[devouringone3]

They still say it's mahogany... but they also reported at many places (on some some rare occasions when they'll accept to give you a detailed and more truthful perspective on their headphones) that they made the switch to Australian jarrah with their "i" upgrade... for all their models at the time (with the exception being the PS500 that wasn't there at the time; this one would be mahogany)
 
They say it's because it's denser: "The mahogany used so far for the shell, has been replaced by a much denser wood from Australia named jarrah: less ringing." (http://www.gradoheadphones.ca/)

 

[thelostMIDrange]

sounds like they ran out of all those mythical mahogany trees that grew in brooklyn >  I don't bleive any of it 100%. It's easy to throw around marketing terms like ringing, resonance etc without having any relation to reality. If all they wanted was a denser wood than mahogany, there are about 100 other choices as well besides 'jarrah'. 

 

[obobskivich]

Why is the Canadian Grado website like 300 times nicer than the American Grado website? :confused_face_2:

Anyways, the American Grado website claims about the RS-1i:

"What does the i stand for in the new RS1i from Grado? Improved, that’s what! Featuring a new species of handcrafted Mahogany earpieces made using an intricate curing process; Grado has been able to optimize the tonal quality."

That said, "mahogany" is an extremely vague term to describe wood, and includes Jarrah ("Swan River mahogany"). So who knows. Just like how AT claims my ESW9As are "Paduak wood" - which could be wood from any of 35 species. I think they use African Coralwood specifically, but again who knows.

 

[thelostMIDrange]

right, there are many kinds of mahog and also woods that use the name but are of an entirely different species. But if they really believe that curing process and minor variations are significant, then they have a hard sell on their hands because it seems like folks around here are hard to convince even that different kinds of wood sound different, let alone minor variations of mahog, finishes and curing process, to which I can only imagine they mean air drying vs kiln drying. What other curing does wood go through? None that i'm aware of as a 20 year woodworker.
 
btw, as far as I know, it takes about a year per one inch thickness of a hardwood to air dry vs a couple hours in the kiln. The difference for sound is that the kiln's rapid drying collapses the cell walls whereas slow air drying does not. This is why the best violins and guitars etc use air dried wood. The open cell structures promote resonance. And since I doubt they want this? or do they? chances are they are using the much faster, more common and cheaper method of kiln drying which according to their 'theory' of non-resonant, would be provided by the kiln drying, in the reverse way that a violin maker would not want it.....

 

[unspool]

The wood used for the GS1000i in the photo at the Canadian Grado website does look very much like Jarrah hardwood, which is a member of the Eucalyptus family found only in south Western Australia. It has a markedly different appearance from the mahogany wood that Grado used previously. I wonder when they made the switch?

 

[myears]

http://www.chipchick.com/2011/09/dolce-gabbana-skullcandy.html

 

[SurfWax]

Just in case anyone's been looking to sell, just put up a wanted ad for the RS1i

 

[myears]

I'm feeling argumentative today to the point that I just need to show some criticism. People that like music to the point they buy high-end headphones wouldn't give a crap about having "dolce&gabanna" written on their headphones, would you?  People that like brands and don't give a crap about music would never use such an awkward stuff in public, where brands have their appeal, would them? What is the point?

 

[stacker45]

Quote:

They still say it's mahogany... but they also reported at many places (on some some rare occasions when they'll accept to give you a detailed and more truthful perspective on their headphones) that they made the switch to Australian jarrah with their "i" upgrade... for all their models at the time (with the exception being the PS500 that wasn't there at the time; this one would be mahogany)
 
They say it's because it's denser: "The mahogany used so far for the shell, has been replaced by a much denser wood from Australia named jarrah: less ringing." (http://www.gradoheadphones.ca/)

 
Since i have no way of knowing for sure, i don't really care wich kind of wood Grado uses, much less where it comes from, what i do care about and can know for sure is, if it works, and i'm happy to report that as far as i'm concerned, it does work, especially when combine with metal cups like on the PS500/1000.

 

[obobskivich]

Since i have no way of knowing for sure, i don't really care wich kind of wood Grado uses, much less where it comes from, what i do care about and can know for sure is, if it works, and i'm happy to report that as far as i'm concerned, it does work, especially when combine with metal cups like on the PS500/1000.

As long as they aren't burning down the rainforest or inciting a civil war to get their wood, I'm absolutely in agreement here.

 

[chughes13x]

Hello everyone,
 
Just purchased a pair of MS1i's as a Christmas present for myself. Now I knew before buying them I'd have to replace the cups with some woodies, any recommendations as to where I get them from? I'm thinking of getting the classic vibro cups from turbulent labs, but am open to recommendations!

 

[Merlyn1955]

If you try them you will want them...

 

[devouringone3]

 

 

 

 

 

 
It's okay, Grado is doing fine, albeit having cut round some corners (square gimbals, metal rod tips, wooden button and box) in order not to increase their MSRPs due to inflation and increased the size of the cable which's original size I preferred.
 
 

Hello everyone,
 
Just purchased a pair of MS1i's as a Christmas present for myself. Now I knew before buying them I'd have to replace the cups with some woodies, any recommendations as to where I get them from? I'm thinking of getting the classic vibro cups from turbulent labs, but am open to recommendations!

 
They're the only ones "selling wooden cups" , the others are made to order and custom, by MartinCustomAudio.com, Headphile.com, and will cost you more (like twice, thrice as much or even more). Some wood-working Head-Fiers can also make Grado cups.

 

[unspool]

Quote:

 
Since i have no way of knowing for sure, i don't really care wich kind of wood Grado uses, much less where it comes from, what i do care about and can know for sure is, if it works, and i'm happy to report that as far as i'm concerned, it does work, especially when combine with metal cups like on the PS500/1000.

 
The Canadian Grado site states that Australian jarrah wood is being used in the Statement and Reference series headphones, and the PS1000. Although it's unclear as to when exactly the change from mahogany to jarrah was made, it appears to have been introduced for the the "i" iteration or some time afterwards.
 
I find the choice of jarrah interesting because it is a very tough, heavy hardwood, which is extremely durable. When seasoned it becomes so hard that conventional wood working tools are rendered useless. It's generally used for outdoor furniture, decking, general and heavy timber construction. It's even used for railway sleepers. It's also prone to splitting. Grado has chosen a surprisingly heavy duty timber for use as a material in headphone construction, but it does look beautiful.  

 

[FlobHobNob]

Should I get the 225i or the 325i as an upgrade from my dt770's. I've already owned sr60i's so I know that I love grados signature sound.