[Harry Manback]

Favorites other than Grado:

HD600
HD650

How does the bass compare to that of your Grados?

 

[Harry Manback]

HIFIMAN HE-400i or Fostex TH-X00

Please give a comparison to your favorite Grado. The HE-400i seems pretty popular among Gradaholics.

 

[GrouchoMarx1933]

For some reason, I keep reading ''porno player''

Well, the mind sees what it wants to!

 

[BobG55]

 

Favorites other than Grado:

HD600
HD650

How does the bass compare to that of your Grados?

Hi Harry Manback.  I just took this picture.  The AMP/DAC in the picture is a Benchmark DAC1 HDR which features two headphone jacks.  I chose the Grado PS1000e and compared it to both HD6X0.  The Senns in the picture is the HD650.
 
To answer your question, based on a quick listen :
 
1-) The Grado PS1Ke vs HD600, focusing strictly on the bass, they are pretty even.  The HD600 is a flat/neutral sounding headphone       & the bass is not a prominent feature of the PS1Ke.  The only difference I could barely detect is that the HD600 bass sounds just a bit further away but is clearly present; the bass on the PS1Ke is somewhat more forward and seems a bit tighter.  
 
2-) The bass on the HD650 is more prominent/present than on the PSK1e but they are two different animals when it comes to overall sound.  The bass on the Grado is still more forward but this headphone is so balanced that it's hard to focus on the bass alone.
 
I tried two methods, one was switching headphones quickly while listening to the same song.  The second method was listening to the left side of the Grado & the right side of the HD6X0.  In conclusion, I found the experiment to be difficult overall but I hope I gave you some perspective on the differences : the bass is : HD650 more prominent, PSK1e less prominent but somewhat more forward & tight but mixed in with an overall balance of the sounds (highs, mids & bass), the HD600 flat neutral overall sound with the bass clearly heard but seems a sounds a bit more distant.

 

[BobG55]

 

  I'm listening to a rip of the MFSL gold CD of Tom Petty's Full Moon Fever. The details and resolution are just staggering through my 225e connected to my Pono player. I really am in love with these headphones.

 
For some reason, I keep reading ''porno player''

Mmmmmm .... clearly a case of Freudian Slip. 

​

 

[hardbop]

  A mini-but-sweet challenge for Grado fans to listen to 'Nightingale by Norah Jones'.
 
It has her beautiful amazing (almost wistful) lyrics. Some double bass....ahhhh. Piano, acoutics guitar, and some light electric guitar. All good Grado tones.
 
Anyway yes @joseph69 made a couple of references to chats we had. To clarify, one was about recommendations for music. I suggested the Norah Jones album 'Come Away with Me', that Nightingale comes from. Also the Katie Melua album - Call off the Search. (Possibly a third album, 'Ancient Heart by Tanita Tikaram'.
 
Plus yes joseph69 did offer me his unopened pair of GH-1 at retail price. Best of luck whoever becomes their owner, if it isn't myself. I am in no-mans-land in deciding what to do. I have lots of expenses at the moment (but that's all a long story).

 
 
I don't think I had paired my GH-1's (w/ G cush) with Norah Jones until now. I don't think she's sounded better to my ears. A couple of her songs have been benchmarks for all the headphone sampling I've done recently, but this is the combo that treats my ears the best.
 
I'm also using the Grace Design m9xx -> ALO PanAm with Telefunken tubes, to add to the Grado + tube amp discussion.

 

[joseph69]

   
PSK1e less prominent but somewhat more forward & tight but mixed in with an overall balance of the sounds (highs, mids & bass), 

The bass on the PS1Ke is nicely integrated with the rest of the frequencies…and this is only after about 25hrs.

 

[XLR8]

I agree worms, and they were Grado's flagship model for over 10 years!

To me the rs1i are still the best Grados... Have not tried the buttoned rs1 yet so I can't tell

Hehe
Don't worry. I have sr80 buttons on my rs1i. They sound like yesteryear & it's fully reversible

 

[wormsdriver]

  BTW, my PS1Ke are burning-in very nicely! 
They're starting to get that full/rich sound!

 
EXCELLENT mids and highs on the ps1ke, the best IMO (especially after 100 hours burn in)... 
Unfortunately something about the bass that i just couldn't wrap my head around that made me prefer the older ps1k for my music. The Ps1ke is definitely more balanced and the highs are more refined than the older brother. 

 

[GreenBow]

   
 
I don't think I had paired my GH-1's (w/ G cush) with Norah Jones until now. I don't think she's sounded better to my ears. A couple of her songs have been benchmarks for all the headphone sampling I've done recently, but this is the combo that treats my ears the best.
 
I'm also using the Grace Design m9xx -> ALO PanAm with Telefunken tubes, to add to the Grado + tube amp discussion.

Mmm, I recently rebought her first album after some time, and have played it nearly every day since. I think the only solution to not overplaying it, and getting bored, is buy her second album. Sounds like a plan.
 
 

Hehe
Don't worry. I have sr80 buttons on my rs1i. They sound like yesteryear & it's fully reversible

 
Haha.

 

 

[fjrabon]

Please give a comparison to your favorite Grado. The HE-400i seems pretty popular among Gradaholics.

That makes sense to me, as they have a very Grado like 8k "forward energy" sound. The 400i, to me, sounds a lot like you threw a RS2 and SR225e in a blender and then added planar magnetic flat extended bass. Also, I think they have fairly similar amping requirements (lots of current needed) so most systems that Gradophiles have painstakingly cultivated to synergize with their Grados will also sound excellent with the HE400i.

 

[joseph69]

 
EXCELLENT mids and highs on the ps1ke, the best IMO (especially after 100 hours burn in)... 
Unfortunately something about the bass that i just couldn't wrap my head around that made me prefer the older ps1k for my music. The Ps1ke is definitely more balanced and the highs are more refined than the older brother. 

 I'm rely liking everything about the PS1Ke.
Why is it you didn't care for the bass?

 

[ruthieandjohn]

Mmmmmm .... clearly a case of Freudian Slip. :rolleyes: ​

For some reason, I keep reading "Freudian Slip" as "porno player!"

 

[BobG55]

 

Mmmmmm .... clearly a case of Freudian Slip. 

​

For some reason, I keep reading "Freudian Slip" as "porno player!"

L

L.

 

[GreenBow]

Speaking of "Freudian Slip", no-one spotted my dirty-great-clanger a while ago. I was talking about Fleetwood Mac, the Rumours album, and joseph69 was concurring how well it sounds on Grado. I quote the title of the track Never Going Back Again. However I slipped a Freudian in and managed to exchange the word 'Back' for another word. Sowwy folks.