[Blackmore]

Are your PS500 from earlier production or with polished cups as well?
Quote:

Currently I have the SR325i, the PS500, the HF-1 and a modified MS-pro, which of course does not make sense to have so many Gradessandros but it covers for me a lot of the Grado sound that I like. The modified MS-pro sounds very relaxed and equilibrated. The SR325i is excellent for singer songwriter stuff. Voices are great with this headphone. And the HF-1 fall a bit in the same corner as the MS-pro, less soundstage, bit rolled off in the highs, more bass compared to the alessandro. A more fun version of the MS-pro... but I still have difficulties with the PS 500. It is technical a good headphone and is excellent with some music but with others... anyway all to say that I think I don't need to buy another headphone anymore since I found what I like...

 

[maddin]

The PS500 that I have are not with the polished finish. Their number is around 300...
 

 
Do you think Grado has changed something in the sound signature of the older vs the newer models?
 
All the best
 
martin

 

[Blackmore]

[size=10pt]Thanks for pic, great looking PS500's.[/size]
 
[size=10pt]No, I have no idea what's the issue was / is, the PS1000 cups were differ in the beginning, so, in my mind, if you change the material, you change the signature, but I spoke to other users, who owned the first run PS1000 and they recognize the same issues, so, whatever it is, doesn't matter anymore, cos I am done with it.[/size]

 

[shimmer n roar]

i was under the impression that the ps500 had a powder coated finish from the outset. i don't think that it ever had a polished metal finish. however, grado has been known to change finishes on its phones - the sr325 and ps1000 come to mind.

 

[Blackmore]

[size=10pt]Well, I was not sure, that's why I asked, on Grado website they are also coated finished, so, probably never been differ than that.[/size]
 
[size=10pt]THX[/size]
 
 
Quote:

i was under the impression that the ps500 had a powder coated finish from the outset. i don't think that it ever had a polished metal finish. however, grado has been known to change finishes on its phones - the sr325 and ps1000 come to mind.

 

[shimmer n roar]

you're welcome.

 

[stacker45]

Quote:

The PS500 that I have are not with the polished finish. Their number is around 300...
 

 
Do you think Grado has changed something in the sound signature of the older vs the newer models?
 
All the best
 
martin

 
Knowing Grado,everything is possible,from what i understand they've changed the finish of the PS-1000 twice,they've shorten the cables of most of their heaphones and what else...

 

[stacker45]

This is for Blackmore,i was wondering if you're GS-1000 are the ''i'' model or the older version,because i find that the new version sound more like the PS-1000 than the older version,wich are the ones i have.
 
Tonight i took some time to compare my GS an my PS1000,and the PS1000 definately has more bass,it's not faster tough,but to me the biggest difference is the midrange,with the PS1000 voices sound more natural,the GS1000 gives them a higher pitch,i would say that the PS1000's have a warmer,smoother sound signature,wich makes them less fatiguing for long listening sessions,that's if they're weight doesn't bother you

 

[Blackmore]

GS1000 and not i version and my choice will be PS1000 with ease, but not how they are now, maybe PS1000i, who knows?

 
THX
 
 
Originally Posted by stacker45 /img/forum/go_quote.gif

 

This is for Blackmore,i was wondering if you're GS-1000 are the ''i'' model or the older version,because i find that the new version sound more like the PS-1000 than the older version,wich are the ones i have.
 
Tonight i took some time to compare my GS an my PS1000,and the PS1000 definately has more bass,it's not faster tough,but to me the biggest difference is the midrange,with the PS1000 voices sound more natural,the GS1000 gives them a higher pitch,i would say that the PS1000's have a warmer,smoother sound signature,wich makes them less fatiguing for long listening sessions,that's if they're weight doesn't bother you

 

[Gwarmi]

 I agree with mostly everything that has already been said here - these are indeed divisive cans.
 
 I could not tell you how many recordings have been dusted away or simply deleted from the laptop as a result of
 their presentation - these simply cannot do many modern genres - anything like dub-step, East side, West side
 beats - forget it, the bass is glassy and tinny on most recordings in my opinion.
 
 Why persist?
 
 Simply because with well recorded live tracks they blow everything out of the water - nothing gets close - LCD3, HD800
 they immediately strike you as artificial and lacking involvement by comparison. Having said that - the other two
 will play nice with most recordings. The PS1000 slightly betters the Ultrasone Edition 10 for suitability across major
 recordings but it remains a case of 'quality versus quantity'
 
 Assuming one is partial to the Grado sound, then you only have 2 types of Head-Fier remaining.
 
 Head-Fier #A - Listens to a wide variety of genres spanning from reggae, dub-step, classical, rock, rap 
 their aim here is to find a headphone that will play nicely across all their material - result - Sell PS1000
 
 Head-Fier #B - Listens to a smaller range of material, namely classical, jazz, soft ambient that is not
 bass heavy, live recordings - result - Cherish PS1000
 
 Keep in mind that for Head-Fier #B it is still not that simple - you will have to discard recordings based
 on the incompatibility of the recording versus the PS1000's presentation which is at best - very difficult to decipher as it changes all the time.
 
 For me - I'm a convert - 100 recordings in hand, only 7 sound like perfection on the PS1000's - fair enough - I'll take that over another
 can that performs at 90% with 85 of those recordings.

 

[Zombie_X]

Hi,
 
I heard the PS1000 and heard the resonances you spoke off. It sounded like the bass had some reverb and even seemed a bit shallow. The PS1000's do have good bass but the resonances in the cup make it sound kind of disjointed or like it's in a jar. It's not major but is noticeable.
 
I thought they had excessive treble without good extension. Treble was there but was not that highly detailed. And yes it was strident and was sibilant. Treble seems to resonate with the enclosure and make the treble more peaky, like a SR-325is.
 
All Grado's, to me at least, only work best with Rock or Metal. They don't have enough air or soundstage to work well with anything else. The midrange colorations sound excellent with guitars but can screw up other vocals. I do agree that Violins do sound great on the PS1000 and they do on mostly every other Grado I've heard. The sound itself is not spacious enough to work well with orchestral music as those types can sound confined. 
 
It is in my opinion that these are vastly overpriced for how they perform. I would rate them on par with the GS1000, which to me should be in the $800 range. I love Grado headphone but I believe that after the RS2i that they all start to become very overpriced.
 
 
Quote:

[size=10pt]Just a little thing I would like to say at first. I was doubting whatever to post this or not, but decided to do so, because if you are the part of the community, it's very important to share, so, take it like it is and come with your own conclusions / impressions, cos I am interested in them to, however not in the hype or bashing way, please no, just keep it civilized possible, so, for those "who knows better", keep it to the subject please. I chose do not write anything like an review, simply because I am done with it, so, my short summarizing may not give many of you anything special, but for those who see some interesting in it, come and share please.[/size]
 
[size=10pt]To me, PS1000 still have issues that are very critical. First of all, treble, especially with rock music its simply  there, unless you tame it with EQ or tube rolling, but then again, it's there. Bass is another problem, which to me can't get the right damping inside the cups, its resonating with some stuff really badly. Third is their shortcoming by growing with music, if the record ask for, made me really mad at some point. Yes, they are spacey, but nothing to be really amazed about it and like I wrote, they don't grow with the music. Another thing, is the fact that I don't found them to be truly balanced and the complex classical music do not sound right through them. They just can't handle complex records. On the other hand, they were amazing with some piano + cello music, simply very hard to beat. Also some live records, such as Eva Cassidy "live at blues alley" were very good, but then again, why such limit with music you can listen with? Why not make them more flexible, refined and balanced, all this, is beyond me. For example, I love trance such as Above and Beyond or Daniel Kandi kind or Buddha Bar music, but up here to, while they are not bad, but certainly behind the level of Stax or K1000. [/size]
 
[size=10pt]Some other things, such their cable, draw me crazy, cos is to short and dramatically bothered me all the time when I was listen to PS1000. Their comfort is not bad, but they are heavy and this can be a huge problem for some folks, headband pushing on the top of the head and after a while you are done, so, some modification are really need it, if you are long time listener.[/size]
 
[size=10pt]My pair was from one of the latest April batch, was burned for 300 hours and paired with Cary CAD 300B SEI integrated and Unison CD player on front. I tried them on other man system and found them even worse, amp was SPL Phonitor and HA5000 from Audio Technica. [/size]
 
[size=10pt]I guess, as the man says, for each his own, but I am really at the end of the road here. My disappointment is pretty huge and while I don’t necessary hate them, no, it's just the fact that my feelings are totally mixed up and my mind is blocking when I am trying to figure out which next model Grado will produce.[/size]
 
[size=medium]THX[/size]

 

[stacker45]

I just finished listening to Leonard Cohen's ''Songs from the road'' cd,on my vintage Yamaha CA-610II and Yamaha DVD-S1800,and what i got was,pure sonic bliss,and as i've said before,aside from their weight,i've to yet to find something i don't like about them.
 
Just for fun,about midway throught the cd,i had to give my cat his insuline shot,so i tought i'd switched headphones and finish listening with my SR80i,and i was shocked at how well they sounded compared to the PS1000,i'd say that the SR80i give's you about 75% of what you get with the PS1000,wich to me is nothing short of amazing,considering that you can buy almost 12 pairs of SR80i for the price of a pair of PS1000.
 
I believe that you can get the lion's share of what expensive gear will give you,for relatively little money,consider this,my old Yamaha CA-610II can be had for about $150 on Ebay,my Yamaha DVD-S1800 was bought new for $175,my mint 1978 Yamaha YP-D6 turntable was bought for $175,on wich i put a $50 Audio-Technica AT95e cartridge,add to that a pair of SR-80i and some bookshelf speakers,and you have a very decent sounding little sound system for around $1000,now,is this a great hobby or what?

 

[Gradofan2]

Well... I'm definitely in the "B" group!
 
To me... the PS1000's, and especially the PS500's, are better than all others I've had, or demoed - they just sound much more like "real live music," than the others.  For whatever reasons, I just don't hear any of the "artifacts" a few others reference.  
 
But... I listen primarily to acoustical music, jazz, country, blues rock, chamber music, etc., not so much large, complex classical / orchestra works.  
 
Though, as most phones >$1,000, I do agree they are way overpriced at their MSRP.  Fortunately, I got mine at about 20-40% less than those lofty prices... and... consider them very reasonably priced at the prices I paid.

 

[Focker]

Quote:

I just finished listening to Leonard Cohen's ''Songs from the road'' cd,on my vintage Yamaha CA-610II and Yamaha DVD-S1800,and what i got was,pure sonic bliss,and as i've said before,aside from their weight,i've to yet to find something i don't like about them.
 
Just for fun,about midway throught the cd,i had to give my cat his insuline shot,so i tought i'd switched headphones and finish listening with my SR80i,and i was shocked at how well they sounded compared to the PS1000,i'd say that the SR80i give's you about 75% of what you get with the PS1000,wich to me is nothing short of amazing,considering that you can buy almost 12 pairs of SR80i for the price of a pair of PS1000.
 
I believe that you can get the lion's share of what expensive gear will give you,for relatively little money,consider this,my old Yamaha CA-610II can be had for about $150 on Ebay,my Yamaha DVD-S1800 was bought new for $175,my mint 1978 Yamaha YP-D6 turntable was bought for $175,on wich i put a $50 Audio-Technica AT95e cartridge,add to that a pair of SR-80i and some bookshelf speakers,and you have a very decent sounding little sound system for around $1000,now,is this a great hobby or what?

 
 
Amen, brother...I'll never sell my 80s  I've been using the MOG music service a lot, which streams and offers downloads at 320kbps, and honestly the 80s sound fantastic. They sound even better when i'm using my lossless files and my amp, of course, but just out of my iPhone with the MP3 files it's really enjoyable. I never thought I'd be the type to listen to a lot of mp3 stuff, but portability has really become attractive to me lately. Between my Beyer DT1350s, the 80s, and my Atrio IEMs, it's really been a blast just using my iphone as the source. 
 
You  make a great point about how much quality you can get with the 80s compared to the flagship 1000s. Those of us with audiophile tendencies will gladly pay a premium for incremental improvements in sonics, but if one is focused on the music more than anything else they can be very, very happy with the lower end Grados. 
 
And yes, this hobby rocks  

 

[Gwarmi]

Quote:

Well... I'm definitely in the "B" group!
 
To me... the PS1000's, and especially the PS500's, are better than all others I've had, or demoed - they just sound much more like "real live music," than the others.  For whatever reasons, I just don't hear any of the "artifacts" a few others reference.  
 
But... I listen primarily to acoustical music, jazz, country, blues rock, chamber music, etc., not so much large, complex classical / orchestra works.  
 
Though, as most phones >$1,000, I do agree they are way overpriced at their MSRP.  Fortunately, I got mine at about 20-40% less than those lofty prices... and... consider them very reasonably priced at the prices I paid.

 
 Sure they're not cheap, but waaay overpriced? Don't know about that because they sell over here for
 $1799 Aussie big ones, but the LCD3 is $2280 and the new Fostex TH-900 is $1995,
 oh and the HD700 will be $1099.
 
I remain skeptical that a closed can like the TH-900 will kick the PS1000 to the curb for
soundstage, separation speed and detail retrieval but who knows 

 
Only heard 1 of the 3 for the time being and that's the LCD-3, as mentioned previously unless
 it's electronic or purely vocal, I cannot forgive their downsides - difficulty reproducing some instruments,
 namely piano and guitar, squashed tunnel like sound stage. All for the bonus of paying $500+ on top
 of the PS1000 price. Does not stop there, they really need an aftermarket cable instead of the
 $3.99 Kinder Surprise flat cable you get in the box. Add another $300 or so and then you have
 the amplifier dilemma - unfortunately those things like expensive $1000+ amps - so all up
 - you are $800 up with the LCD-3 and you still don't have an amp. Each to their own.
 Some will argue because they are indeed that much better - but you won't see me waving the flag 

 
 As for the ringing in the PS1000's - I think I do hear it on occasion with some recordings,
 but it is a fairly rare occurrence.