ruthieandjohn
Stumbling towards enlightenment
(Formerly known as kayandjohn.)
(While awaiting wormsdriver's review)...
The 14th has come and gone. Anyone know what "the big reveal" is?
Grado GS2000e Loaner program
- Thread starter Todd
- Start date
Stumbling towards enlightenment
(While awaiting wormsdriver's review)...
The 14th has come and gone. Anyone know what "the big reveal" is?
Audio Addict
Headphoneus Supremus
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ruthieandjohn
Stumbling towards enlightenment
(Formerly known as kayandjohn.)
I think it was the new Focal Headphones. I have purchased the Elears
Thanks!
Todd
Headphone Vinyl Meister
Member of the Trade: TTVJ Audio
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HI All,
The Grado GS2000e is now on the way to JoeDoe. And the big reveal is pretty cool too. We are carrying the Focal as well as these awesome Grado headphones...
Todd
The Grado GS2000e is now on the way to JoeDoe. And the big reveal is pretty cool too. We are carrying the Focal as well as these awesome Grado headphones...
Todd
Very interesting to know how large or close it sounds in soudstage.
The grado instantly reminded me of a neutral slightly bright spacious Soundstage almost like an hd800, so I would be hoping the Elears is similar in stage, but with obvious thicker tonality.
grizzlybeast
My name is grizzlybeast and I'm an audioholic.
Ill be able to compare but I highly doubt the focal soundstage will be like that.
james6333
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Those that have heard these. Can you tell me if they are less bright than the PS1000e?
Thanks.
Thanks.
wormsdriver
Headphoneus Supremus
Ok folks, after almost a week with the Grado Gs2000e, here is my impressions.
First off, in case you missed it these are a pair of loaner headphones provided by @Todd aka "Todd the Vinyl Junkie" from TTVJ Audio. I am one of many lucky participants that gets to borrow these cans for a week in the comfort of their own home with their own equipment and test tracks which is a great thing to be able to demo such expensive headphones before buying them.
Before I start I feel I should mention that I am a fan of Grado headphones and have been mainly listening to Grado headphones for at least a couple of years now as I have found them to suit my tastes very well. This does not mean that I don't listen to anything else but Grados, but for the most part other cans just don't do it for me and I end up selling them after a short time because I end up not gravitating towards them and go back to my Grados...
Packaging and accessories:
The Gs2000e comes in a large standard Grado cardboard box. Cutout foam to accommodate the headphones and a separate space for the included extension cable. This pair is terminated with a balanced 4 pin xlr which also includes a 4 pin xlr to 1/4" adapter for single ended use.
The packaging is not much to see but it does serve it's purpose of protecting the headphones during transport or storage when not in use.
Design, Build and comfort:
The Gs2000e has an over the ear design, they are open headphones which obviously do not isolate the listener from outside noise at all. The headphones are made for home listening and not much else in my opinion.
The cups are made of two different types of wood that are then merged together. Maple is used on the side where the driver is mounted then mahogany is used for the other half of the cup. I believed they are glued together and I am pleased to say that they are seamless, no messy glue spewing over, etc.
Spring metal headband which is covered by a nice tan leather headband which provide very nice aesthetics and good comfort. Metal rings to hold the cups along with those steel rod antenna and plastic blocks used for height adjustment. Big foam earpads and of course the hardwired Grado cable which is of 12 conductors on these higher end Grado models (ps1000e, gs1000e).
Although these are big cans comfort is very good and they can be worn for hours. Despite the big heavy cable the overall feel of them is still light weight.
Audio Specs: (taken from Gs2000e Grado labs page)
Transducer Type: Dynamic
Operating Principle: Open Air
Frequency Response: 4 - 51,000 hz
SPL 1mW: 99.8 dB
Normal Impedance: 32 ohms
Driver Matched dB: .05 dB
Equipment used:
Chord Mojo feeding my MAD Ear+ HD amp. I used either my Windows 10 laptop, ipod touch 5th generation or Samsung Note 4 as a transport. All files are lossless CD quality mostly using Tidal Hifi streaming service. All listening was done through the single ended adapter as my main amp is single ended. I also did try it straight out of my Galaxy Note 4, ipod Touch 5th generation, Chord Mojo, RSA Inturder (single ended) both by itself (on board DAC) and through the Mojo being used as a dac. Aslo Mojo + Grado RA-1 amp.
Sound characteristics:
My overall impression of this headphone is that it is very resolving. Following each instrument and/or vocals is quite easy. Each has it's own well defined space which sound quite amazing on some well recorded tracks.
On to the music…
Sara K. - if I could Sing your Blues (Chesky Records - The Ultimate Demonstration Disc) FLAC
Stunning! Simply breath taking. The gs2000e force me to close my eyes listening to this track and just be wowed by them. Vocals are spot on, very soulful, delicate at times. Every breath is there. I've heard this song MANY times and on some headphones sibilance will be present in her voice but not with the Gs2000e.
The thing with well recorded tracks such as this one is that just about any headphone can sound damn near excellent and any of them will portray a good sense of depth which this track is mainly used for. The GS2000e does this exceptionally well. The difference here is the ability of the Gs2ke to sound so natural and organic. Not for one second do I feel it is being analytical or clinical like other cans do.
One more thing here to note is the incredible sense of delicacy throughout this track.
Chicago - I'm A Man (Chicago Transit Authority) FLAC
Lots of things going on in this track. I mainly choose this track for impact when it comes to drums, I must say though right off the bat when the track starts, the bass tone is exceptional. Every strum is distinct from each other, I can hear a very delicate cymbal as the drummer is keeping time behind the bass then the drums come in with authority and the cymbal crashes with a natural decay. The cymbals throughout the track sound natural, not harsh or sizzly. Drums sound BIG and dynamic, visceral. Present but not overstated. Not boomy or bloated.
Excellent prat, I just heard this track a whole bunch of times back to back and I cannot stop tapping my foot, shaking my head and jamming to it. EXCELLENT!
One thing I've forgot to mention so far is that I've been listening to these at moderately high volumes and I don't find them fatiguing yet like Grados tend to be at such high volumes. While I find treble to be nicely extended, it is tamed compared to (for example) the previous I generation Grados.
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Castles made of Sand (Live) (Taste The Pain - *single) FLAC
I bought this CD in the early '90's along around the time Blood Sex Sugar Magik came out and I've always LOVED this cover version of Castles made of Sand by Jimi Hendrix. What I love is the guitar on this track and that's what I'm checking for here.
The gs2ke portrays good transparency here. I get the feeling I'm (almost) there (almost!). I feel it has good balance as I don't hear nothing lacking or over emphasized for this recording.
The guitar sounds full and rich, just a lovely tone IMO.
While I get the feeling that other Grados might have a better sense of transparency, the rs1 comes to mind, the gs2ke does not fall very far behind. Instead once again I get just an overall sense of naturalness in every track I've heard these last few days.
Van Morrison - I Believe To My Soul *Live (It's Too Late To Stop Now - Disc 1) FLAC
This is a double live album by Van Morrison. I choose this album because well, besides the fact that it kicks ass, I also find it very transparent.
Intro: good sense of space of the venue itself. Audience members clapping and clamouring sound real…..
Metallica - The Thing That Should Not Be *Live with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra (Metallica - S&M) FLAC
I don't listen to this recording often and I believe it's probably due to the fact that most cans have a hard time with this one. If I recall correctly, it always seems to sound congested and a bit confused so I decided to see what the gs2ke can do here…
Right from the intro within the first 30 seconds in you get a sense of how big the theater is, it sounds very tall and wide IMO…......
…Just in case you're wondering what the hell happened in the last two tracks, why the impressions ended abruptly, it's because unfortunately I've literally ran out of time with the gs2ke and it's time to send them to the next reviewer.
I do apologize for this as my intentions were to also (properly) compare them to the Gh-1 but I did as much as I could with the time given and my busy schedule.
notes...
In my brief head to head with the Gh-1 with G-cushions, I got the feeling that these two are cut from the same cloth. They are EXTREMELY similar in sound signature but with the Gs2ke sounding more mature and accomplished. In comparison the Gh-1 sounded more harsh in the treble and more grainy. The Gs2ke had a deeper sense of space as it does better imaging. Bass was more full and robust with better tonality. I don't know if it was just in my head but going back and forth between the two, it reminded me a bit of my JBL Studio 530 bookshelf speakers vs my Magnepan .7's
I acquired both sets of speakers recently, and while I was evaluating them I was tempted to just keep the jbl 530's and sell the maggies since the smaller Jbl's perform so well.
When I actually played the Maggies right after I played the smaller 530's I knew there was no comparison. The bigger speakers do things that no small speakers can quite do the same IMO, like portray a huge realistic and enveloping soundstage. Hard to explain but the music sounds bigger, life size if that makes sense.
That is what the Gh-1 vs the Gs2ke reminded me of since it was still fresh in my mind. I attribute this to the bigger drivers in the GS2ke.
On another note, even though it has been quite a while since I sold both my Gs1000e and Ps1000e, I feel like I like the Gs2ke better. I like it's presentation more and I feel like it suits my needs very well. The Ps1ke and Gs1ke both left me feeling unsatisfied with their bass presentation. Like I said it's been a while since I've heard them to pin point exactly what it was about them but I if remember correctly it was a lack of real impact in the drums in rock music that I just couldn't live with and choose to stay with the ps1000 over both the aforementioned Grados even though the Ps1000 is more colored vs the ps1ke for example.
Well that about does it for me. I know I left out a few things but that's as far as I got. Thanks to Todd for the opportunity to hear these and I look forward to hearing everybody else's impressions of these. They are a true Flagship headphone in my opinion and worthy of their asking price! Yikes!
First off, in case you missed it these are a pair of loaner headphones provided by @Todd aka "Todd the Vinyl Junkie" from TTVJ Audio. I am one of many lucky participants that gets to borrow these cans for a week in the comfort of their own home with their own equipment and test tracks which is a great thing to be able to demo such expensive headphones before buying them.
Before I start I feel I should mention that I am a fan of Grado headphones and have been mainly listening to Grado headphones for at least a couple of years now as I have found them to suit my tastes very well. This does not mean that I don't listen to anything else but Grados, but for the most part other cans just don't do it for me and I end up selling them after a short time because I end up not gravitating towards them and go back to my Grados...
Packaging and accessories:
The Gs2000e comes in a large standard Grado cardboard box. Cutout foam to accommodate the headphones and a separate space for the included extension cable. This pair is terminated with a balanced 4 pin xlr which also includes a 4 pin xlr to 1/4" adapter for single ended use.
The packaging is not much to see but it does serve it's purpose of protecting the headphones during transport or storage when not in use.
Design, Build and comfort:
The Gs2000e has an over the ear design, they are open headphones which obviously do not isolate the listener from outside noise at all. The headphones are made for home listening and not much else in my opinion.
The cups are made of two different types of wood that are then merged together. Maple is used on the side where the driver is mounted then mahogany is used for the other half of the cup. I believed they are glued together and I am pleased to say that they are seamless, no messy glue spewing over, etc.
Spring metal headband which is covered by a nice tan leather headband which provide very nice aesthetics and good comfort. Metal rings to hold the cups along with those steel rod antenna and plastic blocks used for height adjustment. Big foam earpads and of course the hardwired Grado cable which is of 12 conductors on these higher end Grado models (ps1000e, gs1000e).
Although these are big cans comfort is very good and they can be worn for hours. Despite the big heavy cable the overall feel of them is still light weight.
Audio Specs: (taken from Gs2000e Grado labs page)
Transducer Type: Dynamic
Operating Principle: Open Air
Frequency Response: 4 - 51,000 hz
SPL 1mW: 99.8 dB
Normal Impedance: 32 ohms
Driver Matched dB: .05 dB
Equipment used:
Chord Mojo feeding my MAD Ear+ HD amp. I used either my Windows 10 laptop, ipod touch 5th generation or Samsung Note 4 as a transport. All files are lossless CD quality mostly using Tidal Hifi streaming service. All listening was done through the single ended adapter as my main amp is single ended. I also did try it straight out of my Galaxy Note 4, ipod Touch 5th generation, Chord Mojo, RSA Inturder (single ended) both by itself (on board DAC) and through the Mojo being used as a dac. Aslo Mojo + Grado RA-1 amp.
Sound characteristics:
My overall impression of this headphone is that it is very resolving. Following each instrument and/or vocals is quite easy. Each has it's own well defined space which sound quite amazing on some well recorded tracks.
On to the music…
Sara K. - if I could Sing your Blues (Chesky Records - The Ultimate Demonstration Disc) FLAC
Stunning! Simply breath taking. The gs2000e force me to close my eyes listening to this track and just be wowed by them. Vocals are spot on, very soulful, delicate at times. Every breath is there. I've heard this song MANY times and on some headphones sibilance will be present in her voice but not with the Gs2000e.
The thing with well recorded tracks such as this one is that just about any headphone can sound damn near excellent and any of them will portray a good sense of depth which this track is mainly used for. The GS2000e does this exceptionally well. The difference here is the ability of the Gs2ke to sound so natural and organic. Not for one second do I feel it is being analytical or clinical like other cans do.
One more thing here to note is the incredible sense of delicacy throughout this track.
Chicago - I'm A Man (Chicago Transit Authority) FLAC
Lots of things going on in this track. I mainly choose this track for impact when it comes to drums, I must say though right off the bat when the track starts, the bass tone is exceptional. Every strum is distinct from each other, I can hear a very delicate cymbal as the drummer is keeping time behind the bass then the drums come in with authority and the cymbal crashes with a natural decay. The cymbals throughout the track sound natural, not harsh or sizzly. Drums sound BIG and dynamic, visceral. Present but not overstated. Not boomy or bloated.
Excellent prat, I just heard this track a whole bunch of times back to back and I cannot stop tapping my foot, shaking my head and jamming to it. EXCELLENT!
One thing I've forgot to mention so far is that I've been listening to these at moderately high volumes and I don't find them fatiguing yet like Grados tend to be at such high volumes. While I find treble to be nicely extended, it is tamed compared to (for example) the previous I generation Grados.
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Castles made of Sand (Live) (Taste The Pain - *single) FLAC
I bought this CD in the early '90's along around the time Blood Sex Sugar Magik came out and I've always LOVED this cover version of Castles made of Sand by Jimi Hendrix. What I love is the guitar on this track and that's what I'm checking for here.
The gs2ke portrays good transparency here. I get the feeling I'm (almost) there (almost!). I feel it has good balance as I don't hear nothing lacking or over emphasized for this recording.
The guitar sounds full and rich, just a lovely tone IMO.
While I get the feeling that other Grados might have a better sense of transparency, the rs1 comes to mind, the gs2ke does not fall very far behind. Instead once again I get just an overall sense of naturalness in every track I've heard these last few days.
Van Morrison - I Believe To My Soul *Live (It's Too Late To Stop Now - Disc 1) FLAC
This is a double live album by Van Morrison. I choose this album because well, besides the fact that it kicks ass, I also find it very transparent.
Intro: good sense of space of the venue itself. Audience members clapping and clamouring sound real…..
Metallica - The Thing That Should Not Be *Live with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra (Metallica - S&M) FLAC
I don't listen to this recording often and I believe it's probably due to the fact that most cans have a hard time with this one. If I recall correctly, it always seems to sound congested and a bit confused so I decided to see what the gs2ke can do here…
Right from the intro within the first 30 seconds in you get a sense of how big the theater is, it sounds very tall and wide IMO…......
…Just in case you're wondering what the hell happened in the last two tracks, why the impressions ended abruptly, it's because unfortunately I've literally ran out of time with the gs2ke and it's time to send them to the next reviewer.
I do apologize for this as my intentions were to also (properly) compare them to the Gh-1 but I did as much as I could with the time given and my busy schedule.
notes...
In my brief head to head with the Gh-1 with G-cushions, I got the feeling that these two are cut from the same cloth. They are EXTREMELY similar in sound signature but with the Gs2ke sounding more mature and accomplished. In comparison the Gh-1 sounded more harsh in the treble and more grainy. The Gs2ke had a deeper sense of space as it does better imaging. Bass was more full and robust with better tonality. I don't know if it was just in my head but going back and forth between the two, it reminded me a bit of my JBL Studio 530 bookshelf speakers vs my Magnepan .7's
I acquired both sets of speakers recently, and while I was evaluating them I was tempted to just keep the jbl 530's and sell the maggies since the smaller Jbl's perform so well.
When I actually played the Maggies right after I played the smaller 530's I knew there was no comparison. The bigger speakers do things that no small speakers can quite do the same IMO, like portray a huge realistic and enveloping soundstage. Hard to explain but the music sounds bigger, life size if that makes sense.
That is what the Gh-1 vs the Gs2ke reminded me of since it was still fresh in my mind. I attribute this to the bigger drivers in the GS2ke.
On another note, even though it has been quite a while since I sold both my Gs1000e and Ps1000e, I feel like I like the Gs2ke better. I like it's presentation more and I feel like it suits my needs very well. The Ps1ke and Gs1ke both left me feeling unsatisfied with their bass presentation. Like I said it's been a while since I've heard them to pin point exactly what it was about them but I if remember correctly it was a lack of real impact in the drums in rock music that I just couldn't live with and choose to stay with the ps1000 over both the aforementioned Grados even though the Ps1000 is more colored vs the ps1ke for example.
Well that about does it for me. I know I left out a few things but that's as far as I got. Thanks to Todd for the opportunity to hear these and I look forward to hearing everybody else's impressions of these. They are a true Flagship headphone in my opinion and worthy of their asking price! Yikes!
james6333
100+ Head-Fier
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Nice write up thanks.
JoeDoe
Headphoneus Supremus
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Here we go!
JoeDoe
Headphoneus Supremus
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First impressions: so this is what a GH1/PS1k love child sounds like... More to come later!
Source gear: MBP running JRMC > Emotiva DC-1 > Cavalli Liquid Crimson
Source gear: MBP running JRMC > Emotiva DC-1 > Cavalli Liquid Crimson
james6333
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Sounds like a winner. These are still on my list. The PS1000e is out for me. Just too bright for me
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