go back to pages around 195 there is lots of praise. fair's fair though. I am not grumping, just saying.
 
Currently I am thinking about the SR325e, PS500/e, and the RS2e.
 
I wonder if the 325e is much different. Lots say they are close. I seriously like the sound signature of the SR225i/ e-drivers that I have. There for I am not going to wish the 325e had a more prominent vocal frequency equalising. That seems to crop up occasionally.
 
The RS2e I never even though about until maybe two days ago. The PS500/e I thought was going to be a brilliant headphone. I made a list of the things that What Hi-Fi slate about the PS500, plus what I thought. (Copied in here)
 
The 4-star What Hi-Fi review of the PS500 negative points say: http://www.whathifi.com/grado/ps500/review#TXvFGwm6xIhl0CoD.99
Not the most luxurious build - not an issue for me.
could do with a touch refinement - tested at £700; now priced £600. 
leak a lot of sound - not an issue for me.
 
The PS500e really divides opinion. Essentially though if you get the chance of a pair for a bargain price you need to know what's going on. Only so little pro-attention has landed on them. I mean the sound of the PS is meant to be for studio monitoring. Maybe some people don't like that, or maybe it really is a bit of a horse. (Untamed animal, you know. I am not anti-horse btw. Heh heh!)

 

[GreenBow]

Mmm, OK I think I should have put my post as a new thread so people could really let go on it. Thanks for your two cents.
 
I probably can't compare the SR225i/e to the 325e. However the 325is gets referred to as being a little more bright. Or in fact energetic in both the lower and upper registers. All I can say about the SR225i/e is that it never fails in either end. I mean cymbals wow. It digs into the bass when I use the pre-set EQ on my DAB radio. Plus I just got my paws on Kate Bush - Hounds of love again. There's some lovely bass guitar, and opportunities to watch cymbal and high hat.
 
The 325is does seem to have garnished lots of love though. I was always curious, what was the difference anyone please between the SR325i and the SR325is. I always though 'is' meant people were referring to the SR325i in plural. Like we call them headphones in plural.  

 

[WilliamLeonhart]

  Mmm, OK I think I should have put my post as a new thread so people could really let go on it. Thanks for your two cents.
 
I probably can't compare the SR225i/e to the 325e. However the 325is gets referred to as being a little more bright. Or in fact energetic in both the lower and upper registers. All I can say about the SR225i/e is that it never fails in either end. I mean cymbals wow. It digs into the bass when I use the pre-set EQ on my DAB. I just got my paws on Kate Bush - Hounds of love again. There's some lovely bass guitar, and opportunities to watch cymbal and high hat.
 
The 325is does seem to have garnished lots of love though. I was always curious, what was the difference anyone please between the SR325i and the SR325is. I always though 'is' meant people were referring to the SR325i in plural. Like we call them headphones in plural.  

Nope. The 325 i is different from the 325 is. The i had golden cups, the is had gone through 3 iterations, each with different cup finish.
 
www.head-fi.org/t/616052/full-grado-labs-history
 
As for the 325is vs the 325e, I'd repeat what Grados say on the box of the 325e: the 325e is smoother from the top ends to the low ends. On the 325is, bass, mids and trebles were all very prominent: the trebles is aggressive, the bass is more pronounced than on lower cans, the mids is sweet and intimate. You can tell one easily from the other. On the 325e, these 3 ranges has more synergy, resulting in the lush, mellow feel that I've only seen on the RS1i so far. The transitions from one end to the other is smoother, if I remember correctly what Grado put on the box.
 
Overally the 325is is more aggressive and serve me very well on Metal and Rock. The 325e is more jack-of-all-trade than its brother, but still, it's a great choice for metalheads.
 
No worry about creating a new thread. We're still discussing the e series.

 

[GreenBow]

Ahaah. I see. The SR325i was gold. Presumably SR325is, 's' means silver.
 
I know what threw me. I saw a pro-review of the SR325i and it said 'i' being improved and mentioned it was silver. (If I find that link again I will show you.) They said something about silver not a bad thing in their book. I guess they had 325is but didn't notice.
 
I am a jack of all trades listener though, so the 'e' looks the better choice for me. I mean everything from Tracy Chapman to Hawkwind, passing classical on the way. Not forgetting jumping into dance anthems on the radio. I could talk on about SR225i/e in my head for ages about their qualities. One example of something that excites me about them is synth kick-drums. Nearly wet myself.

 

[BobJS]

I found the TTVJ flats perfectly tamed the shrillness I found in the 325is.  I had been lusting after the 325e.  Is there anyone here who, by chance, has heard the 325is w/ TTVJ flats  and the 325e?  Do they sound sufficiently similar that I no longer need to pursue my lust?

 

[WilliamLeonhart]

I have not had the flats yet, but I don't think changing pads can turn the 325is into the 325e. The difference is very noticeable

 

[InnerSanctumNYC]

Originally Posted by GreenBow /img/forum/go_quote.gif  
I'm all stressed with the PS500e getting hammered a bit here. If you go back to pages around 195 there is lots of praise. Fair's fair though. I am not grumping, just saying.

At the risk of getting jumped on (and perhaps being wrong), I sense that those being critical of the PS500e are Grado fans who treasure the brand's signature treble profile, which this model was designed to be different from.  The 500e is probably the Grado model most likely to be loved by people who tend to find Grados too bright.  ( I have not yet heard the RS1e, which from what I have read here seems to have have a dialed down treble as well.)

 

[one1speed]

  At the risk of getting jumped on (and perhaps being wrong), I sense that those being critical of the PS500e are Grado fans who treasure the brand's signature treble profile, which this model was designed to be different from.  The 500e is probably the Grado model most likely to be loved by people who tend to find Grados too bright.  ( I have not yet heard the RS1e, which from what I have read here seems to have have a dialed down treble as well.)

 
I wouldn't say the 500e has rolled off treble at all. Compared to the RS2e, it may not have the absolute top-end airiness, but it's really not 'missing' treble. The difference in that regard is really minimal. One of the main differentiators is the wood, which adds a special character to the sound. While I feel the 500e is more pure and clean without adding anything, I'd also not say they are bass heavy, just more balanced. 
 
Remember, the 500e was designed for audio engineers, so it is cleaner with more intentional separation of instruments, and a touch more detail. I completely understand why some folks would prefer the sound the wood adds, it really is special. But the clarity of the 500e still blows my mind sometimes.

 

[BobJS]

I have not had the flats yet, but I don't think changing pads can turn the 325is into the 325e. The difference is very noticeable

 
That's what I would have thought, but I found the difference very noticable and positive.  So I'm looking for someone who's actually heard both to see if they differ much from each other (they may indeed).

 

[GreenBow]

   
I wouldn't say the 500e has rolled off treble at all. Compared to the RS2e, it may not have the absolute top-end airiness, but it's really not 'missing' treble. The difference in that regard is really minimal. One of the main differentiators is the wood, which adds a special character to the sound. While I feel the 500e is more pure and clean without adding anything, I'd also not say they are bass heavy, just more balanced. 

I was kind of hoping to hear this. The PS500/e is very hard to gauge without hearing it, especially without the 325e to compare with. I think I might order some on the proviso I just audition, and if I love, I leap. (No-where to audition that I can think of you see.)
 
------------------------
 
Generally though when I hear comments like the 'e' series are mellower but not better I wonder lots. Please don't anyone jump on me about this until I explain what I mean.
 
 
It means to me one of three things:
 
Either the 325is was pretty prefect, and enhancing it has moved away from the more accurate sound.
 
or:
 
the enhancements have moved to a more natural sound and some people preferred the effect the 325is makes.
 
or:
 
neither is a more accurate necessarily.
 
 
 
What I mean is this. From what I have read the 'e' enhancements are about reducing resonance. The ear-cups for the 60-225 are meant to be new and less acoustically resonant. The wooden ear-cups are meant to be treated differently to be less resonant. I.E the ear-cups themselves are not absorbing acoustic energy and making their own noise, or absorbing signal. I think it also means less reflections mean more accuracy. If a reflection interacts with an acoustic signal it will interfere. Changing amplitude of the music where it interferes. It may increase or decrease amplitude.
 
Anyway I am only theorising here but I have two degrees, with a few modules directly related to it. (Not enough research to know though.) What I mean is from what I have read the enhancements have not worked by radical change. They have been implemented by refinements and corrections on existing technology. Anyway the list of enhancements I found so far are in post 19 here. http://www.head-fi.org/t/754371/grado-sri-red-drivers-are-they-sre-drivers/15#post_11337364
 
 
What I mean by this post is not aimed at anyone's view of their phones, or opinions given. It's an attempt to understand what is happening in the 'e' phone.

 

[joseph69]

  What I mean by this post is not aimed at anyone's view of their phones, or opinions given. It's an attempt to understand what is happening in the 'e' phone. 

To put it simple terms…the (e) series just seems to be different sounding than the other series…a new different series.
So its a matter of what one prefers IMO. I wouldn't use the word better/worse, but just different from each other. I for one couldn't be happier with my i/is/PS series Grados.  

 

[Focker]

Looks like the tracking info indicates that my RS-2e phones will be here today...so I'll be able to offer some early impressions and take a few pics (of the headband, in particular) for those who might be interested. 
 
On a side note, I've always used the LD amp for my Grados, but I'm REALLY considering just going ahead and letting them run with the Meier stack like the others. I don't knwo if it's just that I never gave them enough head time before, or if it's the fact that I have access to my lossless tracks again, but the PS500s are sounding DAMN good right now on the main rig. I may just use the LD for a 2nd set up or as an alternative amp for when I'm wanting some tube flavor. But while the expression that "Im hearing things I never heard before" is way overused, that's pretty much what's happening. Or maybe it's just more than I'm hearing the Grados in a different way...I dunnno. But the last few days the PS500s have kept the LCD-X and T1 on the bench a bit longer than usual.