Parula
Head-Fier
- Joined
- Aug 7, 2011
- Posts
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- 11
Thanks for the info on the Denon problem Gwarmo. I was just reading about it. I think I'll buy the spare parts suggested just in case.
Thanks for the info on the Denon problem Gwarmo. I was just reading about it. I think I'll buy the spare parts suggested just in case.
i'm not so sure we hear this headphone as similarly as you might think (i'm referring to your post in the grado fan club thread). i heard the mid-range as recessed but not in a bad way. yes, the treble is "tipped-up" but it is superbly detailed and smooth as butter. the ps1000 has astonishing clarity and is the most dynamic, vivid headphone i've heard. and i really can't relate to your comment regarding the imaging and soundstaging of the ps1000 compared to the lcd-3 - i'm with gwarmi there. i was most disappointed with the lcd-3 to be honest. it was stodgy and the treble sounded so shelved down that i thought there was something wrong with it. now the ps1000 is no feather weight, but the lcd-3 is the biggest and heaviest headphone i've tried. the overall effect both physically and sonically was claustrophobic, and it was a relief to free myself of it.
I find them to be perfectly complimentary - I cannot recall the last time my DT990-600ohm or even the K601 saw much head time.
Complimentary in the sense that where one shines the other tends fall short concerning the same material at hand. Faced with the
dilemma of having to choose just either one - RS1i or PS1000 - either ownership is going to be rather different and it will require
a different mentality towards the music.
The RS1i laps up most the material put in front of it - assuming of course the mastering is of reasonable quality.
It performs just as any Grado fan would expect - mids are forward, instruments bristle, separation is adequate
and depending on the recording - they can sound rather airy.
The PS1000 by contrast really excels with large works, in particular live recordings where it tends to just draw a larger sonic
picture. Having said that - it is never always the case - that seminal work by Clapton - Unplugged - still sounds better on
the RS1i - for many complicated reasons relating to the PS1000's voicing and the actual recording techniques used at
the time it was recorded 'live' - Clapton's voice is recessed with the flagship yet it is much more present on the RS1i.
Generalizing that the RS1i will always have more present mids than the PS1000 is again too much of a simplistic
conclusion - on some other recordings with both units plugged into the V200 - there is hardly anything in it in
terms of mids presentation, however the PS1000 runs away with it in terms of separation, sound stage and
detail. The frequency figures may not say much, particularly for those empirically minded to suggest any
headphone measuring outside of 20hz-20Khz is pointless since it lies outside the range of the human
ear, nonetheless the respective figures of 12hz to 30Khz for the RS1i versus the PS1000's 5hz to 50Khz
speaks volumes for the differences between their driver design.
The RS1i remains versatile and very much a great headphone at the price point of $695 - the PS1000
on the other hand is a 'feast or famine' headphone that I would suggest does not really suit the
mentality of our times - it reeks of compromise from head-fit to how it will perform across a
record collection - at this price point - most folks expect perfection and the utmost versatility,
nobody wishes to say goodbye to a cherished album or twelve simply because their headphone
does not suit.
Few are prepared to take this compromise and live with it happily on a daily basis.
Not everyone hears the same PS1000's (or other Grados for that matter), because many don't drive them with a set up that matches them well. With the right amp and DAC, Grados do not have strident highs, they are smooth and clear, and they have a much larger soundstage than many report. They require an amp that has very low impedence and high current output (like the RA1, or X-Can V8, or various others), which prevents clipping, tames their highs and expands the soundstage. With a poorly matched set up, they sound harsh and rough, without any soundstage, which is the result of clipping and distortion, because such amps can't control their drivers well. Virtually every comment you see, which reports such aberations in their sound, is the result of a poorly matched set up. Which is the reason Grado offers matching amps to drive their phones - though, you can find amps that drive them better than the RA1.
That's also true of the Denons, ATH's and other low impedence phones.
And... as far as which I prefer... the RS-1's vs the PS1000's (or PS500's) - I'm not sure... I haven't decided yet. They sound very, very similar. The RS-1's are just so clear and detailed, but so are the PS1000's. At times I think I prefer the RS-1's... and at others... maybe the PS1000's... or... maybe the RS-1's... or maybe...
Originally Posted by shimmer n roar /img/forum/go_quote.gif
yes, the choice between the rs1i and ps1000 proved to be surprisingly difficult. it wasn't as clear cut as i expected, so i'll be giving them another audition in the hope that it clarifies things.
More and more I've been finding the John Grado drivers reactive to amplification! It magnifies both their flaws and their qualities and it shows you better where are the shortcomings in your chain (could be your headphones). Now I realize better how it can affect the sound of the PS-1000 dramatically (because this Grado is the one to squeeze the most juice out of that plain looking [but highly graded] driver; the juice is abundant already, you want to make sure it's of good quality).
If you value soundstage highly, is it really that difficult of a choice?