[Zombie_X]

I love Grado's a lot! I've owned everything is the SR line as well as both a RS1 and RS2. I current'y own a MS1i and SR-80i, and both are excellent in every way! I prefer the MS1i for it's neutrality, but love the SR-80i for it's punch and warmth.
 
I find that after hitting the SR-225i that everything else in the line becomes overpriced and not good value for the money. *Runs and hides*

 

[faverodefavero]

Quote:

I love Grado's a lot! I've owned everything is the SR line as well as both a RS1 and RS2. I current'y own a MS1i and SR-80i, and both are excellent in every way! I prefer the MS1i for it's neutrality, but love the SR-80i for it's punch and warmth.
 
I find that after hitting the SR-225i that everything else in the line becomes overpriced and not good value for the money. *Runs and hides*

 
I do think the SR325i and the RS2i are GREAT (specially the 325, really one of THE BEST USD$300 headphones I've ever tried) value for the money, even more than any other Grado (including SR225i) besides - of course - the SR60i. 
 
But, other than that, I agree with you that all more - higher priced - Grado's are, indeed, overpriced (too me GS1000i should be around USD$750, RS1i ~USD$600, and PS1000 ~900). That would be only FAIR, IMO. Period.
 
PS: Also, I do think Grado should have less headphones models (considering a fairer - lower - price on their higher end models, that is) SR60i, SR125i, SR325i, RS1i, PS500, GS1000i and PS1000 would be more than enough. Again: Only my opinion, but I truly believe so.

 

[Magick Man]

No PS500? That would be a crime, since it's the most unique headphone they make and their most balanced. I'd take them over any other Grados currently built and not look back. I pad roll between G and L cushions and can completely change their bass, treble, and depth of soundstage, they're unbelievably flexible. They are without question one of the best values in all of head-fi.

 

[fenderf4i]

I was just going to post the same thing about the PS500's, but Magick Man beat me to it. Absolutely wonderful headphones.

 

[ProjectDenz]

I just got my MS2i's today. I am currently cross-comparing them with my MS Pros. I'll write up a three-way comparison review when I receive my MS1i in the mail later this week.

 

[snapple10]

Quote:

I was just going to post the same thing about the PS500's, but Magick Man beat me to it. Absolutely wonderful headphones.

 
 
Quote:

No PS500? That would be a crime, since it's the most unique headphone they make and their most balanced. I'd take them over any other Grados currently built and not look back. I pad roll between G and L cushions and can completely change their bass, treble, and depth of soundstage, they're unbelievably flexible. They are without question one of the best values in all of head-fi.

 
PS500 made me a Grado fan

 

[devouringone3]

Quote:

PS500 made me a Grado fan

 
The RS1 you sold to Dr.Hoooon in August/September made me a Grado fan .

 

[faverodefavero]

Ok... I left the PS500 on the list, I just "cut" it off because I think PS500 is just a notch behind the V4 Magnum drivers being at roughly the same price (a 325i+FullMagnumSymphoniesUpgrade) and having the same size. But I see your point, bessides I'm forgeting that the PS500 interior is wood and not aluminum as the original Magnum build is. So the PS500 stays, but I do still think it could easily go for ~USD$450 ~USD$500 (max!).

 

[Zombie_X]

Meh the PS500 is very overrated IMO. It's sounds like it would less than the price you pay. I would rate it at around $400.
 
Quote:

No PS500? That would be a crime, since it's the most unique headphone they make and their most balanced. I'd take them over any other Grados currently built and not look back. I pad roll between G and L cushions and can completely change their bass, treble, and depth of soundstage, they're unbelievably flexible. They are without question one of the best values in all of head-fi.

 

[Magick Man]

Meh the PS500 is very overrated IMO. It's sounds like it would less than the price you pay. I would rate it at around $400.

I'd rate most headphones at about half their actual retail, but that's just me. Compared to what's out there and how much other companies are charging, the PS500 is a bargain.

 

[Zombie_X]

That's a good assessment of their value. I know the ED9 is only like $40 to make, and the HE-400 is about $60 bucks or so, so there's a large mark-up out there on this stuff.
 
Quote:

I'd rate most headphones at about half their actual retail, but that's just me. Compared to what's out there and how much other companies are charging, the PS500 is a bargain.

 

[Focker]

Quote:

No PS500? That would be a crime, since it's the most unique headphone they make and their most balanced. I'd take them over any other Grados currently built and not look back. I pad roll between G and L cushions and can completely change their bass, treble, and depth of soundstage, they're unbelievably flexible. They are without question one of the best values in all of head-fi.

 
PS500s are the only headphone I would throw my T1s in front of to take a bullet. 

 

[ProjectDenz]

Quote:

That's a good assessment of their value. I know the ED9 is only like $40 to make, and the HE-400 is about $60 bucks or so, so there's a large mark-up out there on this stuff.
 

Getting technical those costs might only relate to direct materials, but might not include things like direct labour and allocated overheads as well as non-manufacturing costs.

 

[MuppetFace]

No offense, but I find it ridiculous when people proclaim this or that headphone to be worth a highly specific price and not a cent more. Ignoring for a moment that comfort, durability, and aesthetics are also part of the equation and not just raw sound quality---and also ignoring for a moment that personal enjoyment is pretty much impossible to quantify universally---assigning monetary values to sound strikes me as a pretty difficult undertaking.
 
I realize it's possible to speak in comparative terms with regard to value, proclaiming this or that headphone to excel or fall short compared to others in its respective price bracket. However these are still personal considerations, as comfort and taste in sound signatures and the whole shebang differs from person to person. We can speak of relative approximates of neutrality, judging headphones that come closer to neutrality than others to be "better," but once we get into colorations we've arrived in purely subjective territory. I mean, most headphones are substantially marked up in cost, and it's pretty much a given and thus something of a baseline as it is. Furthermore there are considerations beyond raw material like R&D, the engineering that goes into properly (or improperly depending on who you ask...) tuning the sound of said headphones.
 
If you look at the PS1000 for instance, just based on raw materials it seems pretty absurd given that it uses the same build elements found on Grado's cheapest models. However the sound of the PS1000 is quite unique amongst the current generation of flagships, and if it floats your proverbial boat then there's value there compared to something like the HD800 which, for all its engineering and fancy design, doesn't do it for some people.
 
I'm not suggesting that even in that circumstance the PS1000 is suddenly a screaming good value. I'm sure many satisfied PS1000 owners would have preferred to pay less. However there's a difference between declaring something to be steep and declaring something to be "worth it." One that goes beyond semantics I think.

 

[Focker]

Quote:

No offense, but I find it ridiculous when people proclaim this or that headphone to be worth a highly specific price and not a cent more. Ignoring for a moment that comfort, durability, and aesthetics are also part of the equation and not just raw sound quality---and also ignoring for a moment that personal enjoyment is pretty much impossible to quantify universally---assigning monetary values to sound strikes me as a pretty difficult undertaking.
 
I realize it's possible to speak in comparative terms with regard to value, proclaiming this or that headphone to excel or fall short compared to others in its respective price bracket. However these are still personal considerations, as comfort and taste in sound signatures and the whole shebang differs from person to person. We can speak of relative approximates of neutrality, judging headphones that come closer to neutrality than others to be "better," but once we get into colorations we've arrived in purely subjective territory. I mean, most headphones are substantially marked up in cost, and it's pretty much a given and thus something of a baseline as it is. Furthermore there are considerations beyond raw material like R&D, the engineering that goes into properly (or improperly depending on who you ask...) tuning the sound of said headphones.
 
If you look at the PS1000 for instance, just based on raw materials it seems pretty absurd given that it uses the same build elements found on Grado's cheapest models. However the sound of the PS1000 is quite unique amongst the current generation of flagships, and if it floats your proverbial boat then there's value there compared to something like the HD800 which, for all its engineering and fancy design, doesn't do it for some people.
 
I'm not suggesting that even in that circumstance the PS1000 is suddenly a screaming good value. I'm sure many satisfied PS1000 owners would have preferred to pay less. However there's a difference between declaring something to be steep and declaring something to be "worth it." One that goes beyond semantics I think.

 
Great post!
 
With regard to the Grados, another point about them is that they are built by hand here in the US.  Domestic manufacturing is obviously more costly than having them built somewhere in Asia.  I'm very happy to pay a premium in order to support that aspect of their business.