[Okrelayer]

I have a feeling I will be in the same boat as you, moving on from the SR225e set I ordered today to get the Hemps. We shall see.

I’m exited for you to give your impressions too! What are your other headphones currently?

 

[Okrelayer]

The cool thing with the Hemp, is you don't feel the need to upgrade after.

That’s what I’m hoping. I wanna stay put for a little bit. I got a closed back headphone I’m content with, and wireless options I’m happy with. I just want that sub $500 daily driver.. the hemp might just be that

 

[Hemlocke]

I’m exited for you to give your impressions too! What are your other headphones currently?

I’m down to some Powerbeats Pro for all of my conference calls, some Tin IEMs, and a set of Steelseries Arctis 7, so nothing particularly good. I sold my Audeze LCD-2C in late December.

 

[Bernard23]

The cool thing with the Hemp, is you don't feel the need to upgrade after.

Agreed, but you will feel the need to add the brothers and sisters. Not upgrades, just different flavours!

 

[534743]

Sent with the Internet Explorer:

The Chord Mojo pairs really well with the RS2e and the PS500e!

(It even makes the RS with F-cushions and the PS with G-cushions sound nice)

 

[Damien Grief]

Agreed, but you will feel the need to add the brothers and sisters. Not upgrades, just different flavours!

This is always me. Whenever I find a headphone I like, I still get that itch to find something that compliments it well.

 

[joseph69]

My GH1 has now well over a hundred hours on it, and with G cush has become my favorite thing.

+1

 

[Justin_Time]

Maybe you'd like the GS2000e. I sold mine after getting the GS3000e because the stock GS2000e felt like the most shrill Grado I've heard since the SR325is. I believed that substituting half the mahogany that was in the GS1000i/1000e cup for maple (a less dense wood) traded fullness for brightness. Haven't heard the GH1 which is full maple. 20% of the Hemp's cup is also maple but it's in the inner area that hugs the driver, so it doesn't have as much of an effect.

I agree that the type of wood changes the sound of the Grado but I do not think that the sonic difference between the GS1000, 2000 and 3000 it is just a simple relation to the wood density. Both mahogany (500 to 850 gram per liter with many variety clustered around 650 grams per liter) and maple (620 to 750 grams per liter) come in a wide range of densities so, depending on what variety of mahogany or maple Grado uses, the density could go up or down in that half replacement of mahogany by maple in the GS2000. Generally, the maple used to make musical instruments tends to be slightly denser than typical mahogany (like Cuban or Hondura mahogany at ~650 grams per liter). Lawton Audio, the firm that specializes in replacing the cup of HPs (like Audio Technica and Fostex) with different wood cups classifies mahogany as Type 1 (softer) wood, and maple as Type 2 (slightly denser) wood, and the cocobolo used in the GS3000e as type 5, the densest wood. But we know that the GS3000e is definitely not the brightest of the GS series. So, I think that other things like the voicing of the headphones play a big role as well in the final sound. On the other hand, with identical voicing like in my two pairs of Fostex TH-900, changing the cups to the dense cocobolo definitely makes the sound brighter, more detailed that the warmer, lusher sound with the maple cups.

 

[YtseJamer]

Agreed, but you will feel the need to add the brothers and sisters. Not upgrades, just different flavours!

Well, in my case I had the luxury over the years to owned pretty much all the Grado headphones, and now I think I'm done for a while with the Hemp. But I can understand that someone listening to different types of music will be tempted to try the other models.

 

[VinMAC]

Maybe you'd like the GS2000e. I sold mine after getting the GS3000e because the stock GS2000e felt like the most shrill Grado I've heard since the SR325is. I believed that substituting half the mahogany that was in the GS1000i/1000e cup for maple (a less dense wood) traded fullness for brightness. Haven't heard the GH1 which is full maple. 20% of the Hemp's cup is also maple but it's in the inner area that hugs the driver, so it doesn't have as much of an effect.

Thanks for the tip! I already thought of that too. I heard the GS2000e briefly at a trade fair, but I hardly remember it.

What is your assessment, is the GS2ke more transparent than the GS3ke? Is the midrange more like GS3ke than GS1ki? And also the bass more like the newer Grados, but probably comparatively little available?

 

[Gippy]

What is your assessment, is the GS2ke more transparent than the GS3ke? Is the midrange more like GS3ke than GS1ki? And also the bass more like the newer Grados, but probably comparatively little available?

It's been years since I've heard a GS1000i so I can't make the direct comparison. I've compared the GS2000e and GS3000e a while back. Some in here have chosen the Hemp over the GS3000e, but their reasons were mostly due to tuning preferences; they didn't think it was otherwise a poor headphone. However, the GS2000e is way more divisive, with a number of lovers (ruthieandjohn with his huge collection stated his XLR-terminated GS2000e is one of the finest), but some thinking it's one of the worst Grado models ever (Joshua Valour stated the SR80e was way better). You really need to hear it yourself. But it may be exactly what you desire in a Grado. Note that the GS2000e, interestingly enough, is tougher to amp than the GS3000e, so it somewhat reminds me of the older, less-efficient i-series models.

 

[Hemlocke]

I will say this: Grado does not mess round with orders. I had an order Wednesday night, which I cancelled first thing yesterday morning. I then placed another one later in the morning, and it’s already on the way (Due Tuesday). That’s fast.

 

[Okrelayer]

So I just got the Hemp. Stock pads are not as comfy as my prestige series. I’m hoping that i can adjust to it, but what’s the conscience on the best replacement pads nowadays? Would my SR80 pad mess with the sound bad? I hope i can just adjust to these, but wondering if there are some options

 

[frozenOx]

So I just got the Hemp. Stock pads are not as comfy as my prestige series. I’m hoping that i can adjust to it, but what’s the conscience on the best replacement pads nowadays? Would my SR80 pad mess with the sound bad? I hope i can just adjust to these, but wondering if there are some options

Did you adjust the headband already? You need to flatten it out, then shape it back. There should be very, very little clamp or pinching from the pads. Just enough to where they don't fall off, mine are loose enough that I think I could shake them off my head if I really tried, but not quite loose enough to fall off if I bend over. I had upper ear discomfort until I did this, and then it subsided considerably. THe first day or two after that I'd still get a little irritation after a few hours, but now it's perfect and my most comfortable cans to wear. Only thing as good are the Koss stuff.

The Geekria flats work pretty well for me if adjusting the headband doesn't work. I have them with the large opening facing out towards my ear exposing the driver, and cut slits in them like the stock flats. Sounded extremely similar, and I'm using those now to keep the stock pads in good shape even though I like the stocks better.

 

[Okrelayer]

Did you adjust the headband already? You need to flatten it out, then shape it back. There should be very, very little clamp or pinching from the pads. Just enough to where they don't fall off, mine are loose enough that I think I could shake them off my head if I really tried, but not quite loose enough to fall off if I bend over. I had upper ear discomfort until I did this, and then it subsided considerably. THe first day or two after that I'd still get a little irritation after a few hours, but now it's perfect and my most comfortable cans to wear. Only thing as good are the Koss stuff.

The Geekria flats work pretty well for me if adjusting the headband doesn't work. I have them with the large opening facing out towards my ear exposing the driver, and cut slits in them like the stock flats. Sounded extremely similar, and I'm using those now to keep the stock pads in good shape even though I like the stocks better.

I’m weary of messing with the headband, not that i think it’ll break but the clamp is good to keep it in place. I’ll look into those pads, though I’m hoping I’ll just get used to the standard ones. Weird question, how do you know you’re getting the best sound from these? Like I’m aware the opening where the drivers should be pointed into your ear canal, but should is there a technique you use to make sure the sound is going where it should go. I didn’t think as much about that with the SR80 because the driver isn’t exposed lol