[David222]

~ The title of the 1958 Blue Note album by Cannonball Adderley (with Miles Davis as sideman! - for contractual reasons) can be used about the Grado RS-1x: Somethin’ Else!
~ The RS-1x / Valhalla II duet is fantastic (post #49,896 in this thread). The RS-1x, like another of my favourite headphones: the Sennheiser HD-600, scales up very nicely as the associated gear quality rises. I was not surprised but delighted at the musical goods that the RS-1x brought home when driven by the Linear Tube Audio MZ3. Suffice it to say: excitement, gusto, style, verve. (No ambience/FR dissecting, this time.) While the PS-2000e is sonically better (as it should be), the RS-1x impresses me more for what it is (let alone for what it costs).

You forgot to provide a credit above to that quite nicely manufactured snowman

 

[ESL-1]

I like a lot of these answers for a “what’s in the stable” as I’m currently looking for a smaller desktop dac & headphone amp to supplement my larger HiFi system when I want to go chill in my office and break the headphones out.

Quick question; I am new to the HeadFi thing and looking at the Schiit stuff along with IFI, etc…what are the pros and cons of getting a SS amp vs a tube amp? I’m a guitarist so I understand the benefits of pushing tubes in a guitar/tube amp scenario for the tone and feel, but what are the differences pros/cons of going either SS or Tube for a headphone amp (or even stereo tune be amp for that matter)?

Sorry if that’s a multi-layered and/or controversial question….I don’t mean to start a debate, just a broad general overview is all I’m looking for.

Thanks for any info.

In the “stable” are the following amps that I think mate very well with Grado phones. Melos SHA-1, Violectric V200, Joseph Grado Signature HPA-1, HeadAmp Gilmore Lite mk2 with regulated power supply, Schiit Valhalla & TEAC HA-501.

 

[dynavit]

Took a travel in time back to the eighties with my fresh tuned Revox B710 and my first serious headphone, the RS1 2nd charge. The tape was originally recorded in a famous discothek in Vienna 1988. Only the ifi iCAN is new and helps to refresh the sound.

 

[iFi audio]

That little bass boost feature can be addictive with Grado's.

That's true, lots of good words from Grado fans about that feature!

I know you didn't ask me but, my two favourite Grado amps are anything by Violectric and my iFi.

Pro iCAN, isn't it?

 

[Shane D]

That's true, lots of good words from Grado fans about that feature!



Pro iCAN, isn't it?

Yes sir.

 

[DTgill]

I have my GS1000 and RS1e hooked up IFI devices it's hard to beat their value!

 

[murphythecat]

I have my GS1000 and RS1e hooked up IFI devices it's hard to beat their value!

im a big fan of iFi. Their full tube amp (Retro Stereo 50) seem very under the radar. a Beast and works perfect with the grado's

 

[jonathan c]

im a big fan of iFi. Their full tube amp (Retro Stereo 50) seem very under the radar. a Beast and works perfect with the grado's

Unrelated question: are the speakers in your avatar the AR-2a s (the erstwhile Acoustic Research from Cambridge, Massachusetts)?

 

[murphythecat]

Unrelated question: are the speakers in your avatar the AR-2a s (the erstwhile Acoustic Research from Cambridge, Massachusetts)?

The Dynaco A25. started mu audio journey with them. funny. 10 years later and over 30 pairs of speakers, im back with the Seas A26, a clone of the dynaco A25

 

[RyanT42]

Finally received the RS1x and really like the sound so far and they look great.

I hate to bring this up but the cable is driving me crazy. Where it bifurcates from one cable, into a plastic Y splitter, then up into the phones it is twisted and kinked…it’s driving me crazy. I know the cable is a gripe for grados…is there a way to un-kink the cable just above the bifurcation so the plastic splitter isn’t all twisted?

It’s so annoying that I may send them back.

Any tips before I decide to return them?

 

[jonathan c]

Finally received the RS1x and really like the sound so far and they look great.

I hate to bring this up but the cable is driving me crazy. Where it bifurcates from one cable, into a plastic Y splitter, then up into the phones it is twisted and kinked…it’s driving me crazy. I know the cable is a gripe for grados…is there a way to un-kink the cable just above the bifurcation so the plastic splitter isn’t all twisted?

It’s so annoying that I may send them back.

Any tips before I decide to return them?

Keep rotating each earcup separately until the twists go away…

 

[jonathan c]

The Dynaco A25. started mu audio journey with them. funny. 10 years later and over 30 pairs of speakers, im back with the Seas A26, a clone of the dynaco A25

…I remember their adverts in the 1970s…an ‘aperiodic’ system…

 

[Stevko]

That's true, lots of good words from Grado fans about that feature!



Pro iCAN, isn't it?

iFI should produce a dac/amp for Grado. retrostyle/wooden
Would be nice

 

[murphythecat]

iFI should produce a dac/amp for Grado. retrostyle/wooden
Would be nice

https://ifi-audio.com/products/retro-stereo-50/

they kinda do... It has one of their DAC desing, along a decent phono stage and a all tube head-amp with Xbass and tone control

 

[Stevko]

this is a nice stereo, same with the new Leak amp.
I never listen from speakers, only headphones.
so a headphone amp with same design would be very nice