[SHAHZADA123]

  WOOT WOOT....looky at what I just bought!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can't wait...should be AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WOW! These are too sexy to pass. Will get a pair soon

 

[austonia]

.

 

[wormsdriver]

ha! I think I found the vents.
 
In the video, go to the 1:51 minute mark. the vents are under the  nevermind here they are:

 

[wormsdriver]

they are all of a sudden more interesting... I was initially turned off by the s-pads/comfies
 
Edit: just found this too, good read: http://gizmodo.com/grado-labs-made-gorgeous-cans-out-of-irish-whiskey-bar-1476399898

 

[CH23]

my RA-1 just arrived at work, can't wait to try it tonight.

 

[whirlwind]

Thanks for that read wormsdriver.
 
The cans look great, and I am sure they will hold their value and a lot of people will want them for their collectability.

 

[bassboysam]

Sorry ~ but this looks terrible. Put on your Grados and lay hands over the cups. How's that sound?

I love custom woodies as much anyone here but sound quality must take priority over design!

Do you really think they just took one of their existing headphones and closed them off? I'm sure they designed these to work properly.

 

[BillsonChang007]

Do you really think they just took one of their existing headphones and closed them off? I'm sure they designed these to work properly.

Indeed! Pretty sure Grado will design a new drivers for this model or at least, take one of their product line driver, and do some tweaks on it.

 

[fleasbaby]

Nice read indeed...but at the risk of sounding like a picky bugger:
 
1. John didn't found Grado Labs did he? I thought Joe, his uncle, did...
2. This isn't Grado's first collaboration...there was the head-fi cans (HF-1 and HF-2), and if that isn't close enough to a legitimate brand, then the Dolce and Gabbana collaboration a little while back...
 
http://www.mendaily.com/dolce-gabbana-x-grado-ds2012-mahogany-headphones-sound-and-luxury/
 
All the over-analytical nit-picking aside, I hope these sound good, and indicate another step toward a sealed Grado at some point in the future.

 

[SHAHZADA123]

Do you really think they just took one of their existing headphones and closed them off? I'm sure they designed these to work properly.

Agree. 
Apparently, they've been working on these for about 5 months.

 

[parbaked]

  Agree. 
Apparently, they've been working on these for about 5 months.

The articles mention various driver tweaks to get them to sound good:
"To make the headphones sound right, Grado actually had to add mass in the form of a little tuning fork-like wooden piece behind the driver diaphragm to give the cups a little more heft and sturdiness."
 
It also implies that these were done as an experiment in brand collaboration more than a pursuit of a better sounding Grado:
"Moreover, the project was an opportunity to tackle a number of challenges, not the least of which was seeing if his very serious audio company could actually play nicely with new friends."
 
Silliest thing is how they imply the wood "sounded good" before they made any headphones!
"When Bushmills approached John Grado about the project, the first thing Grado did was make sure the boozy, brittle wood was actually something you could use to make a headphone. "We listened to the wood out of the barrels and we knew it was something that could be done."
 
At least we know the final sound check was done by 'experienced ears:
Grado's son, Jonathan (and Bushmills spokes-celebrity Elijah Wood) spot-checked the sound to make sure that younger audience would like the end product. "It's nice to know that these old ears still got it," says Grado.
 
An interesting product but clearly not intended to supersede anything in the existing range.

 

[bassboysam]

Yes obviously this is just a gimmick and not meant to be a revolution in headphone design especially if they only spent 5 months on R&D. I don't think the intention was to take the hi-fi word by storm. But who knows they may actually sound good.

 

[wormsdriver]

I read some other article were the reason for that design was to incorporate the logo of the other company on the headphone.

It reminds me of a few years back when I would watch American choppers. When they would build a theme bike for a particular company. These cans look to me like barrels. I think they'll look really great in person, and since they're priced between the 325's and rs2, I expect them to sound pretty darn good!

 

[ArmAndHammer]

I'm sure they will. They are Grados and will have the Grado sound. I don't think Grado is all about revolutionary or taking worlds by storm. They have a niche and that's what they are doing. They make improvements on what they have but nothing so incredibly new and out there that the head-fi world will go bonkers. This is just an example of that wrapped in a cool package. Gimmicky...yeah, maybe...cool...definitely, sound good as Grados do...without a doubt.

 

[hsubox]

   
Sorry ~ but this looks terrible. Put on your Grados and lay hands over the cups. How's that sound?
 
I love custom woodies as much anyone here but sound quality must take priority over design!

How are you jumping to the conclusion that they will sound bad? They said that they have retuned them to get the Grado house sound. I, for one, believe them. Of course, there will be some differences, insomuch that the PS500 sounds different, or the 80 sounds different from the 225 to the GS1000.... I think Grado has earned the benefit of the doubt over all these years.