Grado e Series
Dec 22, 2014 at 8:02 PM Post #2,896 of 6,729
  So, what happened with preffering the PS1K's over the (e)?
What differences did you hear this time?
 
But not with the GS/PS1K's…they should come standard 1/4" termination…where as the SR 60-225 models come with standard 1/8".
Like I said, it wasn't a deal breaker for me in any way, and Grado IMMEDIATELY/GLADLY OFFERED TO CHANGE IT FOR ME…it just makes more sense this way especially with a 12 conductor cable.

 
It's nice to know that Grado offered to make things right with you, but the way I see it, they shouldn't have even been shipped out in the first place.
 
In my opinion, only the SR series should come with the 1/8 terminals.
 
And Joseph, regarding the PS1K vs the e, I think that if we own a pair of headphones that we love long enough, they often become the benchmark, and we percieve their sound as ''the right sound''. So, after reading some more positive impressions about the PS1000e, I decided to give them another try, but because it's the Christmass rush, they're open untill 9pm everyday, I couldn't bring the demos home with me, so I brought my test cd's to the store, not ideal, I know.
 
I still think that the old PS1k has a little more treble extension, and a slightly bigger soundstage, while the e has deeper bass, a smoother overall presentation. Like I have said many times, at this level, we're talking about sidesteps, not forward leaps.
 
My plan now, is to show up at my dealer's at closing time on the 24th, at 5pm, and I will only have to bring them back for the opening, on the 26th. That way If I decide to make a move, I may benefit from the boxing day Frenzy and get a good deal.
 
 I always bring the same 4 test CDs, and, just in case you're interrested, they are.
 
1) - The Holly Cole Trio......I Can See Clearly Now, song no:1
 
2) - Grant Geissman...Guitar Music For Small Room...Cold Blue Sake, song no:10
 
3) - Maranna Leporace...Best Audiophile Voices Vol. 5....Bizzare Love Triangle, song no:10
 
4) - Sarah Brightman... La luna...A Whiter Shade Of Pale, song no:5
 
 
 
 
  I'm back!
 
Hide yo kids, hide yo wife
 
Sorry about lowering the tone lads (I can't say it won't happen again) but I felt like it had to be said . And thanks to Stacker for not holding back.
 
If I don't get chance to say it, I do sincerely wish you all a very merry Christmas - and I'd like to thank all of you for making this website what it is - you've been a great help and have contributed to the newest, and one of the best hobbies I've ever had.

 
Don't thank me, it's like you just mention, it just had to be said.
 
Dec 22, 2014 at 9:00 PM Post #2,897 of 6,729
It's nice to know that Grado offered to make things right with you, but the way I see it, they shouldn't have even been shipped out in the first place.

In my opinion, only the SR series should come with the 1/8 terminals.

And Joseph, regarding the PS1K vs the e, I think that if we own a pair of headphones that we love long enough, they often become the benchmark, and we percieve their sound as ''the right sound''. So, after reading some more positive impressions about the PS1000e, I decided to give them another try, but because it's the Christmass rush, they're open untill 9pm everyday, I couldn't bring the demos home with me, so I brought my test cd's to the store, not ideal, I know.

I still think that the old PS1k has a little more treble extension, and a slightly bigger soundstage, while the e has deeper bass, a smoother overall presentation. Like I have said many times, at this level, we're talking about sidesteps, not forward leaps.

My plan now, is to show up at my dealer's at closing time on the 24th, at 5pm, and I will only have to bring them back for the opening, on the 26th. That way If I decide to make a move, I may benefit from the boxing day Frenzy and get a good deal.

 I always bring the same 4 test CDs, and, just in case you're interrested, they are.

1) - The Holly Cole Trio......I Can See Clearly Now, song no:1

2) - Grant Geissman...Guitar Music For Small Room...Cold Blue Sake, song no:10

3) - Maranna Leporace...Best Audiophile Voices Vol. 5....Bizzare Love Triangle, song no:10

4) - Sarah Brightman... La luna...A Whiter Shade Of Pale, song no:5





Don't thank me, it's like you just mention, it just had to be said.

I love your song no. 3. Love Marianna as a matter of fact. I have her "Best" Pop Acoustico album. I have all the Best Audiophile Voices I-VII plus the Selection (between IV and V). As I said before, they're sent from heaven. You listen to different artists, one sing after another, one album after another, and they're all great....the vocals, the instruments.

That particular sing by Marianna, Bizarre Love Triangle, is a wonderful test track. There's the acoustic at first 54 seconds, then the wonderful bass kicks in at 55 seconds (was discussing this on the LCD-2 thread to prove the LCD-2 ain't dark at all, just bass articulate).

Lately, I've been using Jack Johnson's (not the Jazzist) album "In Between Dreams" as a test track. Great voice, acoustic, high hats, drum kicks and pretty deep electronic but articulate bass. Great for both testing and relaxing without getting you into sleep, in fact it's more get go, perk up, but can still be a relaxed sound. Great messages too. Try this stacker45.
 
Dec 28, 2014 at 12:49 PM Post #2,898 of 6,729
Really been diggin my ps500e's with the sennheiser hd414 pads on! They maintain the beautiful grado mids while giving the bottom end a lot more weight and the top end less air which i find works extremely well for my pop, rnb, hip hop and electronic music. They also seem to give music a more expansive feel, like the foam is dispersing the sound around my ear better. Plus they look absolutely hideous so no one wants to wear them which is fine by me
smily_headphones1.gif
 
 
Dec 30, 2014 at 2:20 AM Post #2,899 of 6,729
Recently try the Grado Rs2e, Grado 325e, Grado 500e.
 
Grado Rs2e sounds thin and light compare to the rest. Grado 325e has more focus, precision and body weight compare to rs2e, making Grado 325e the better value. Grado 500e extends the sound qualities of Grado 325e further with better tonality, fuller sound (sound has more weight) and wider soundstage , making it sounds more natural.  I yet to hear the Grado Rs1e  but I hope it does not sound thin like Grado Rs2e.  Apparently e series improves upon the previous generation with noticeably deeper, louder sound and better separation due to more efficient driver, and the improvement is like going from single-ended to balanced connection.
 
I didn't quite enjoy the GS, PS series as they sound way too laidback (just to project larger soundstage) causing them to  lack the intimacy and liveliness of the lower series which are more "in your face". They just sound different not better than the lower series despite costing much more.
 
In the past I can't just get over the small soundstage of the previous low-end Grado (before gs, ps1000), but oddly enough the deeper sound of the e-series make me totally forget about the narrow soundstage and just let me  enjoy the music. Perhaps  that's the magic of the new Grado.
 
Dec 30, 2014 at 4:13 AM Post #2,900 of 6,729
I think your comparisons here are spot on. The 325e do have the focus and wider frequency range compared to (in my case) the RS1e. I thought the RS1e were the worst sounding Grado I have tried to date. I just couldn't understand how they evolved from the excellent RS1i.

The PS500e are the more grown up version of the 335e with a slightly smoother presentation, better tonality and more realism. I liked them so much from the first listen I was sold immediately. I bought a pair. Only problem was a dodgy left earphone which had a minor buzzing initially that went away (dust?) but I have replaced them with a new pair just to be on the safe side.

Yet to hear the new 1000e but these are just far too big for my liking and I found the GS1000i painfully bright when I owned them.

After the 500e the RS1i were my all time favourite from what I had heard.

In the last year I have owned Stax 507/323s, Stax 009/007tii Kimik, HD800, Audeze LCD-X and the aforementioned Grados (plus the 225e). The PS500e strikes the balance between sound quality, comfort (and weight), portability, and ease of drive. You can plug them into an iPhone and they sound fantastic.
 
Dec 30, 2014 at 2:44 PM Post #2,901 of 6,729
I think your comparisons here are spot on. The 325e do have the focus and wider frequency range compared to (in my case) the RS1e. I thought the RS1e were the worst sounding Grado I have tried to date. I just couldn't understand how they evolved from the excellent RS1i.

blink.gif

 
Say what?
 
I have the SR225e, RS1e, and RS1i, and I've heard the GS1000, PS500, SR325e and RS2e.
 
Both the RS1i and RS1e are my all time favorite, but if I have to choose only one, I'll choose the RS1e (or maybe RS1i, depends to my mood 
wink.gif
).
 
Dec 30, 2014 at 3:20 PM Post #2,902 of 6,729
I have heard the PS500i before and didn't like them but it sounds like the new 'E' version might be considerably better. I hope I didn't make a huge mistake by ordering some SR325e's last week. Good news is I have a 30day return to work with so I could still trade up to the 500 if I feel the need to. I too have heard a lot of Grado's and I still feel the SR325 are one of the best in the entire lineup.
 
Dec 30, 2014 at 3:24 PM Post #2,903 of 6,729
:blink:

Say what?

I have the SR225e, RS1e, and RS1i, and I've heard the GS1000, PS500, SR325e and RS2e.

Both the RS1i and RS1e are my all time favorite, but if I have to choose only one, I'll choose the RS1e (or maybe RS1i, depends to my mood :wink: ).


Why? Can you elaborate on why you'd choose the RS1e over the RS1i? I'm actually in a dilemma on which Grado to buy now...PS500e had good impressions...I miss my RS1i that I sold...RS1i hard to find, so might be RS1e...some say RS2e is closest to RS1i...and there's the SR325e making waves too...then the lighter SR225 but with the drivers and cable of the 325...I'm losing sleep...:D
 
Dec 30, 2014 at 4:19 PM Post #2,904 of 6,729
  I have heard the PS500i before and didn't like them but it sounds like the new 'E' version might be considerably better. I hope I didn't make a huge mistake by ordering some SR325e's last week. Good news is I have a 30day return to work with so I could still trade up to the 500 if I feel the need to. I too have heard a lot of Grado's and I still feel the SR325 are one of the best in the entire lineup.

Congratulations on the 325e.
Enjoy!
 
Dec 30, 2014 at 6:47 PM Post #2,905 of 6,729
Why? Can you elaborate on why you'd choose the RS1e over the RS1i? I'm actually in a dilemma on which Grado to buy now...PS500e had good impressions...I miss my RS1i that I sold...RS1i hard to find, so might be RS1e...some say RS2e is closest to RS1i...and there's the SR325e making waves too...then the lighter SR225 but with the drivers and cable of the 325...I'm losing sleep...
biggrin.gif

 
IMO, the RS1i has more V-shape and also a bit thinner sound in compare to the RS1e with more natural sound and better soundstage. I love the RS1i for rock music but the RS1e is more all-rounder.  The what I really like about the RS1e is, other than the stock L-cash, they sound great (but different) with Grado/Ear Zonk G-cush.
 
IMHO, the 325e/225e sound more close to the RS1e, and RS2e sound close to the RS1i ("close" not the same or same SQ level).  
 
I've never felt that I need the PS500s since I like the Grado headphones for the Grado house of sound. I put my LCD-2 on when I want to hear a better bass or a darker sound. 
 
Dec 30, 2014 at 10:29 PM Post #2,906 of 6,729
IMO, the RS1i has more V-shape and also a bit thinner sound in compare to the RS1e with more natural sound and better soundstage. I love the RS1i for rock music but the RS1e is more all-rounder.  The what I really like about the RS1e is, other than the stock L-cash, they sound great (but different) with Grado/Ear Zonk G-cush.

IMHO, the 325e/225e sound more close to the RS1e, and RS2e sound close to the RS1i ("close" not the same or same SQ level).  

I've never felt that I need the PS500s since I like the Grado headphones for the Grado house of sound. I put my LCD-2 on when I want to hear a better bass or a darker sound. 


Thanks for that. Very helpful.
 
Dec 31, 2014 at 11:40 AM Post #2,907 of 6,729
I managed to audition a friend’s Rs1e which he has used for around 30 hours. Judging from the sound improvement make to 325e and ps500e I expect no less from Rs1e which is considered one of the most popular Grado headphones. Surely Grado will save the best for last for Rs1e. Sad to say, based on my initial impression, it is the most underwhelming headphone among the Grado new series. I finally get to understand the following description from Rs1e’s owners, with words such “muffled, dark/romantic, sloppy, boring and dull”.
 
So let me describe the sound of Rs1e.
 
In comparison to Rs1i, both are  2D flat sounding judging from the vocal performance and share the same Grado’s bright sound signature with Rs1i bit brighter and thinner sound. Rs1e has slight fuller sound, however it has one major issue, it suffers from roll-off. It is like the sound has hit a ceiling, and you can sense that the sound of the instrument and vocal is restricted by the ceiling, with the instruments’ sound congested at the ceiling unable to go any higher (vocal is less affected, but anything else is apparent). with so many instrument sound congested at the ceiling, it is no wonder why some listeners describe it as muffled/sloppy. Rs1e also lack the impactful,  powerful sound and better soundstage of the 325e, let alone the ps500e. 325e and ps500e sound amazing out of the box and they do not suffer from roll-off like rs1e. In addition Rs1e sounds light and polite and that maybe why it feels so 2d sounding (or dull/boring as others describe). 325e and ps500e improve on its previous generation by having more kick, deeper and powerful sound, and thus able to project a 3D sound image better with perceivable depth and height.
 
I don’t think that Rs1e is dark or romantic sounding, it is just slightly less bright than Rs1i,  less aggressive, is devoid of any graininess and has very clean sound. The dark sound is I what perceive to be like Audeze LCD2.2 without fazor, with sense of graininess but Rs1e’s sound does not fit that.
 
From what I thought  from listening to most of grado’s e series headphones, 325e and ps500e standout as the most improved in the series. GS1000e and PS1000e has sound improvement in term of clarity but it is less apparent due to their laid-back sound as compare to “in your face” sound of the 325e and ps500e.
 
It is well-known that Grado headphones sound better with time so some mention that rs1e just needs longer burn-in. However I don’t think it will a make huge difference as it may reduce but not eliminate the roll-off.  If the burn-in does improve the sound significantly (at least close to the level of 325e), it is better that Grado burn-in the Rs1e during production rather than relying on users to do it  as they usually don’t have much patience, and their first impression count. Generally if the headphones do not sound good out of the box, it is hard to accept that they sound great later.
 
I feel that Grado is going the right direction with 325e and ps500e but not so with rs1e. 325e and ps500e have sound that can compete with the big boys in the 1k headphones.
 
I'm trying to see what is the issue with rs1e. The driver in rs1e is definitely is as good as ps500e, and that everything else are been reused ( headband, frame, cables etc). So the only reason could be the earcup.  It seems that Grado has perfect the synergy between the metal-cum-wood earcup and the efficient driver,  increasing the performance gap further from its costlier wooden siblings.
 
But still,  I waiting to listen for a well burn-in rs1e with sound improvement that may change my opinion.
 
So even though rs1i has a thin sound, at least it does not suffer from the roll-off as the Rs1e. I actually intend to sell off my Rs1i to get Rs1e but after listening to the latter, look like the Rs1i isn’t going to a new home any time soon.
 
Dec 31, 2014 at 12:59 PM Post #2,908 of 6,729
I managed to audition a friend’s Rs1e which he has used for around 30 hours. Judging from the sound improvement make to 325e and ps500e I expect no less from Rs1e which is considered one of the most popular Grado headphones. Surely Grado will save the best for last for Rs1e. Sad to say, based on my initial impression, it is the most underwhelming headphone among the Grado new series. I finally get to understand the following description from Rs1e’s owners, with words such “muffled, dark/romantic, sloppy, boring and dull”.

So let me describe the sound of Rs1e.

In comparison to Rs1i, both are  2D flat sounding judging from the vocal performance and share the same Grado’s bright sound signature with Rs1i bit brighter and thinner sound. Rs1e has slight fuller sound, however it has one major issue, it suffers from roll-off. It is like the sound has hit a ceiling, and you can sense that the sound of the instrument and vocal is restricted by the ceiling, with the instruments’ sound congested at the ceiling unable to go any higher (vocal is less affected, but anything else is apparent). with so many instrument sound congested at the ceiling, it is no wonder why some listeners describe it as muffled/sloppy. Rs1e also lack the impactful,  powerful sound and better soundstage of the 325e, let alone the ps500e. 325e and ps500e sound amazing out of the box and they do not suffer from roll-off like rs1e. In addition Rs1e sounds light and polite and that maybe why it feels so 2d sounding (or dull/boring as others describe). 325e and ps500e improve on its previous generation by having more kick, deeper and powerful sound, and thus able to project a 3D sound image better with perceivable depth and height.

I don’t think that Rs1e is dark or romantic sounding, it is just slightly less bright than Rs1i,  less aggressive, is devoid of any graininess and has very clean sound. The dark sound is I what perceive to be like Audeze LCD2.2 without fazor, with sense of graininess but Rs1e’s sound does not fit that.

From what I thought  from listening to most of grado’s e series headphones, 325e and ps500e standout as the most improved in the series. GS1000e and PS1000e has sound improvement in term of clarity but it is less apparent due to their laid-back sound as compare to “in your face” sound of the 325e and ps500e.

It is well-known that Grado headphones sound better with time so some mention that rs1e just needs longer burn-in. However I don’t think it will a make huge difference as it may reduce but not eliminate the roll-off.  If the burn-in does improve the sound significantly (at least close to the level of 325e), it is better that Grado burn-in the Rs1e during production rather than relying on users to do it  as they usually don’t have much patience, and their first impression count. Generally if the headphones do not sound good out of the box, it is hard to accept that they sound great later.

I feel that Grado is going the right direction with 325e and ps500e but not so with rs1e. 325e and ps500e have sound that can compete with the big boys in the 1k headphones.

I'm trying to see what is the issue with rs1e. The driver in rs1e is definitely is as good as ps500e, and that everything else are been reused ( headband, frame, cables etc). So the only reason could be the earcup.  It seems that Grado has perfect the synergy between the metal-cum-wood earcup and the efficient driver,  increasing the performance gap further from its costlier wooden siblings.

But still,  I waiting to listen for a well burn-in rs1e with sound improvement that may change my opinion.

So even though rs1i has a thin sound, at least it does not suffer from the roll-off as the Rs1e. I actually intend to sell off my Rs1i to get Rs1e but after listening to the latter, look like the Rs1i isn’t going to a new home any time soon.


I agree and disagree all at the same time.

I like to call the sound sig of the rs1e "rounded" a little rolled off at both ends, but I enjoy the sound. The clarity is good, its full sounding, detailed enough and oozes texture with the right music. It's a fun headphone, not a precision instrument.
 
Dec 31, 2014 at 1:16 PM Post #2,909 of 6,729
Yes. to some they may enjoy the rs1e despite the rolloff.
 
hmmm, the question is why do people want to pay so much for a premium headphone that sound roll off compare to its cheaper siblings ? Did Grado intentionally voice the headphone to have the rolloff ? In fact rs1e is the only headphone in the e-series that I listen ranging from sr80e to ps1000e that suffer from the obvious roll-off.
 
Dec 31, 2014 at 1:35 PM Post #2,910 of 6,729
  Yes. to some they may enjoy the rs1e despite the rolloff.
 
hmmm, the question is why do people want to pay so much for a premium headphone that sound roll off compare to its cheaper siblings ? Did Grado intentionally voice the headphone to have the rolloff ? In fact rs1e is the only headphone in the e-series that I listen ranging from sr80e to ps1000e that suffer from the obvious roll-off.

 
Well, my RS1e is brighter and has less roll-off than my SR225e. 
 

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