In 2022 I was playing around a lot with Grados, with their pads and sources. To understand my results you should know, that I come from Stax, earning a collection of 20 electrostates . Never the less I like the character of Grado and their image. For me, they are like Harley Davidson: Horrible constructions but you have to love the sound.
At the moment I have 5 of my favorit Grados at home:
- very early RS1 with wooden bottons and golden letters (first owner since about 30 years) - favorite pads: Shibibo
- GS 1000, very hard to handle - play it with tape modded Gpads now. Very depending on the music I listen with them.
- PS 1000e, my second one. This one was modified with other drivers and a nice headband. They got some ZMF fenastred pads, very beautiful and very bass heavy ( maybe my best Grados), nice mids. Lot of fun.
-GH2, I dried a lot of the smaller, newer Grados, but those were the best for my ears.
- GS 3000 with MR Speaker Voce pads. Very balanced and most detailed of the 5
Most of the time I play the Grados with my second hifi-line: Roon Rock - ifi Micro iusb - Mytek Brooklyn - little Dot mk1 with Burson V6 vivid and Telefunken tubes . Also I have good experiences with Earman TR and ifi Micro ican . ifi Ican is a little bit cleanen, but little Dot has more space, more musicality and the V6 gives him good dynamic.
(Tubes, some where in the line, are a must for my taste and Grados like them too.)
The little Dot mk1 is an unbeliefable match with the Grados and a nice and cheap playground for those of us, who like to swap tubes and opamps.
So some of my experiences with Grado:
- If I compare the 30 year old RS1 with new TOTLs from today , I must say, Grado has made a lot of steps...but to the side, not that much forward. In my combination and with my ears (I am not sensible in the highs anymore) the RS1 is so close to the GS3000, that' a shame for every developer.
- Didn't like the White One and the Hemp. Both to muffled for me.
- Trying different pads makes sense. You may expect more comfort, but none of them is the best solution for all Grados concerning sound.
- You can't expect better sound from newer or more expensive models in the Grado line. There is no logic. (Maybe its better now with the x line. Liked the RS1x more than the RS2x, even I thought the last one is an evolution to the e.)
- The price of the PS2000 has reached a level, which took a part of the symphathie I always felt for this company. 90% has stayed the same since years but prices went up more than double. But ok, everywhere the same.
Have a better 2023,
enjoy music,
enjoy your Grados
tom