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ledzep
Headphoneus Supremus
Wanting some 80's drivers can anyone enlighten me on the difference in sound between the different generations.
This is a weird hobby. How can headphones which sound so different from one another all be musically satisfying (and musical satisfaction, NOT matching up with some mythical curve on a piece of paper, is the goal - don’t let anyone tell you differently)?
Although primarily a Sennheiser 580/600/650 guy for most of the last 25 or so years, I have owned both the original SR60 (lost on the LIRR) and a pair of OG RS2 (I preferred the HD580 at the time), so while no Grado connoisseur, I am neither a total newb to Grados, nor to the hobby in general, although I admit that I really only thought of headphones as ancillary to my high end stereo habit; it’s only in the last few years that the headphones themselves have become the subject of my gear lust disease (a very advanced form of gear acquisition disorder).
Yada, yada, yada, I decided it was time to add a pair of Grados to my stable, got a good price on a pair of like new RS1e’s, and I’ve been playing around with them for the last few days with wonderful results.
I must say, for context if nothing else, I find it hysterical that the denizens of this thread seem to consider the RS1e a departure from the typical Grado treble signature because, to my ear, with the original L pads in place, they were almost unbearably bright on all material and from all sources (I won’t bore you with my equipment list - just take my word for it that I’ve been in this hobby since the 1970’s, and the headphones are at the tail end of a mid-five figure system, and are properly fed and amped. I know what my sources and amps do, so, while acknowledging that everything is indeed system dependent, my observations here are limited to the headphones themselves). The excessive (for me) treble ‘issue’ was easily resolved with a pair of Vever G Cush style pads for ~ $13.99 from Amazon. The bass filled in, the soundstage opened up and the treble, while still quite present, became shimmering and beautiful rather than opaque and overbearing. Big difference from a small piece of foam, but there it is. To me, those G pads are a necessity, but they don’t just make the headphones bearable, they transform them into interesting, delicious sounding, fun machines. I can now see the attraction. These Grados have a certain liveliness (as in lifelike presence - more than just dynamics), maybe an extra bit of transparency(?), that I haven’t heard elsewhere. Obviously, there is a price to pay in that potentially unruly treble, but once you figure out how to control that (no discussion of eq is being invited, it is of no interest to me, right or wrong), there is much pleasure to be had. Again, it is crazy to me that anyone could think the RS1e with original pads are dark - I have to respectfully disagree, not just compared to other (non-grado) headphones, but compared to live music in general (well maybe it would sound like that if you were standing next to the drum kit with your ears too close to the cymbals), these headphones with original L pads are bright. But stick on the Vever G Cush and they not only improve in comfort, but the sound becomes downright addictive. Maybe that’s why most of the other 50mm Grados come with the G Cush as standard? Just guessing - not offering an opinion.
Anyway, the important thing is that, once I changed the pads and reacclimated myself, I kinda fell in love - these things are addictive. I’ve always admired Grado as a company (although I haven’t been able to use their cartridges because they aren’t a good match for my tonearm), and I like the whole gestalt of the headphone. I like the light weight, I like the resonant mahogany chamber, I like that they chose the cord they want you to use and put it there permanently (though I question the choice of a 3.5mm connector with a 1/4” adapter rather than vice versa on a $695 headphone, and I don’t like the ease with which the cups rotate unfettered, thereby potentially over-twisting the captive cord). But those are minor quibbles, at worst. I am overjoyed with my RS1e purchase, and I continue to find myself looking for reasons to look at them, touch them, listen to them.
For context/perspective only: I currently own LCD-X (2021 rev.), DCA Open X, and Sennheiser HD 280 Pro/580/600/650. At the moment, if forced, I would put the Grado RS1e second only to the Near-twice the price Audeze LCD-X. They are very different, and I am not going to bore everyone to death with a line for line comparison, but the Audeze are as close to my ideal as I’ve ever heard and the Grados, cool as they are, don’t quite rise to that level. Maybe the Audeze could be dethroned by something from the Statement or Professional Series(?), but not the RS1e. Not quite. I am fortunate to have enough room for both so, while the Audeze will remain in the main system, the Grados have booted the Sennheisers out of and will get daily use on my bedside system (powered by a SS class A amp with a very stiff power supply - more than up to the task of getting the full potential out of the RS1e). Added bonus - SWMBO adores the look of the wood-chambered headphones on the stand on my night table.
I’m not a measurement guy, and all of the above is just some early-Saturday-morning-and-golf-has-been-rained-out rambling by an old guy with a new (to him) pair of RS1e’s that he is crushing on hard. None of it is fact, all of it is my personal observation, in my house, on my system, with my ears, my music, my taste and my experience. None of it is put forth for any reason other than conversation - it is not intended to influence, insult or persuade.
Maybe I’m totally wrong, or maybe I’m the only one on the forum who has a clue. I’ll never know, and neither will you. So take everything I say for what it’s worth - I’m not Caesar’s wife, and I don’t spout dogma. I’m just an alta caca who’s been listening to music seriously for 50+ years and who knows what he likes (but doesn’t pretend to know what you like, and who won’t tell you what you should like - unless of course you ask
).
YMMV, just my $,02, etc., ad nauseum
Although primarily a Sennheiser 580/600/650 guy for most of the last 25 or so years, I have owned both the original SR60 (lost on the LIRR) and a pair of OG RS2 (I preferred the HD580 at the time), so while no Grado connoisseur, I am neither a total newb to Grados, nor to the hobby in general, although I admit that I really only thought of headphones as ancillary to my high end stereo habit; it’s only in the last few years that the headphones themselves have become the subject of my gear lust disease (a very advanced form of gear acquisition disorder).
Yada, yada, yada, I decided it was time to add a pair of Grados to my stable, got a good price on a pair of like new RS1e’s, and I’ve been playing around with them for the last few days with wonderful results.
I must say, for context if nothing else, I find it hysterical that the denizens of this thread seem to consider the RS1e a departure from the typical Grado treble signature because, to my ear, with the original L pads in place, they were almost unbearably bright on all material and from all sources (I won’t bore you with my equipment list - just take my word for it that I’ve been in this hobby since the 1970’s, and the headphones are at the tail end of a mid-five figure system, and are properly fed and amped. I know what my sources and amps do, so, while acknowledging that everything is indeed system dependent, my observations here are limited to the headphones themselves). The excessive (for me) treble ‘issue’ was easily resolved with a pair of Vever G Cush style pads for ~ $13.99 from Amazon. The bass filled in, the soundstage opened up and the treble, while still quite present, became shimmering and beautiful rather than opaque and overbearing. Big difference from a small piece of foam, but there it is. To me, those G pads are a necessity, but they don’t just make the headphones bearable, they transform them into interesting, delicious sounding, fun machines. I can now see the attraction. These Grados have a certain liveliness (as in lifelike presence - more than just dynamics), maybe an extra bit of transparency(?), that I haven’t heard elsewhere. Obviously, there is a price to pay in that potentially unruly treble, but once you figure out how to control that (no discussion of eq is being invited, it is of no interest to me, right or wrong), there is much pleasure to be had. Again, it is crazy to me that anyone could think the RS1e with original pads are dark - I have to respectfully disagree, not just compared to other (non-grado) headphones, but compared to live music in general (well maybe it would sound like that if you were standing next to the drum kit with your ears too close to the cymbals), these headphones with original L pads are bright. But stick on the Vever G Cush and they not only improve in comfort, but the sound becomes downright addictive. Maybe that’s why most of the other 50mm Grados come with the G Cush as standard? Just guessing - not offering an opinion.
Anyway, the important thing is that, once I changed the pads and reacclimated myself, I kinda fell in love - these things are addictive. I’ve always admired Grado as a company (although I haven’t been able to use their cartridges because they aren’t a good match for my tonearm), and I like the whole gestalt of the headphone. I like the light weight, I like the resonant mahogany chamber, I like that they chose the cord they want you to use and put it there permanently (though I question the choice of a 3.5mm connector with a 1/4” adapter rather than vice versa on a $695 headphone, and I don’t like the ease with which the cups rotate unfettered, thereby potentially over-twisting the captive cord). But those are minor quibbles, at worst. I am overjoyed with my RS1e purchase, and I continue to find myself looking for reasons to look at them, touch them, listen to them.
For context/perspective only: I currently own LCD-X (2021 rev.), DCA Open X, and Sennheiser HD 280 Pro/580/600/650. At the moment, if forced, I would put the Grado RS1e second only to the Near-twice the price Audeze LCD-X. They are very different, and I am not going to bore everyone to death with a line for line comparison, but the Audeze are as close to my ideal as I’ve ever heard and the Grados, cool as they are, don’t quite rise to that level. Maybe the Audeze could be dethroned by something from the Statement or Professional Series(?), but not the RS1e. Not quite. I am fortunate to have enough room for both so, while the Audeze will remain in the main system, the Grados have booted the Sennheisers out of and will get daily use on my bedside system (powered by a SS class A amp with a very stiff power supply - more than up to the task of getting the full potential out of the RS1e). Added bonus - SWMBO adores the look of the wood-chambered headphones on the stand on my night table.
I’m not a measurement guy, and all of the above is just some early-Saturday-morning-and-golf-has-been-rained-out rambling by an old guy with a new (to him) pair of RS1e’s that he is crushing on hard. None of it is fact, all of it is my personal observation, in my house, on my system, with my ears, my music, my taste and my experience. None of it is put forth for any reason other than conversation - it is not intended to influence, insult or persuade.
Maybe I’m totally wrong, or maybe I’m the only one on the forum who has a clue. I’ll never know, and neither will you. So take everything I say for what it’s worth - I’m not Caesar’s wife, and I don’t spout dogma. I’m just an alta caca who’s been listening to music seriously for 50+ years and who knows what he likes (but doesn’t pretend to know what you like, and who won’t tell you what you should like - unless of course you ask
).YMMV, just my $,02, etc., ad nauseum
Last edited:
ledzep
Headphoneus Supremus
Concise and to the point, I'm so insulted that your influence has persuaded me to buy a pair of RS1e's and need to know what I should be listening to. I feel you maybe Rasputin reincarnated.This is a weird hobby. How can headphones which sound so different from one another all be musically satisfying (and musical satisfaction, NOT matching up with some mythical curve on a piece of paper, is the goal - don’t let anyone tell you differently)?
Although primarily a Sennheiser 580/600/650 guy for most of the last 25 or so years, I have owned both the original SR60 (lost on the LIRR) and a pair of OG RS2 (I preferred the HD580 at the time), so while no Grado connoisseur, I am neither a total newb to Grados, nor to the hobby in general, although I admit that I really only thought of headphones as ancillary to my high end stereo habit; it’s only in the last few years that the headphones themselves have become the subject of my gear lust disease (a very advanced form of gear acquisition disorder).
Yada, yada, yada, I decided it was time to add a pair of Grados to my stable, got a good price on a pair of like new RS1e’s, and I’ve been playing around with them for the last few days with wonderful results.
I must say, for context if nothing else, I find it hysterical that the denizens of this thread seem to consider the RS1e a departure from the typical Grado treble signature because, to my ear, with the original L pads in place, they were almost unbearably bright on all material and from all sources (I won’t bore you with my equipment list - just take my word for it that I’ve been in this hobby since the 1970’s, and the headphones are at the tail end of a mid-five figure system, and are properly fed and amped. I know what my sources and amps do, so, while acknowledging that everything is indeed system dependent, my observations here are limited to the headphones themselves). The excessive (for me) treble ‘issue’ was easily resolved with a pair of Vever G Cush style pads for ~ $13.99 from Amazon. The bass filled in, the soundstage opened up and the treble, while still quite present, became shimmering and beautiful rather than opaque and overbearing. Big difference from a small piece of foam, but there it is. To me, those G pads are a necessity, but they don’t just make the headphones bearable, they transform them into interesting, delicious sounding, fun machines. I can now see the attraction. These Grados have a certain liveliness (as in lifelike presence - more than just dynamics), maybe an extra bit of transparency(?), that I haven’t heard elsewhere. Obviously, there is a price to pay in that potentially unruly treble, but once you figure out how to control that (no discussion of eq is being invited, it is of no interest to me, right or wrong), there is much pleasure to be had. Again, it is crazy to me that anyone could think the RS1e with original pads are dark - I have to respectfully disagree, not just compared to other (non-grado) headphones, but compared to live music in general (well maybe it would sound like that if you were standing next to the drum kit with your ears too close to the cymbals), these headphones with original L pads are bright. But stick on the Vever G Cush and they not only improve in comfort, but the sound becomes downright addictive. Maybe that’s why most of the other 50mm Grados come with the G Cush as standard? Just guessing - not offering an opinion.
Anyway, the important thing is that, once I changed the pads and reacclimated myself, I kinda fell in love - these things are addictive. I’ve always admired Grado as a company (although I haven’t been able to use their cartridges because they aren’t a good match for my tonearm), and I like the whole gestalt of the headphone. I like the light weight, I like the resonant mahogany chamber, I like that they chose the cord they want you to use and put it there permanently (though I question the choice of a 3.5mm connector with a 1/4” adapter rather than vice versa on a $695 headphone, and I don’t like the ease with which the cups rotate unfettered, thereby potentially over-twisting the captive cord). But those are minor quibbles, at worst. I am overjoyed with my RS1e purchase, and I continue to find myself looking for reasons to look at them, touch them, listen to them.
For context/perspective only: I currently own LCD-X (2021 rev.), DCA Open X, and Sennheiser HD 280 Pro/580/600/650. At the moment, if forced, I would put the Grado RS1e second only to the Near-twice the price Audeze LCD-X. They are very different, and I am not going to bore everyone to death with a line for line comparison, but the Audeze are as close to my ideal as I’ve ever heard and the Grados, cool as they are, don’t quite rise to that level. Maybe I hey could be dethroned by something from the Statement Series(?), but not the RS1e. Not quite. I am fortunate to have enough room for both so, while the Audeze will remain in the main system, the Grados have booted the Sennheisers out of and will get daily use on my bedside system (powered by a SS class A amp with a very stiff power supply - more than up to the task of getting the full potential out of the RS1e). Added bonus - SWMBO adores the look of the wood-chambered headphones on the stand on my night table.
I’m not a measurement guy, and all of the above is just some early-Saturday-morning-and-golf-has-been-rained-out rambling by an old guy with a new (to him) pair of RS1e’s that he is crushing on hard. None of it is fact, all of it is my personal observation, in my house, on my system, with my ears, my music l, my taste and my experience. None of it is put forth for any reason other than conversation - it is not intended to influence, insult or persuade.
Maybe I’m totally wrong, or maybe I’m the only one on the forum who has a clue. I’ll never know, and neither will you. So take everything I say for what it’s worth - I’m not Caesar’s wife, and I don’t spout dogma. I’m just an alta caca who’s been listening to music seriously for 50+ years and who knows what he likes (but doesn’t pretend to know what you like, and who won’t tell you what you should like - unless of course you ask
YMMV, just my $,02, etc., ad nauseum
Rasputin?! Thank you!!!Concise and to the point, I'm so insulted that your influence has persuaded me to buy a pair of RS1e's and need to know what I should be listening to. I feel you maybe Rasputin reincarnated.
I put all that CYA stuff in there as a first line of defense against the guys I’m gonna have to yell at later. There’s always at least one….
ledzep
Headphoneus Supremus
Everyone likes something different headphone styles and sound signature and music genres. I'm currently listening to DSOM via a tube with the PS500e's and I'll guarantee no one and I really mean no one will be hearing what I am hearing right now ...... The wife in the background asking me about the door that needs re painting, looks like it maybe closed back timeRasputin?! Thank you!!!
I put all that CYA stuff in there as a first line of defense against the guys I’m gonna have to yell at later. There’s always at least one….
Lol! - I was just getting the Costco shopping list rundown, so while we may not be hearing the same thing, it sounds like we are in the identical headspace. I wonder if I’d go closed back or iem though….Everyone likes something different headphone styles and sound signature and music genres. I'm currently listening to DSOM via a tube with the PS500e's and I'll guarantee no one and I really mean no one will be hearing what I am hearing right now ...... The wife in the background asking me about the door that needs re painting, looks like it maybe closed back time
ledzep
Headphoneus Supremus
Yeah the downside of open backs / marriage / civil partnership etc ( I leave no one out)
They don’t refer to them as She* Who Must Be Obeyed (SWMBO) for nuthin’
*Substitute pronoun of choice.
ledzep
Headphoneus Supremus
The older you get the "anything for a quiet life" becomes your ethos
There most certainly will be. I had a couple of days with one and I am anxious to get more time and hear from the happy owners.
Enjoy the ride
Attachments
Howdy,
Just a reminder to let all fans know that I posted FOR SALE a really fine
looking VINTAGE RS1 with BUTTONS in the Classified in Full Size Headphones section, link below.
Plenty of photos there.
https://www.head-fi.org/classifieds/vintage-grado-button-rs1.33807/
Thanks for looking…
PS selling for a friend. (My own RS1 Vintage is solidly on my must keep list).
Just a reminder to let all fans know that I posted FOR SALE a really fine
looking VINTAGE RS1 with BUTTONS in the Classified in Full Size Headphones section, link below.Plenty of photos there.
https://www.head-fi.org/classifieds/vintage-grado-button-rs1.33807/
Thanks for looking…
PS selling for a friend. (My own RS1 Vintage is solidly on my must keep list).
Attachments
Last edited:
majo123
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Jan 1, 2016
- Posts
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- 12,084
I split from ex and have been single for 2 years ...I can sit and listen to open backs in my underwear in the garden if I wanted....don't think my elderly neighbors would be too impressed but I bet they wouldn't say anything
Thanks for your interesting post, quite enjoyable.This is a weird hobby. How can headphones which sound so different from one another all be musically satisfying (and musical satisfaction, NOT matching up with some mythical curve on a piece of paper, is the goal - don’t let anyone tell you differently)?
Although primarily a Sennheiser 580/600/650 guy for most of the last 25 or so years, I have owned both the original SR60 (lost on the LIRR) and a pair of OG RS2 (I preferred the HD580 at the time), so while no Grado connoisseur, I am neither a total newb to Grados, nor to the hobby in general, although I admit that I really only thought of headphones as ancillary to my high end stereo habit; it’s only in the last few years that the headphones themselves have become the subject of my gear lust disease (a very advanced form of gear acquisition disorder).
Yada, yada, yada, I decided it was time to add a pair of Grados to my stable, got a good price on a pair of like new RS1e’s, and I’ve been playing around with them for the last few days with wonderful results.
I must say, for context if nothing else, I find it hysterical that the denizens of this thread seem to consider the RS1e a departure from the typical Grado treble signature because, to my ear, with the original L pads in place, they were almost unbearably bright on all material and from all sources (I won’t bore you with my equipment list - just take my word for it that I’ve been in this hobby since the 1970’s, and the headphones are at the tail end of a mid-five figure system, and are properly fed and amped. I know what my sources and amps do, so, while acknowledging that everything is indeed system dependent, my observations here are limited to the headphones themselves). The excessive (for me) treble ‘issue’ was easily resolved with a pair of Vever G Cush style pads for ~ $13.99 from Amazon. The bass filled in, the soundstage opened up and the treble, while still quite present, became shimmering and beautiful rather than opaque and overbearing. Big difference from a small piece of foam, but there it is. To me, those G pads are a necessity, but they don’t just make the headphones bearable, they transform them into interesting, delicious sounding, fun machines. I can now see the attraction. These Grados have a certain liveliness (as in lifelike presence - more than just dynamics), maybe an extra bit of transparency(?), that I haven’t heard elsewhere. Obviously, there is a price to pay in that potentially unruly treble, but once you figure out how to control that (no discussion of eq is being invited, it is of no interest to me, right or wrong), there is much pleasure to be had. Again, it is crazy to me that anyone could think the RS1e with original pads are dark - I have to respectfully disagree, not just compared to other (non-grado) headphones, but compared to live music in general (well maybe it would sound like that if you were standing next to the drum kit with your ears too close to the cymbals), these headphones with original L pads are bright. But stick on the Vever G Cush and they not only improve in comfort, but the sound becomes downright addictive. Maybe that’s why most of the other 50mm Grados come with the G Cush as standard? Just guessing - not offering an opinion.
Anyway, the important thing is that, once I changed the pads and reacclimated myself, I kinda fell in love - these things are addictive. I’ve always admired Grado as a company (although I haven’t been able to use their cartridges because they aren’t a good match for my tonearm), and I like the whole gestalt of the headphone. I like the light weight, I like the resonant mahogany chamber, I like that they chose the cord they want you to use and put it there permanently (though I question the choice of a 3.5mm connector with a 1/4” adapter rather than vice versa on a $695 headphone, and I don’t like the ease with which the cups rotate unfettered, thereby potentially over-twisting the captive cord). But those are minor quibbles, at worst. I am overjoyed with my RS1e purchase, and I continue to find myself looking for reasons to look at them, touch them, listen to them.
For context/perspective only: I currently own LCD-X (2021 rev.), DCA Open X, and Sennheiser HD 280 Pro/580/600/650. At the moment, if forced, I would put the Grado RS1e second only to the Near-twice the price Audeze LCD-X. They are very different, and I am not going to bore everyone to death with a line for line comparison, but the Audeze are as close to my ideal as I’ve ever heard and the Grados, cool as they are, don’t quite rise to that level. Maybe the Audeze could be dethroned by something from the Statement or Professional Series(?), but not the RS1e. Not quite. I am fortunate to have enough room for both so, while the Audeze will remain in the main system, the Grados have booted the Sennheisers out of and will get daily use on my bedside system (powered by a SS class A amp with a very stiff power supply - more than up to the task of getting the full potential out of the RS1e). Added bonus - SWMBO adores the look of the wood-chambered headphones on the stand on my night table.
I’m not a measurement guy, and all of the above is just some early-Saturday-morning-and-golf-has-been-rained-out rambling by an old guy with a new (to him) pair of RS1e’s that he is crushing on hard. None of it is fact, all of it is my personal observation, in my house, on my system, with my ears, my music, my taste and my experience. None of it is put forth for any reason other than conversation - it is not intended to influence, insult or persuade.
Maybe I’m totally wrong, or maybe I’m the only one on the forum who has a clue. I’ll never know, and neither will you. So take everything I say for what it’s worth - I’m not Caesar’s wife, and I don’t spout dogma. I’m just an alta caca who’s been listening to music seriously for 50+ years and who knows what he likes (but doesn’t pretend to know what you like, and who won’t tell you what you should like - unless of course you ask
YMMV, just my $,02, etc., ad nauseum
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