[DavidMahler]

I was wondering if the sonic differences between the RS1 and RS2 are comparable in deviation as the HD600 vs HD650.   Meaning there is no clear winner between the two Sennheisers in terms of unanimous agreement.  Anyone prefer the RS2 over the RS1? If so how come?

 

[Nubster]

I have only listened to the RS1 but the owner of the audio place I tried them at claims they are so close that he always recommends the RS2 over the RS1 just because of the savings in cost. I know that probably doesn't help but that is all the experience I have. 

 

[c540]

 
I owned the buttoned RS-2 and the buttonless non i RS-1 at the same time (along with the 325i and the sr80i) 
 
I listened to them through a macbook pro > lossless > Apogee Duet 
 
I found the RS-2 and RS-1 to be very different headphones. Though both are very resolving and detailed.
 
I found the sound signature closer between the RS1 and the 325i vs. the RS-2.
 
I was listening to the RS-1 and the 325i the majority of the time, so I let the RS-2 go.
 
If you look at the headroom frequency response graphs for the RS-2 and RS-1 (yeah I know 

)  the 4-5k hz boost of the RS-1 and the 5-6k hz boost of the RS-2  illustrate what I found to be the differences when I compared the two phones.
 
I remember that I thought the vocals on the RS-2 were more prominent and emphasized, female vocals were really sweet, perhaps because of a little less bass and the slight gain of the RS-2 at 3-4k. 
 
I thought there was more of a "fullness" and coherency to the RS-1 ( I remember I thought the RS-1 was "smoother" ) when compared directly to the RS-2, but with the RS-1 occasionally having too much of a mid-bass hump depending on the music.
 
 
I can see why some people would prefer the RS-2 to the RS-1. The treble was less fatiguing, the bass was tighter and the RS-2 had a SLAM! (the attack of the drums and percussion)  that is not as prominent on the RS-1. 
 
Overall I prefer  RS-1 to the RS-2 and 325i, but the 325i did something to guitars that I miss when listening to the same song with the RS-1.
 
In the end it was something missing in the "fullness" of the guitars (maybe decay?) that really bothered me when l listened to the RS-2's. I could not get over it.
 
Sometimes I really miss the RS-2, but not enough to buy another one ( yet).
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

[priest]

I've never owned them side by side (I currently own the RS1i), and so I can't do a meaningful comparison, but I have more attachment to the RS2i. While they do seem very similar, I felt like the RS2i actually gave me more "slam," like c540 says -- whatever the reason, they were more involving and I enjoyed listening to them more. Unfortunately, they were also less comfortable. I expect that one day I will own the RS2i again. I've always missed them.

 

[DavidMahler]

Quote:

I've never owned them side by side (I currently own the RS1i), and so I can't do a meaningful comparison, but I have more attachment to the RS2i. While they do seem very similar, I felt like the RS2i actually gave me more "slam," like c540 says -- whatever the reason, they were more involving and I enjoyed listening to them more. Unfortunately, they were also less comfortable. I expect that one day I will own the RS2i again. I've always missed them.

Hmmm, what made them less comfortable?