[whirlwind]

 

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

  Here's my take on the RS2e vs RS1i.  Buckle up, it's a long read.
 
 
* Sound signature:
The overall character of the two is similar.  I find the treble is about the same between them.  The difference is that the mids are fuller on the RS2e, which may give the impression that they're less treble heavy, but they're every bit as bright.  Vocals and other sounds in the upper mids sound a little more natural because of this increased fullness. 
 
In comparison, the 1i has a bit of a U shaped response where the mids are recessed and the top and bottom are emphasized instead.   This gives the 1i a lot of focus in the upper mids and is probably why they have such great emotion, but it also awkwardly takes some of the body away from instruments.  Hence the 2e sounding more natural. 
 
The bass is clearly less extended on the 2e.  That doesn't mean that it sounds bad in any way, as it's very tight and thick, but it just doesn't vibrate as deep as on the 1i.  It's not so weak that it unbalances the sound, but if the fuller mids weren't there to pick up the slack the 2e would be a little top heavy. 
 
 
*Soundstage:
The 2e stage is notably smaller and less airy than the 1i, sounding much closer and more "in your face."  It actually reminds me of the SR series, 225's in particular.  The 1i has a lot more distance and width, which gives it a grander sound.   This isn't so much a matter of better or worse, but I do feel like the sound has more space to reach out with the 1i while the 2e feels constrained within a set distance. 
 
The separation is clearly better with the 2e, and this is especially apparent with vocal harmonies.  Every single voice can be heard at once, and I'm easily hearing many things in general that I never noticed with the 1i after years of listening to them.  The separation brings an increase in clarity to the overall sound that makes me feel like I can hear anything with these headphones.  Going back to the 1i, a few things get reburied in the mix. 
 
 
*Random observations:
The 2e sounds a lot more stable and solid than the 1i, which has a slightly more hollow, grainy, almost brittle quality in direct comparison.  I don't know if it's the fuller mids or the resonance reductions, but the 2e definitely sounds tighter and heavier in spite of the more limited bass. 
 
The 2e wins by a landslide with electronica.  I couldn't really find a single Autechre or Aphex Twin track that I didn't prefer the 2e for.  The extra separation, mids, and more stable sound really seem to pay off for music with extreme percussive details like this. 
 
The 1i is still better for classical.  The wider soundstage, more delicate mids, and sense of distance suit strings much better.  Rock is a toss-up. 
 
RS2e clearly wins in the looks department.  The brown headband pushes it over the top, it even matches the color of the new earcups closely.  I feel guilty even posting without pics.
 
 
Summary:
The 1i still sounds like the higher end headphone.  It has the better extension, bigger soundstaging, and classier sound.  The 2e is a little closer to the SR series side of things, but the quality gap is not big at all.  Despite the $200 difference, I consider them nearly on the same level. 
 
The RS2e should be considered a sidestep from the RS1i, then.  It does some things better, some worse.  With the RS1e being as lame as it is, it was tempting to think the 2e might offer the upgrade that RS1i owners wanted, and it nearly does.  The real tragedy of the RS1e is that it easily would have topped the RS1i if it had just stuck with the RS2e sound and improved it;  the 2e's biggest weaknesses are the smaller soundstage and limited bass depth, both of which would have been solved by the larger RS1 earcups and general driver upgrade.  Such a waste. 
 
I still don't know which headphones I'm keeping.  Again, it's a very close call.  I'd be happy to stick with either one of them.

 

Thanks for your review....well done.
 
I agree that the RS1e was a horrible waste....you would think that it would get fixed..but apparently it is the sound that Grado themselves were shooting for, even if it is not much accepted by the buyers.
 
It just seems so strange that they would stray far away from what was a very classical model for years.
 
The RS2e seems to be a very nice and popular headphone and one that I may try at some point.

 

[Nerrel]

   
I agree that the RS1e was a horrible waste....you would think that it would get fixed..but apparently it is the sound that Grado themselves were shooting for, even if it is not much accepted by the buyers.
 
It just seems so strange that they would stray far away from what was a very classical model for years.

What's strange about is that it's only the 1e that sounds like that.  If Grado really thought the rolled off treble sounded good... why not do it across the board?  Every other model still has the sparkly Grado treble in full force, so obviously Grado didn't think the muffled RS1e sound would have been an improvement in any other model... why was the RS1 different? 
 
I think it has to be due to the 50mm drivers.  They seem fine in the GS/PS1000e, so obviously they don't work well with the L-cush pads or the smaller RS1 air chamber.   I appreciate that they may be superior on paper, but the RS1 size just doesn't seem to be a good fit. 

 

[whirlwind]

 

   
I agree that the RS1e was a horrible waste....you would think that it would get fixed..but apparently it is the sound that Grado themselves were shooting for, even if it is not much accepted by the buyers.
 
It just seems so strange that they would stray far away from what was a very classical model for years.

What's strange about is that it's only the 1e that sounds like that.  If Grado really thought the rolled off treble sounded good... why not do it across the board?  Every other model still has the sparkly Grado treble in full force, so obviously Grado didn't think the muffled RS1e sound would have been an improvement in any other model... why was the RS1 different? 
 
I think it has to be due to the 50mm drivers.  They seem fine in the GS/PS1000e, so obviously they don't work well with the L-cush pads or the smaller RS1 air chamber.   I appreciate that they may be superior on paper, but the RS1 size just doesn't seem to be a good fit. 

It is almost like they did not give them a listen 

 

[joseph69]

  I think it has to be due to the 50mm drivers.  They seem fine in the GS/PS1000e, so obviously they don't work well with the L-cush pads or the smaller RS1 air chamber. 

Have you/anyone tried the RS-1e with the (G) cushions?

 

[chailee80]

What's strange about is that it's only the 1e that sounds like that.  If Grado really thought the rolled off treble sounded good... why not do it across the board?  Every other model still has the sparkly Grado treble in full force, so obviously Grado didn't think the muffled RS1e sound would have been an improvement in any other model... why was the RS1 different? 

I think it has to be due to the 50mm drivers.  They seem fine in the GS/PS1000e, so obviously they don't work well with the L-cush pads or the smaller RS1 air chamber.   I appreciate that they may be superior on paper, but the RS1 size just doesn't seem to be a good fit. 

I've listened to quite a few of the e series and the treble is noticeably different from the i series on most if not all of them. I discussed this with a few of the headphone store staff and it appears that with the so called changing of the guard at Grado hq the new e series which was overseen by Johnathan Grado has been tuned to be able handle contemporary music better. Apparently John Grado is more of a vinyl man where as his son is more into digital music which would explain the changes they made.

 

[winterandsummer]

  Here's my take on the RS2e vs RS1i.  Buckle up, it's a long read.

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

 
* Sound signature:
The overall character of the two is similar.  I find the treble is about the same between them.  The difference is that the mids are fuller on the RS2e, which may give the impression that they're less treble heavy, but they're every bit as bright.  Vocals and other sounds in the upper mids sound a little more natural because of this increased fullness. 
 
In comparison, the 1i has a bit of a U shaped response where the mids are recessed and the top and bottom are emphasized instead.   This gives the 1i a lot of focus in the upper mids and is probably why they have such great emotion, but it also awkwardly takes some of the body away from instruments.  Hence the 2e sounding more natural. 
 
The bass is clearly less extended on the 2e.  That doesn't mean that it sounds bad in any way, as it's very tight and thick, but it just doesn't vibrate as deep as on the 1i.  It's not so weak that it unbalances the sound, but if the fuller mids weren't there to pick up the slack the 2e would be a little top heavy. 
 
 
*Soundstage:
The 2e stage is notably smaller and less airy than the 1i, sounding much closer and more "in your face."  It actually reminds me of the SR series, 225's in particular.  The 1i has a lot more distance and width, which gives it a grander sound.   This isn't so much a matter of better or worse, but I do feel like the sound has more space to reach out with the 1i while the 2e feels constrained within a set distance. 
 
The separation is clearly better with the 2e, and this is especially apparent with vocal harmonies.  Every single voice can be heard at once, and I'm easily hearing many things in general that I never noticed with the 1i after years of listening to them.  The separation brings an increase in clarity to the overall sound that makes me feel like I can hear anything with these headphones.  Going back to the 1i, a few things get reburied in the mix. 
 
 
*Random observations:
The 2e sounds a lot more stable and solid than the 1i, which has a slightly more hollow, grainy, almost brittle quality in direct comparison.  I don't know if it's the fuller mids or the resonance reductions, but the 2e definitely sounds tighter and heavier in spite of the more limited bass. 
 
The 2e wins by a landslide with electronica.  I couldn't really find a single Autechre or Aphex Twin track that I didn't prefer the 2e for.  The extra separation, mids, and more stable sound really seem to pay off for music with extreme percussive details like this. 
 
The 1i is still better for classical.  The wider soundstage, more delicate mids, and sense of distance suit strings much better.  Rock is a toss-up. 
 
RS2e clearly wins in the looks department.  The brown headband pushes it over the top, it even matches the color of the new earcups closely.  I feel guilty even posting without pics.
 
 
Summary:
The 1i still sounds like the higher end headphone.  It has the better extension, bigger soundstaging, and classier sound.  The 2e is a little closer to the SR series side of things, but the quality gap is not big at all.  Despite the $200 difference, I consider them nearly on the same level. 
 
The RS2e should be considered a sidestep from the RS1i, then.  It does some things better, some worse.  With the RS1e being as lame as it is, it was tempting to think the 2e might offer the upgrade that RS1i owners wanted, and it nearly does.  The real tragedy of the RS1e is that it easily would have topped the RS1i if it had just stuck with the RS2e sound and improved it;  the 2e's biggest weaknesses are the smaller soundstage and limited bass depth, both of which would have been solved by the larger RS1 earcups and general driver upgrade.  Such a waste. 
 
I still don't know which headphones I'm keeping.  Again, it's a very close call.  I'd be happy to stick with either one of them.

 

is that with the exact same pads ? (or old vs new pads)

 

[Zuqi]

  Here's my take on the RS2e vs RS1i.  Buckle up, it's a long read.
 
 
* Sound signature:
The overall character of the two is similar.  I find the treble is about the same between them.  The difference is that the mids are fuller on the RS2e, which may give the impression that they're less treble heavy, but they're every bit as bright.  Vocals and other sounds in the upper mids sound a little more natural because of this increased fullness. 
 
In comparison, the 1i has a bit of a U shaped response where the mids are recessed and the top and bottom are emphasized instead.   This gives the 1i a lot of focus in the upper mids and is probably why they have such great emotion, but it also awkwardly takes some of the body away from instruments.  Hence the 2e sounding more natural. 
 
The bass is clearly less extended on the 2e.  That doesn't mean that it sounds bad in any way, as it's very tight and thick, but it just doesn't vibrate as deep as on the 1i.  It's not so weak that it unbalances the sound, but if the fuller mids weren't there to pick up the slack the 2e would be a little top heavy. 
 
 
*Soundstage:
The 2e stage is notably smaller and less airy than the 1i, sounding much closer and more "in your face."  It actually reminds me of the SR series, 225's in particular.  The 1i has a lot more distance and width, which gives it a grander sound.   This isn't so much a matter of better or worse, but I do feel like the sound has more space to reach out with the 1i while the 2e feels constrained within a set distance. 
 
The separation is clearly better with the 2e, and this is especially apparent with vocal harmonies.  Every single voice can be heard at once, and I'm easily hearing many things in general that I never noticed with the 1i after years of listening to them.  The separation brings an increase in clarity to the overall sound that makes me feel like I can hear anything with these headphones.  Going back to the 1i, a few things get reburied in the mix. 
 
 
*Random observations:
The 2e sounds a lot more stable and solid than the 1i, which has a slightly more hollow, grainy, almost brittle quality in direct comparison.  I don't know if it's the fuller mids or the resonance reductions, but the 2e definitely sounds tighter and heavier in spite of the more limited bass. 
 
The 2e wins by a landslide with electronica.  I couldn't really find a single Autechre or Aphex Twin track that I didn't prefer the 2e for.  The extra separation, mids, and more stable sound really seem to pay off for music with extreme percussive details like this. 
 
The 1i is still better for classical.  The wider soundstage, more delicate mids, and sense of distance suit strings much better.  Rock is a toss-up. 
 
RS2e clearly wins in the looks department.  The brown headband pushes it over the top, it even matches the color of the new earcups closely.  I feel guilty even posting without pics.
 
 
Summary:
The 1i still sounds like the higher end headphone.  It has the better extension, bigger soundstaging, and classier sound.  The 2e is a little closer to the SR series side of things, but the quality gap is not big at all.  Despite the $200 difference, I consider them nearly on the same level. 
 
The RS2e should be considered a sidestep from the RS1i, then.  It does some things better, some worse.  With the RS1e being as lame as it is, it was tempting to think the 2e might offer the upgrade that RS1i owners wanted, and it nearly does.  The real tragedy of the RS1e is that it easily would have topped the RS1i if it had just stuck with the RS2e sound and improved it;  the 2e's biggest weaknesses are the smaller soundstage and limited bass depth, both of which would have been solved by the larger RS1 earcups and general driver upgrade.  Such a waste. 
 
I still don't know which headphones I'm keeping.  Again, it's a very close call.  I'd be happy to stick with either one of them.

Very nice write up, I agree with your impression wholeheartedlly. This is by far the most objective and detailed comparision I've read regarding the two.
BTW, the RS2e did sound a lot alike the SR225i. To repeat what you've said: the RS1i sounds more like a high-end headphone (speaker-ish if I'm correct) whereas the RS2e sounds more like SR series (headphone-ish).

 

[Nerrel]

  Have you/anyone tried the RS-1e with the (G) cushions?

Yes.  They sounded amazing in a lot of ways; the treble opened way up and the soundstaging was extremely realistic.   All the problems with the muffled highs and harsh mids were solved instantly.  The treble became almost too bright though, and the mids and bass suffered a big recession.  The sound was too unbalanced to listen to- not that the 1e is balanced with the L cush.  The pads at least proved that the 1e could have been an incredible headphone if they had been designed around G-cush pads (with the extra bass/mids needed to compensate).
 

I've listened to quite a few of the e series and the treble is noticeably different from the i series on most if not all of them.

I understand that they're all different, but the RS1e is still the standout in terms of how drastic the treble cut is.  The other e models I've heard are fairly similar to the past versions with subtle tweaks, but the RS1e sounds like a completely different headphone than the RS1i.
 
I understand that Grado may want to appeal to modern listeners and that low quality digital files may fare better with the rolled off treble, but the RS1 is the last headphone in the world that should be designed around an iphone.  A wooden bodied hifi headset just seems to be on the complete opposite end of the spectrum from portable listening. 
 

  is that with the exact same pads ? (or old vs new pads)

Same pads in the sense that they're both the stock L-cush, but not literally the exact same pads swapped between models. 
 

  To repeat what you've said: the RS1i sounds more like a high-end headphone (speaker-ish if I'm correct) whereas the RS2e sounds more like SR series (headphone-ish).

I do agree with that.  The RS1i presentation is a lot more surreal and airy, as if you're a few rows back and have room to take everything in easily.  The RS2e is more intense and sounds like it's closely surrounding your head.  Again, not a matter of better or worse, but the RS1i does have the fancier presentation. 

 

[sling5s]

Here's my take on the RS2e vs RS1i.  Buckle up, it's a long read.


* Sound signature:
The overall character of the two is similar.  I find the treble is about the same between them.  The difference is that the mids are fuller on the RS2e, which may give the impression that they're less treble heavy, but they're every bit as bright.  Vocals and other sounds in the upper mids sound a little more natural because of this increased fullness. 

In comparison, the 1i has a bit of a U shaped response where the mids are recessed and the top and bottom are emphasized instead.   This gives the 1i a lot of focus in the upper mids and is probably why they have such great emotion, but it also awkwardly takes some of the body away from instruments.  Hence the 2e sounding more natural. 

The bass is clearly less extended on the 2e.  That doesn't mean that it sounds bad in any way, as it's very tight and thick, but it just doesn't vibrate as deep as on the 1i.  It's not so weak that it unbalances the sound, but if the fuller mids weren't there to pick up the slack the 2e would be a little top heavy. 


*Soundstage:
The 2e stage is notably smaller and less airy than the 1i, sounding much closer and more "in your face."  It actually reminds me of the SR series, 225's in particular.  The 1i has a lot more distance and width, which gives it a grander sound.   This isn't so much a matter of better or worse, but I do feel like the sound has more space to reach out with the 1i while the 2e feels constrained within a set distance. 

The separation is clearly better with the 2e, and this is especially apparent with vocal harmonies.  Every single voice can be heard at once, and I'm easily hearing many things in general that I never noticed with the 1i after years of listening to them.  The separation brings an increase in clarity to the overall sound that makes me feel like I can hear anything with these headphones.  Going back to the 1i, a few things get reburied in the mix. 


*Random observations:
The 2e sounds a lot more stable and solid than the 1i, which has a slightly more hollow, grainy, almost brittle quality in direct comparison.  I don't know if it's the fuller mids or the resonance reductions, but the 2e definitely sounds tighter and heavier in spite of the more limited bass. 

The 2e wins by a landslide with electronica.  I couldn't really find a single Autechre or Aphex Twin track that I didn't prefer the 2e for.  The extra separation, mids, and more stable sound really seem to pay off for music with extreme percussive details like this. 

The 1i is still better for classical.  The wider soundstage, more delicate mids, and sense of distance suit strings much better.  Rock is a toss-up. 

RS2e clearly wins in the looks department.  The brown headband pushes it over the top, it even matches the color of the new earcups closely.  I feel guilty even posting without pics.


Summary:
The 1i still sounds like the higher end headphone.  It has the better extension, bigger soundstaging, and classier sound.  The 2e is a little closer to the SR series side of things, but the quality gap is not big at all.  Despite the $200 difference, I consider them nearly on the same level. 

The RS2e should be considered a sidestep from the RS1i, then.  It does some things better, some worse.  With the RS1e being as lame as it is, it was tempting to think the 2e might offer the upgrade that RS1i owners wanted, and it nearly does.  The real tragedy of the RS1e is that it easily would have topped the RS1i if it had just stuck with the RS2e sound and improved it;  the 2e's biggest weaknesses are the smaller soundstage and limited bass depth, both of which would have been solved by the larger RS1 earcups and general driver upgrade.  Such a waste. 

I still don't know which headphones I'm keeping.  Again, it's a very close call.  I'd be happy to stick with either one of them.

Great impressions. I didn't have the rs1i to directly compare with my rs2e but I concur with impressions. The mids are fuller on the Rs2e. Which is what I always wanted in the rs1i. I also think they are equally bright but I feel they have different upper mid and treble peak emphasis. I could be wrong because I no longer have a rs1i.

 

[joseph69]

  Yes.  They sounded amazing in a lot of ways; the treble opened way up and the soundstaging was extremely realistic.   All the problems with the muffled highs and harsh mids were solved instantly.  The treble became almost too bright though, and the mids and bass suffered a big recession.  The sound was too unbalanced to listen to- not that the 1e is balanced with the L cush.  The pads at least proved that the 1e could have been an incredible headphone if they had been designed around G-cush pads (with the extra bass/mids needed to compensate).
 
I understand that they're all different, but the RS1e is still the standout in terms of how drastic the treble cut is.  The other e models I've heard are fairly similar to the past versions with subtle tweaks, but the RS1e sounds like a completely different headphone than the RS1i.
 
I understand that Grado may want to appeal to modern listeners and that low quality digital files may fare better with the rolled off treble, but the RS1 is the last headphone in the world that should be designed around an iphone.  A wooden bodied hifi headset just seems to be on the complete opposite end of the spectrum from portable listening. 
 
Same pads in the sense that they're both the stock L-cush, but not literally the exact same pads swapped between models. 
 
I do agree with that.  The RS1i presentation is a lot more surreal and airy, as if you're a few rows back and have room to take everything in easily.  The RS2e is more intense and sounds like it's closely surrounding your head.  Again, not a matter of better or worse, but the RS1i does have the fancier presentation. 

Thanks. 
I was just curious as to if they sounded better/worse with the (G) cushions.
From your description, I heard the same changes in sound when I tried using my 325is's with the (G) cushions.
This is just my experience/opinion…I do know a lot of people like their 325's with the (G) cushions, but I absolutely prefer the (L) cushions with my 325is's. 

 

 

[maltronics]

Thank you for the excellent write-up on the RS2e vs RS1i Nerrel! I was wondering how the two would fare pitted against one another
and you made that clear and concise.  
 
For myself, I think I would rather trade off a slightly fuller midrange in the RS2e for a little more oomph in the lower range of the RS1i.
 
What say you on this Joseph, or anyone else who owns RS1i's?

 

[joseph69]

Originally Posted by maltronics /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
 
What say you on this Joseph, or anyone else who owns RS1i's?

I really can't say because I never heard the RS-2e…but I love my RS-1i's and feel the mid-range is full of beauty!!! 
And if I want, I can tune the mid-range too my liking by throwing some different tube combos in the WA6! 

 
 
I would like to (and sure I will) hear both the 325e/RS-2e's some day.

 

[XLR8]

Nerrel great review.
I have yet to compare my RS1i's with the rs2e but every time i put the rs1i's on its reference time listening.
There are small tweaks to improving its sound but overall very happy with it. The rs2e and other e series have a unique sound signature which is imho determined by the driver. This new e series driver has both pros and cons as others have mentioned.
It's not until you compare it to the previous series or even the original Joseph series grados that you hear flaws and improvements.
The analogy of the new management appealing to new age digital music (with treble capped) as opposed to older generation vinyl (warts and all music) appears to be accurate in the current scheme of things.

 

[Nerrel]

Here are some photos:
  https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7631/16818375970_44b94449b5_o.jpg
 

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8695/17004456892_48a959d659_o.jpg
 
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8701/16818140408_6e4ddb233b_o.jpg

 
For the hell of it, here's the RS1e with the G-cush:

 

[dr cornelius]

Thanks for the review and the pics!