[HK_sends]

The GS1000e's are in my possession...

I can't wait to hear your impressions of them!

Cheers!

-HK sends

 

[mrfcpa]

Well, you've had them about long enough. I'm on the list, too. So please send them on today

 

[JUSTINDTH]

Hi Guys,
 
I was wondering when I can expect to see the first PS500e review? I've been hunting around on the internet the past few days and can't seem to find one. I've been on the edge of buying a ps500 for months now. However, I can't get a quiet audition outside the store. The local dealer wants me to buy it in full and pay $50 on top to borrow it. When I return it they will credit me the purchase price but keep the $50. Not too fond of that. He said it's their way of ensuring I don't just go buy it somewhere else.
 
Also, is there going to be any direct comparison to the older Ps500 and what is different?
 
Many thanks for the input!

 

[wnmnkh]

I applied to RS-1e, and I was told I am the first line.
 
So far I have not received any mails nor notification from todd. I guess RS-1e and PS-500e are getting later than it thought.

 

[Nada190]

SR-60e review coming soon! Maybe even in the next hour or so.

 

[Lorspeaker]

suppppertime....

 

[Nada190]

Alright, here's my review of the SR-60e.
 
Pros: Drums sound amazing
Cons: Shrill highs, picky

These are my first ever Grado's and I LOVE them, too bad I have to send them out to the next guy. 
 
I was always fascinated by Grado's ever since I saw Auggie's RS2's on Covert Affairs. I just knew I had to try them at one point and along came this awesome opportunity to loan them. I decided to try their cheapest ones because I just wanted to get an idea of their unique sound. 
 
Packaging
Best headphone packaging I have come across, though I've only had the pleasure to open two others. Great packaging. Lots of lovely information to read in the box.
 
Build quality
Despite being all plastic it's very high quality. Doesn't have that cheap plastic feel to it. The cable shocked me, nice and thick, very high quality. The headband and adjustment are very smooth and feels solid. 
 
Comfort
Super comfortable. I've been looking through Grado threads a lot and comfort is all over the place with the 3 different types of pads. For me, it has to be either on my ear or completely off. Not the most comfortable on ear's but after wearing it a few days, VERY comfortable. Only thing that isn't comfortable is that high quality cable, I personally don't like double sided cables because they always like to annoy me. 
 
Sound
I had these connected to my PC's Creative ZxR. 
I do not use EQ's ever! I wish everything had pure direct. 
 
Let's start off with the good: Nice close up sound, drums sound amazing, guitars sound amazing. These really are fantastic when listening to metal and rock. Decent amount of bass.
 
Bad: The highs on certain songs or even certain types of music are unbearable. Easily remedied by lowering the volume a tiny bit though. Turning the volume down sucks though. Pop/classical don't sound any good, anything with ton of electronic bass isn't going to sound good. Sound stage is too small for classical.
 
These were my first Grado's and I loved them. Will be buying myself either a pair of RS2e or RS1e in the near future.

 

 

[swspiers]

Hi al!
 
Just a quick update on the GS1Ke I received as part of the loaner program.  I received the package last Wednesday, and there was distortion coming out of the left driver.  I was out of town at the time, and was using the 3.5 mm adapter into my Fiio E10.  I took it home to check it out on my main rig, and the distortion was still there.
 
I contacted Todd, and then sent them per his request back to John Grado.  He received the headphones today, and is sending a replacement pair to me overnight.  I should have them tomorrow, and then start critical listening.
 
FWIW, both TTVJ and Grado have been outstanding in managing and taking care of the situation.
 
Hopefully I will have more to report tomorrow evening.

 

[swspiers]

Just a really quick update, and a copy of a mini-impression I posted on the Grado Fan Club thread:
 
Originally Posted by swspiers /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
 
 
Hi all!
 
Just a quick update on the GS1Ke's.  I got a replacement set today, as the first set had a faulty driver- taken care of by TTVJ and Grado very promptly.
 
The first thing I hear on the new set is a very low-level distortion.  Very deep in the track, but there.  The 225i's could not detect it, and I could not hear it on the Alpha Dogs unless I turned up the volume on a bass-heavy track.  At first I thought it was another defective GS.
 
It turns out that the digital coax going from my Oppo into the Bifrost Uber was barely in place going into the Bifrost.  I can only guess how long it's been like that, but the GS's revealed it immediately, and at very low volume:  65 dB, or conversation level.
 
In short, these are absolutely the most revealing transducers I have ever heard. Whether I like them or not, buy them or not, these cans are no joke.

 

[HK_sends]

  Just a really quick update, and a copy of a mini-impression I posted on the Grado Fan Club thread:
 
Originally Posted by swspiers /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
 
 
Hi all!
 
Just a quick update on the GS1Ke's.  I got a replacement set today, as the first set had a faulty driver- taken care of by TTVJ and Grado very promptly.
 
The first thing I hear on the new set is a very low-level distortion.  Very deep in the track, but there.  The 225i's could not detect it, and I could not hear it on the Alpha Dogs unless I turned up the volume on a bass-heavy track.  At first I thought it was another defective GS.
 
It turns out that the digital coax going from my Oppo into the Bifrost Uber was barely in place going into the Bifrost.  I can only guess how long it's been like that, but the GS's revealed it immediately, and at very low volume:  65 dB, or conversation level.
 
In short, these are absolutely the most revealing transducers I have ever heard. Whether I like them or not, buy them or not, these cans are no joke.

 More please!
Cheers!

-HK sends

 

[BenWaB3]

  are all Grado headphones made in USA ?

I think the iGrados are made in China although they use the same driver that is in the SR-60's & 80's. The drivers are made here & it's possible the iGrados are made here by now. All their phono cartridges are made here as well. OK, enough of this diversionary chatter here - you that have the review models need to get on the stick!!

 

[swspiers]

                Hello all!
                This is my impression of the Grado GS1000e, per the agreement with TTVJ regarding the tour of the new ‘e’ models. The first set of GS1000e’s that I received had a faulty left driver.  I contacted TTVJ, who contacted Grado, and I mailed them back to Grado.  John confirmed the fault, and sent me another pair overnight. I received them on July 15^th.
                With the replacement headphones, the first thing I heard when playing the DVD-A re-master of King Crimson’s Elephant Talk off of the album Discipline, through the Oppo BDP-103, was a low-level distortion present when the mix got dense.  I tried my other cans- the Alphas and the 225i’s, and couldn’t hear the distortion.  I assumed either another defective set of GS’s, or a fault in my rig.  It turns out that the digital coax from the Oppo to the Bifrost was barely in place and was making poor contact with the input on the Bifrost.  I securely inserted the cable into the Bifrost, and ta-da!, no distortion.  Big-time score for the GS over the 225i and even the Alpha Dog. Sure, all three cans sound better after the correction, but the GS really put a spotlight on the bad connection, ending another debate that I’ve wondered about: do cables make a difference?  They sure do…when they aren’t connected properly.
                Once I had the distortion figured out and eliminated, it was on to some listening.  Discipline was once again the amazing master I had experienced with the Alpha Dogs. Every subtle nuance of the extremely dense mix was present and clear.  It was a lot of fun to try to follow the manic percussion of Bill Bruford, and the infinite number of effects used by the band on this recording.
 I was aware going into this that the GS’s were excellent low volume headphones, but I underestimated what that meant in real life.  My average listening level is about 85 dB’s on all of my other cans, which to some is fairly loud; to others it’s just getting started.  With the GS’s, I found the overall presentation improved the lower I set my amp, until I got down to an insane 60 dB, which is at about normal conversation level, and a full 20 dB below my already moderate level.  Once I got above 85 dBs, the coherence of the presentation collapsed, and the GS’s sounded more like an average $200 can with a huge emphasis on the treble, which became strident, and bass lost its detail and precision.
                The rest of my listening repeated the same process- playing with the volume to find what I perceived as the best combination of dynamics, volume, and impact.  For me, 70 dB was the magic number. For my 225i’s, 80 dB seems to work best, with the Alpha Dogs right around that level as well. Once I had established the best volume, the GS’s asserted themselves as an incredibly detailed headphone, revealing details without seeming to over-accentuate anything. 
                Due to the distortion of a faulty driver, and then the issue with the coax cable, I was very sensitive for any other signs of further distortion.  And I got it.  Switching over to flac files on my computer, I had the settings in JRiver just perfect enough to give me a slight, and I mean slight, clipping that was audible mostly around drum fills and rolls. Disabling volume control in JRiver eliminated the distortion entirely.  To this point, my impression with the headphones had fluctuated between aggravation and complete bliss.  Also a bit of embarrassment, as two of the issues were entirely self-induced due to negligence and a ‘set it and forget it’ attitude, which as my wife frequently reminds me, does not serve me well at times.
                But that’s what is so amazing about these headphones.  Their ability to present virtually every facet in a mix, and in the gear playing it, is quite scary. None of the other cans or speakers I’ve used presented the clipping in JRiver.  But with the GS1000e’s, the sound was unavoidable.    Plenty of headphones and speakers claim to be this revealing and transparent, but this is the first time I’ve ever experienced this level of performance.  Sonically, they remind of Quad ESL’s , Magnepan’s or Apogee Scintilla’s, especially regarding bass performance.   Bass is there, and it extends quite deep, but it is very neutral and part of the whole presentation, not the main course.  There is no attempt to give a ‘subwoofer’ experience, which even the Alpha Dog’s are capable of doing.  Instead, they present the mix in pretty much the same fashion as was done in the 70‘s and 80’s, before subwoofers were introduced and bass became an obsession unto itself.
                Jude once commented that he thought the GS1000’s were as close to a perfect headphone as he had ever heard.  After hearing the GS1000e for a few days, I have to agree, but only under specific conditions.  As I seem to mention over and over again, these are for low-volume listening.  At 70 dB, nothing in my recollection of gear or recollection can come close to these in terms of dynamics, detail, soundstage, precision and clarity.  I would absolutely use these to analyze the minutest details of a mix, and compare different masters in excruciating detail.
                But the abilities of these come with a price.  First, they have absolutely no sound isolation, and can be heard clear across the house, even at low volume.  These seem to be for solely private listening. Secondly, the bass presentation is for purists only.  These cans can rock, but they do not RAWK!  Those who need bass to take center stage will be sorely disappointed. And while this may seem redundant, the low-volume nature of these headphones diminishes the ‘party in your head’ aspect of many popular headphones: they are more cerebral, less visceral in many aspects.
                In sum, these headphones live up to the hype that surrounded their introduction in the original GDS1000, and they also live up to the objections.  I find that these are absolutely a niche product, and will not appeal to everyone.  However, for those inclined to low-volume listening and wanting to experience every possible detail in a recording, these are probably as close to perfect as there is. The past week has left me convinced that these are the real thing, and are also causing me to re-think my priorities in this hobby, as well as a long over-due maintenance check of my existing system.
                Thanks TTVJ and Grado for this opportunity to experience something truly special!

 

[jaywillin]

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

                  Hello all!
                This is my impression of the Grado GS1000e, per the agreement with TTVJ regarding the tour of the new ‘e’ models. The first set of GS1000e’s that I received had a faulty left driver.  I contacted TTVJ, who contacted Grado, and I mailed them back to Grado.  John confirmed the fault, and sent me another pair overnight. I received them on July 15^th.
                With the replacement headphones, the first thing I heard when playing the DVD-A re-master of King Crimson’s Elephant Talk off of the album Discipline, through the Oppo BDP-103, was a low-level distortion present when the mix got dense.  I tried my other cans- the Alphas and the 225i’s, and couldn’t hear the distortion.  I assumed either another defective set of GS’s, or a fault in my rig.  It turns out that the digital coax from the Oppo to the Bifrost was barely in place and was making poor contact with the input on the Bifrost.  I securely inserted the cable into the Bifrost, and ta-da!, no distortion.  Big-time score for the GS over the 225i and even the Alpha Dog. Sure, all three cans sound better after the correction, but the GS really put a spotlight on the bad connection, ending another debate that I’ve wondered about: do cables make a difference?  They sure do…when they aren’t connected properly.
                Once I had the distortion figured out and eliminated, it was on to some listening.  Discipline was once again the amazing master I had experienced with the Alpha Dogs. Every subtle nuance of the extremely dense mix was present and clear.  It was a lot of fun to try to follow the manic percussion of Bill Bruford, and the infinite number of effects used by the band on this recording.
 I was aware going into this that the GS’s were excellent low volume headphones, but I underestimated what that meant in real life.  My average listening level is about 85 dB’s on all of my other cans, which to some is fairly loud; to others it’s just getting started.  With the GS’s, I found the overall presentation improved the lower I set my amp, until I got down to an insane 60 dB, which is at about normal conversation level, and a full 20 dB below my already moderate level.  Once I got above 85 dBs, the coherence of the presentation collapsed, and the GS’s sounded more like an average $200 can with a huge emphasis on the treble, which became strident, and bass lost its detail and precision.
                The rest of my listening repeated the same process- playing with the volume to find what I perceived as the best combination of dynamics, volume, and impact.  For me, 70 dB was the magic number. For my 225i’s, 80 dB seems to work best, with the Alpha Dogs right around that level as well. Once I had established the best volume, the GS’s asserted themselves as an incredibly detailed headphone, revealing details without seeming to over-accentuate anything. 
                Due to the distortion of a faulty driver, and then the issue with the coax cable, I was very sensitive for any other signs of further distortion.  And I got it.  Switching over to flac files on my computer, I had the settings in JRiver just perfect enough to give me a slight, and I mean slight, clipping that was audible mostly around drum fills and rolls. Disabling volume control in JRiver eliminated the distortion entirely.  To this point, my impression with the headphones had fluctuated between aggravation and complete bliss.  Also a bit of embarrassment, as two of the issues were entirely self-induced due to negligence and a ‘set it and forget it’ attitude, which as my wife frequently reminds me, does not serve me well at times.
                But that’s what is so amazing about these headphones.  Their ability to present virtually every facet in a mix, and in the gear playing it, is quite scary. None of the other cans or speakers I’ve used presented the clipping in JRiver.  But with the GS1000e’s, the sound was unavoidable.    Plenty of headphones and speakers claim to be this revealing and transparent, but this is the first time I’ve ever experienced this level of performance.  Sonically, they remind of Quad ESL’s , Magnepan’s or Apogee Scintilla’s, especially regarding bass performance.   Bass is there, and it extends quite deep, but it is very neutral and part of the whole presentation, not the main course.  There is no attempt to give a ‘subwoofer’ experience, which even the Alpha Dog’s are capable of doing.  Instead, they present the mix in pretty much the same fashion as was done in the 70‘s and 80’s, before subwoofers were introduced and bass became an obsession unto itself.
                Jude once commented that he thought the GS1000’s were as close to a perfect headphone as he had ever heard.  After hearing the GS1000e for a few days, I have to agree, but only under specific conditions.  As I seem to mention over and over again, these are for low-volume listening.  At 70 dB, nothing in my recollection of gear or recollection can come close to these in terms of dynamics, detail, soundstage, precision and clarity.  I would absolutely use these to analyze the minutest details of a mix, and compare different masters in excruciating detail.
                But the abilities of these come with a price.  First, they have absolutely no sound isolation, and can be heard clear across the house, even at low volume.  These seem to be for solely private listening. Secondly, the bass presentation is for purists only.  These cans can rock, but they do not RAWK!  Those who need bass to take center stage will be sorely disappointed. And while this may seem redundant, the low-volume nature of these headphones diminishes the ‘party in your head’ aspect of many popular headphones: they are more cerebral, less visceral in many aspects.
                In sum, these headphones live up to the hype that surrounded their introduction in the original GDS1000, and they also live up to the objections.  I find that these are absolutely a niche product, and will not appeal to everyone.  However, for those inclined to low-volume listening and wanting to experience every possible detail in a recording, these are probably as close to perfect as there is. The past week has left me convinced that these are the real thing, and are also causing me to re-think my priorities in this hobby, as well as a long over-due maintenance check of my existing system.

 
                Thanks TTVJ and Grado for this opportunity to experience something truly special!

 
very , very nice write up !
i do listen at low levels, which may be why i like grado's so much.
one of the reasons i did not like the lcd 2 was having to listen at a level i did not like for them to sound their best
and one reason i really didn't expect a lot out of the lcd x, but i was wrong there.
back to the gs1000, when i first got one, it was an 'i' , and i said then, the gs1000 wasn't a great grado, it was just a great headphone !
i was number five on the loaner list, and i was so impatient i went and purchased a pair from todd and took my name
off the list. after a delay in shipping to due an unforeseen but understandable delay at grado, i was thinking i may cancel or change my order.
i think i'll just keep my order as is, and listen to the gs1000e for myself !!

 

[achristilaw]

The RS-1 "e" is out and about, starting the rounds! Joy-joy!

 

[swspiers]

   
very , very nice write up !
i do listen at low levels, which may be why i like grado's so much.
one of the reasons i did not like the lcd 2 was having to listen at a level i did not like for them to sound their best
and one reason i really didn't expect a lot out of the lcd x, but i was wrong there.
back to the gs1000, when i first got one, it was an 'i' , and i said then, the gs1000 wasn't a great grado, it was just a great headphone !
i was number five on the loaner list, and i was so impatient i went and purchased a pair from todd and took my name
off the list. after a delay in shipping to due an unforeseen but understandable delay at grado, i was thinking i may cancel or change my order.
i think i'll just keep my order as is, and listen to the gs1000e for myself !!

Thanks Jay.  As one of my favorite celebrity chefs likes to say, your patience will be rewarded.