skyline889
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Jan 1, 2006
- Posts
- 4,271
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- 17
*ALERT: TEST WAS CONDUCTED WITH GRADO BOWLS, NOT FLATS! PER MY AUDIO PREFERENCES*
First off I'd like to thank Refault for kindly lending me his pair of Grado HP-2s for the week. He invited me over for a mini-meet this past Thursday and these cans just blew my mind, so he graciously consented for a temporary swap with my Headphile modded Sony MDR-CD3000s
. Please remember while reading through this that everything is always "IMO" and "IME". These headphones weren't auditioned with what most people would deem reference quality components, I do not claim to have the elusive "golden ears" either. I'm just another headphone nut here. It should also be noted that my taste of sound tonality has evolved in a rather strange fashion compared to the typical headphone user. I prefer a highly detailed presentation with excellent instrument and vocal seperation along with a wide soundstage, rather than a lush, warm sound.
Brief intro:
The Grado HP1000 series consisted of the HP-1, the HP-2, and the HP-3. They were released in the early 90s' and were designed and tuned by Joseph Grado himself, John Grado's uncle, and the founder of Grado Labs. To many headphone enthusiasts, these are considered one of the top dynamic cans ever produced, and are mentioned in the same breath as the Sony MDR-R10s, the Audio Technica ATH-L3000s, and the Qualia 010s. When they were first released the MSRP was just shy of $500 ($495 USD). The current price for these amazing cans? About $900-1400 depending on model and condition. They have also been recognized as having been built to a higher level of standards then the current Grado models, which I have to say I agree with.
So what's the difference between the HP-1s, 2s, and 3s? To most, the HP-1 is the most prized of the bunch, while the HP-3, much like the HD-590 to Sennheiser, is the ugly step-son of sort, a bit left out. The HP-2s are the most common and the easiest to obtain. The HP-1 came with the confusing polarity/phase switcher, that swaps the signal and ground to the drivers. Some say they can hear a difference, some claim it's placebo and nothing seems to change. I guess I'll just have to wait for the chance to audition another variation of these beauties to confirm whether or not those comments ring true or not.
Much like Sennheiser's HD580-650 line-up, the two top tier versions, the HP-1 and HP-2, both came with drivers that were matched to much closer specs than the lower end HP-3s. The HP1000 series were also released with two variants of cabling, the Ultra-Wide Bandwith Cable, which is said to have a better handle on the top end but sacrifices bass quantity. And the Signature Laboratory Standard, which many claim to be the polar opposite, with a bit more emphasis on bass and a small sacrifice in resolution and detail.
Equipment
Source:
-NAD C521BEE
-Creative Labs Audigy 2ZS Platinum Pro
-Creative Labs Zen Vision 30GB
Amplifier:
-Meier Audio Corda Head-Five
Cables:
-Analog Research Silver Raincoat power cord
-Prelude Audio Rhapsody 1.0m
-Custom made Cardas mini w/mini to RCA adaptor
Headphone:
-Grado Labs HP-2 w/Grado Labs Signature Laboratory Standard cable/Grado Bowls
Build Quality & Aesthetics
What they say is true, they sure don't make 'em like they used to. You pick these headphones up and you get an immediate sense that these babies were made to last. The newer aluminum Grados, the SR-325/325i, and the MS2 don't even come close in terms of build quality or fit and finish, I have yet to audition a PS-1 so I can't claim how those fair against the HP-2s. There have been quite a few complaints with the PS-1s however. Supposedly John recycled cups from the Freesystems wireless headphones, and a few Head-Fiers have claimed that they could see the old etched lettering from the Freesystems logo showing through on their PS-1s. A tad bit dissapointing considering that they were originally sold for $1400, I'm sure Joe Grado wouldn't have put up with quality control like this. As for the plastic Grados, don't even start. Their frames and housings are so flimsy that sometimes I'm amazed at how they are able to stand up to the daily riggors of portable use. The wooden Grados I'm afraid also can't compete with the HP-2s in terms of fit and finish. I've seen and heard of too many new RS-1s and RS-2s with chips on the edges of the cups or glue melting out the back of the housings, the "Late Friday" debacle was also a bit dissapointing.
Nearly the entire headphone is constructed with thick, high quality aluminum, and all surfaces are finished with a beautiful matte brushed finish that gives these cans a sense of occasion. These also come equipped with handy fasteners built into the headband attachments, that prevent the notorious Grado cup twisting, they also keep the drivers from sliding down the aluminum adjustment bands, which is also quite common and irritating on newer production Grados. I also prefer the black interior driver covers over the current white that Grado employs.
Regardless of what people say about Grado styling, these cans are beautiful. They may not be the sexiest out there, I.E. Qualia 010, however while the Qualias have a slim and taught profile and look like they were designed for some Abercrombie & Fitch pretty boy, the HP-2s have a beefy look to them, I believe the proper term is American Muscle. When I look at these cans I definitely think '71 Challenger, that in and of itself justifies a purchase
.
Comfort:
Like with all Grados, sound was placed as a higher priority then comfort. I'm not sure whether Joe and John have not only golden but ears of steel as well, but after about two hours these things just get too uncomfortable to wear. While the all aluminum contruction adds to the visual appeal and ruggedness of the HP-2, it also plays a large part in its substantial heft. These massives cans weigh in at just under a pound including cables and bowl pads. Unlike modern Grados, the headband is quite stiff and does not flex to contour around your head very well. This leads to an enormous amount of pressure being exerted on your cartiledge and was unbearable for me after a mere two hours. If comfort is your number one priority, you're better off with a Sennheiser or a Sony.
Sound:
It's hard to describe what these headphones sound like without being construed as a fanboy. I can't say that these are the most musical headphones I've ever heard as I believe that title falls upon the god-like Orpheus however. Nor are they the most fun headphones I've ever heard as I believe the HF-1s match the criteria for that perfectly. However I can say that the way they reproduce sound, just blows me away.
Bass:
The bass on the Hp-2s is impressive to say the least. It doesn't reach as far down as say a Headphile CD3000 but the way it strikes those lows makes them special. It is tight and well defined and very fast. There is no mid-bass bloat that we see on so many headphones nowadays, it just sounds very natural. On Nada Surf's "If you leave", the bass on these really shine, it has a sense of presence but never overpowers the rest of the music. Every note is just impossibly tight. The only song I could find that exhibited some bloat with these headphones is Low's "Just Like Christmas". It could have just been the recording however, the HP-2s did sound muddy and a bit congested on this song. I personally like to use Steel Pulse's "Rollerskates" to really test out a headphones bottom end since the song contains many notes that unless properly executed, sound like they're coming out from a $50 subwoofer. Needless to say the HP-2s passed with flying colors. To me a good headphone will produce bass that you can really feel, when you here it it doesn't distract you from the other parts of the song but it does exhibit a certain amount of slam and impact with each note. The HP-2s did exactly this, although the sound does slide a bit towards the lean side.
Mids:
I would not classify the mids on these as being lush or full, rather very neutral and accurate. On some songs, this can lead to them sounding a bit boring and I can certainly see why some users have disliked them. However, on most tracks, they do sound quite good. I think one song that really shines with this headphone is Enya's "May it be", which some of you know as the LOTR's theme song. I have not ever heard this song sound so realistic, on speakers or headphones. I'm not a real big fan of having "neutral" headphones, that supposedly portray exactly what the original sounded like, in my experience they never really get the job done. I do imagine though, that if I were to listen to Enya live, this is exactly what it would sound like. There's a smoothness and texture surrounding the music that just completely immerses you.
Highs:
*SYBILLANCE PROBLEMS WERE DUE TO INADEQUATELY MATCHED SOURCE AND THE USE OF BOWL PADS, HP-2S WITH FLATS DO NOT EXHIBIT THIS MINUTE SYBILLANCE*
I would say this is one of the few areas that this headphone exhibits some flaws. On numerous recordings there was an excess amount of sybillance, something that shouldn't be there when paired with the warm, tube-like, Head-Five. I'm not sure whether this was because of improper system matching or if it was on the original recording but after a while it gets rather fatigueing. On some songs it sounds magnificent but on a few, the constant "ssss" just overpowers and distracts you from enjoying the music. One of these certain songs was Deathcab's "Photobooth", I just couldn't enjoy the music because of the incessant hissing. I have experienced sybillance on my HF-1s with this song before though, so it could possibly be the recording. One song that the HP-2 handled particularly well with regards to the highs, was Pure Heart's (With Jake Shimabukuro) "Jake's prelude". Having heard this live, I can honestly say that the reproduction was extremely realistic. Each note sounds like it's literally being played right in front of you. The clarity and resolution of these HP-2s is just incredible.
Conclusions:
While these are one of the best headphones I've heard, I'm still not sure whether or not they are worth the vast sums of money they currently command on eBay/Audiogon/etc. IMO they are great headphonEs for around $500-700. If I'm going to pay $1500 for headphones I want them to blow me away in every single aspect I can think of. That includes sound, comfort, styling, fit and finish, and durability. Sadly these headphones remarkable as they are, fail to meet several of the aforementioned criteria and thus, if given the option to buy a pair of these, I would have to graciously decline. If given the option to buy a pair of HP3000s however, I might have to think it over
. Hope you weren't too dissapointed with my review.
-David
First off I'd like to thank Refault for kindly lending me his pair of Grado HP-2s for the week. He invited me over for a mini-meet this past Thursday and these cans just blew my mind, so he graciously consented for a temporary swap with my Headphile modded Sony MDR-CD3000s
Brief intro:
The Grado HP1000 series consisted of the HP-1, the HP-2, and the HP-3. They were released in the early 90s' and were designed and tuned by Joseph Grado himself, John Grado's uncle, and the founder of Grado Labs. To many headphone enthusiasts, these are considered one of the top dynamic cans ever produced, and are mentioned in the same breath as the Sony MDR-R10s, the Audio Technica ATH-L3000s, and the Qualia 010s. When they were first released the MSRP was just shy of $500 ($495 USD). The current price for these amazing cans? About $900-1400 depending on model and condition. They have also been recognized as having been built to a higher level of standards then the current Grado models, which I have to say I agree with.
So what's the difference between the HP-1s, 2s, and 3s? To most, the HP-1 is the most prized of the bunch, while the HP-3, much like the HD-590 to Sennheiser, is the ugly step-son of sort, a bit left out. The HP-2s are the most common and the easiest to obtain. The HP-1 came with the confusing polarity/phase switcher, that swaps the signal and ground to the drivers. Some say they can hear a difference, some claim it's placebo and nothing seems to change. I guess I'll just have to wait for the chance to audition another variation of these beauties to confirm whether or not those comments ring true or not.
Much like Sennheiser's HD580-650 line-up, the two top tier versions, the HP-1 and HP-2, both came with drivers that were matched to much closer specs than the lower end HP-3s. The HP1000 series were also released with two variants of cabling, the Ultra-Wide Bandwith Cable, which is said to have a better handle on the top end but sacrifices bass quantity. And the Signature Laboratory Standard, which many claim to be the polar opposite, with a bit more emphasis on bass and a small sacrifice in resolution and detail.
Equipment
Source:
-NAD C521BEE
-Creative Labs Audigy 2ZS Platinum Pro
-Creative Labs Zen Vision 30GB
Amplifier:
-Meier Audio Corda Head-Five
Cables:
-Analog Research Silver Raincoat power cord
-Prelude Audio Rhapsody 1.0m
-Custom made Cardas mini w/mini to RCA adaptor
Headphone:
-Grado Labs HP-2 w/Grado Labs Signature Laboratory Standard cable/Grado Bowls
Build Quality & Aesthetics
What they say is true, they sure don't make 'em like they used to. You pick these headphones up and you get an immediate sense that these babies were made to last. The newer aluminum Grados, the SR-325/325i, and the MS2 don't even come close in terms of build quality or fit and finish, I have yet to audition a PS-1 so I can't claim how those fair against the HP-2s. There have been quite a few complaints with the PS-1s however. Supposedly John recycled cups from the Freesystems wireless headphones, and a few Head-Fiers have claimed that they could see the old etched lettering from the Freesystems logo showing through on their PS-1s. A tad bit dissapointing considering that they were originally sold for $1400, I'm sure Joe Grado wouldn't have put up with quality control like this. As for the plastic Grados, don't even start. Their frames and housings are so flimsy that sometimes I'm amazed at how they are able to stand up to the daily riggors of portable use. The wooden Grados I'm afraid also can't compete with the HP-2s in terms of fit and finish. I've seen and heard of too many new RS-1s and RS-2s with chips on the edges of the cups or glue melting out the back of the housings, the "Late Friday" debacle was also a bit dissapointing.
Nearly the entire headphone is constructed with thick, high quality aluminum, and all surfaces are finished with a beautiful matte brushed finish that gives these cans a sense of occasion. These also come equipped with handy fasteners built into the headband attachments, that prevent the notorious Grado cup twisting, they also keep the drivers from sliding down the aluminum adjustment bands, which is also quite common and irritating on newer production Grados. I also prefer the black interior driver covers over the current white that Grado employs.
Regardless of what people say about Grado styling, these cans are beautiful. They may not be the sexiest out there, I.E. Qualia 010, however while the Qualias have a slim and taught profile and look like they were designed for some Abercrombie & Fitch pretty boy, the HP-2s have a beefy look to them, I believe the proper term is American Muscle. When I look at these cans I definitely think '71 Challenger, that in and of itself justifies a purchase
Comfort:
Like with all Grados, sound was placed as a higher priority then comfort. I'm not sure whether Joe and John have not only golden but ears of steel as well, but after about two hours these things just get too uncomfortable to wear. While the all aluminum contruction adds to the visual appeal and ruggedness of the HP-2, it also plays a large part in its substantial heft. These massives cans weigh in at just under a pound including cables and bowl pads. Unlike modern Grados, the headband is quite stiff and does not flex to contour around your head very well. This leads to an enormous amount of pressure being exerted on your cartiledge and was unbearable for me after a mere two hours. If comfort is your number one priority, you're better off with a Sennheiser or a Sony.
Sound:
It's hard to describe what these headphones sound like without being construed as a fanboy. I can't say that these are the most musical headphones I've ever heard as I believe that title falls upon the god-like Orpheus however. Nor are they the most fun headphones I've ever heard as I believe the HF-1s match the criteria for that perfectly. However I can say that the way they reproduce sound, just blows me away.
Bass:
The bass on the Hp-2s is impressive to say the least. It doesn't reach as far down as say a Headphile CD3000 but the way it strikes those lows makes them special. It is tight and well defined and very fast. There is no mid-bass bloat that we see on so many headphones nowadays, it just sounds very natural. On Nada Surf's "If you leave", the bass on these really shine, it has a sense of presence but never overpowers the rest of the music. Every note is just impossibly tight. The only song I could find that exhibited some bloat with these headphones is Low's "Just Like Christmas". It could have just been the recording however, the HP-2s did sound muddy and a bit congested on this song. I personally like to use Steel Pulse's "Rollerskates" to really test out a headphones bottom end since the song contains many notes that unless properly executed, sound like they're coming out from a $50 subwoofer. Needless to say the HP-2s passed with flying colors. To me a good headphone will produce bass that you can really feel, when you here it it doesn't distract you from the other parts of the song but it does exhibit a certain amount of slam and impact with each note. The HP-2s did exactly this, although the sound does slide a bit towards the lean side.
Mids:
I would not classify the mids on these as being lush or full, rather very neutral and accurate. On some songs, this can lead to them sounding a bit boring and I can certainly see why some users have disliked them. However, on most tracks, they do sound quite good. I think one song that really shines with this headphone is Enya's "May it be", which some of you know as the LOTR's theme song. I have not ever heard this song sound so realistic, on speakers or headphones. I'm not a real big fan of having "neutral" headphones, that supposedly portray exactly what the original sounded like, in my experience they never really get the job done. I do imagine though, that if I were to listen to Enya live, this is exactly what it would sound like. There's a smoothness and texture surrounding the music that just completely immerses you.
Highs:
*SYBILLANCE PROBLEMS WERE DUE TO INADEQUATELY MATCHED SOURCE AND THE USE OF BOWL PADS, HP-2S WITH FLATS DO NOT EXHIBIT THIS MINUTE SYBILLANCE*
I would say this is one of the few areas that this headphone exhibits some flaws. On numerous recordings there was an excess amount of sybillance, something that shouldn't be there when paired with the warm, tube-like, Head-Five. I'm not sure whether this was because of improper system matching or if it was on the original recording but after a while it gets rather fatigueing. On some songs it sounds magnificent but on a few, the constant "ssss" just overpowers and distracts you from enjoying the music. One of these certain songs was Deathcab's "Photobooth", I just couldn't enjoy the music because of the incessant hissing. I have experienced sybillance on my HF-1s with this song before though, so it could possibly be the recording. One song that the HP-2 handled particularly well with regards to the highs, was Pure Heart's (With Jake Shimabukuro) "Jake's prelude". Having heard this live, I can honestly say that the reproduction was extremely realistic. Each note sounds like it's literally being played right in front of you. The clarity and resolution of these HP-2s is just incredible.
Conclusions:
While these are one of the best headphones I've heard, I'm still not sure whether or not they are worth the vast sums of money they currently command on eBay/Audiogon/etc. IMO they are great headphonEs for around $500-700. If I'm going to pay $1500 for headphones I want them to blow me away in every single aspect I can think of. That includes sound, comfort, styling, fit and finish, and durability. Sadly these headphones remarkable as they are, fail to meet several of the aforementioned criteria and thus, if given the option to buy a pair of these, I would have to graciously decline. If given the option to buy a pair of HP3000s however, I might have to think it over
-David
