[joseph69]

You need to get some Beautiful Audio pads for those beautiful headphones.

Already tried the BA 'L' cushions, and while they sounded good, as well as comfortable, I prefer the Grado cushions to any aftermarkets, and especially the Grado G cushion with both, my GH1 & GH2. Hopefully I'll get to hear the GS3000x in home on my gear so I can make a decision if I prefer them over both of my latter Grado headphones mentioned.

If I do decide in favor of the GS3000x, I would be selling both as I've been trimming down my headphones as well as my gear. I've always favored 'less is more' but this hobby can send you in a downward spiral quickly and before you know it it's just too much...well at least for me.

 

[Rebel Chris]

I've always favored 'less is more' but this hobby can send you in a downward spiral quickly and before you know it it's just too much...well at least for me.

I hear you brother

 

[Luckyleo]

It seems like you enjoy the gs3000x alot and you seem to have quite some knowledge about headphones/Grados. Would you have a suggestion for a nice amp/dac to pair the gs3000x with? Or what do Grados go well with in general? Would be much appreciated!

Well, I preface my comments that they are based on gear I have, and my preferences. Grados are very easy to drive, and many people say you can use any amp, including a phone or other cheap alternatives. I say, they sound good when powered as described above, but to make them their best I suggest a good amp. I've used Grado's with tubes, the Vali 2++, the Valhalla 2, and the Feliks Audio Espressivio. I have also used them with S.S. Amps like the Schiit Audio Jot 2. In my opinion, the Grados sound great with all of them. If you like the Grado house sound, you would like any of these amps. However, I've a/b'd them all together and for me the OTL tube amp (Espressivio) makes them shine the best. Many would say that there is a mismatch in terms of impedence. 99% of the time, they sound like a terrific match. I've been really disappointed on a couple live albums from the Grateful Dead. I later found out with other amps ,that the mastering was indeed horrible and not the impedance mismatch with the amp. So I can say that with the right OTL amp, with moderate to good recording quality, the Grado's shine.

Jot2 does them justice as well. Just a preference between S.S. and tubes.

@jonathan c your thoughts?

Leo

 

[Jimmy Gazelle]

If you haven’t check it out there’s a pretty cool all bass album by Lincoln Goines called The Art of the Bass Choir. Great quality recordings and there’s a cool tribute to Jaco.

Awesome, I’ll make sure to check it out! Thank you!

 

[Jimmy Gazelle]

Well, I preface my comments that they are based on gear I have, and my preferences. Grados are very easy to drive, and many people say you can use any amp, including a phone or other cheap alternatives. I say, they sound good when powered as described above, but to make them their best I suggest a good amp. I've used Grado's with tubes, the Vali 2++, the Valhalla 2, and the Feliks Audio Espressivio. I have also used them with S.S. Amps like the Schiit Audio Jot 2. In my opinion, the Grados sound great with all of them. If you like the Grado house sound, you would like any of these amps. However, I've a/b'd them all together and for me the OTL tube amp (Espressivio) makes them shine the best. Many would say that there is a mismatch in terms of impedence. 99% of the time, they sound like a terrific match. I've been really disappointed on a couple live albums from the Grateful Dead. I later found out with other amps ,that the mastering was indeed horrible and not the impedance mismatch with the amp. So I can say that with the right OTL amp, with moderate to good recording quality, the Grado's shine.

Jot2 does them justice as well. Just a preference between S.S. and tubes.

@jonathan c your thoughts?

Leo

Thank you for the response, which is very much appreciated! I am very curious about pairing the grados with a tube amp!

 

[jonathan c]

Well, I preface my comments that they are based on gear I have, and my preferences. Grados are very easy to drive, and many people say you can use any amp, including a phone or other cheap alternatives. I say, they sound good when powered as described above, but to make them their best I suggest a good amp. I've used Grado's with tubes, the Vali 2++, the Valhalla 2, and the Feliks Audio Espressivio. I have also used them with S.S. Amps like the Schiit Audio Jot 2. In my opinion, the Grados sound great with all of them. If you like the Grado house sound, you would like any of these amps. However, I've a/b'd them all together and for me the OTL tube amp (Espressivio) makes them shine the best. Many would say that there is a mismatch in terms of impedence. 99% of the time, they sound like a terrific match. I've been really disappointed on a couple live albums from the Grateful Dead. I later found out with other amps ,that the mastering was indeed horrible and not the impedance mismatch with the amp. So I can say that with the right OTL amp, with moderate to good recording quality, the Grado's shine.

Jot2 does them justice as well. Just a preference between S.S. and tubes.

@jonathan c your thoughts?

Leo

• First, this is not a ‘set-up’ !
• As for Grado headphones: with an average impedance of 38 ohms and an average sensitivity of 99.5 dB/mw, they are very easy to drive - i.e. achieve high volume.
• The best sound quality from Grados comes from using a dedicated headphone amplifier. In tubes, Espressivio is, indeed, a good choice. Others include Icon Audio HP8 and Woo Audio WA6. In solid-state, excellent drivers of Grados are HeadAmp Gilmore Lite II (with Golden Reference power supply), Rebel Amp. In hybrid, Grados sound wonderful with Liquid Platinum, Schiit Lyr 3 (the first version).
• One has to really work to make a Grado sound bad. If it sounds bad to you, the odds are that the headphone’s presentation & tuning run counter to your preferences.

 

[Shane D]

If it sounds bad to you, the odds are that the headphone’s presentation & tuning run counter to your preferences.

Not that I was asked, but the above is key.
I have several amps and I enjoy my Grado's on all of them.

1) I love my Violectric V220 with Grado's. The warm, soft sound fills them out and gives them a nice bassy sound.

2) The iFi amp is, to me, pretty neutral. But it is fun to add some bass boost to a Grado.

3) My tube amp is a Little Dot MK9 and it is wonderful with Grado's. I just spent the last week listening to my Hemps with this amp and it was a wonderful pairing. In rock and jazz.

4) My last amp is the RebelAmp. It is a very clean amp that gives you the exact sound. It doesn't add anything. You get straight Grado.

 

[ESL-1]

I have only one opinion of the PS1000. Its awesome.

I've got the original version with the matte finish. That shiny chrome one joseph69 is selling sure is pretty

And it sounds great too, I heard it.

 

[joseph69]

I have only one opinion of the PS1000. Its awesome.

I've got the original version with the matte finish. That shiny chrome one joseph69 is selling sure is pretty

And it sounds great too, I heard it.

The PS1000 looks good in chrome, but I do prefer the matte finish. And yes, it sounds great and also has had a new home now for a few weeks or so.

 

[Alucard1]

My friend have old original PS1000. Whats the diffrence in sound between PS1000 and PS2000? I was asking someday in other forums, but no one can told me a thing. I just got: "PS1000 is a batter headphone. This new E versions are crap" Thats all. And PS2000 was my object of intrest for some time.

 

[Gippy]

The PS1000 (which was part of the i-series; there's no "PS1000i") was Grado's last large headphone with 44mm drivers. Therefore it (and the GS1000/GS1000i) sound significantly different than the large headphones that came after it. Whether or not that's better or worse is personal taste. The newer headphones moved up the midbass hump. Some like this added warmth. Others call it muddy.

 

[PANURUS]

I was having almost whole series E in house like 2 years ago. I like PS500e the most but they had strange tiring factor, they just no listenable when you want listen loud. RS2e was fine but not having that real deep bass what i lookin for. SR80e for price were very much ok. Listening Grados beside something like D8000 its hard to justify thier buying. Just my point of view. I just want to listen Ps2000e, i have no intrest for others in line.

PS500e is perfect with Hugo2 or Mojo2. I have a PS500e with the cable of the PS2000e and a second with the cable of the RS1X.
First: Listen the PS2000e with Hugo2, TT2 or Dave is very different.
Second: Already with Hugo2, if i want to listen the bass in “Aret Allard, Karl seglem”, i need the PS2000e.
It is the same with the organs in “also scratch Zarathustra”.
Third: The signature of PS2000e and PS500e are the same.
All the PS500e can show, the PS500e makes it better.
Listening with the PS2000e makes many works interesting because the highlighting of details and subtleties arouses the desire to continue. It encourages discovery rather than leading to the observation of banality. He reminds me that the composition is based on a choice of notes and instruments and therefore my attention is also directed towards the dexterity of the musicians. Also, by having more faithful access to the nuances of the voice, I feel closer to the performer. All these observations allowed me to understand that I am in the same situation as the sound engineer of the studio and therefore that the name "professional series" is not usurped.

 

[Jimmy Gazelle]

If you haven’t check it out there’s a pretty cool all bass album by Lincoln Goines called The Art of the Bass Choir. Great quality recordings and there’s a cool tribute to Jaco.

checked-out the album- super nice. thank you!

 

[Jimmy Gazelle]

• First, this is not a ‘set-up’ !
• As for Grado headphones: with an average impedance of 38 ohms and an average sensitivity of 99.5 dB/mw, they are very easy to drive - i.e. achieve high volume.
• The best sound quality from Grados comes from using a dedicated headphone amplifier. In tubes, Espressivio is, indeed, a good choice. Others include Icon Audio HP8 and Woo Audio WA6. In solid-state, excellent drivers of Grados are HeadAmp Gilmore Lite II (with Golden Reference power supply), Rebel Amp. In hybrid, Grados sound wonderful with Liquid Platinum, Schiit Lyr 3 (the first version).
• One has to really work to make a Grado sound bad. If it sounds bad to you, the odds are that the headphone’s presentation & tuning run counter to your preferences.

I only have a burson conductor at home..the grados sound very nice with the amp but from what i read in the answers here a nice tube amp would be worth to try out too

 

[rocketron]

If you haven’t check it out there’s a pretty cool all bass album by Lincoln Goines called The Art of the Bass Choir. Great quality recordings and there’s a cool tribute to Jaco.

Lovely listening now.
Thanks for this