[joseph69]

So I received an unexpected surprise for my listening pleasure tonight.
After getting acquainted I'll post some brief impressions, as well as comparisons to the 325is & GH1.

BTW, disregard the 325e buttons, these are the 325x

 

[boltrane]

I always thought that the original alessandro ms2 were some of the nicest looking grados after hp-1000. For some reason they remind me of the old Nikon F slr cameras.

Not sure if it is the pair that I have but the sound is totally different to the modern grado sound. Comparing them to my SR225e set they sound very soft and neutral. The SR225e can peel the paint at the levels that I crank up the old alessandros.
I understand that alessandro is supposed to be slightly more neutral but the difference is pretty drastic.
Not really sure how the grado sound has evolved over the years....

 

[Bernard23]

Ps500e v 325e v Hemp for rock and blues? I've decided a 325x is rather pointless given what I've got already

 

[Marshall95]

Hello everyone! I'm really curious about the PS2000E & considering getting them. I listen to all genres of music, but mostly I'm into hip hop/rap. I've got the Sony WH-1000XM4 just to listen to rap music. But they don't satisfy my craving for a definitive listening experience. I want a true audiophile endgame pair of headphones for home use, so I've been doing my research on Audeze, Sennheiser, ZMF, and now Grado.

I've got 2 questions.

1) I wonder, can the PS2000E be paired with nothing but a high-end DAP (DX300, A&K SE200) for its potential to shine? Or do I need more gear?

2) Is the extra money spent on the PS2000E worth it compared to the PS1000E? Should I just get the latter instead and save $? In what way are they both different?

Thank you!

 

[Mightygrey]

1) I wonder, can the PS2000E can be paired with nothing but a high-end DAP (DX300, A&K SE200) for its potential to shine? Or do I need more gear?

I'm happy to confirm that the SE200 works wonderfully with every Grado that I've thrown at it (Hemp, GH1, 325x).

 

[sjbrook]

Ever since I got my SR225x I've been a bit pad mad. My prior experiments with my SR80e included Senn HD414 (hole cut and solid), Geekria hole cut S pad (their version of comfies?), oem L pads, and the venerable Yaxi, which, while not unappealing sonically, is most notable because you can get them in purple .

While I find the X series flats to have their sonic merits I also find them unbearably uncomfortable over time. I think in general the oem L pads have provided the best balance of comfort (when properly positioned) and head stage. But I have had the nagging wonder of the G pad. I am sure Joe Grado would disparage me from the grave for combining pads from different series of headphones and deviating from their intended voicing...well, that's half the fun of Grado cans right?

When I took the $45 plunge I was convinced I was wasting money. It's foam. Just foam. Well, as noted in a prior post I was stunned at the comfort and the spaciousness of the sound. The LF changed but did not really diminish and a little judicious eq can adjust for those things. But I was still wondering, what about the much cheaper alternatives? So I ordered up a set of Vever and Geekria, the total cost being about half for a single set of Grado G pads.

There is nothing wrong with these pads, nothing at all, but they are not G alternatives in the truest sense. They have the same general dimensions but they are to all appearance a single piece of foam (which was expected), and they are not truly circumaural; they do not sound like actual G pads.

The most obvious difference is they are very shallow, not at all like the oem pad, and I knew this going in. Because of this they are very much like an on-ear pad. While the outer rim does rest on my head, the inner surface of the pad is largely against my ear as well and the driver is much closer to my ear. The sound signature is nothing like any oem pad really, and they get kind of hot after a while. They do not sound at all objectionable but they have their own sound. There is very little to distinguish the two brands from one another. Six of one...

I took some dimensions with a caliper. They are not absolute as I had to be careful to measure accurately without squishing the foam.

The thickness is from the outer edge to the flat part of the back. The critical number to look at is the rear depth. This is the distance that determines how close the driver is to your ear. That combined with the shallowness of the pad is why the after market pads place the driver so damn close to the ear. That distance is critical in the tuning so I cannot figure out what they are really after. I have to guess they are making a cosmetic lookalike (-ish) product and have no actual interest in trying to replicate the oem sound.

I have a set of Geekria L pads coming in tomorrow. They are much recommended for a comfort upgrade over oem. It will be interesting to see how close they hew to the correct dimensions.

Grado G
Thickness 35.0mm
Rear Opening 47.9mm
Rear Depth 9.5mm

Geekria G
Thickness 32.8mm
Rear Opening 48.4mm
Rear Depth 14.3mm

Vever G
Thickness 34.8mm
Rear Opening 50.8mm
Rear Depth 14.3mm

 

[AWS Soul]

Ps500e v 325e v Hemp for rock and blues? I've decided a 325x is rather pointless given what I've got already

Never heard the Hemp , but the 500e betters the 325e .
I'm in no rush to hear the Hemp , i'm sure a cheapy will rear its head on eBay one day , then I'll grab it.

 

[Gippy]

2) Is the extra money spent on the PS2000E worth it compared to the PS1000E? Should I just get the latter instead and save $? In what way are they both different?

No. The GS3000e was released about a year after the PS2000e, has the same drivers, a similar sound, and costs $900 less. The cocobolo makes the sound a little more mellow in the upper treble but most people consider this to be better. Otherwise the FR graph is virtually identical up to 8k.

Now whether the PS2000e/GS3000e sound is superior to their cheaper models, that's up for debate. There are some in here who have actually preferred the Hemp/RS2e tuning over the flagships.

 

[mariopoli]

Ever since I got my SR225x I've been a bit pad mad. My prior experiments with my SR80e included Senn HD414 (hole cut and solid), Geekria hole cut S pad (their version of comfies?), oem L pads, and the venerable Yaxi, which, while not unappealing sonically, is most notable because you can get them in purple .

While I find the X series flats to have their sonic merits I also find them unbearably uncomfortable over time. I think in general the oem L pads have provided the best balance of comfort (when properly positioned) and head stage. But I have had the nagging wonder of the G pad. I am sure Joe Grado would disparage me from the grave for combining pads from different series of headphones and deviating from their intended voicing...well, that's half the fun of Grado cans right?

When I took the $45 plunge I was convinced I was wasting money. It's foam. Just foam. Well, as noted in a prior post I was stunned at the comfort and the spaciousness of the sound. The LF changed but did not really diminish and a little judicious eq can adjust for those things. But I was still wondering, what about the much cheaper alternatives? So I ordered up a set of Vever and Geekria, the total cost being about half for a single set of Grado G pads.

There is nothing wrong with these pads, nothing at all, but they are not G alternatives in the truest sense. They have the same general dimensions but they are to all appearance a single piece of foam (which was expected), and they are not truly circumaural; they do not sound like actual G pads.

The most obvious difference is they are very shallow, not at all like the oem pad, and I knew this going in. Because of this they are very much like an on-ear pad. While the outer rim does rest on my head, the inner surface of the pad is largely against my ear as well and the driver is much closer to my ear. The sound signature is nothing like any oem pad really, and they get kind of hot after a while. They do not sound at all objectionable but they have their own sound. There is very little to distinguish the two brands from one another. Six of one...

I took some dimensions with a caliper. They are not absolute as I had to be careful to measure accurately without squishing the foam.

The thickness is from the outer edge to the flat part of the back. The critical number to look at is the rear depth. This is the distance that determines how close the driver is to your ear. That combined with the shallowness of the pad is why the after market pads place the driver so damn close to the ear. That distance is critical in the tuning so I cannot figure out what they are really after. I have to guess they are making a cosmetic lookalike (-ish) product and have no actual interest in trying to replicate the oem sound.

I have a set of Geekria L pads coming in tomorrow. They are much recommended for a comfort upgrade over oem. It will be interesting to see how close they hew to the correct dimensions.

Grado G
Thickness 35.0mm
Rear Opening 47.9mm
Rear Depth 9.5mm

Geekria G
Thickness 32.8mm
Rear Opening 48.4mm
Rear Depth 14.3mm

Vever G
Thickness 34.8mm
Rear Opening 50.8mm
Rear Depth 14.3mm

Vey interesting information. Can you please clarify which dimensions are used to calculate the distance the drivers are to the ear?

 

[Mightygrey]

Ever since I got my SR225x I've been a bit pad mad. My prior experiments with my SR80e included Senn HD414 (hole cut and solid), Geekria hole cut S pad (their version of comfies?), oem L pads, and the venerable Yaxi, which, while not unappealing sonically, is most notable because you can get them in purple .

While I find the X series flats to have their sonic merits I also find them unbearably uncomfortable over time. I think in general the oem L pads have provided the best balance of comfort (when properly positioned) and head stage. But I have had the nagging wonder of the G pad. I am sure Joe Grado would disparage me from the grave for combining pads from different series of headphones and deviating from their intended voicing...well, that's half the fun of Grado cans right?

When I took the $45 plunge I was convinced I was wasting money. It's foam. Just foam. Well, as noted in a prior post I was stunned at the comfort and the spaciousness of the sound. The LF changed but did not really diminish and a little judicious eq can adjust for those things. But I was still wondering, what about the much cheaper alternatives? So I ordered up a set of Vever and Geekria, the total cost being about half for a single set of Grado G pads.

There is nothing wrong with these pads, nothing at all, but they are not G alternatives in the truest sense. They have the same general dimensions but they are to all appearance a single piece of foam (which was expected), and they are not truly circumaural; they do not sound like actual G pads.

The most obvious difference is they are very shallow, not at all like the oem pad, and I knew this going in. Because of this they are very much like an on-ear pad. While the outer rim does rest on my head, the inner surface of the pad is largely against my ear as well and the driver is much closer to my ear. The sound signature is nothing like any oem pad really, and they get kind of hot after a while. They do not sound at all objectionable but they have their own sound. There is very little to distinguish the two brands from one another. Six of one...

I took some dimensions with a caliper. They are not absolute as I had to be careful to measure accurately without squishing the foam.

The thickness is from the outer edge to the flat part of the back. The critical number to look at is the rear depth. This is the distance that determines how close the driver is to your ear. That combined with the shallowness of the pad is why the after market pads place the driver so damn close to the ear. That distance is critical in the tuning so I cannot figure out what they are really after. I have to guess they are making a cosmetic lookalike (-ish) product and have no actual interest in trying to replicate the oem sound.

I have a set of Geekria L pads coming in tomorrow. They are much recommended for a comfort upgrade over oem. It will be interesting to see how close they hew to the correct dimensions.

Grado G
Thickness 35.0mm
Rear Opening 47.9mm
Rear Depth 9.5mm

Geekria G
Thickness 32.8mm
Rear Opening 48.4mm
Rear Depth 14.3mm

Vever G
Thickness 34.8mm
Rear Opening 50.8mm
Rear Depth 14.3mm

Thanks for sharing your results, I've been a bit 'pad mad' with the new X-series. I can (just) wear the flat/F-Cush on the GH1, but the additional weight of the 325x is murder on my ears. I found that the Sennheiser 414 yellows were closest sonically to the F-Cush, but lately I've been using the Beautiful Audio Hybrid pads, which are a million percent upgrade in comfort, being true over-ear pads on my ears. They do reduce a small amount of the mid-bass and lower mid-range 'oomph', but add a degree of additional airyness that I missed from the old 'e'-series.

Speaking of 'unbearably uncomfortable', it's simple to change the cable on the 325x and it's complelely reversible/non-destructive. Hairdryer the cups until the glue becomes soft, pull them apart, solder off the garden hose, and add your cable of choice. This one's a 2.5mm balance cable from Turbulent Labs.

 

[sjbrook]

Thanks for sharing your results, I've been a bit 'pad mad' with the new X-series. I can (just) wear the flat/F-Cush on the GH1, but the additional weight of the 325x is murder on my ears. I found that the Sennheiser 414 yellows were closest sonically to the F-Cush, but lately I've been using the Beautiful Audio Hybrid pads, which are a million percent upgrade in comfort, being true over-ear pads on my ears. They do reduce a small amount of the mid-bass and lower mid-range 'oomph', but add a degree of additional airyness that I missed from the old 'e'-series.

Speaking of 'unbearably uncomfortable', it's simple to change the cable on the 325x and it's complelely reversible/non-destructive. Hairdryer the cups until the glue becomes soft, pull them apart, solder off the garden hose, and add your cable of choice. This one's a 2.5mm balance cable from Turbulent Labs.

The BA are intriguing but not enough for me to drop the $$$ right now. I don't mind the weight of the X cable all that much but question if the change was more for cosmetics than sonics. If I ever decided to do a cable mod I would probably go for mmcx connectors or similar. Then I could drive myself crazy with different cables!

 

[sjbrook]

Vey interesting information. Can you please clarify which dimensions are used to calculate the distance the drivers are to the ear?

I don't know the distance from the driver to my ears. All I can say is that the much shallower curve of the after market G combined with the 5mm deeper mounting over the drivers brings them so close as to negate any really coherent sense of spaciousness. I think the L pads have a bigger head stage.

 

[lugnut]

So I received an unexpected surprise for my listening pleasure tonight.
After getting acquainted I'll post some brief impressions, as well as comparisons to the 325is & GH1.

I assume this is a after market headband, would you mind telling what it is ?

Thanks for sharing your results, I've been a bit 'pad mad' with the new X-series. I can (just) wear the flat/F-Cush on the GH1, but the additional weight of the 325x is murder on my ears. I found that the Sennheiser 414 yellows were closest sonically to the F-Cush, but lately I've been using the Beautiful Audio Hybrid pads, which are a million percent upgrade in comfort, being true over-ear pads on my ears. They do reduce a small amount of the mid-bass and lower mid-range 'oomph', but add a degree of additional airyness that I missed from the old 'e'-series.

Speaking of 'unbearably uncomfortable', it's simple to change the cable on the 325x and it's complelely reversible/non-destructive. Hairdryer the cups until the glue becomes soft, pull them apart, solder off the garden hose, and add your cable of choice. This one's a 2.5mm balance cable from Turbulent Labs.

This is the type of cable I wish Grado would go to. Does not have to be anything fancy or exotic, just a simple light copper cable !

 

[Marshall95]

No. The GS3000e was released about a year after the PS2000e, has the same drivers, a similar sound, and costs $900 less. The cocobolo makes the sound a little more mellow in the upper treble but most people consider this to be better. Otherwise the FR graph is virtually identical up to 8k.

Now whether the PS2000e/GS3000e sound is superior to their cheaper models, that's up for debate. There are some in here who have actually preferred the Hemp/RS2e tuning over the flagships.

But so shinyyy. Honestly, the only thing that has me daydreaming about the PS2KE is its criminally beautiful looking smoked chrome finish. It is, IMO, the best looking flagship I've ever seen. I just naturally assumed they sound great too.

But if the GS3000E offers a similar sound without sacrificing anything, then I might jump the gun and get myself a pair. For some irrational reason, I can't settle with a non-flagship model. I want Grado to have all the money in the world.

 

[tombrisbane]

Grado #6 is added to the family