[MickeyVee]

After doing some research looking for a complimentary set of HP's to go with my HD800 I stumbled on PS500.  I was intrigued by what I read especially with them being a departure from the regular Grado sound I knew I had to hear them.
 
Well, after an hour audition this afternoon with them on the Naim DAC-V1, I was sold. I also tried the RS1i and they lasted about 30 seconds on my head.  Not for me.  The HD800 are stunning with good recordings but a little unforgiving of poor recordings and most of my 80's collection.  The PS500 seems to bring some life and bass back to these recordings. The bass was a little bloated and not as deep relative to the HD800 but I really like what it does on tracks that don't work well on the HD800.
 
So now, the break in process begins.. they're sounding pretty good out of the pizza box.. more to come once I have about 100 hours on them.

 

[Oracle]

MickeyVee,
 
Congrats on the PS500.  I have own them for a month now and they seem to be getting better with the more hours I put into them. Your in an interesting situation having both the PS500 and the HD800, I've been debating on the purchase of the HD800's for a while now and I understand these two headphones a very different.  But what would you say that strikes you as the biggest difference in sound between these two.  I don't have the ability to audition the HD800's so I will probably buy them from some place with a good return policy.

 

[kvtaco17]

Known both the hd800 and ps500 and they do go together very well

 

[MickeyVee]

Hey Oracle.. way too early to tell..  based on experience, I try to give myself a month or so with new HPs..
 
The PS500 are just hours out of the box and they're starting to open up a little.  They sound a little more on the dark side than I remember from the store audition.  To be honest, the PS500 are reminding me of the Senn HD650 with better treble. Imaging is closed in but that's a given relative to the HD800.  It's really not a fair comparison but what I'm finding is that the PS500 are more forgiving of the not so good recordings sounding better than on the HD800.  That's why I got them.  When a good song comes that I know is amazing on the HD800,  I'm really tempted to grab the HD800 but I promised myself that I'd judge the PS500 on their own merit.  
 
If you get the HD800, it will need some pretty good supporting electronics (DAC/AMP) driving it while from what I've read, the PS500 really don't. In the coming weeks, I'll be switching between the Naim DAC-V1, Audioquest Dragonfly and Dragonfly/Schiit Vali combos. I'll probably post my impressions on the Grado Fan Club thread.  Seems to be a lot more activity there.
 
I've got to give them some time but so far so good.  I wanted something different than the HD800 and the PS500 just may fit the bill.  I believe that they will nicely compliment each other and am hoping that the mids/highs open up an both more and that the bass tightens up.

 

[Oracle]

Yeah I understand you just got them, I'll keep an eye out for your impressions of the PS500 in the Grado Fan Club thread.  I would be paring the HD800 with the Schiit Bifrost/uber and Asgard2 and throwing the Vali in the mix for some tube impressions.

 

[gt462]

Hey oracle whats your opinion for the amps/ dacs you have for the ps500's.  I have a parasound z dac and i love the detail but it seems i am missing a little on the low end. Maybe i need something that mathches the impedance better?  Anyway just looking for your personal listening impressions- Thanks.

 

[MickeyVee]

After almost 30 days with my PS500 and using them daily, they just did not work for me.  I took advateage of the 30 day exchange and upgraded to the RS1i yesterday.  Here's wat didn't work for me:
- way too dark - highs rolled off too much for me - no sparke
- no soundstage
- feels like I'm missing the top and bottom 10% of the frequency spectrum
- boomy bass and too much of a mid bass nump for me
The RS1i seemd to resolve all these issues for me...
It was a fun go anyway.

 

[TwoTrack]

  After almost 30 days with my PS500 and using them daily, they just did not work for me.  I took advateage of the 30 day exchange and upgraded to the RS1i yesterday.  Here's wat didn't work for me:
- way too dark - highs rolled off too much for me - no sparke
- no soundstage
- feels like I'm missing the top and bottom 10% of the frequency spectrum
- boomy bass and too much of a mid bass nump for me
The RS1i seemd to resolve all these issues for me...
It was a fun go anyway.

 
Hmm, I found the highs on the PS500 better than my RS-1i headphones.  Bass boomier on the RS-1i too.  

 

[MickeyVee]

We all hear differently. 

   My reference is the HD800 and I find the RS1i has a closer signature to the HD800 so it works better for me.  System - amp/hp synergy also comes into play. YMMV.

 

[bbophead]

I wound up prefering my woodied 325is to the PS500.

 

[whirlwind]

   
Hmm, I found the highs on the PS500 better than my RS-1i headphones.  Bass boomier on the RS-1i too.  

Wow.....my RS1i does not have boomy bass at all..
 
I love the fast tight bass of my RS1i......I hate boomy bass.

 

[MickeyVee]

+1 on that and I find the highs very nice and extended with a decent but small soundstage. (coming from an HD800 guy, the rS1i is pretty good for the price)
Quote:

  Wow.....my RS1i does not have boomy bass at all..
I love the fast tight bass of my RS1i......I hate boomy bass.

 

[Digitalchkn]

  I love the fast tight bass of my RS1i......I hate boomy bass.

 
They can sound tighter depending on your amp output.  Check out my findings:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/570809/grado-ps500s-new-grados/1035#post_9888778

 

[ToothyCow]

I just thought I'd chime in really quick - I received the ps500s in the mail today.
 
Just a short backstory: I started my hi fi headphone journey just a month ago. I was introduced to it with a pair of sr60is, which I absolutely fell in love with. Since then, out of curiosity, I've tried the the sr225is, Beyerdynamic dt880s, and Fidelio X1s. I've sent them all back to Amazon in high favor of my sr60is.
 
I thought I'd step up my game and find out what the ps500 sounded like. I couldn't imagine an improvement over the sr60s.
 
My first impressions of the ps500s (I'm wearing them now) - These are a SERIOUS headphone. That's the only good way to describe it. I've heard it said that there is not much difference in quality throughout the Grado line, but this is obviously a huge leap in refinement. 
 
Because I'm a neophyte when it comes to the audiophile world, I don't have all the terminology to what I'm hearing, but these ps500s make all the other headphones I've heard so far sound a bit empty. These things have an unexplainable quality to them. The low end is very rich and you almost expect it to overshadow or interfere with the mids and highs - but, it doesn't. It's much like taking a sip of aged whiskey over a light beer. The highs seem just as detailed, if not more, but with a little less hiss in your ear.
 
All that to say - I'm happy right now

 

[Merlyn1955]

I got my PS500's about two weeks ago, and I agree 100 percent with your review. The PS500's seem to add  a bit more colour  to my music which seems to make everything sound tad  bit better then my Grado RS2's ever did.. That being said, I do get a kick out of the looks I get from the people I work with when ever they see me wearing them and I am always being asked if they are antiques. I like to tell people that they really Soviet Military Headphones from the 1960's imported by Grado and sold in the US as their professional series.