[protoss]

Hello Audiophile enthusiasts,

Today we have the holy grail of the family group of Grado.

The legendary Grado HP 1000:
Release Date: 1989
Price: $600
Driver: dome-shaped diaphragm
Materials: voice-coil, Plastic, damping, suspension, machined aluminum alloy, stainless-steel spring rod, genuine leather, thumbscrews, stainless-steel screen, 2 polarity switch, seven Allen screws, soft foam cushion, red paint and glue
Wire: gold-plated phone plug
Units: #1000

Grado HP1000 Sound: Neutrality at its best. Neutrality king? Maybe. Very accurate and detail. Sounds very lifelike. Mind-blowing with the acoustic record. And surprisingly non-fatiguing. And "Yes" it is not treble killers like the HD800!

Grado HP1000 Design: The body is pure metal construction. The headband is pure leather. With 2% padding! The headphone itself is heavy. The pads are the same Grado hating uncomfortable pads. And the clamping force will crush your head! Unless you bend the legendary headphone.

Both cups have the Polarity Switch, correct for errors in polarity settings for records.

These headphones are 'Professional Recording Monitor", they were designed to analyze the soul of the song.

The only Grado that had a mechanical Polarity Switch. The HP2 had the same design as the HP1 but without the switch and the HP3 was a downgraded version of the first two.

Look at that beautiful switch!! Just clicking it will take you back in time.

Here is Joseph Grado himself. He hand made the HP1000 himself.

 

[KR...]

I used to have the HP2 without the switch with a powerful amp these things were a joy to listen too. Sadly i was forced to sell them at the time for personal reasons, My only regret.
 
They are much more liad back than modern Grado headphones and the built quality is off the charts good. No cheap parts anywhere to be found of these.

 

[protoss]

  I used to have the HP2 without the switch with a powerful amp these things were a joy to listen too. Sadly i was forced to sell them at the time for personal reasons, My only regret.
 
They are much more laid back than modern Grado headphones and the built quality is off the charts good. No cheap parts anywhere to be found of these.

I'm glad you enjoy the article. It is a shame you let go of the HP2000. Rarely anyone will see the HP 1000. And yes the sound of the HP1,2,3 really was different. Especially HP1000. And the build was like a tank.  

 

[mulveling]

I've bought & sold 3 different HP1000 examples (all the HP-2 variant) over the years, lol. First one I bought & sold for $650 -- should've held onto that one a bit longer, since the fellow I sold it to wrote a rave review on them, which in turn caused the prices to skyrocket to over $1200! They did have a lovely tonality and very neutral balance, with nice punch & weight to the bass. Detail was very good, but not near the top tier of headphones (nobody will mistake it for a Stax). Soundstage & comfort sucked, as is to be expected for a Grado. I do fondly remember them, but feel no strong need to chase down another pair, as an exceedingly well driven & recabled HD650 is somewhat competitive with this level of sound. 

 

[Desi]

I own an HP-2 pair together with the HPA-2 and the Signature RCA interconnects!
These is really my reference system!
The more neutral and less fatigue Grado ever!
Great Concept, Great Built and Great Sound

...and btw i found them to be the most comfortable Grado , my GS1000 follows....

I also use them as a tool (as Joe Grado mentioned many times in many reviews!) but in my case helped me alot to setup my Grado "Statement" phono cartridge!
I had to set the correct Tracking Force and i could hear the differences with different values immidiatelly until i unded up at the sweet spot of 1.7 grams

 

[protoss]

I own an HP-2 pair together with the HPA-2 and the Signature RCA interconnects!
These is really my reference system!
The more neutral and less fatigue Grado ever!
Great Concept, Great Built and Great Sound

...and btw i found them to be the most comfortable Grado , my GS1000 follows....

I also use them as a tool (as Joe Grado mentioned many times in many reviews!) but in my case helped me alot to setup my Grado "Statement" phono cartridge!
I had to set the correct Tracking Force and i could hear the differences with different values immidiatelly until i unded up at the sweet spot of 1.7 grams

Alright another HP1000 ver. 2 owner. That's pretty interesting what you accomplish with that headphone.
You nail it on the dot. It really is a great concept, built and sound. And this is why HP1000 will go down as a legendary headphone.

I notice if you just bend the headband to loosen the clamping force it will feel great. Also a pad switch.

The GS1000 version 1, to me is Grado 2nd best headphone they ever created. I written piece on it but will not publish it. Lol

Cheers

 

[Desi]

Alright another HP1000 ver. 2 owner. That's pretty interesting what you accomplish with that headphone.
You nail it on the dot. It really is a great concept, built and sound. And this is why HP1000 will go down as a legendary headphone.

I notice if you just bend the headband to loosen the clamping force it will feel great. Also a pad switch.

The GS1000 version 1, to me is Grado 2nd best headphone they ever created. I written piece on it but will not publish it. Lol

Cheers

No it fits nice the way it is and i really like the fell and sound with flats more than the S and L cush!
The Signature HP1000 is the TRUE Joseph Grado headphone and the Statement GS1000 is the TRUE John Grado headphone , i say that as i find the Prestige and the Reference to be "cheap" replicas of the Signature Series (same goes with the cartridges!)!!

 

[protoss]

Yes sir. No doubt about it.

You a expert in the Grado line I notice

 

[Desi]

Expert?! No... but it happens to own many Grados over the time and actually give more attention on the built and the setup of each phone instead the Grados specs!
I only didn't listen (still) any of the "e" series but i'm still not going to...

 

[protoss]

Why you don't like the "E" series?

Also have you ever heard the Alessandro versions?

 

[Desi]

Its not that i dont like...is that i'm not willing at the moment as i'm not so really impressed, but i would like to give a try on the GS1000e!
What are the differences of the Alessandro?? As long i can see the only miss the "button"!

 

[protoss]

Alessandro and Grado teamed up and created a Alessandro series line of headphones that was to my knowledge basd on the Grado Prestige line.

Alessandro wanted their own sound signature to there liking. They tweak or enhances the sound, damps, drivers, and cups to get there perfect tuning sound.

It is slightly more neutral and aggressive.

I think these are the only models they were tweaking/enhancing

Alessandro Music Series - MS-1, MS-2 and MS-Pro.
Grado line series - SR-125, 325 and RS-1

 

[protoss]

The button was the speculation. But I notice cables were a little different, to the damping and cups and meshing etch.

Also I heard and maybe this is all they did was spray paint or coated the drivers/membrane to slightly tweak the sound to there liking.

 

[Desi]

Alessandro and Grado teamed up and created a Alessandro series line of headphones that was to my knowledge basd on the Grado Prestige line.



Alessandro Music Series - MS-1, MS-2 and MS-Pro.
Grado line series - SR-125, 325 and RS-1

My believe, according on what i have seen on pictures and videos, is that they just have different labels and missing the buttons!
They use same cups, drivers, cables, pads and boxes. When they first released they were only missing the buttons and that made this little diffeence on the sound imo.
Only I would like to say that the ms-1 is comparable to sr60 and not th sr125!

 

[ambchang]

I recently purchased a set of HP2, and they are phenomenal. The thing is, I do not have a powerful amp to drive them, and I know I have yet to release its full potential. The reason I am so confident about this is because I have heard a balanced pair on a fully decked out Dynalo, and they are the funnest headphones I have ever heard. The only other headphone that ever really left an impression on my like that is the Tralucent 1p2.

Back to what I have now, I drive them either straight out of the Cambridge DacMagic Plus Headphone jack, or use the DM+ out to a Meier QuickStep. The Quickstep setup is clearly better, better dynamics, better punch, better separation, just cleaner all the way through. I do not have a good amp with me right now, but it is just extremely difficult for me to get yet another amp to dedicate to a headphone. I already have 3 amps (two full sized and one portable, and to get another desktop/full sized amp is just way too costly.

I also just purchased the Grado HF2, thinking that if they are comparable, I would sell my HP1000 and save $1000. Well, I guess there is a reason they are so different in price. The HF2 are great, reminds me a lot of the PS500, but I felt with a little more clarity and a cleaner, but lighter low end. Compared to the HP1000s? Not close, just not close. The HP1000s have better extension and balance throughout, the pacing and dynamics are clearly better, soundstage are actually comparable. Note that I used the stock cush for both of them (flats for HP1000 and S-Cush for the HF2).

Now I am stuck with two headphones, both of them are fun in their own right, both of them a beautifully made. I will have to take out a second mortgage pretty soon the things are going ....