[Gradomagic]

 

[customcoco]

Quote:

Hi Austin...has anyone tried using 52 mm lens hoods with their Grado headphones as replacement for the pads?  I've already done this and giving it a listen at this moment.  I can't say much about the sound quality difference it has made, this is a highly subjective matter.  If anyone is interested, I can send in some pictures.  The lens hoods are now installed on my RS1.  Thanks.

...

 

[Gradomagic]

 

[shimmer n roar]

it looks like the rim of the lens hood would press into the side your face making it uncomfortable to wear.

 

[Gradofan2]

Quote:

Well... I've got a pair of the PS1000's on the way... I'll see how they compare to my PS500's... as well as... my other phones.  
 
I wouldn't be surprised to find my AD2000's trump them all.

 
Listening just now to the PS1000's driven by my WA6 SEm with my Monarchy Audio M24 Tube DAC - they're pretty amazing!  All the details and resolution you'd ever expect from the best phones available... and the soundstage and imaging sound like a real live performance (SRV's The Sky is Falling album).  And... they do sound better than most phones I've heard.  Very comparable to the AD2000's.  I'll see how they compare later.  
 
If you haven't heard the PS1000's you really need to... with a well matched set up - you will be impressed!

 

[Focker]

Quote:

 
Listening just now to the PS1000's driven by my WA6 SEm with my Monarchy Audio M24 Tube DAC - they're pretty amazing!  All the details and resolution you'd ever expect from the best phones available... and the soundstage and imaging sound like a real live performance (SRV's The Sky is Falling album).  And... they do sound better than most phones I've heard.  Very comparable to the AD2000's.  I'll see how they compare later.  
 
If you haven't heard the PS1000's you really need to... with a well matched set up - you will be impressed!

 
You know, that darn Monarchy DAC has been on my short list, right near the top, for years. That thing is like an audiophile swiss army knife, and the DAC section is supposed to be fantastic. Mr Poon is a class act, too....I've had several email exchanges with him and I would have no reservations about buying his gear at all. 

 

[jamesWin]

enjoyed your review.. thanks

 

[majkel]

I've spent quite a lot of time with the WA6 SE equipped with all applicable Black Gate caps, nichicons FW replaced for something much better, 274B Sophia Princess rectifier and black anode Raytheon NOS driver tubes. It is a good match, one of the best possible when choosing tubes to feed the PS1000. This amp shows the same as my preferred solid state design - the HD800 stand a bit behind in terms of overall sound quality and fidelity.

 

[Gradofan2]

Quote:

 
Listening just now to the PS1000's driven by my WA6 SEm with my Monarchy Audio M24 Tube DAC - they're pretty amazing!  All the details and resolution you'd ever expect from the best phones available... and the soundstage and imaging sound like a real live performance (SRV's The Sky is Falling album).  And... they do sound better than most phones I've heard.  Very comparable to the AD2000's.  I'll see how they compare later.  
 
If you haven't heard the PS1000's you really need to... with a well matched set up - you will be impressed!

 
The PS1000's and PS500's have a bit more treble than the AD2000's, which are more mid-centric than the Grados.  The AD2000's have a smoother sound, with plenty of treble... and of course bass... and... have a similar sound overall.  Both the AD2000's and Grados have a very fast, forceful, insistent sound with remarkable clarity, detail and resolution.  The AD2000's have a wee bit richer sound - more like Senns.  The Grados have a wee bit more treble-centric sound.  So... those who prefer a bit warmer, richer, less treble-centric sound will likely prefer the AD2000's, while those who prefer a more treble-centric sound will likely prefer the Grados.  Otherwise they seem very comparable.  Not sure yet, which I prefer, since they're so similar.  "Its all good!"

 

[Austin Morrow]

Quote:

I've spent quite a lot of time with the WA6 SE equipped with all applicable Black Gate caps, nichicons FW replaced for something much better, 274B Sophia Princess rectifier and black anode Raytheon NOS driver tubes. It is a good match, one of the best possible when choosing tubes to feed the PS1000. This amp shows the same as my preferred solid state design - the HD800 stand a bit behind in terms of overall sound quality and fidelity.

 
Once I get the money, this will be my setup. It's been on my "dream" list for quite a while.

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

I've spent quite a lot of time with the WA6 SE equipped with all applicable Black Gate caps, nichicons FW replaced for something much better, 274B Sophia Princess rectifier and black anode Raytheon NOS driver tubes. It is a good match, one of the best possible when choosing tubes to feed the PS1000. This amp shows the same as my preferred solid state design - the HD800 stand a bit behind in terms of overall sound quality and fidelity.

While I can totally understand how someone might prefer the PS1000 to the HD800s (or anything else for that matter), but fidelity ain't one area that I can see how. The PS1000 (like all John Grado  headphones) are coloured with a strongly prominent "U", poor deep bass performance, exaggerated highs that then roll off around 12kHz. Fidelity = true to source (or how the artist intended...not how Grado wants it to sound) and this FR response (along with corresponding 50Hz and 500Hz square wave responses) don't show that (or alternatively; neither do my ears). Again, I think the PS1000 is a fine headphone and a good step up from the overly bright GS1000, but fidelity isn't its strong suit.
 

 

[Gradofan2]

Quote:

While I can totally understand how someone might prefer the PS1000 to the HD800s (or anything else for that matter), but fidelity ain't one area that I can see how. The PS1000 (like all John Grado  headphones) are coloured with a strongly prominent "U", poor deep bass performance, exaggerated highs that then roll off around 12kHz. Fidelity = true to source (or how the artist intended...not how Grado wants it to sound) and this FR response (along with corresponding 50Hz and 500Hz square wave responses) don't show that (or alternatively; neither do my ears). Again, I think the PS1000 is a fine headphone and a good step up from the overly bright GS1000, but fidelity isn't its strong suit.
 

 
According to "Webster's" fidelity is":  "Accuracy," or "Faithfulness."  In this instance to the original sound.  
 
From these graphs... neither phone is particularly "accurate," or "faithful" to the orginal sound (assuming a curve of a "flat" zero amplitude is "accurate," or "faithful").   Where the PS1000's "roll-off" the highs a bit, the HD800's elevate the highs a bit, as well as the mid-bass, or lower mids.  That can hardly be called greater "fidelity," or more accurate, or faithful to the original sound.  
 
But, for most, such a "flat" sound does not realistically portray "real sound."   Most consider some "distortion" is necessary to reproduce the human perception of "original sound," or "real sound," or "live sound" with the tone, tenor, texture... and "emotion" of "real, live sound."  The degree of such "distorition" required to portray "real, live sound," may vary a bit from person to person.
 
But... for many (who have acutally heard them properly driven) the PS1000's (as well as the PS500's) are about as good as it gets in portraying "real, live sound."  Certainly for the relative investment in phones and set ups.  

 

[Austin Morrow]

Quote:

 
According to "Webster's" fidelity is":  "Accuracy," or "Faithfulness."  In this instance to the original sound.  
 
From these graphs... neither phone is particularly "accurate," or "faithful" to the orginal sound (assuming a curve of a "flat" zero amplitude is "accurate," or "faithful").   Where the PS1000's "roll-off" the highs a bit, the HD800's elevate the highs a bit, as well as the mid-bass, or lower mids.  That can hardly be called greater "fidelity," or more accurate, or faithful to the original sound.  
 
But, for most, such a "flat" sound does not realistically portray "real sound."   Most consider some "distortion" is necessary to reproduce the human perception of "original sound," or "real sound," or "live sound" with the tone, tenor, texture... and "emotion" of "real, live sound."  The degree of such "distorition" required to portray "real, live sound," may vary a bit from person to person.
 
But... for many (who have acutally heard them properly driven) the PS1000's (as well as the PS500's) are about as good as it gets in portraying "real, live sound."  Certainly for the relative investment in phones and set ups.  

 
This, the PS1000 driven by the Triple Stack for me shows that the PS1000 is one of the most true to life sounding headphones I've used.

 

[Focker]

Grados may not be flat and, as a result, produce every frequency of the recording at an equal level of amplitude. But one aspect of sound that they get right more than any other headphones I've heard is "timbre". Dictionary.com defines timbre as, "[size=small]The character or quality of a musical sound or voice as distinct from its pitch and intensity."   To my ears, vocals and instruments simply sound as their supposed to sound. The FR graph indicates the frequencies that are emphasized or de-emphasized in terms of their amplitude, but it doesn't speak to how well a speaker or headphone reproduces the naturalness of the music. I may be at the symphony sitting right next to the strings section, and so the strings sound louder to me than the other components of the orchestra. But just because the strings are louder doesn't mean they sound less natural in terms of their specific musical signature. [/size]

 

[Gradofan2]

Quote:

Grados may not be flat and, as a result, produce every frequency of the recording at an equal level of amplitude. But one aspect of sound that they get right more than any other headphones I've heard is "timbre". Dictionary.com defines timbre as, "[size=small]The character or quality of a musical sound or voice as distinct from its pitch and intensity."   To my ears, vocals and instruments simply sound as their supposed to sound. The FR graph indicates the frequencies that are emphasized or de-emphasized in terms of their amplitude, but it doesn't speak to how well a speaker or headphone reproduces the naturalness of the music. I may be at the symphony sitting right next to the strings section, and so the strings sound louder to me than the other components of the orchestra. But just because the strings are louder doesn't mean they sound less natural in terms of their specific musical signature. [/size]

 
So true... few phones (if any) make the music sound as "real," or "live" as the PS1000's, PS500's and RS1's.   Though, the AD2000's, the D5000's / D7000's (with Markl Mods) can come very close.  I haven't heard this same sound quality in Stax, or planar phones - though, that may have been the result of poorly matched amps I was using.  Regardless, the Grados are much easier to match to a set up to achieve their "realistic" sound.