[zazex]

The bass is solid and very satisfying.
It doesn't resonate much, it's not soft and bouncy,
it's clean, taut, and very much there.
I never feel as if I'm missing anything with respect to the bass.
 
 
I listened to several albums;
here are some of them:
 
Gustav Holst: The Cloud Messenger
Gustav Holst: The Planets (Levine)
Karnataka: The Delicate Flame of Desire
Iggy & the Stooges: Fun House
Al Stewart: Modern Times (prod.by Alan Parsons)
Pink Floyd: The Wall (remastered)
Toy Matinee: Toy Matinee
Freezepop: Fancy Ultra Fresh
Brian Eno: Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy (2004 remaster)
Smashing Pumpkins: Siamese Dream (original version)
J.S. Bach: The Well Tempered Clavier (Hewitt, piano)
                The Well Tempered Clavier (Jarrett, piano)
                The Art of Fugue (Leonhardt, harpsichord)
                The Art of Fugue (Hill, harpsichord)
G.F. Handel: The Marian Cantatas (Goebel; Ann Sophie von Otter)
Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 4 (Van Karajan)
Gentle Giant: Octopus (Repertoire remaster)
Marcel Dupre: Works for Organ (John Scott)
Six Organs of Admittance: The Sun Awakens
Main: Hydra-Calm
Jean-Michel Jarre: Oxygene (1997 remaster)
Redshift: Colder

 

[willyvlyminck]

Thx Zazex for this really informative reply, and the thundering bass on some "Octopus" Songs from Gentle Giant sounded right? But in the end you decided to go for the RS1i ,what does this one even better altrough this one is out of my Budget. In Europe,the Pricee figures are the same but in Euro, which make a difference on most models of 100 Euro.
The 325is is still acceptable certainly with it´s sonic Quality in mind ,Price 330 Euro.,the RS2i Comes at 499 Euro, which is almost 170 Euro more expensive, ok I like the woodcups more from the visible aspect but in the end only the sonic Quality Counts.The RS1i cost 750 Euro...

 

[zazex]

IMO the 325is, the latest version, is a better sounding headphone than the RS2i.
The balance is better.  It doesn't have quite the reach, transparency, and openness of
the RS2i's high end; but the RS2i IMO is flawed in that the mids and especially the bass
don't come anywhere close to matching the quality of the treble.
 
I compared the 325is and RS2i carefully for about a month, and ultimately decided
that I had to give credit where it was due: the 325is all around would be my choice
between the two.
 
What ended up happening, though, was that I couldn't get the remarkable treble
of the RS1i out of my mind (ears?).  So I essentially put away the 325is's with
the intention of selling them (I'd gone well past the retailer's return date.)
 
A few weeks later I "reached" a bit and bought the RS1i.
And I think it's been a great decision because I really love listening to them.
 
That's my take on the sonic quality of these three headphones,
keeping it short and direct as possible.

 

[willyvlyminck]

But what about the bass in the RS1i ? Can´t imagine,you just fall for them tor this reason unless you are listening to 90% vocal and acoustic Music?

 

[zazex]

 
But what about the bass in the RS1i ? Can´t imagine,you just fall for them tor this reason unless you are listening to 90% vocal and acoustic Music?

 
The bass is not the reason to "fall for them", but it is very, very good.
 
Unlike the RS2i, in which the bass is weak (as I mentioned).
 
The RS1i's real strengths are in the mids and highs, which seem
to extend upwards 'forever'.  Detail is terrific, and transparency
is really remarkable. 
 
Again, the bass in the RS1i complements the mids and highs
very well - there's no lack of bass unless you consider yourself
a "basshead"

.  If so, you'd probably want to look at other
headphones.

 

[willyvlyminck]

No, i just want to hear the bass guitar as it is meant to be, like for example with Gentle Giant where the bass is far more than only a part of the rhythm section. Also think of Yes with "Fragile" and the furious bass work of Primus in their best works.

 

[zazex]

No, i just want to hear the bass guitar as it is meant to be, like for example with Gentle Giant where the bass is far more than only a part of the rhythm section. Also think of Yes with "Fragile" and the furious bass work of Primus in their best works.

Yes, that's the type and quality of bass you'll get from the RS1i's
(and to a very similar extent from the SR325is's too).

 

[iPaintCode]

Call me crazy but my favorite Grado is the SR325i (well I own the MS2 cousin from Alessandro). I had the RS1i and RS2 and out of all these cans I sold the RS1i's, returned the RS2's and kept the MS2's and have a pair of PS500's and well fond of them. I feel the SR325i is the poor mans RS1i but that's just me, for high volume Rock (PRaT) the last thing I'm doing is listening to how great the soundstage is, I want to hear them guitars screamin'.

 

[annar]

  My experience of about a month ago,
with the 325i's and RS2i's:
 
DX50 > O2, Cardas interconnect
FLAC files only
 
 
I was surprised that the 325is's were not as bright as 
everyone says they are - they really weren't very bright
at all.
 
I wonder if this is a consequence of Grado moving to
aluminium cups from the former brass (IIRC).  
Nice solid bass from the 325is's as well, with the
expected transparency.
 
The high end of the RS2i's was absolutely intoxicating.
Awesomely detailed, open, clear, dimensional.
However, the bass was weak.
Midrange was very good.
 
After days of listening - how could I do without that
fantastic high end of the RS2i?  But it began to 
dawn on me that the light bass was unacceptable.
 
The bass on the 325is's, was better, clearly.
Also the entire sound integrated better and more
congruently on the 325is's.  Other than the treble,
IMO the 325is's were (are) better headphones.
 
Soon thereafter, I parted ways with both of these,
because I'd decided what I would do: the only option
I could think of: buy the RS1i's.  Yep, that $700 bite
is significant, but I'm thrilled with the decision.
I've had the RS1's for about a month, and they're
really terrific.  Those freakishly good highs are
there as in the RS2i's, but the rest of the sound
is also great.  
 
They've become my go-to headphones except
for outside wear, or if I need to wear closed headphones.
 
TL;DR: SR325is's over the RS2i's.
           Significantly better: RS1i's.

Well where do I go from here  ? -------- 
I am not able to personally audition either and am trying to resolve the question of which one- RS2e or 325e , "e" because these are latest with reduced harshness in top end.
My issue is a $300 AU difference, is it really justified?

 

[annar]

  My experience of about a month ago,
with the 325i's and RS2i's:
 
DX50 > O2, Cardas interconnect
FLAC files only
 
 
I was surprised that the 325is's were not as bright as 
everyone says they are - they really weren't very bright
at all.
 
I wonder if this is a consequence of Grado moving to
aluminium cups from the former brass (IIRC).  
Nice solid bass from the 325is's as well, with the
expected transparency.
 
The high end of the RS2i's was absolutely intoxicating.
Awesomely detailed, open, clear, dimensional.
However, the bass was weak.
Midrange was very good.
 
After days of listening - how could I do without that
fantastic high end of the RS2i?  But it began to 
dawn on me that the light bass was unacceptable.
 
The bass on the 325is's, was better, clearly.
Also the entire sound integrated better and more
congruently on the 325is's.  Other than the treble,
IMO the 325is's were (are) better headphones.
 
Soon thereafter, I parted ways with both of these,
because I'd decided what I would do: the only option
I could think of: buy the RS1i's.  Yep, that $700 bite
is significant, but I'm thrilled with the decision.
I've had the RS1's for about a month, and they're
really terrific.  Those freakishly good highs are
there as in the RS2i's, but the rest of the sound
is also great.  
 
They've become my go-to headphones except
for outside wear, or if I need to wear closed headphones.
 
TL;DR: SR325is's over the RS2i's.
           Significantly better: RS1i's.

Well where do I go from here  ? -------- 
I am not able to personally audition either and am trying to resolve the question of which one- RS2e or 325e , "e" because these are latest with reduced harshness in top end.
My issue is a $300 AU difference, is it really justified?

 

[zazex]

  Well where do I go from here  ? -------- 
I am not able to personally audition either and am trying to resolve the question of which one- RS2e or 325e , "e" because these are latest with reduced harshness in top end.
My issue is a $300 AU difference, is it really justified?

 
You simply don't have enough information to make an informed decision...
 
So it's more or less a "crapshoot" (if you don't mind the expression)
I guess I'm telling you something you already know.

 
From what I've seen, FWIW, there's not a whole lot of info available yet on those two models.
 
I've not heard either of them.
I did buy the RS1e's, they sounded amazing, they were very uncomfortable
(and I usually don't have an issue with the comfort of Grado's), I returned them.
 
If you can wait until there are some more reviews...

 

[annar]

Agreed, not enough info on "e" models yet, so re-phrase query---
Is the price difference which is considerable, warranted for the RS2i against the 325is ??
Yes or No.       opinions please guys.

 

[020Assassin]

  Well where do I go from here  ? -------- 
I am not able to personally audition either and am trying to resolve the question of which one- RS2e or 325e , "e" because these are latest with reduced harshness in top end.
My issue is a $300 AU difference, is it really justified?

See if you can find an SR325iS. I compared mine with both RS2i, RS2e and SR325e, wouldn't want to trade them for any of them.

 

[GreenBow]

I'm in a similar place, considering buying either an SR325e of an RS2e. Still no pro-reviews of the RS2e and little info on them.