[sayitaintsoap]

Curious, the G cushions are suitable for the 500e? Sound quality won't suffer?

 

[WilliamLeonhart]

Nope, to some it even improves SQ

 

[james6333]

Anyone prefer the 225e over the RS2e? I've got both on hand now.

RS2e: sound stage is large, like you're in the audience. More relaxed, smooth sounding. Lots of detail.

225e: sound stage is smaller but more in your face. Like you're on stage. More upbeat, fun sounding. Not as much detail. 

I think the RS2e is objectively better but subjectively, I find myself liking the 225e more. 

Though maybe it's just the bum in me subconsciously trying to save myself money because they're both within the return window.

Do you have a good enough source to hear the difference?

I have never heard the RS2e but thought the RS1 was much more refined than the 225e

 

[DavidA]

  Anyone prefer the 225e over the RS2e? I've got both on hand now.
 
RS2e: sound stage is large, like you're in the audience. More relaxed, smooth sounding. Lots of detail.
 
225e: sound stage is smaller but more in your face. Like you're on stage. More upbeat, fun sounding. Not as much detail. 
 
I think the RS2e is objectively better but subjectively, I find myself liking the 225e more. 
 
Though maybe it's just the bum in me subconsciously trying to save myself money because they're both within the return window.

You're just being a bum

, just kidding.  I think it might be the rest of your audio chain that is make you prefer one over the other.  Depending on the DAC/amp that I use and also the genre of music they are both great sounding to me (SR-225e is modded with dynamat, sorbothane, felt, and cable).  The better the audio chain the more I tend to prefer the RS2e, but then it also depends on the genre, if listening to EDM, pop or classic rock I tend to go with the modded SR-225e due to the better bass and as you put it "more in your face" presentation but for classical, jazz and blues the RS2e is a step up.

 

[Dillan]

Anyone prefer the 225e over the RS2e? I've got both on hand now.

RS2e: sound stage is large, like you're in the audience. More relaxed, smooth sounding. Lots of detail.

225e: sound stage is smaller but more in your face. Like you're on stage. More upbeat, fun sounding. Not as much detail. 

I think the RS2e is objectively better but subjectively, I find myself liking the 225e more. 

Though maybe it's just the bum in me subconsciously trying to save myself money because they're both within the return window.

My favorite grados have always been the prestige series!

 

[sayitaintsoap]

After some toying around with my setup and going back to the stock little dot 1+ 6JI tubes I'm certain I like the RS2e MUCH better than the 225e. I think I'm an outlier when I say this but I am just not a fan of the Voshkod 6zh1p tubes. I guess they were clouding my judgement. 

 

[JuCaSoMu]

Hello Grado friends! A fan from Costa Rica joining in.
I bought my pair of Grado sr325is some years ago and I use them with G-Cushions and I love them to death. A couple of years ago I bought an Aune T1 and the sound improved a lot.
 
Right now I'm looking to upgrade my setup with a nice hadphone tube amp. I think I will stay using the T1 as a DAC since I've read it is pretty good if you upgrade the tube which I'm planning on doing soon. I have like a $400 budget for the tube amp. Should I get a LD 1+ and some nice tubes (since I know a lot of people say that it matches well the Grado's) or is there a better option for a bigger budget. I want an amp that I won't be replacing any time soon (I'd like to get a pair of RS1 in the future

). I'm asking because there is no way for me to test some stuff and see what matches best my Grado's.
 
Forgot to mention that I listen mostly to classic rock through my computer to the Aune T1 to my headphones (for the moment)
Sorry for my English since it's not my native language. Thanks in advance!

 

[WilliamLeonhart]

  Hello Grado friends! A fan from Costa Rica joining in.
I bought my pair of Grado sr325is some years ago and I use them with G-Cushions and I love them to death. A couple of years ago I bought an Aune T1 and the sound improved a lot.
 
Right now I'm looking to upgrade my setup with a nice hadphone tube amp. I think I will stay using the T1 as a DAC since I've read it is pretty good if you upgrade the tube which I'm planning on doing soon. I have like a $400 budget for the tube amp. Should I get a LD 1+ and some nice tubes (since I know a lot of people say that it matches well the Grado's) or is there a better option for a bigger budget. I want an amp that I won't be replacing any time soon (I'd like to get a pair of RS1 in the future

). I'm asking because there is no way for me to test some stuff and see what matches best my Grado's.
 
Forgot to mention that I listen mostly to classic rock through my computer to the Aune T1 to my headphones (for the moment)
Sorry for my English since it's not my native language. Thanks in advance!

Hi my friend from half the world away!
 
I went through the same route as you when I started this expensive hobby. So my suggestion is this: sell the T1, get the LD I+ and some quality DAC like ODAC or Modi 2 Uber. While the T1 is a solid integrated choice, it falls too far behind other entry-level separate amps and DACs. The DAC section is not as resolving as the ODAC and the amp section is honestly really bad. 
 
I don't think you should pair the T1 with the Little Dot as that will make your sound go through 2 tube layers (1 from the T1, 1 from the LD). Even when I had both I never tried that, knowing the sound would be too soupy. My old ODAC paired perfectly with the Little Dot I+ to drive my 325e, RS1i and PS500.
 
And like we've always said in this thread and the Grado e-series thread, don't go for the RS1e as it sound really bad. Instead, go for the RS1i or the RS2e. THe RS2e is easily on par with the buttoned RS1i and the choice here is dependent on taste rather than on budget.

 

[WilliamLeonhart]

PS: There's a mini-review of the Little Dot I+ that I wrote in this thread. I used the 325e, iFi iDAC2 and Burson V5 SS opamp to write it. 2 nice things about the I+ is that it brings tube sound to low-impedance headphones and has a lot of room for improvement.
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/364043/little-dot-i-tube-rolling/2700#post_12672842

 

[HPiper]

To kind of go along with what William said, why not just go Schiit all the way and get a Modi 2 Dac along with a Vali 2 amp. That is a very  good combination you won't need to upgrade for a very long time and well within your budget, plus it will work well with a wide variety of headphones if you ever decide to try something else someday.

 

[HPiper]

I was listening to my SR325e today. I have been kind of neglecting them for a while so it was almost like I'd gotten a new pair of headphones. The first thing I noticed was how nice the bass is on them, clean and detailed with perhaps a tad less impact than some might like, but I will trade clean and detailed (Quality) of bass for impact (Quantity) any day. Point being that I have always been, and continue to be, confused by all the people who say this headphone has No bass to speak of. I just don't get it.

 

[richie60]

With you on that.

 

[headfry]

the 325e's are superb headphones....sometimes I think
that the widely different opinions on Grados are due to listening
at different volumes.....I love the sound at lowish levels, which is my preference.
 
at low to low-moderate volumes, the 325e sounds excellent, even directly out of 
my iPhone or iPad. The (sonic) weight, tonality, smoothness, good detail and dynamics
makes for a very musical, engaging listen. 
 
Listening at loud levels may not give the best experience with this or most other Grado's.
 
Synergy as always is paramount.
 
 
As good as the 325e's are, the GS1000i's (with synergistic dac/amp/source and gently eq'd)
are pinnacle state-of the-art and my absolute favorites.
 
 
For me, properly setup, the Grado sound is magical. 

 

[DavidA]

  Hello Grado friends! A fan from Costa Rica joining in.
I bought my pair of Grado sr325is some years ago and I use them with G-Cushions and I love them to death. A couple of years ago I bought an Aune T1 and the sound improved a lot.
 
Right now I'm looking to upgrade my setup with a nice hadphone tube amp. I think I will stay using the T1 as a DAC since I've read it is pretty good if you upgrade the tube which I'm planning on doing soon. I have like a $400 budget for the tube amp. Should I get a LD 1+ and some nice tubes (since I know a lot of people say that it matches well the Grado's) or is there a better option for a bigger budget. I want an amp that I won't be replacing any time soon (I'd like to get a pair of RS1 in the future

). I'm asking because there is no way for me to test some stuff and see what matches best my Grado's.
 
Forgot to mention that I listen mostly to classic rock through my computer to the Aune T1 to my headphones (for the moment)
Sorry for my English since it's not my native language. Thanks in advance!

While I know the Aune T1 is a decent DAC/amp combo it can be improved upon quite easily and your $400 budget is just about there, Modi2uber ($150) and Project Solstice ($250), still need to cover shipping.  Its easy to roll tubes in the Solstice and the Modi2uber is great for a DAC under $400 IMO.

 

[ruthieandjohn]

   
   
 
As good as the 325e's are, the GS1000i's (with synergistic dac/amp/source and gently eq'd)
are pinnacle state-of the-art and my absolute favorites.
 
 
For me, properly setup, the Grado sound is magical. 

+1!  The GS1000i are even better than the wonderful RS2e (the best on-ear Grado to my mind) and the super-clinical, ultraflat HP1000 of Joseph Grado (and much better than the current GS1000e, to my ears, though others disagree).  At their best when driven by the Joseph Grado HPA-1 amp.