[joseph69]

If I remember correctly, they should be shipping around the 19th to the 5th member in line.
Again, that's giving a weeks listening time and a weeks shipping time.

 

[mhpsd]

Well, as I sit here listening to them for what will the last time (at least for a while), I thought I would put down some impressions.

First, I lack the skills/abilities to describe what I hear as well as others on this forum. That having been said, I have had an opportunity to listen to a lot of really great headphones. My final judgement tends to be whether the product I'm using can put a smile on my face. I'm smiling.

These are attractive headphones. I like the metallic elements. I find them a bit heavy and struggled a bit to get them comfortable on my head. I think this was mostly due to my need for glasses. When I took off my glasses, they were far more comfortable. The clamping force seems a bit light for me-these are for stationery use only.

The only other Grado's I have used are the SR60's. These are in a different world.

The only open headphone I had for comparison was the HD800. I strongly prefer the Grado's. I really love the openness and soundstage of the 800's. The Grado is simply better. I felt that the imaging was a much more three-dimensional. I did not find the treble as fatiguing as the 800s can be. There is less sound leakage than the 800's.

The Grado's will let you know if there is a flaw in your chain. Poorly recorded material need not apply. I am currently listening through my Echobox Explorer and find them quite enjoyable. They sound much better on my desktop setup. If you're going to spend this much on a headphone, have good recordings and a good DAC/Amp.

My sonic memory is not great, but I can confidently say that I prefer these to the Focal Utopia. The smile these put on my face were similar to that of listening to the LCD-4s.

Thank you Todd for the opportunity to listen to these great headphones.

 

[wormsdriver]

 

[tlainhart]

I received the PS2000e last week, and have been listening to them on their own and compared with the other phones I own.

Summary
I love these headphones. I wish that they were mine. I can only think of good things to say about them.

My Gear
Headphones: Grado GS2000e; Grado SR-125; Grado SR-60; AudioQuest Nighthawks. I've owned the Grado 60 and 125 since the late 90s. The GS2000e and NHs have been purchased within the last year. I had a GS-1000e for a bit that I couldn't listen to. I also had some Sennheiser 650s for a short while, but returned them.

My Audio: Schiit Jotunheim for computer-based listening; Schiit Yggdrasil for CDs; VPI HW-19 MK4 w/ Grado Signature Master1 and Rogue Audio Triton pre-amp for vinyl; Schiit Ragnarok for 2-channel (and headphones). Polk LSi-15 loudspeakers.

My Background
I'm 59, and an amateur jazz musician. I recently had my hearing analyzed, and I've got a pretty sharp attenuation starting around 4K, plummeting ~6K. I'm more of a 2-channel guy, and have only been getting into headphones lately, although I've been listening to headphones (Koss Pro 4a back in the day) since I was a kid. I mostly listen to jazz on vinyl, followed by pop and classical.

My Journey
My "high-end" headphone listening started with the GS1000e. After getting a hearing loss diagnosis, I wanted a set of headphones that would offer more detail than what my (currently untreated) room does but without the requisite volume. Having good experiences with my SR-60s and SR-125s, I thought buying a more expensive pair of Grados would offer a better experience (fyi I'm not a Grado fanatic/expert - I'll go with what sounds good. But I started with Grado because I like the phones that I have, I really like their cartridges, and have always had great service from them).

I couldn't tolerate the GS1000es, despite my best efforts to do so. They were too shrill, long after break-in - like ice picks. Horns sounded terrible. Perhaps I had a bad pair, but I sold them, and bought the GS2000es on trial.

What a difference. The GS2000es were balanced and more linear to my ear. Comfortable and compatible with a number of sources. Great sound stage and detail. I was satisfied.

The AQ NHs were a little darker and closed in, but not a bad way. More like a speaker, but still revealing. I like them as well, but they're not as good an all-rounder as the GS2000es.

Finally, I did try a pair of LCD-3s during this period, and loved them. However, they were more than I wanted to spend, and perhaps not as compatible with source as the GS2000e. So I landed with the GS2000es.

Then I got to spend some time with the PS2000es this week. At almost 2x the price of the GS2000es, taking into account the law of diminishing returns, I think that the PS2000es are worth it, they're such an improvement. They've spoiled my GS2000es.

Listening
Listening on the Jotunheim, using small group jazz, vocals and some light pop, I noticed the following improvements of the PS2000e over the GS2000e. From my notes:

• On the PS2000e, the vocals were more forward and harmonically richer, with more realism;
  
• Better separation around the the musicians
  
• More harmonic detail - the GS2000es sound thin in comparison
  
• Seemingly more efficient than the GS2000es - like I have to push the GS2000es more for comparison, but I may be fooling myself.
  
• The G-cups hug the ear better on the PS2000es - this could be due to weight
  
• The snare and toms are more "there"
  
• I want to push the volume on the PS2000es more, perhaps to detriment
  
• You're more *there* in the recording

The chain for the above was Google Music=>USB=>Jotenheim/DAC. Loads of detail reveal, including deficiencies of the 320k MP3 format.

I then moved to the VPI/Yggdrasil/Ragnarok, listening to the PS2000es and comparing to my Nighthawks. I started with "Imaginary Cities" by Chris Potter. After listening with the PS2000es, which were wonderful, I noted the following deficiencies with the Nighthawks:

• NHs sounded more closed in and smeared separation - wide and enjoyable soundstage with distinct instrument placement with the PS2000es
  
• The bass solo was distinct and prominent on the PS2000es - I almost missed the solo on the NHs.
  
• Can really make out the drums in space with the PS2000es - smeared in the NHs.

I then listened to Sonny Rollins' "The Bridge". Again the PS2000es shined - I could hear deep into the mix. I swore I could hear the partition that Rollins was standing in. By comparison, Jim Hall's guitar sounds too congested on the NHs, and the GS2000es sounded too thin and bright.

Next was the "Physical Graffiti" reissue from Led Zeppelin on vinyl. The differences between the GS2000e and PS2000e were less obvious on this particular recording, I'm guessing because the production is so saturated - not much space between instruments in the tune I listened to. Drums did sound better on the PS2000e, as I've discovered regardless of genre.

The final two recordings were "ESP" by Miles Davis and "Midnight Blue" by Kenny Burrell. With the former, I felt I could actually hear tape artifacts on the PS2000e, the limitations of the recording media. It was like I was in the control room. With the latter, again the presentation was much more realistic than with the other phones - like I was there.

These are great headphones. Rich, wide and detailed - I loved them. Perhaps the comfort nod goes to the GS2000es because of their light weight, but for serious sit-down listening, I'll take the PS2000es in all cases. I hope that I can forget them, and get back to listening to my GS2000es.

I'm curious as to what others will think comparing these to similarly priced phones. If aural memory is to be believed, I'm sure that I would prefer these to the LCD-3s.

 

[ruthieandjohn]

Crap! I have this perverted idea that when I get my chance to review the PS2000e, they will be less good than either my PS1000 (bought from @LCfiner ) or my PS1000e (bought from @joseph69 ). Then I will not be tempted to buy them.

But... I have reviewed and compared the GS2000e to these two headphones, finding them better than the PS1000e though not as good as the PS1000.

This suggests I will like the PS2000e BETTER than any Grado I have.

Darn you!!!!!

(@wormsdriver , do you have them yet? You are the stop before me.)

 

[ruhenheiM]

remember when you told us you need to sell some of your headphones because you're going to travel across us... you might only need one headphone

 

[wormsdriver]

@ruthieandjohn nope, I don't have them yet, nor have I gotten a tracking number or a head's up. I'll report back as soon as I get them! ☺

 

[ruthieandjohn]

Yep, gotta trim down the headphone collection before moving west in two years. So to get a $2,650 Grado PS2000e, I must sell about $2,650 in used headphones, which is probably about 10 or so. See? Reduced by 9 headphones!

 

[wormsdriver]

I received the PS2000e earlier today. Everything looks to be ok, cosmetically both cups have some surface scratches where the lettering is, the cable coming from the right side cup is a bit twisted which is common on these big models even when brand new straight from Brooklyn.

 

[joseph69]

I received the PS2000e earlier today. Everything looks to be ok, cosmetically both cups have some surface scratches where the lettering is, the cable coming from the right side cup is a bit twisted which is common on these big models even when brand new straight from Brooklyn.

Can't wait to read your impressions!

 

[ruthieandjohn]

@wormsdriver... tell you what... just pack up those PS2000e without listening and send them straight to me (next on the list). I will listen and publish two (identical) revierws... one for you and one for me.

OK?

 

[DBX1]

I am late to this thread. However, I am interested in the loaner program when it is open to compare the PS2000e to my PS1000e SE.

 

[joseph69]

I am late to this thread. However, I am interested in the loaner program when it is open to compare the PS2000e to my PS1000e SE.

The loaner is provided by TTVJ who is kind enough to loan out his personal PS2Ke, so I don't believe there will be another opportunity for this. You can borrow them from The Cable Company loaner program, though.

 

[Giraku]

Sounds like PS2000e should be put on my to-be-purchased list. Has anyone tried balanced cable version? I would like to know if it's worth the extra cost given their cable is not detachable.
Thank you!!

 

[wormsdriver]

The Ps2000e is on it's way to @ruthieandjohn and should be there by Monday if all goes well.

I'll try and make sense of my notes and post a write up late tonight if not by tomorrow night. Thanks to @Todd for letting me demo these cans in my home, it was a real pleasure!