Grado Fan Club!
Sep 8, 2019 at 9:45 PM Post #40,291 of 65,062
Just a little side note;
I actually had no interest in hearing the GS2000e, but at the last minute asked Joe if he had then to bring them along just for the hell of it.
These blindsided me like a freight train. Funny that I expected these to not even qualify (for my taste from past series) and how wrong I was, and so glad I didn't pass on the opportunity to hear them. Strange how things can turn out when least expected too.


Yup, last moment request. It was quite a lot of fun all around. I am glad you are so much looking forward to their arrival. The time flew by.
 
Sep 8, 2019 at 11:37 PM Post #40,292 of 65,062
Joseph - what was it about the GS2000e that beat out the PS2000e for you? I ask, as a GS2000e owner, that after hearing the PS2000e on loan, I had the opposite reaction. The ability of the PS2000e to get into the mix - I was hearing detail that I didn't hear on the GS2000e. Perhaps too much of a good thing?
I owned the PS2000 and for me, it was bit too polite compared to what I'm used to with a Grado headphones. The GS2000 immediately grabbed my attention with its attack, which is what I prefer from a Grado. I heard plenty of everything with the GS2000, and as I mentioned, the GS2000 won me over hands down, immediately.

Haven't heard the GS2000e. I did own a GS1000 a few years back but haven't had the opportunity to try the latest models.
Would you say that the GS3000e is warmer sounding than the GS2000e? That's the impression I get from comments that I've read elsewhere. I may give the PS2000e a miss due to the weight.
I haven't heard the GS3000 and yesterday was my first time hearing the GS2000. But, I was actually told the same things you mention above about the GS3000 in comparison to the GS2000.

PS:
The only headphones I've ever had the opportunity to hear before purchasing were the SR80 through a friend, but when I made the purchase Grado had moved on to the (i) series (so close enough) and I loved them. Otherwise, every headphone I've ever owned I purchased blindly. While waiting for them to arrive I had no idea if they'd be for me or not? Sometimes yes, and sometimes no. With this being said, the GS2000 is the second headphone I had the opportunity to hear and I'm beyond extremely excited and just can't wait for them to arrive. These really, really hit me hard in the best ways possible, and so much so, that it's hard for me to even comprehend.
 
Sep 9, 2019 at 3:41 AM Post #40,293 of 65,062
You may have talked me into the GS2000e (and saved me a few £'s!) I too always purchase blindly, mainly due to the lack of audio stores around here these days and so I have to go on recommendations and reviews. Have you heard the GS2000e balanced?
 
Sep 9, 2019 at 6:01 AM Post #40,294 of 65,062
This afternoon was a great day for listening to Grados!
Joe otherwise known as @ESL-1 came by my place (not the first time & definitely not the last) and brought along the PS1000, PS1000e. PS2000e, GS2000e & Sony Zr1. I've been pretty much out of touch with Grado for a while now with the exception of occasionally listening to my RS1i, GH1 or 325is, otherwise I've ventured off in search of 'different' sound signature from different headphone companies and have enjoyed the journey to say the least.

Intentions were for me to listen and compare mainly the original PS1000 being I was missing them very much lately due to selling mine off and was interested in purchasing another pair. In the past I've owned the PS1000 (3x) the PS1000e, & the PS2000e. I've also owned the GS1000i & GS1000e which were just not to my liking. Well, let me say, much to my surprise, I will not be buying a PS1000 after hearing the GS2000e. Simply put, the GS won me over hands down, immediately, and I can't wait to be the proud owner of these exciting, lively, realistic headphones.

Joe, great getting together again and enjoying each others company doing what we enjoy. Thank you very much for the opportunity to listen and decide which Grado suites my tastes best this time around. I appreciate it very much, and look forward to the next time.
Drum role, please for @ESL-1 in deep though while listening to the Susvara.
















Sounds like fun! Out of interest, where would you place the GH1+G-cush in the scheme of things in that sort of rarified company?
 
Sep 9, 2019 at 9:25 AM Post #40,295 of 65,062
You may have talked me into the GS2000e (and saved me a few £'s!) I too always purchase blindly, mainly due to the lack of audio stores around here these days and so I have to go on recommendations and reviews. Have you heard the GS2000e balanced?
No, the GS2000e Joe has is SE, but I'm going to balance mine being I run a fully balanced system. I also don't have RCA interconnects in my system so for SE terminations I made a Neutrik 1/4" to 4-pin female adapter.

Sounds like fun! Out of interest, where would you place the GH1+G-cush in the scheme of things in that sort of rarified company?
I've
always enjoyed the GH1 w/G cushions. I'd place the GH1 w/G right up there in the scheme of things, for sure, just a different presentation, though.
 
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Sep 9, 2019 at 11:01 AM Post #40,296 of 65,062
No, the GS2000e Joe has is SE, but I'm going to balance mine being I run a fully balanced system. I also don't have RCA interconnects in my system so for SE terminations I made a Neutrik 1/4" to 4-pin female adapter.

I've always enjoyed the GH1 w/G cushions. I'd place the GH1 w/G right up there in the scheme of things, for sure, just a different presentation, though.
Hi - enjoying this exchange. I've owned the GS1000, 2000e, and now the 3000e; I just sold the PS2000e pair. First, the 3000 is the most satisfying speaker of any kind I've heard. Using Schiit Gungnir Multibit and Mjolnir2 with both current production Gold Lion tubes, stock Schiit tubes, Schiit LISST solid state "fake tubes", and some good NOS. It is "rich", as Grado says, but rich as in harmonically fleshed-out, not "warm" in the euphonic sense. They are spookily transparent, with a degree of palpable instrumental texture I find intoxicating. It significantly develops on the considerable strengths of the GS2000e, and, back to back with the fantastically balanced and revealing PS2000e, the GS3000e was clearly a better transducer of the the qualities of a musical event, applying the word Rich Grado used, "organic" - not meaningfully less detailed, as they are bizarrely revealing, but definitely more a music-lovers headphone as compared with cans for anlytical listening. The latter isn't quite fair, as the PS2000e doesn't in the least bit lack musicality; it just sounds as though built for precision of information, while the GS3000e is meant to convey a musical experience. That's the best I can do.

If anything, there is more of a sense of presence (not the "presence" frequency range, but the awareness of Being There) to the GS3000e over the PS2000e. Matter of taste, I suppose, but that unfettered, textural, immersive quality of the 3000 is far more satisfying for me than what the metal-clad one offers. I'm literally losing sleep and at risk of losing family time, for "one more song" moments. The GS2000e are clearly the excellent little brother of the 3000e, lacking nothing in absolute terms, but the price difference and the novelty of the 3000e wood and driver tuning account largely for the expected differences. Regarding balanced signal on any of the top end Grados: with the right electronics, it is not subtle - not even close. I did balanced for the first time with the PS2000e, then the GS3000e, and on both the top-end cans, with the Schiit electronics, the spatial qualities of the music, not to mention the dynamic envelope and handling of massed and contrasting timbres, were dramatically more focused and convincing with the 4-pin XLR.
 
Sep 9, 2019 at 11:09 AM Post #40,297 of 65,062
I might have to put the GS3000e at the top of my "next headphone to purchase" list.
 
Sep 9, 2019 at 11:51 AM Post #40,299 of 65,062
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Sep 9, 2019 at 2:57 PM Post #40,300 of 65,062
Hi - enjoying this exchange. I've owned the GS1000, 2000e, and now the 3000e; I just sold the PS2000e pair. First, the 3000 is the most satisfying speaker of any kind I've heard. Using Schiit Gungnir Multibit and Mjolnir2 with both current production Gold Lion tubes, stock Schiit tubes, Schiit LISST solid state "fake tubes", and some good NOS. It is "rich", as Grado says, but rich as in harmonically fleshed-out, not "warm" in the euphonic sense. They are spookily transparent, with a degree of palpable instrumental texture I find intoxicating. It significantly develops on the considerable strengths of the GS2000e, and, back to back with the fantastically balanced and revealing PS2000e, the GS3000e was clearly a better transducer of the the qualities of a musical event, applying the word Rich Grado used, "organic" - not meaningfully less detailed, as they are bizarrely revealing, but definitely more a music-lovers headphone as compared with cans for anlytical listening. The latter isn't quite fair, as the PS2000e doesn't in the least bit lack musicality; it just sounds as though built for precision of information, while the GS3000e is meant to convey a musical experience. That's the best I can do.

If anything, there is more of a sense of presence (not the "presence" frequency range, but the awareness of Being There) to the GS3000e over the PS2000e. Matter of taste, I suppose, but that unfettered, textural, immersive quality of the 3000 is far more satisfying for me than what the metal-clad one offers. I'm literally losing sleep and at risk of losing family time, for "one more song" moments. The GS2000e are clearly the excellent little brother of the 3000e, lacking nothing in absolute terms, but the price difference and the novelty of the 3000e wood and driver tuning account largely for the expected differences. Regarding balanced signal on any of the top end Grados: with the right electronics, it is not subtle - not even close. I did balanced for the first time with the PS2000e, then the GS3000e, and on both the top-end cans, with the Schiit electronics, the spatial qualities of the music, not to mention the dynamic envelope and handling of massed and contrasting timbres, were dramatically more focused and convincing with the 4-pin XLR.
Stop tempting me with GS3000e, I like my 1/4" terminated GS2000e too much (on every amp I have), and shouldn't be spending any more on headphones. Maybe that means I should stop looking at this site...
 
Sep 9, 2019 at 2:58 PM Post #40,301 of 65,062
I’ve been able to compare a number of the Grado headphones mentioned above, here.

Here are some three-way tables from that list of posts... higher scores are better.

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Sep 9, 2019 at 4:10 PM Post #40,302 of 65,062
I’ve been able to compare a number of the Grado headphones mentioned above, here.

Here are some three-way tables from that list of posts... higher scores are better.

These are the tables that guided me to choose the GS2000e a couple years ago. Definitely don't regret it. It's just hard when new stuff is coming out all the time, and your mind knows there's a point of diminishing returns, but you get the itchy "buy it now" finger.
 
Sep 9, 2019 at 6:08 PM Post #40,303 of 65,062
Hi - enjoying this exchange. I've owned the GS1000, 2000e, and now the 3000e; I just sold the PS2000e pair. First, the 3000 is the most satisfying speaker of any kind I've heard. Using Schiit Gungnir Multibit and Mjolnir2 with both current production Gold Lion tubes, stock Schiit tubes, Schiit LISST solid state "fake tubes", and some good NOS. It is "rich", as Grado says, but rich as in harmonically fleshed-out, not "warm" in the euphonic sense. They are spookily transparent, with a degree of palpable instrumental texture I find intoxicating. It significantly develops on the considerable strengths of the GS2000e, and, back to back with the fantastically balanced and revealing PS2000e, the GS3000e was clearly a better transducer of the the qualities of a musical event, applying the word Rich Grado used, "organic" - not meaningfully less detailed, as they are bizarrely revealing, but definitely more a music-lovers headphone as compared with cans for anlytical listening. The latter isn't quite fair, as the PS2000e doesn't in the least bit lack musicality; it just sounds as though built for precision of information, while the GS3000e is meant to convey a musical experience. That's the best I can do.

If anything, there is more of a sense of presence (not the "presence" frequency range, but the awareness of Being There) to the GS3000e over the PS2000e. Matter of taste, I suppose, but that unfettered, textural, immersive quality of the 3000 is far more satisfying for me than what the metal-clad one offers. I'm literally losing sleep and at risk of losing family time, for "one more song" moments. The GS2000e are clearly the excellent little brother of the 3000e, lacking nothing in absolute terms, but the price difference and the novelty of the 3000e wood and driver tuning account largely for the expected differences. Regarding balanced signal on any of the top end Grados: with the right electronics, it is not subtle - not even close. I did balanced for the first time with the PS2000e, then the GS3000e, and on both the top-end cans, with the Schiit electronics, the spatial qualities of the music, not to mention the dynamic envelope and handling of massed and contrasting timbres, were dramatically more focused and convincing with the 4-pin XLR.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts - out of interest, how much more comfortable/lighter are the 3000e's over the 2000e's?
 
Sep 9, 2019 at 7:29 PM Post #40,304 of 65,062
I have the White on hand, and will be posting a review likely tomorrow, wednesday at the latest.

In case people didn't know, @Todd at TTVJ Audio has/had a loaner program for the Grado White. I was one of the recipients.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/grado-white-headphone-loaner-program.911577/

I'll likely create a Grado The White Headphone topic here once I post the review, considering the full size forum doesn't have one yet.

Spoilers: They're great. I have only experienced a GW100 prior to the White which I also enjoyed immensely, but couldn't deal with the Grado comfort, lol.

My review style is less pro, more candid, so take that as you will.
 
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Sep 9, 2019 at 10:28 PM Post #40,305 of 65,062
Just a little side note;
I actually had no interest in hearing the GS2000e, but at the last minute asked Joe if he had then to bring them along just for the hell of it.
These blindsided me like a freight train. Funny that I expected these to not even qualify (for my taste from past series) and how wrong I was, and so glad I didn't pass on the opportunity to hear them. Strange how things can turn out when least expected too.

A Grand Time it was. Lots of good music and things to try. I was thrilled to see Joseph falling in love with the GS2000e. What a sonic match with his electronics.

Not our first nor our last by any means.
 

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