There are also rings inside the 325is cups. It seems to me they act as stop rings to keep the drivers flush with the cups and stop them from being pushed too far into the cups or protruding from the cups when installing the drivers. With the 80i there were no rings to do this, so in order to get the drivers flush with the cups, I had to turn the cups upside-down with the drivers protruding and press the driver into the cups, this way I knew the drivers couldn't go any further into the cups and they also weren't protruding either. Whereas with the 325is I just installed the drivers into the cups and pressed them until they hit the stop rings and they were flush with the cups. The only thing is the rings in the 325is weren't heavy, they were actually light, maybe some type of spring steel which look similar to this image but with a thinner gauge wall.
Grado Fan Club!
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There are also rings inside the 325is cups. It seems to me they act as stop rings to keep the drivers flush with the cups and stop them from being pushed too far into the cups or protruding from the cups when installing the drivers. With the 80i there were no rings to do this, so in order to get the drivers flush with the cups, I had to turn the cups upside-down with the drivers protruding and press the driver into the cups, this way I knew the drivers couldn't go any further into the cups and they also weren't protruding either. Whereas with the 325is I just installed the drivers into the cups and pressed them until they hit the stop rings and they were flush with the cups. The only thing is the rings in the 325is weren't heavy, they were actually light, maybe some type of spring steel which look similar to this image but with a thinner gauge wall.
fleasbaby
Member of the Trade: Wabi Sabi Headphones
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I've had the pink SR125 and SR225. I agree, the SR225 was surprisingly not what I had hoped for (a better version of the pink SR125). The best pinks I have heard are the super-vintage SR80 (possible SR100 rebrand) that @eserafinojr now has. The cable on those was remarkable stiff though....do you agree @eserafinojr?
That makes more sense than the driver...you're probably right.
Arty McGhee
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thats not suprising
i have 2 sr60's an 80 a 125 and a 225 all with pink drivers
and the 125 with ttvj flats is absolutely my favorite
i use it as a target when i tune my customs
nothing seems to reproduce miles and coltrane better
i thought it was me
eserafinojr
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@fleasbaby ,
Yeah the cable is incredibly stiff. Without a doubt the stiffest Grado cable I have ever encountered. But it doesn't bother me that much.
I think Grado was in a transitional period with their cable design in the Early to Mid 90s. After the end of the SR100/200/300 run which virtually all had the Joe Grado Laboratory Standard cables, and before the introduction of the RS1, they needed to develop something new and they probably experimented with different cables, this stiffer one being one of them.
They ultimately settled on the softer rubber shielding and thinner cable found on any Grados up to about 2006.
Think RS1 Buttoned/Buttonless Non-i type cable. I think their new cables are totally unnecessarily bulky, heavy and thick. They're actually a little ridiculous IMO. The cables found on Grados prior to 2006 were just right weight wise and from a design standpoint.
The super vintage original SR80 pinks w/ TTVJ deluxe flats are right up there with the very best sounding Grados ever.
My personal favorite Grado of all time is the PS-1, they're one of the best sounding dynamic headphones, not just Grado IMHO.
That said, the SR80 pinks are easily in my top 3 for Grados. I actually prefer them to the Blackstar SR200s.
@fleasbaby is right on the money regarding the PRaT and overall musicality of the pinks. Even compared to state of the art dynamic headphones, the vintage pinks hold their own, maybe even better in some respects.
On the other hand even though Grado has a "Professional" series, the only true reference neutral studio grade headphones was the HP1000, which sound absolutely stunning. The clarity, imaging, vocals are off the charts good. The sound is best described as "life like"... a truly flat, neutral frequency response with no coloration or bias to my ears. An excellent Pro Audio tool which is what they were technically designed for..... But they are also ideal for those night time longer listening sessions due to their non-fatiguing nature.
All in all you can't go wrong with the vintage pink Grados.
The i And e series was a step in the wrong direction for Grado sound wise to me. They all sound far too forward sounding and most if not all have this annoying lower mid range bump which doesn't allow bass to extend down properly and muffles the upper half on the midrane frequencies. Making treble sound harsh as a result and completely robbing the ability for the headphone to extend deep into low end bass frequencies. They roll off heavily after 80 Hz.
This change in tuning makes them virtually only usable for Rock and Jazz. Which they excel at...
Where as the vintage Grados to my ears have a much more balanced presentation suitable for all genres. Great all rounders.
The PS-1, SR80 Pinks, and even the HF2 (Another one of my favorites) all have deep very well extended bass and even sub bass.
Yeah the cable is incredibly stiff. Without a doubt the stiffest Grado cable I have ever encountered. But it doesn't bother me that much.
I think Grado was in a transitional period with their cable design in the Early to Mid 90s. After the end of the SR100/200/300 run which virtually all had the Joe Grado Laboratory Standard cables, and before the introduction of the RS1, they needed to develop something new and they probably experimented with different cables, this stiffer one being one of them.
They ultimately settled on the softer rubber shielding and thinner cable found on any Grados up to about 2006.
Think RS1 Buttoned/Buttonless Non-i type cable. I think their new cables are totally unnecessarily bulky, heavy and thick. They're actually a little ridiculous IMO. The cables found on Grados prior to 2006 were just right weight wise and from a design standpoint.
The super vintage original SR80 pinks w/ TTVJ deluxe flats are right up there with the very best sounding Grados ever.
My personal favorite Grado of all time is the PS-1, they're one of the best sounding dynamic headphones, not just Grado IMHO.
That said, the SR80 pinks are easily in my top 3 for Grados. I actually prefer them to the Blackstar SR200s.
@fleasbaby is right on the money regarding the PRaT and overall musicality of the pinks. Even compared to state of the art dynamic headphones, the vintage pinks hold their own, maybe even better in some respects.
On the other hand even though Grado has a "Professional" series, the only true reference neutral studio grade headphones was the HP1000, which sound absolutely stunning. The clarity, imaging, vocals are off the charts good. The sound is best described as "life like"... a truly flat, neutral frequency response with no coloration or bias to my ears. An excellent Pro Audio tool which is what they were technically designed for..... But they are also ideal for those night time longer listening sessions due to their non-fatiguing nature.
All in all you can't go wrong with the vintage pink Grados.
The i And e series was a step in the wrong direction for Grado sound wise to me. They all sound far too forward sounding and most if not all have this annoying lower mid range bump which doesn't allow bass to extend down properly and muffles the upper half on the midrane frequencies. Making treble sound harsh as a result and completely robbing the ability for the headphone to extend deep into low end bass frequencies. They roll off heavily after 80 Hz.
This change in tuning makes them virtually only usable for Rock and Jazz. Which they excel at...
Where as the vintage Grados to my ears have a much more balanced presentation suitable for all genres. Great all rounders.
The PS-1, SR80 Pinks, and even the HF2 (Another one of my favorites) all have deep very well extended bass and even sub bass.
ruhenheiM
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thanks for your assessment eserafinojr, thats really informative.i had no idea the prestige series with pink drivers also sound ridiculously good. is it has to be with flat pad or its also sounds okay with bowl pad?
and since you mention ps-1. could you describe its sound compare to hp1000 and ps1000? i always curious how vintage grado sounds.i have sr100 its just normal white driver i guess.its not pink drivers or blackstar. but the sound really different from modern grado
and since you mention ps-1. could you describe its sound compare to hp1000 and ps1000? i always curious how vintage grado sounds.i have sr100 its just normal white driver i guess.its not pink drivers or blackstar. but the sound really different from modern grado
TDL-speakers
100+ Head-Fier
I'm thinking about getting some Grado SR80e headphones. Do the ''e'' version sound a tad smoother than the ''i'' version?
S.
S.
headfry
500+ Head-Fier
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yes, definitely....and better balanced too. For the price, excellent.
eserafinojr
100+ Head-Fier
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Of course! It's truly my pleasure sharing my experiences with fellow Grado fans.
Yes the original SRs regardless which or the 3 drivers they had are very different than modern Grados as you pointed out. Much more analog/organic sound to them which I really enjoy. Of the 3 the Pinks and the Whites are pretty similar, the Blackstars sound noticeably different though.
I personally prefer any Grado that came stock with the HP1000 style headband with flats. That's generally my rule of thumb... but the Vintage SRs are unique in that they also sound great with the L cushions too. You can't go wrong with either it just comes down to your personal preference. It doesn't hurt to try them.
My Blackstar SR200s for example sound great with bowls too. I just prefer the more intimate presentation and punchier sound of the flats, especially with HP1000 drivers. Because they are so incredibly neutral sounding (slightly less than the HP1000), they benefit from the more intimate presentation, but still retain excellent imaging and outstanding instrument separation even though the drivers are sitting closer to your ears than with the bowls. The soundstage is definitely larger and more spacious sounding so if that's your thing you'd probably prefer bowls. The great clarity and imaging of Black Star drivers provide sufficient sound stage to my ears with flats.
Regarding the PS-1, HP1000 and PS1000. All 3 sound unique and totally different. The PS1000 in particular has gone through 2 revisions and both sound different. I preferred the original PS1000. The E series Grado tuning is far from my favorite to put it blunt.
So here's what I think of those 3 :
The PS-1 is hands down my favorite Grado. It has this winning combination of musicality, dynamics and accuracy that makes it unique in the Grado line. They've got the best sounding bass of any Grado with great extension and sub bass. But you do need an amp with great bass control to appreciate the PS-1's bass. If not it can sound loose and bleed into the mids. With a great DAC and Amp you're good to go. The midrange is liquid smooth and the treble is hard to describe.... it just sounds "right" not recessed or harsh. It's fantastic with every genre you throw at it, even with EDM genres... and it has the perfect imaging and stage. Not too spacious and not too compressed, it just sounds right. You just hear the music on the PS-1 and don't think about anything else. There is a famous thread where a Chinese Head-Fier compared the PS-1 vs the PS1000 and than later famous cans like the Sony R10 and others. He came to the conclusion that the PS-1 could very well be the king of dynamic headphones! Can't say I disagree!
The HP1000 is a classic. A TRUE reference headphone and holds its own to this day with modern flagships. It has a flat and dead neutral response but is still very musical in its own right. They probably have the best bass quality of all Grados ever. The midrange is their greatest strength and the treble has outstanding clarity without the harshness of some modern Grados. It's a difficult sound to describe. The main thing that comes to mind when describing the HP1000's sound is clarity and imaging, like my thoughts on the Blackstar SRs. They're really a Pro Audio tool that double has a monitoring headphone IMO. They sound best with Rock and acoustic type genres. Not a true all rounder, since they very little sub bass. It's there but faint, but not rolled off like modern Grados. They don't have that analog punchy sound of the Grado pinks for example. For pure listening pleasure they aren't the first Grado that I reach for but I enjoy them very much.
The PS1000 is very different than the previous 2. I recently sold my Non-e PS1K because I just didn't like it all that much with any other genre but Jazz. Which it excels at. It has an extremely airy treble, that is harsh on hot recordings and amps that are bass light. It has a very lush midrange. The bass on these is basically a lower mid bump after which bass falls off the cliff. Very little low bass and sub bass and even less so on the E version which has even less. It's definitely a very colored sounding headphone, the direct opposite of the HP1000. The coloration of them IMO was John Grado tuning them to his very specific music playlist and collection, making them sound really good on some genres and absolutely terrible on others like modern pop music. The PS1000 has an absolutely enormous sound stage, only thing even remotely comparable is the HD800 and other modern dynamic cans. They are extremely heavy and so for longer listening sessions the headband starts hurting the top of your head from the pressure. If you dig a colored sound signature and a large sound stage and really like mids and sharp sounding treble. The PS1000 is right up your alley. But as far as being the real Grado flagship, the PS1K falls well short of this to me.
Sorry for the wall of text, I did the best I could describing the 3 in detail.
Couldn't agree more.
Although I prefer older production Grados. The SR series (Any of them) but the SR80 in particular is one of the best sounding headphones at its price point. The sound quality is truly a steal a $99!!
wormsdriver
Headphoneus Supremus
@eserafinojr, pure gold brother, much appreciated comparison between the big three, excellent post!
One question if you don't mind, how does the sr200 stack up against the hp1000? The reason I ask is because I've owned the sr200 (and sr325 with black star drivers) but never heard the hp1000.
One question if you don't mind, how does the sr200 stack up against the hp1000? The reason I ask is because I've owned the sr200 (and sr325 with black star drivers) but never heard the hp1000.
TDL-speakers
100+ Head-Fier
Excellent post, eserafinojr!
How much do Grado PS-1 fetch nowadays?
Was listening to my black Grado SR325's the other day. They certainly have lovely rich sounding bass. Pity, that they have the wrong headband. But that doesn't bug me too much
S.
How much do Grado PS-1 fetch nowadays?
Was listening to my black Grado SR325's the other day. They certainly have lovely rich sounding bass. Pity, that they have the wrong headband. But that doesn't bug me too much
S.
wormsdriver
Headphoneus Supremus
I usually see them for around $2500 whenever they do surfaceExcellent post, eserafinojr!
How much do Grado PS-1 fetch nowadays?
Was listening to my black Grado SR325's the other day. They certainly have lovely rich sounding bass. Pity, that they have the wrong headband. But that doesn't bug me too much
S.
eserafinojr
100+ Head-Fier
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Glad you enjoyed it man, I try to chime in when I can be of help!
The SR200 holds its own. But it just doesn't quite have that HP1000 magic. They are close, so I wouldnt lie and say they are night and day.
The HP1000 has a slightly more fluid sound with a little bit more sparkle (clarity) to it. Where as the Blackstar SR a drier sound signature that's maybe a tiny bit warmer.
Why the difference I couldnt say, probably due to the build and all metal construction of the HP1000. As opposed to the plastic SR, except the grilles. The vintage SR grilles with HP1000 style headbands had metal grilles. Now a days they are plastic.
Excellent post, eserafinojr!
How much do Grado PS-1 fetch nowadays?
Was listening to my black Grado SR325's the other day. They certainly have lovely rich2 sounding bass. Pity, that they have the wrong headband. But that doesn't bug me too much
S.
Thanks
Sweet! The black 325's are as rare as it gets, I don't doubt they sound awesome!!
Regarding the PS-1 anywhere from $2000-$3000 depending on the condition. But Typically in the $2400- $2800 range. Mint pairs will start cracking $3000 soon.
The serial numbers below 100 had a matte metal finish with a thicker higher quality leather headband that has a pale black color.
100-250 And the 7 JAG models (except one experimental failed polished cups) More of a wet polished finish. And a thinner leather shiny black headband, same exact headband found on the Early 2000s Buttonless RS1s.
All PS-1s have the square type Rod Blocks, which prevent sliding.
Infact the PS-1 has the same exact shape and form factor of the RS1 but with an all Aluminum build.
They all sound the same. I like the polished finish best, but prefer the lower serial numbers headband.
ruhenheiM
1000+ Head-Fier
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@eserafinojr
thanks man really helpful! i really appreciate it. its all right, i don't mind reading that. i prefer that actually hahaha
i believe the thread you mention is this
http://www.head-fi.org/t/485286/grado-ps1-vs-ps1000-when-the-dradon-meet-the-tiger
which brings to another questions if you dont mind
is it true? if you change the pad to bowl pad on ps1000 they sound close to ps1?
i had no idea ps-1 had different looks. so is it safe to say that any sr series with blackstar driver would give you idea of how hp1000 series sounds like? and between pink driver and blackstar drivers which one you prefer to listening music? i saw you had planar headphone and focal utopia on your signature. do ps1 and hp1000 still up there?
and this might be stupid questions. but i really curious about this ever since i tried some new flagship modern headphones. between rs1,gs series,ps1,hp1000,ps1000.could you ranking them in term of weight? which heavier which lighter? my bet is on rs1 for lightest and ps100 for heaviest.but i want to know where ps1 and hp1000 fell in between.
@TDL-speakers
it was around 2500usd since the last time i saw them on ebay but its very rare to come out.good luck with that hahaha
thanks man really helpful! i really appreciate it. its all right, i don't mind reading that. i prefer that actually hahaha
i believe the thread you mention is this
http://www.head-fi.org/t/485286/grado-ps1-vs-ps1000-when-the-dradon-meet-the-tiger
which brings to another questions if you dont mind
is it true? if you change the pad to bowl pad on ps1000 they sound close to ps1?
i had no idea ps-1 had different looks. so is it safe to say that any sr series with blackstar driver would give you idea of how hp1000 series sounds like? and between pink driver and blackstar drivers which one you prefer to listening music? i saw you had planar headphone and focal utopia on your signature. do ps1 and hp1000 still up there?
and this might be stupid questions. but i really curious about this ever since i tried some new flagship modern headphones. between rs1,gs series,ps1,hp1000,ps1000.could you ranking them in term of weight? which heavier which lighter? my bet is on rs1 for lightest and ps100 for heaviest.but i want to know where ps1 and hp1000 fell in between.
@TDL-speakers
it was around 2500usd since the last time i saw them on ebay but its very rare to come out.good luck with that hahaha
@ruhenheiM
I listened to my PS1K (which I love) a while ago swapping their stock G cushions with the L cushions and didn't care for the sound at all. With the drives sitting closer to my ears (and on them) there was to much bass presence and a collapsed sound-stage.
Also, being the PS1K cups are much bigger/heavier they were very hard to keep on my head, I pretty much had to stay still while listening.
I've never heard pink/blackstar drivers, but I will be receiving the HP1000 (HP2) this Thursday and I'm also extremely curious as to how they sound compared to my other Grado models.
I had the opportunity the buy the PS1 (2x) within the past 2 weeks and was very tempted but chose the HP2 because I didn't want to take the chance on the PS1 sounding too similar to my PS1K. Also from what I've researched the HP2 is supposed to be the most neutral sounding HP made by JG and their strong points are supposed to be their mid-range/clarity/instrument separation/ and their also built like a tank with the all aluminum construction (not that I have any issue with my current Grados build quality). They are also in "like new-mint condition" with all lettering intact and also have the Joseph Grado Signature Ultra-Wide Bandwidth Reference Cable.
I'll keep all posted on my opinions/impressions after getting aquatinted with their sound-signature.
I listened to my PS1K (which I love) a while ago swapping their stock G cushions with the L cushions and didn't care for the sound at all. With the drives sitting closer to my ears (and on them) there was to much bass presence and a collapsed sound-stage.
Also, being the PS1K cups are much bigger/heavier they were very hard to keep on my head, I pretty much had to stay still while listening.
I've never heard pink/blackstar drivers, but I will be receiving the HP1000 (HP2) this Thursday and I'm also extremely curious as to how they sound compared to my other Grado models.
I had the opportunity the buy the PS1 (2x) within the past 2 weeks and was very tempted but chose the HP2 because I didn't want to take the chance on the PS1 sounding too similar to my PS1K. Also from what I've researched the HP2 is supposed to be the most neutral sounding HP made by JG and their strong points are supposed to be their mid-range/clarity/instrument separation/ and their also built like a tank with the all aluminum construction (not that I have any issue with my current Grados build quality). They are also in "like new-mint condition" with all lettering intact and also have the Joseph Grado Signature Ultra-Wide Bandwidth Reference Cable.
I'll keep all posted on my opinions/impressions after getting aquatinted with their sound-signature.
buzzlulu
Headphoneus Supremus
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Hi
Back on this forum after a LONG absence (member since 2003) and back after researching wireless bluetooth headphones. I figured it was a good time to dust off my old gear and ask some questions.
I have a pair of RS1's vintage 2004. The only amp I have is a "vintage" LaRocco PPA built by the infamous Larry back at the end of 2003 (I must be dating myself with this!).
How is this amp viewed today? The amount of headphone listening I do is virtually nonexistent as most of my time is spent with my big rig Naim/Linn system. I am thinking about starting again with headphones.
Many people on my big rig Naim forum use Chord DAC's - the Hugo and Mojo are extremely popular and fit in with a Naimee view of listening - PRAT (Pace, Rhythm and Timing).
Any amp reccomendations? Stick with my PPA?
More importantly - What about portable amps i.e. my use situation would be sitting in my chair and using an amp connected to my iPhone which allows me to plug my RS1 into it and listen to TIDAL uncompressed streams
Thanks
Gregg
Back on this forum after a LONG absence (member since 2003) and back after researching wireless bluetooth headphones. I figured it was a good time to dust off my old gear and ask some questions.
I have a pair of RS1's vintage 2004. The only amp I have is a "vintage" LaRocco PPA built by the infamous Larry back at the end of 2003 (I must be dating myself with this!).
How is this amp viewed today? The amount of headphone listening I do is virtually nonexistent as most of my time is spent with my big rig Naim/Linn system. I am thinking about starting again with headphones.
Many people on my big rig Naim forum use Chord DAC's - the Hugo and Mojo are extremely popular and fit in with a Naimee view of listening - PRAT (Pace, Rhythm and Timing).
Any amp reccomendations? Stick with my PPA?
More importantly - What about portable amps i.e. my use situation would be sitting in my chair and using an amp connected to my iPhone which allows me to plug my RS1 into it and listen to TIDAL uncompressed streams
Thanks
Gregg
