[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

 
Thanks Peter. It would be interesting if someone could put the large PS/GS1000 pads on the PS500 and measure it.
 
 

That would be interesting...just to see how much the large pads would make. Not a huge fan of them with my HF-2s (I gain in SS at the cost of recessed mids), but from time to time, its fun to change things up.
 
 
 

 

[oldshoe99]

Quote:

I guess it's a good thing that graphs and my ears/brain don't match up.

 
 

 
The PS-500 has some extra upper bass warmth compared to the so-called 'neutral' headphones, but from there on up it's really smooth - no suckouts or peaks.  Quite an accomplishment for a hand-made headphone.

 

[Mad Max]

Da fug?
 

 
I'm already discouraged against trying out PS500, and more encouraged towards GS1k and PS1k, lol.  (My poor wallet...)
I don't know why I never checked out their graphs on HR versus SR325.

 

[bulmanxxi]

Is there an HF-2 graph available?

 

[LCfiner]

Quote:

Is there an HF-2 graph available?

yeah, on inner fidelity.
 
he has all the main Grados.
 
http://www.innerfidelity.com/headphone-data-sheet-downloads
 
you can see the HF2 (and PS500) compared to the RS1 does not have those spikes at 4 and 8 kHz. the 10 db drop from 2 kHz to ~7 kHz is similar but not quite the same between the PS500 and HF2 between the two sites. 

 

[bulmanxxi]

Cool, thanks!

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

Da fug?
 

 
I'm already discouraged against trying out PS500, and more encouraged towards GS1k and PS1k, lol.  (My poor wallet...)
I don't know why I never checked out their graphs on HR versus SR325.

Instead of the typical moar bass, you're looking for moar treble.

 

 

[Mercuttio]

I haven't read back a ways, but have you considered the RS1i?
 
Quote:

Da fug?
 

 
I'm already discouraged against trying out PS500, and more encouraged towards GS1k and PS1k, lol.  (My poor wallet...)
I don't know why I never checked out their graphs on HR versus SR325.

 

 

[bbophead]

Quote:

Da fug?
 

 
I'm already discouraged against trying out PS500, and more encouraged towards GS1k and PS1k, lol.  (My poor wallet...)
I don't know why I never checked out their graphs on HR versus SR325.

Yeah, in California there can't be any place you can actually try them out, maybe even take them home for few days.  Really, too bad.

 
OTH, I find graphs the least interesting part about head-fi.
 
 

 

[Grado77]

-----------------

 

[jetstream]

Totally agree.

 

[gjkphd]

Quote:

Personally, I take these graphs with a grain of salt. If you just go by looking at the graph below, you'd think the PS500 is a bassy, treble lacking performer. FAR FROM IT. With the right source feeding it, the reproduction is as close to any musical instruments that I've ever heard through a headphone. I don't hear anything that indicates coloration.
 
If you hear the 225 in comparison, the bottom end is severely lacking and the upper mid and treble is bordering harsh. It was not until I experienced the PS500 did I realize how skewed the 225 is. They are not a good representation of what you actually hear from a musical instrument. In all honesty, I won't keep them as backups as I now find them so badly lacking. Sad but true.
 
I've been listening to Alison Krauss and Union Station, Paper Airplane, a modern recording with top notch mastering. The dobro and dreadnaughts sound much more like the real thing on PS500 than 225. Alison's vocals are absolutely breathtaking and reproduced spot-on, not a hint of harshness. The graph's means absolutely jack diddley squat to me. If the RS-2 is indeed that close to the 225 in the upper register, as the graph indicates, I am really glad i skipped over them, but something tells me that the "graph" will misrepresent those too. According to the graph, the RS2 and 225 look nearly like similar performers, but we all know that isn't the case.
 
The PS500 really has to be heard to be appreciated, I can't stress enough how much the source will impact the sound. I've been playing with multiple sources the past week.......big differences heard between all. A good transport with correct implementation will make the PS500 an absolutely breathtaking experience.
 
Equipment: Pioneer DV-58AV, Onkyo DV-SP506, Pioneer PD-F1007, Pioneer DV-610, Cowon J3, Cowon D2+, Logitech Touch, Logitech SB3, Dell Laptop (POS model), Emotiva XDA-1, Little Dot I+, Schiit Asgard.
 

I agree with the above.  You can't judge a headphone by it's color(ful graph).  I've had these phones for a week and I am thoroughly enjoying them.  They have a very big, fat soundstage and instruments sound quite real.  I had tried HF-2 and RS-1's and didn't prefer them to my trusty HHF-1's (which are HF-1's that have been woodied and recabled by Headphile).  The HF-500, in contrast, have a much tighter bass, full but not bloated.  I like the 'in your face' presentation particularly for classic rock and jazz.  On the higher end cymbals sound like cymbals to me.  They present much more detail than the HHF1's.   I've been comparing them to my Ultrasone Ed 8's and they are close and I may even prefer the HF-500's at less than half the price.   With a good source and amplification these phones really shine IMHO
 

 

[MacedonianHero]

Quote:

Personally, I take these graphs with a grain of salt. If you just go by looking at the graph below, you'd think the PS500 is a bassy, treble lacking performer. FAR FROM IT. With the right source feeding it, the reproduction is as close to any musical instruments that I've ever heard through a headphone. I don't hear anything that indicates coloration.
 
If you hear the 225 in comparison, the bottom end is severely lacking and the upper mid and treble is bordering harsh. It was not until I experienced the PS500 did I realize how skewed the 225 is. They are not a good representation of what you actually hear from a musical instrument. In all honesty, I won't keep them as backups as I now find them so badly lacking. Sad but true.
 
I've been listening to Alison Krauss and Union Station, Paper Airplane, a modern recording with top notch mastering. The dobro and dreadnaughts sound much more like the real thing on PS500 than 225. Alison's vocals are absolutely breathtaking and reproduced spot-on, not a hint of harshness. The graph's means absolutely jack diddley squat to me. If the RS-2 is indeed that close to the 225 in the upper register, as the graph indicates, I am really glad i skipped over them, but something tells me that the "graph" will misrepresent those too. According to the graph, the RS2 and 225 look nearly like similar performers, but we all know that isn't the case.
 
The PS500 really has to be heard to be appreciated, I can't stress enough how much the source will impact the sound. I've been playing with multiple sources the past week.......big differences heard between all. A good transport with correct implementation will make the PS500 an absolutely breathtaking experience.
 
Equipment: Pioneer DV-58AV, Onkyo DV-SP506, Pioneer PD-F1007, Pioneer DV-610, Cowon J3, Cowon D2+, Logitech Touch, Logitech SB3, Dell Laptop (POS model), Emotiva XDA-1, Little Dot I+, Schiit Asgard.
 

Actually the graphs are pretty spot on. I think the issue is that you're comparing the PS500 to the overly bright to be considered neutral RS2 and SR225. But when next to some of the more neutral headphones, they appear much less "dark". Though the mid-bass hump is there (classic Grado sound for the kick drum) and the trebl is rolled off a bit too soon.

 

[buffalowings]

Quote:

Actually the graphs are pretty spot on. I think the issue is that you're comparing the PS500 to the overly bright to be considered neutral RS2 and SR225. But when next to some of the more neutral headphones, they appear much less "dark". Though the mid-bass hump is there (classic Grado sound for the kick drum) and the trebl is rolled off a bit too soon.

i think the ps500 appears to be a bit recessed in the treble from looking at the graphs even if comparing with more balanced phones other then the sr225 and rs2 because the sr325is' graph wasn't too different from the 225 but the sound was markably more treble oriented

 

[oldshoe99]

Worst case with the PS-500 is the emphasis in the upper bass.  Just apply some compensation if it's too much and you get smooth detailed sound all the way up, with realistic instrument sounds.  I don't get the impression of any treble rolloff, but I can see where on some tracks with the upper bass emphasis, the treble might be partially obscured.