[DarthFader]

  I own the WA6/RS1i and this is an end game combo too my ears.
I would highly recommend the WA6 anytime. It is built like a tank, and like Jay mentioned you can roll plenty of different tubes too suit your tastes. 

Thanks for all of the feedback, people! Very helpful!

 

[joseph69]

  Thanks for all of the feedback, people! Very helpful!

Your very welcome.

 

[bpcans]

I own the WA6/RS1i and this is an end game combo too my ears.
I would highly recommend the WA6 anytime. It is built like a tank, and like Jay mentioned you can roll plenty of different tubes too suit your tastes. 

+1

 

[Chris Ihao]

I"m sorry, but I don"t know what you mean by that, so I would appreciate it, if you would explain it to me.

Ah. I merely suggested that the excellent quality and "luxuriousness" of Grados, to some extent are similar to luxurious brands of cars, like Ferrari, and that the level of service also associated with these brands go hand in hand with this aspect. Furthermore, that dedicated customers (like you/us) of said businesses are dependable and worth keeping, in terms of spending a substantial share of their hard money on said products, and hence have a very refined level of service. A compliment to Grado really

 

[ruthieandjohn]

  OK, as a result of my continual predilection to place my Personal assets (which are not big enough to call "wealth") at the disposal of The Grado Fan Club of head-fi.org, I have BOUGHT a pair of the gold 325i's off eBay just now, with the goal of seeing whether they return the brightness for which the 325's are known.  Oh the things I do for my hobby!
 
I am aided in this by the fact that I first bought, then sold back, a pair of gold 325i's to head-fier @kalki11 .  He sold his with the idea of buying the more recent 325e's.  When he got the 325e's he was VERY disappointed.  They were not as bright as his beloved SR325i in gold, the Grado 50th Anniversary Gold edition.  He then bought and sold several other versions of the SR325 (original, is, ...).  So since he clearly missed them (and they were his main headphones), I sold them back and bought @jaywillin 's 325e's. 
 
So I will soon be able to compare the older SR325i to the current 325e, hopefully finding the 325i's Much Brighter.  Look for a report from me after they arrive in early June.
 
Aren't headphones FUN??????

Recall that when I compared my SR 225i to my SR325e, they scored equally on every one of the 10 acoustic features to which I was comparing them (as well as the PS500), as reported here.  In my comparison of over 30 headphones, this is the first time that two have tied on every acoustic feature.  I speculated then that perhaps when Grado updated the formerly bright SR325i to become the less bright SR325e, they ended up making it more similar to the less bright SR225i.
 
Now that I have received a pair of SR325i headphones (the gold anniversary issue), I have quickly compared them to my SR325e to see if there was a change.
 
There was:
 

1. Bass on SR325e goes deeper than the SR325i (or as an audiophile might say, "more bass extension");
2. Brightness on SR325e is less than on SR325i (in parlance of some, "trebles were tamed");
3. Soundstage on SR325e is a bit larger than the SR325i ("larger sound stage"
   
   ).

 
So I will eventually compare the SR325i to my SR225i, but I can tell that there will be a difference.
 
By the way, the gold lettering off the used SR325i I got has almost all rubbed off.  I wonder if rubbing some of that gold foil transfer on the raised lettering will allow turning them back to gold again?
 

SR325e (top) and SR325i (bottom)

 

[bbophead]

1. Bass on SR325e goes deeper than the SR325e (or as an audiophile might say, "more bass extension");

 
 
Might want to do some proof reading before posting.

 

[joseph69]

  Now that I have received a pair of SR325i headphones (the gold anniversary issue), I have quickly compared them to my SR325e to see if there was a change.

So which series do you prefer?

 

[funkymartyn]

Yes id like to know also,  as I have and use the gold sr 325i.......

 

[ruthieandjohn]

Since I have ALL the Grado headphones, I prefer the SR325i (the gold ones). This is because the SR325 series has been known as the brightest of the Grados, and to have that brightness toned down as part of transitioning from -i to -e seems to make them identical to my SR225i.  I want to include the brightest Grado in my collection, hence the preference for the SR325i.
 
Now if a 325 were the ONLY Grados that I had, I would go for the SR325e.  Again in matching the SR225i, it is in the middle of the dark - to - bright continuum that has the PS500 at the dark end and the SR325i at the bright end, so I would be choosing the middle ground.
 
Only small snag now is that there is also a 325is (in silver, as opposed to the gold 325i).  Elsewhere on this board (here and subsequent posts, for example), the SR325is is said to have "more bass and more sibilance" than the SR325i.

 

[stacker45]

  +1
 
Stacker is my boy!!!

 
Thanks Buddy, I like you too.

 
 

  Well, even when manufacturing challenges rear their heads, Grado takes corrective measures.  According to my Grado dealer from whom I bought my GS1000e after a 4-month wait, when their assembler (Lorina) was hit with a death in the family, it was John Grado who assembled and shipped my headphones!
 
(Perhaps that is as risky as having your doctor rather than a phlebologist take  your blood... the doctor doesn't do it often enough to be good.  But the GS1000es are flawless, so I'm sure they are extra special!)

 
I guess that we'll have to agree, to disagree about this. In my opinion, there are no excuses for them to have you wait 4 months for your GS1000e. You didn't order a Bugatti Veyron, we're talking about a pair of headphones. I waited about 1 month for my RA1, and I was going ballistic, I asked for a price reduction, and my dealer obliged.
 
I understand that manufacturers can want to, or maybe even, have to, make changes, but the cutomers should be made aware of those changes. We have this great thing called internet, so their are no reasons why we shouldn't know exactly what we're buying. 
 
On a more positive note. As promised, (although I can't remember to whom), last night, I have paired my new RA1 with my old school GS1000, and I think that they make a pretty good pair. The relax, tube like sound of the RA1 tames the sometime aggressive treble of the GS1k. Also, since bass is not the GS1k's strong suit, the RA1's good bass extension brings maybe a half octave down low. In my opinion, the only Grado that might not pair well with the RA1, would be the PS500(e).

 

[joseph69]

  Since I have ALL the Grado headphones, I prefer the SR325i (the gold ones). This is because the SR325 series has been known as the brightest of the Grados, and to have that brightness toned down as part of transitioning from -i to -e seems to make them identical to my SR225i.  I want to include the brightest Grado in my collection, hence the preference for the SR325i.
 
Now if a 325 were the ONLY Grados that I had, I would go for the SR325e.  Again in matching the SR225i, it is in the middle of the dark - to - bright continuum that has the PS500 at the dark end and the SR325i at the bright end, so I would be choosing the middle ground.
 
Only small snag now is that there is also a 325is (in silver, as opposed to the gold 325i).  Elsewhere on this board (here and subsequent posts, for example), the SR325is is said to have "more bass and more sibilance" than the SR325i.

Thanks for your preference, I was just curious.
Now you have to take care of that "small snag" and buy the 325is. 

BTW, although I've only heard the 325is, I do love it!!!

 

[Wildcatsare1]

Hey Ya'll, quick note, now that I have the PS1k, HE560, AKG K7XX, and my Alclair Customs something has to give. So I am going to sell my PS500e's. They will be selling at a deep discount, $390.00. This is due th a chip in the matte finish. I am able to offer the discount because of the graciousness of the Gent I loaned them too. He is willing to cover my loss up to a point, so please PM if you are interested?

Thanks!

 

[Focker]

  Since I have ALL the Grado headphones,

 
Do you tend to still rotate them all through, or are there some that are in more of a "part of the collection" role? 

 

[ruthieandjohn]

  Thanks for your preference, I was just curious.
Now you have to take care of that "small snag" and buy the 325is. 

BTW, although I've only heard the 325is, I do love it!!!

Yes, I fear I must soon get the SR325is.  All in the name of Grado Science and Engineering, of course!  So now since I have planted all the rows of my Grado garden with the Grado models, I need to start populating the columns with the variants of each model.  So far I have the SR325i and SR325e, and the RS1 and RS1i.  That leaves me just 30  headphones to go... the SR60i, SR60e, SR80, SR80e, SR125i, SR125e, SR225, SR225e, SR325is,SR325, PS500e, PS1000e, GS1000, and GS1000e.  Oh, and the iGrado e.   Oh, and the Grado IEMs... all of 'em (GR8, GRi8i, GR8e,  GR10, GR10i, GR10e, iGi).  Oh, and the specialties (Bushmills, the new Local Brooklyn Wood, HF-1,and HF-2).  Oh, and the associate models... Alessandro MS1, MS2 and MSPro.
 
I think at retail price they add up to about $11,200.
 
Gifts, anyone?  I promise I'll write comparative reviews like this and give you credit!!! 

 

[ruthieandjohn]

   
Do you tend to still rotate them all through, or are there some that are in more of a "part of the collection" role? 

I sure do rotate among them.  Often due to some external event, such as reading a post or seeing an ad, I get cued to a particular Grado and HAVE to hear it, then I progress up or down the line via consecutive models from that one.  Since I am a beta tester for the HiFiMAN HE1000,  I have temporarily slowed down my rotation until I complete my HE1000 obligation, but I still rotate!