[Rebel Chris]

Who has ordered the Grado Hemp edition? I'm tempting to buy one, but was waiting for some impressions from you guys.

Cheers Chris

 

[elvergun]

Who has ordered the Grado Hemp edition? I'm tempting to buy one, but was waiting for some impressions from you guys.

Cheers Chris

Check out the Hemp loaner thread: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/grado-hemp-headphone-loaner-program-ttvjaudio-com.934679/

@Slim1970 has the headphone right now and he is going to write his impressions shortly.

I'm guessing that this is another excellent model which does not deviate greatly from the other limited editions.

 

[Rebel Chris]

Thanks for your response. Loaner program is USA only..so no luck for me. Will wait for the forthcoming reviews.

 

[ruthieandjohn]

Steve Gutenberg of CNET gave a very vey positive review of the GRADO Hemp editon.

 

[zazex]

Perfection is never achieved until you price a headphone for around $2000. The higher the price, the more perfection you will get.

What, you don't believe this? Just ask any of the cool manufacturers nowadays.



Save up, boys and girls...or your music will surely sound like crap!!!

I'm a fan of using satire to make a point

One thing here, though, is that I didn't hear any kind of "big" or "special"
or "wow" sounding headphones until I got to the $500. range
Until then, the DT880, K/Q701. HD600/650 sounded fine to me.
Changed my head amp a few times, and found one I liked a lot,
but still there was a sort of limited sameness

Eventually decided I should at least try moving up out of that
range, and found some great and significant differences. Not
every time, of course, but still more often than before.

I'm not at all sure that I want to move up to the $1500+ level,
for a few reasons which I'll leave aside for now. (Mainly it
just requires too much writing to explain clearly)

But I do suspect that at least some of those high-priced
phones from Focal, Audeze, Grado, and others do sound
mighty nice with appropriately matched gear and source
material.

 

[zazex]

@ruthieandjohn have you come across a Grado you didn't entirely like?
I know you weren't totally satisfied with the gs1ke, any other ones?

Personally, I disliked the gh4. I know my listening preference changed somewhat going back a year or two. I also went through love hate relationship with the rs1e (brown headband, flushed drivers).

Wondering what you disliked about the gh4?

(Although they're not my favorite Grado, but I do like their sound.
Quite similar IMO to the RS2e which I like slightly more.)

 

[wormsdriver]

Wondering what you disliked about the gh4?

(Although they're not my favorite Grado, but I do like their sound.
Quite similar IMO to the RS2e which I like slightly more.)

It's been a while but there was a peak in there that my ears just disagree with

 

[elvergun]

But I do suspect that at least some of those high-priced
phones from Focal, Audeze, Grado, and others do sound
mighty nice with appropriately matched gear and source
material.

They do sound mighty nice, but are they worth that much money? I suppose that if someone is willing to pay the price, then you could say that answer is yes.

A better question is, does the Utopia sound $3500 better than an RS2? Some people are buying Utopias, but that does not mean that this headphone is really worth that much money.

Even the entry level headphones from some of these makers are costing $1500+. This is just crazy. Thankfully we still have companies such as Grado.

 

[ruthieandjohn]

@wormsdriver , I have loved every one of my Grados, except perhaps the PS500 (Grado’s attempt to sound like everyone else), and the GH1000e (had a persistent tubby sound to the bass that got less and less, changing even after 400 hours of burn in, but I gave up and sold them, then wish I still had them). I have not heard the GH4, and I guess I am also not that fond of the HF2, which to me does not sound as good as the PS500 - I view it as Grado’s dry run for designing the PS500).

 

[zazex]

It's been a while but there was a peak in there that my ears just disagree with

thx for the reply

 

[wormsdriver]

@wormsdriver , I have loved every one of my Grados, except perhaps the PS500 (Grado’s attempt to sound like everyone else), and the GH1000e (had a persistent tubby sound to the bass that got less and less, changing even after 400 hours of burn in, but I gave up and sold them, then wish I still had them). I have not heard the GH4, and I guess I am also not that fond of the HF2, which to me does not sound as good as the PS500 - I view it as Grado’s dry run for designing the PS500).

The last ps500 I had I ended up modding them by covering one (or was it two?) of the vent holes. This brought up the glorious Grado mid-range that was there all along but was being overshadowed by the bass region.

 

[fleasbaby]

I'm a fan of using satire to make a point

One thing here, though, is that I didn't hear any kind of "big" or "special"
or "wow" sounding headphones until I got to the $500. range
Until then, the DT880, K/Q701. HD600/650 sounded fine to me.
Changed my head amp a few times, and found one I liked a lot,
but still there was a sort of limited sameness

Eventually decided I should at least try moving up out of that
range, and found some great and significant differences. Not
every time, of course, but still more often than before.

I'm not at all sure that I want to move up to the $1500+ level,
for a few reasons which I'll leave aside for now. (Mainly it
just requires too much writing to explain clearly)

But I do suspect that at least some of those high-priced
phones from Focal, Audeze, Grado, and others do sound
mighty nice with appropriately matched gear and source
material.

They do sound mighty nice, but are they worth that much money? I suppose that if someone is willing to pay the price, then you could say that answer is yes.

A better question is, does the Utopia sound $3500 better than an RS2? Some people are buying Utopias, but that does not mean that this headphone is really worth that much money.

Even the entry level headphones from some of these makers are costing $1500+. This is just crazy. Thankfully we still have companies such as Grado.

At the risk of stoking the flames on a contentious topic, I'll put my three primary thoughts on this out there (because What, its a forum and its where everyone throws in their opinion):

1. The prices of upper end Grados are what brought the Grado DIY scene to life. Restrictive pricing puts pressure on your market, and creates brand frenemies like myself: people who love the brand, but see another way to get the same or better for a fairer price. I say frenemies because I am sure Grado doesn't want their customers migrating away from higher end product to DIY/homebrew creations. At the same time though, we inspire each other. I've seen several DIY ideas appear in the Grado line like layered woods, pushing out into different woods, and sleeved cables. I am continually inspired by what they put out as well (I never saw Hemp coming and wish I'd thought of it...)
2. Diminishing returns are real, and they exist across the audio world. The more you work to squeeze out that last iota of performance, the more it costs. Some makers take advantage of the concept, and claim to be going that last mile to justify their prices, when in reality they are simply playing a marketing formula. Some do not, and are genuinely pushing the envelope for fair prices.
3. Until you know what effort goes into making a product, judgement should be at least tempered somewhat. Its not that easy to set yourself up with the time (which bears a real cost) and materials, and learn the skills, to make something as simple as a cable, let alone a headphone or an amp. Those efforts have a value that should be paid for. Driving pricing down to cost of materials is unsustainable.

 

[elvergun]

I am also not that fond of the HF2, which to me does not sound as good as the PS500 - I view it as Grado’s dry run for designing the PS500).

I'm interested in the HF2 because it should have less mid bass than the PS500 (which might be too boomy?!?!?). I guess I'm going to have to hear both of them (and perhaps sell both of them off if they indeed deviate from the Grado signature so much).

 

[dr cornelius]

I am guessing you are talking about the black leather headband vs. the brown one. Grado had a problem at the introduction of their rs1e. At that time all their headphones had black leather headbands. When they "fixed" the problem they wanted to easily differentiate the "fixed" version so for whatever reason they changed all their rs1e and rs2e to brown leather headband. That happened (as I recall) around early 2017. Any rs2e sold new should have the brown headband.

I also don't remember them changing the headband color for that reason. Regardless, I bought my RS2e's in 2015 and they have the tan headband - I remember the RS1e also had the tan headband. I chose the 2e because of the negative reviews of the 1e at that time...

 

[Chodi]

I also don't remember them changing the headband color for that reason. Regardless, I bought my RS2e's in 2015 and they have the tan headband - I remember the RS1e also had the tan headband. I chose the 2e because of the negative reviews of the 1e at that time...

I may have been wrong about exactly when they made the switch. I bought my rs2e recently also off the reviews. I like it a lot.