[YtseJamer]

Whelp, another year gone by and it appears to be another Grado no-show at CanJam NYC. They are 13 miles from the Marriot Marquis. Let’s get it together guys, it’s time we hear everything all laid out in front of us.

Unfortunately, I don't think they care much about events like CanJam. Honestly, their business model has always been a bit of a mystery to me.

 

[dbull12]

Wow, you put quite a lot treble extreme test with all those black metal stuff. If you already don't dislike it those situations, thats great news. My guess is that with burn in time you will enjoy so much more. My 325x was very hard in the beginning, it becomes much loose and warmer over time.

I still struggle with the F pads, I just have to pause from time to time also. With the L less, and S even less.

An aesthetic note, the Grado matches so much better with all that crazy guitars Japanese metal band. Not fancy and very tr00.

Haha yeah I wanted to test them with some harsh treble conditions right off the bat to see what the worst case scenario would be and I'm definitely pleasantly surprised! Looking forward to hearing how they evolve over time.

And that's interesting to know you find the L pads a little more comfortable than F. I've definitely seen a lot of impressions saying the opposite so I guess it's not so cut and dry which one is more comfortable.

I do really like the aesthetics of basically every Grado! Just wish my 225's plastic wasn't so creaky lol

 

[ESL-1]

Haha yeah I wanted to test them with some harsh treble conditions right off the bat to see what the worst case scenario would be and I'm definitely pleasantly surprised! Looking forward to hearing how they evolve over time.

And that's interesting to know you find the L pads a little more comfortable than F. I've definitely seen a lot of impressions saying the opposite so I guess it's not so cut and dry which one is more comfortable.

I do really like the aesthetics of basically every Grado! Just wish my 225's plastic wasn't so creaky lol

Perhaps you can carefully hand rub some of the squeaky spots as you find them and use a little lubricate (Ballistol, TSI 301) among others and using Qtips or soft cloth and see if it improves or maybe gets rid of the creaks all together. Try an out of the way space and see how it goes.

 

[movinIron]

Just watch this:

https://www.instagram.com/p/C34-uJrgta3/

I was struggling to recognize what Grado model was but I guess that has a "Monk" written on the wood...

Never know of this Thelonious Monk edition. Almost nothing about it on the internet, just this page:

https://www.facebook.com/thelonious...-coming-soon-theloniousmon/10159386009525317/

That's a very, very cool one.

It’s a constant rumour since 2017. Grado provided a prototype or maybe a few samples. It’s something equal to an RS2e (44mm e-series driver, mahogany housing, 8 core cable,… open plastic gimbals) the housing appears to be slightly bigger with more rounded edges and has written Thelonious Monk on the upper half and Straight No Chaser in the lower. It also has an oval Grado button. At least the different housing and button will cause a slightly different sounding.
Since then the official merchandising site says ‘coming soon’:
https://theloniousmonk.store/pages/grado

We’re hoping and waiting.

Anyone seen High Fidelity (the series)?
Rob Brooks (Zoë Kravitz) uses an SR80e in her record store.

 

[jonathan c]

And that's interesting to know you find the L pads a little more comfortable than F. I've definitely seen a lot of impressions saying the opposite so I guess it's not so cut and dry which one is more comfortable.

Ear contours, ear shape, ear size, ear tilt all affect comfort of / sound perceived from 'F' vs 'G' vs 'L' vs 'S'. A Henry Ford 'approach'** cannot hold.

[** You can have any (insert) as long as it's (insert)]

 

[jase2k]

Unfortunately, I don't think they care much about events like CanJam. Honestly, their business model has always been a bit of a mystery to me.

Grado business model in a nutshell:

1. Do zero advertising
2. Let the product speak for itself
3. Keep the business family run
4. Stay true to the Grado developed "House" sound
5. We have to answer to no one but ourselves because we are a private company

All parameters that make a unique sound profile, unimpeaded by pressures, or what anyone else thinks.
Works... but is it in their best business interest long-term? Guess so, they've been doing it since 1953.

I hope they fluorish as long as I'm alive, elsewise I'd be a very sad man.
These variables have also all made us superfans of such quality audio.

Long live Grado Labs!

 

[jonathan c]

The term 'business model' is a product of MBA programs. It does have conceptual use in an instructive setting. What Grado does innately is to conduct business in accordance with its values - guided by principle, observation, trial, error, assessment.

 

[dbull12]

Grado business model in a nutshell:

1. Do zero advertising
2. Let the product speak for itself
3. Keep the business family run
4. Stay true to the Grado developed "House" sound
5. We have to answer to no one but ourselves because we are a private company

All parameters that make a unique sound profile, unimpeaded by pressures, or what anyone else thinks.
Works... but is it in their best business interest long-term? Guess so, they've been doing it since 1953.

I hope they fluorish as long as I'm alive, elsewise I'd be a very sad man.
These variables have also all made us superfans of such quality audio.

Long live Grado Labs!

This is part of the appeal of Grado to me and why I've grown interested in them recently. I feel the last thing we need is another headphone company that will just be bullied into tuning everything to the Harman target.

They could listen to fans about detachable cables though haha. I guess that stubbornness to stick to hardwired cables and do things their own way can be part of the appeal too

 

[alexdemaet]

No, I should really try a Grado cartridge one day. It's the Ortofon quintet blue I am using right now that came with the project x8 turntable.

Yesterday I connected my turntable on the adi-2 pro analog input as I wanted to try out the crossfeed(s). It seems that the sound was more brighter compared too the analog sound of the turntable. I prefer the analog sound from the turntable. I hooked the turntable on the Meier audio Corda Soul (no ADC(onversion)) and the Loxjie p20. Man, Grado's hp's sound so good on a turntable !!

 

[ilomilo]

RS1 Button spotted in Justin Hawkins' (from The Darkness) video podcast on Youtube.

 

[plakat]

RS1 Button spotted in Justin Hawkins (from The Darkness) video podcast on Youtube.

Interesting... given how much they leak sound I cannot imagine them working in a tracking situation? The mic must pick up the RS1 output...

 

[alexdemaet]

Sorry for posting non-Grado stuff but I was so excited that I finally got it worked...

First time for me with the "digital loop"
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/meier-audio-corda-soul-totl-dac-amp-dsp.863876/page-12

 

[Luckyleo]

Chances are, if they were made recently.


Nope, Grado doesn't share much about that. They stay pretty low-profile and aren't too keen on interacting with customers. Rich drops a Facebook post every 2-3 months, but getting answers from him? Not so much.

Rich ALWAYS responds to my email queries quite quickly. Never had an issue

 

[YtseJamer]

Rich ALWAYS responds to my email queries quite quickly. Never had an issue

Yeah, it's cool that they respond to direct emails, but I wish they were more transparent when we reach out in the Facebook group, especially since they're not on Head-Fi. Also, they should have made an effort to communicate the switch to the new, more flexible cable!

 

[jase2k]

This is part of the appeal of Grado to me and why I've grown interested in them recently. I feel the last thing we need is another headphone company that will just be bullied into tuning everything to the Harman target.

They could listen to fans about detachable cables though haha. I guess that stubbornness to stick to hardwired cables and do things their own way can be part of the appeal too

Yeah, I respect their unapologetic means of operation. It reminds me of a grandpa that will have it his way every time because he is just 'right' and his wisdom will far overpower anything else. The KISS (keep it simple stupid) model seems to be imminent with their products. Parts have remained simplified over the years so they can invest more time on the driver, which I prefer. I love how they don't try to reinvent the already invented wheel.

Detachable cables would be nice, but a common theme with Grado seems to be aimed at using your equipment how it was originally designed. Rather than going off the beaten path and using things they never permitted or don't make money on. Which guarantees the original experience they've mustarded up. Hell, you can't even get your cans serviced if they have modifications done to them. I admire the approach, but I think detachable cables is outside of their wishlist currently. But, we all know they are capable of doing it. The GW100x has that feature...