[chesebert]

My take from CanJam Dallas:
Grados's new HP-100-SE ($2,495) - heard these at the Schiitt table on three different stacks (small-medium and large, if you will); Midgard/Modius vs. Lyrr3/Bifrost vs. Mjolnir3/Gungnir2. Super-spacious and detailed sound; great bass for a Grado (very good but not great bass in the wider world); They did scale well as I went up the line of Schiitt. My issue...SUPER BRIGHT (even for a Grado)! I compared head to head with the GS-3000x and found that one to have a much warmer tonal balance in comparison.

These will appeal to people who want every detail and favor a bright presentation. For the record, the Lyrr3/Bifrost stack had a Lokius EQ unit, so I played with that and dialed down the treble to try and suit my own preference for a warmer sound. It helped, but even with that, the HP100SE was still too bright for me personally.

Hard pass for me. This is nothing like the HP1000 driver. I didn't have much hope in the first place anyway.

 

[RHMMMM]

How is this compared to a PS2000e?

 

[Beagle]

My take from CanJam Dallas:
Grados's new HP-100-SE ($2,495) - heard these at the Schiitt table on three different stacks (small-medium and large, if you will); Midgard/Modius vs. Lyrr3/Bifrost vs. Mjolnir3/Gungnir2. Super-spacious and detailed sound; great bass for a Grado (very good but not great bass in the wider world); They did scale well as I went up the line of Schiitt. My issue...SUPER BRIGHT (even for a Grado)! I compared head to head with the GS-3000x and found that one to have a much warmer tonal balance in comparison.

These will appeal to people who want every detail and favor a bright presentation. For the record, the Lyrr3/Bifrost stack had a Lokius EQ unit, so I played with that and dialed down the treble to try and suit my own preference for a warmer sound. It helped, but even with that, the HP100SE was still too bright for me personally.

In honour of Joseph Grado and super bright??

Joe would not approve.

 

[dpump]

Amazing how a few people can say something and it suddenly becomes 'fact'. Give it a rest until quality reviewers have their chance to evaluate the headphone.

 

[JerseyD]

Amazing how a few people can say something and it suddenly becomes 'fact'. Give it a rest until quality reviewers have their chance to evaluate the headphone.

My opinion is certainly not fact. We all have our preferences. Bright to me might be warm and cozy to you. Can’t wait to hear what your “quality reviewers” have to say.

 

[Luckyleo]

Amazing how a few people can say something and it suddenly becomes 'fact'. Give it a rest until quality reviewers have their chance to evaluate the headphone.

I'll add, that listening at CanJam vs. listening @ home with your setup and your music are two different experiences. Also, as I mentioned previously, I believe that the units listened to were not burned in. Patience my friends

 

[jonathan c]

Amazing how a few people can say something and it suddenly becomes 'fact'. Give it a rest until quality reviewers have their chance to evaluate the headphone.

...what / who are 'quality reviewers'? Those who plunk down their own hard-earned money on audio gear -- especially upscale gear -- are those whose experience / opinion I value.

 

[trellus]

Amazing how a few people can say something and it suddenly becomes 'fact'. Give it a rest until quality reviewers have their chance to evaluate the headphone.

Yeahhhhh… I certainly did NOT hear “super bright” AT ALL with those.

 

[Kammerat Rebekka]

In honour of Joseph Grado and super bright??

Joe would not approve.

Of course he would! Grado have been making super bright headphones for as long as I can remember. Every model from the cheapest SR60X to something like the GS3000X and everything in between is super bright. Even the supposed warm leaning PS500 is bright af.
All Grados come with that mountainous peak around 2k which makes them VERY bright.
That is also the charm of them and why my buddy loves them to death.
Let’s not kid ourselves here; Grado are a niche within a niche and one of the only makes that still continues to produce bright sounding headphones.
I’m actually glad that they’re sticking to their guns, even if I am not a fan of their house sound.

 

[solid12345]

Yeahhhhh… I certainly did NOT hear “super bright” AT ALL with those.

Personally I always found Schitt gear especially the Mjolnir 3 to have a bit of a hot treble. I’d be curious for someone to hear it on tubes.

 

[solid12345]

Of course he would! Grado have been making super bright headphones for as long as I can remember. Every model from the cheapest SR60X to something like the GS3000X and everything in between is super bright.

Grado has always leaned bright but it’s also a flexible sound to where the same exact headphone can be piercing and shrill on one amp and have silky smooth highs and a 3D-midrange on others. It’s one reason I fell in love with the brand it’s tailored for people who like to tinker around with equipment synergies.

 

[Kammerat Rebekka]

Grados are definitely inherantly bright. It’s the house tuning and I love the fact that there are still headphone makes that go their own way.
The only times I’ve ever heard Grados without that inherant brightness have been where the owner swapped pads, not via different amps and dacs. I’ve also heard them on various tube amps that gave them a bit of bass boost but never removed the Grado peak in the uppermids. There are a couple of pads out there that tone down that 2k peak and make the sound signature more smooth, but then again you also end up robbing the headphone of it’s intended purpose.
Even if I don’t get along with Grados I know plenty that do. The world would be a poorer place without different spices, and in a hobby that revolves around individual tastebuds, Grado offers up something wholly unique. Sure I’d probably buy one if they started making headphones without that endemic 2k peak, but in the process they’d loose their fanbase like my buddy.
Joe Grado would be proud to have his company continue to make headphones like they’ve always done - and that should include the super bright house sound imho.

 

[trellus]

I didn’t hear “super bright” on the HP100 SE - I heard “super bright” on the RS1X, on the other hand…

 

[sling5s]

Yeahhhhh… I certainly did NOT hear “super bright” AT ALL with those.

Could you share what you did hear?

 

[sling5s]

The impression did say “super bright (even for Grados)”!
“Even for Grados” is something to note.

I know people use the term bright loosely but to me “bright” refers to treble range. Which to me starts around 6khz.
2khz spike to me is upper mids.
Grados in general do also have lower treble spike around 5-7khz and mid treble spike around 10khz.