[YtseJamer]

Happy Friday Grado fans.

There's nothing better than a good IPA while listening to music with the Hemp

 

[punkmanmatthew]

Someone is asking $500 here.

Cool looks like those are the older black headband version. Mine are the brown so I would assume they are worth more than the black headband so $500 seems to be a good price for me to have mine at then. Thanks bro!

 

[YtseJamer]

I think I want to get a Grado. It's been kind of fun waiting for impressions between the RS2X RS2E and hemp. Not really sure where I'm going to land... But I'd like an open headphone for my office. Which, by the way, may make the hemp one a little awkward.

The RS2x will be a very good if it's an hybrid version of the Hemp and the RS2e.

 

[punkmanmatthew]

The hemp sounds great but if it had a wider sound and better separation I’d say it’s the best headphone I’ve ever heard. Maybe that’s the RS2x ?

 

[punkmanmatthew]

Two portables that I have that are ver good with Grados. The ALO Continental v5 is an amazing small amp and definitely likes Grados. Build quality is superb and it can handle any but my most inefficient phones. Rechargeable batteries with ten hours of play time. A second an less expensive good match is the HeadAmp Pico Power. It uses two 9 volt batteries and gives a lot of playtime on a set. When done all you need to do is replace the batteries, no waiting for recharge time. I like that especially if I am traveling. The Fostex HPV-1 is more of a transportable due to it’s larger size and needs recharging after about 10 hours. Jude had introduced that to me at one of the local meets several years ago.

Don’t forget they will be evolving as you get playtime on them. Mine have a fairly good soundstage with my amps that have extra good synergy with Grados. My usual feeling is you start to hear differences at 50 hours and at 100 hours they should be showing their full potential. The PS2000e was the exception, it was still improving at 200 & more hours.

I just got a RS2x and expect to be doing some comparisons over the weekend. Will probably throw the Hemp into the mix. I very much like what I am hearing so far with the x models.

Congrats and enjoy the ride….

Can’t wait to hear your RS2x and Hemp comparisons!

 

[sling5s]

Ok. Very, rough, general initial impressions. I burned them in for 4 hours and listened to all my favorite tracks through Hugo 2.

It's very resolving, smooth, clean and detailed.
It's got more treble than the RS1e. I heard the cymbals in AC/DC Back in Black and I thought, yes! the treble is back.
At the same time it has less upper mids than the RS1e.

However, compared to other Grados like (RS2e and RS1i) the RS1X pulls back on the upper mids and treble.
It therefore lacks the upper mid/lower treble attack and bite of the RS2e and RS1i. Details don't pop (stand out) as much like they do on RS2e and RS1i.
The RS1x also does not have the the airlessness that the upper treble offers the mustic--something the RS1i and the ath-ad2000 does really well.

However, the RS1X has more warmer, thicker mids, but at the same time, does not have the boomy mid bass that I thought the RS2e/RS1e had.
The bass is tighter, more controlled but also lower. It's kind of like an "on ear" version of GS3000e or baby GS3000. It's going to make a lot of people happy. People are going to like this. If you are looking for the Grado sound but with less shouty, sibilant, splashy upper mid and treble, this is it.

Having said all this, as warm, resolving, detailed and smooth as it is, I still prefer the inferior RS1i with it's exaggerated upper mids, and lower/mid/ upper treble.
So the RS1X is going on sale in the classified.

Again, this is to my ears.
And it's very initial rough impressions. I know with more burn in the RS1X will open up and improve but I believe I have heard enough to form a general opinion and all the burn in is not going to give me the kind of treble I want nor will the treble just magically appear/happen.

Your ears will hear differently and your ears will like differently.
Cheers.

 

[ondert]

Hello people, can you help me identify if these are genuine? My Grado knowledge isn’t that deep, i’m still on SR level and have the original SR225 and recently bought RA-1 amp. The seller asks 295 $CAD

 

[ekolite]

Ok. Very, rough, general initial impressions. I burned them in for 4 hours and listened to all my favorite tracks through Hugo 2.

It's very resolving, smooth, clean and detailed.
It's got more treble than the RS1e. I heard the cymbals in AC/DC Back in Black and I thought, yes! the treble is back.
At the same time it has less upper mids than the RS1e.

However, compared to other Grados like (RS2e and RS1i) the RS1X pulls back on the upper mids and treble.
It therefore lacks the upper mid/lower treble attack and bite of the RS2e and RS1i.
The RS1x also does not have the the airlessness that the upper treble offers the mustic--something the RS1i and the ath-ad2000 does really well.

However, the RS1X has more warmer, thicker mids, but at the same time, does not have the boomy mid bass that I thought the RS2e/RS1e had.
The bass is tighter, more controlled but also lower. It's kind of like an "on ear" GS3000e. It's going to make a lot of people happy. People are going to like this.

Having said all this, as warm, resolving, detailed and smooth as it is, I still prefer the inferior RS1i with it's exaggerated upper mids, and lower/mid/ upper treble.
So the RS1X is going on sale in the classified.

Again, this is to my ears.
And it's very initial rough impressions. I know with more burn in the RS1X will open up and improve but I believe I have heard enough to form a general opinion and all the burn in is not going to give me the kind of treble I want nor will the treble just magically appear/happen.

Your ears will hear differently and your ears will like differently.
Cheers.

I have a chance to get the Rs1e for a lower price do you think that is a better idea than getting the rs1x?

 

[kmhaynes]

Hello people, can you help me identify if these are genuine? My Grado knowledge isn’t that deep, i’m still on SR level and have the original SR225 and recently bought RA-1 amp. The seller asks 295 $CAD

Yes, original RS2. At least 6-8 years old, or older.

 

[El Sordo]

I have a chance to get the Rs1e for a lower price do you think that is a better idea than getting the rs1x?

I think most aren't huge fans of the 1e's. I'm looking for a decent RS1i myself. There's one on reverb but it's going to need a new cable. Guy says it's just frayed and needs some soldering but it's pretty beat. Not sure what Grado charges for refurb on those. Alessandro quoted me $100 to refurb my MS2i's.

 

[ekolite]

I think most aren't huge fans of the 1e's. I'm looking for a decent RS1i myself. There's one on reverb but it's going to need a new cable. Guy says it's just frayed and needs some soldering but it's pretty beat. Not sure what Grado charges for refurb on those. Alessandro quoted me $100 to refurb my MS2i's.

Thanks. Good luck on the cable repair.

 

[j0val]

Ok. Very, rough, general initial impressions. I burned them in for 4 hours and listened to all my favorite tracks through Hugo 2.

It's very resolving, smooth, clean and detailed.
It's got more treble than the RS1e. I heard the cymbals in AC/DC Back in Black and I thought, yes! the treble is back.
At the same time it has less upper mids than the RS1e.

However, compared to other Grados like (RS2e and RS1i) the RS1X pulls back on the upper mids and treble.
It therefore lacks the upper mid/lower treble attack and bite of the RS2e and RS1i.
The RS1x also does not have the the airlessness that the upper treble offers the mustic--something the RS1i and the ath-ad2000 does really well.

However, the RS1X has more warmer, thicker mids, but at the same time, does not have the boomy mid bass that I thought the RS2e/RS1e had.
The bass is tighter, more controlled but also lower. It's kind of like an "on ear" GS3000e. It's going to make a lot of people happy. People are going to like this.

Having said all this, as warm, resolving, detailed and smooth as it is, I still prefer the inferior RS1i with it's exaggerated upper mids, and lower/mid/ upper treble.
So the RS1X is going on sale in the classified.

Again, this is to my ears.
And it's very initial rough impressions. I know with more burn in the RS1X will open up and improve but I believe I have heard enough to form a general opinion and all the burn in is not going to give me the kind of treble I want nor will the treble just magically appear/happen.

Your ears will hear differently and your ears will like differently.
Cheers.

Great write up on your impressions. I wish I had another pair of Grados that I could compare my RS1x to so that I could have a point of reference. I’m just running on memory and we all know how inaccurate that is.

I’m actually kind of liking how the RS1x is a bit darker. I generally enjoy a darker sound with a bit of thickness to it too. I feel like the RS1x has that compared to other Grados.

Additionally, I’ve reconnected my Schiit Lokius and brought down the highs a bit while boosting the low end. So far, I’m still liking it. On top of that, I also got some g cushions which slightly increased the soundstage and got rid some of the slight shrillness I was hearing on some songs.

 

[ekolite]

Have you guys heard the Hemp to compare the rs1x to even from memory?

 

[El Sordo]

Have you guys heard the Hemp to compare the rs1x too even from memory?

I haven't but I am sure the biggest difference will be soundstage. I loved my Hemps other than soundstage, which I thought was too small. RS1's, due to the larger chamber, have a larger soundstage compared to the rest of the reference series. If you're after a wider soundstage, definitely get the RS1x's, you won't be unhappy.

 

[ekolite]

I haven't but I am sure the biggest difference will be soundstage. I loved my Hemps other than soundstage, which I thought was too small. RS1's, due to the larger chamber, have a larger soundstage compared to the rest of the reference series. If you're after a wider soundstage, definitely get the RS1x's, you won't be unhappy.

L pads helped soundstage a bit on my hemps and also increased treble to my ears. However, I still prefer the f pad signature sound on the hemps, but like to switch the pads when I want a change in sound or pads get too uncomfortable. But a much bigger improvement in soundstage sounds great.