[Theogenes]

 
I say splurge a little,  treat yourself to the 80.

 
Or splurge a lot, and get a PS500! 

 
(I obviously have very little impulse control. So feel free to ignore this advice entirely. 

)

 

[audionewbi]

The grado series is so vast. I am in betweeen GS1000e and PS500e. For some reason I am assuming GS1000e is better than the RS2e hence why I have ignored it.  

 

[joe50000]

  The grado series is so vast. I am in betweeen GS1000e and PS500e. For some reason I am assuming GS1000e is better than the RS2e hence why I have ignored it.  

The GS1000e has a better soundstage, and is really, really, really, incredibly, amazingly detailed.  The bass is slightly loose but very punchy.  Treble can be peaky and fatiguing.  
 
The PS500e is dead neutral, but the bass and treble aren't rolled off.  The bass is much tighter with almost no decay and the treble is much less sibilant than the rest of the Grado line.  They're amazing for critical listening.  They're also very "fun" because their PRAT is probably the best below the PS1000e.  The soundstage is above-average but below the GS1000e and the PS1000e.  It has the "front and center" feel that most Grado headphones do.

 

[audionewbi]

  The GS1000e has a better soundstage, and is really, really, really, incredibly, amazingly detailed.  The bass is slightly loose but very punchy.  Treble can be peaky and fatiguing.  
 
The PS500e is dead neutral, but the bass and treble aren't rolled off.  The bass is much tighter with almost no decay and the treble is much less sibilant than the rest of the Grado line.  They're amazing for critical listening.  They're also very "fun" because their PRAT is probably the best below the PS1000e.  The soundstage is above-average but below the GS1000e and the PS1000e.  It has the "front and center" feel that most Grado headphones do.

thanks. I have read that some people can improve the soundstage by using the GS1000 earpad on their lower end model. It seems like PS500 would be the one to go to but I do like amazing detail. this is why i like EX-1000 so much but than it too has peaky treble and this is why i dont use it as often as i like.

 

[stacker45]

Although it's true that you can improve soundstage by using the G-cush on their less expensive models, it usually comes at an expense wich is a loss of bass extension and impact.
 
I have to admit that I'm a bit confused when it comes to Grado's new e series. Also I have learned over the years that newer, does not always mean better, it does however usually mean different, and it's not a given that people will automatically prefer the new model's sound signature.
 
I for one, will wait untill I can audition the new PS1000e, before selling my ''old'' PS1000, and in the mean time, I'm going to keep an eye out for the reviews that will start poping up, especially those from Head-Fi members who's opinion I trust, like Macedoniam Hero's.

 

[whirlwind]

I could not agree more with what you are saying about, Peter.
 
I have taken his advice a few times and have always come away with a smile on my face  

 

[sinnottj]

I finally got a reply from Grado's UK distributor (Armour) and the 'e' series will be available from 4th July: 
 

  GRADOs new e series will be released in the UK on the 4th of July.
 
It will take a little time after to get into our dealers.

 

[ThePianoMan]

^ I swear that's some sort of joke...
(I suppose Grado does operate out the US!)

 

[zazex]

 
x10000
 
Audio technology already reached it's top ages ago.
There is a reason for the high demand for certain vintage audio gear. The only reason for new products is because consumers assume a product isn't good anymore when it's more then 5 years in production, so the manufacturers keep releasing "new" products that in reality offer nothing new and are just fooling the consumers to buy more gear.

I've traded vintage audio gear (listened to it as well lol) > Marantz 7c, 8b, Mac 225, 240, 275; Revox A77, Dyna ST70, others...
When tweaked and biased properly and all that good stuff, this equipment sounds quite remarkable.
 
But, for example, Abbey Road Studio no longer uses a Mac 75 in each corner in its main room,
as it did whilst recording Dark Side of the Moon
and many other great albums.  They've moved on.
 
 
I disagree with the premise that "audio technology reached its top ages ago".
Especially when it comes to speakers.  Huge horns buried deep inside massive
wood cabinets don't reproduce sound as well as planars and ribbons.
 
A lot of the theory was there way back then, in the 50's, 60's, and 70's; but it's taken the huge leaps in materials technology
that have occurred since then to create the "higher fidelity" we have today.
 
________________________
 
 
Still, though, I agree with you that manufacturers often roll out "new" products
that are pretty much the same old thing in new dress - with slight, incremental
improvements.
 
Occasionally, there is something actually
new - and when there is, we all tend to know about it.  

 

[zazex]

  Not sure about the provenance of the change, nor the differences it could potentially make. However, personally, I'm holding out for comparisons of i-vs-e on some of the higher-end models (GS1k and PS1k in particular), with the thought that any actual differences between the older and newer runs would be more apparent on more resolving gear. Whether or not this is a reasonable approach remains to be seen, but it makes sense to me. 
 
Also, I just really like the GS1k anyway, and would love to know if and how the sound changes with the e-series. It would definitely be a bit easier on everyone if Grado would drop the whole Iron Curtain act and be a bit more forthcoming about these things, particularly as loyal as their customer base has been over the years... But I suppose that's asking the leopard to change its spots. Sigh. 

 
+1
+1

 

[gradofan1]

... so nobody has, say, a GS1000-E to compare to say, a GS1000 (non-i, for the heck of it) yet? Has Grado made any improvements on the GS1000 line since its release in 2006? I don't want to blow $1k and have it sound the same as my current GS1k...
 
 
Also, decades ago, the ER4-S was in every recording studio as were cIEM's. The only difference is that the price has come down.. literally the ER4-S has utilized the same technology for about 20 years?
 
But yes, I agree audio gear, especially orthos and planar dynamics, haven't reached their peak yet. Though what about the dynamic AKG K1000 or HP-1000?

 

[mcandmar]

  i just bought a pair of MS-Pro E in Thailand.
i have to say they are very different from the old version in many ways.
 
1.the mids is very forward.  it is even more forward than my Rs1i.
2.the bass is not tighter then , the magic of grado 's signature speedy bass seems disappear. it has gone, just dosen't exist at all.
3.the image of sound become larger nearer, soundstage become smaller.
 
don't expect improvement.
they are another phones.
 
don't sell your old mspro. they will become expensive in future.
 
owning Rs1e and old mspro might be a good choice.

 
Very interesting post, and exactly what i was looking for in this thread.   I could sell my entire headphone collection tomorrow, but the Ms-Pros you would have to prise from my cold dead fingers

 
I would be interested to hear your opinion again after a few months of living with both...

 

[sinnottj]

  ^ I swear that's some sort of joke...
(I suppose Grado does operate out the US!)

No joke intended ... just passing on information that may be of interest to UK forumers

 

[RedBull]

Sounds like akg k701, q701, k702, k702 annies, k712 iterations?

 

[davi3z]

   
Very interesting post, and exactly what i was looking for in this thread.   I could sell my entire headphone collection tomorrow, but the Ms-Pros you would have to prise from my cold dead fingers

 
I would be interested to hear your opinion again after a few months of living with both...

I purchased an "i"mpro and they are almost sold out in china now. i am lucky i can get one since in Thailand they are not on sale anymore. 
well. i didn't mean my new "E"mpro are not good. I love them. now they break in for longer time. Everything seems became better. the soundstage and the bass.
but they are more emphasized on the mid and more Rs1 than mpro"i". now i am using Large ear pad to listen to them so that I can bring back 
more mpro"i" characters. they are very suitable to listen to vocal.warm and near. it is like drinking a cup of espresso while the "i"mpro is like a cup of americano.
i won't be surprised if you tell me they are actually Rs1. I love "i" and "E" both. 
 
There are pros and cons on "E".Compared to "i"what I really found (up to now) "E"lack is that the "music liveliness" that "i" has. the feeling that shine your music, That 
young touching feeling that make you feel life is so good.  (Grado phones are art, I only can explain to you like this)
"E"is good in a way. but in terms of liveliness. they are a little bit plain boring or dull compared to "i".
 
if you love Grado phones,owning both i and E is a good choice.
"i"is a legend. "E"is a new beginning.