[krud484]

I happen to own a buttoned RS1 from the same era as well as the GS2ke. I also have the HD800 in house though it isn’t technically mine. I’m not a classical guy; I do have a few movie soundtracks and a lot of ambient music. I listened to stuff like classic rock, blues, new wave, reggae, punk, 80s pop, old school hip-hop, late 80s country, heavy metal, shoegaze, grunge, industrial, progressive rock, electronic, trip-hop, post-rock, and modern metal.

 

Some impressions

 

I’m at 20 hours on the GS2ke, and so far the midrange has such full bodied instrument and vocal clarity. It’s almost effortless to pluck out instruments and follow notation. The timbre is rich and lush yet immensely airy. There is superb depth & instrument separation.  The way it presents all the layers in strings, vocals, and keyboards is amazing to peel back in awe. The vivid lifelike open presentation still gives me the chills down my spine!

 

The tonality is a lot like the GH1. As @ESL-1 said, the GS2ke does every bit up the ante on the GH1’s sound profile. It is an even tonality that is very natural and analogue like.

 

Decay is among the fastest and cleanest. The transient power is just right. In the last 6 months, I’ve never felt this drawn into the music before. It is so transparent; it can be both emotionally and analytically engaging depending on the music.

 

Bass is still developing, so far it’s tight, clean, and controlled but doesn’t quite have that “slam.” It doesn’t extend very deep; instead it rolls off just before reaching the bottom. Nevertheless, sub bass rather exciting. I look forward to hearing the improvement in the bass.

 

I do get an awesome bass drum kick with very convincing “you are in the drummer’s seat” presence. What the treble may lack in impact most certainly makes up for in the details. The refinement of the drums is quite beautiful and exactly the sound I prefer. It’s fast, natural, crisp, and oh so airy without being forward or rolled off.

 

How the GS2ke stacks up

 

The sound is the merriment of the HD800 and GH1 together. The HD800 balanced on some Telefunken tubes sheds off the hot treble and sibilance others complain about. With that in mind, the GS2ke shares the same strengths in tonality, clarity, imaging, and soundstage width. Almost the same thing can be applied to the GH1. The scale is just bigger and more textured on the GS2ke.

 

The PS1k is the undisputed bass champ. It still has the most impactful treble without being hot. The buttoned RS1 is the most intimate acoustically and vocally. While it is scaled down pretty small, it makes up for it with arguably the most emotionally engaging sound profile in stripped down recordings.

 

The GS2ke is the best all around Grado I have. It certainly is a genre master. It doesn’t shine on any instrument over the other. No matter what I throw at it be it good or bad quality recordings, it does the material faithful justice.

 

It’s probably too early to call it, but this may very well be “the one” for me.

 

Balanced versus single end

 

These impressions come from about 75% single end and 25% balanced. When listening balanced, I noticed the soundstage gets a little bit wider and imaging is at its absolute pinpoint best. The midrange evens out a little more and the background details really pop out. On single end, the midrange pinches slightly forward offering a tighter presentation.

 

Note on the low hours. I’ve had these over a month, and work kind of got in the way. On the side, I’ve been upgrading to cleaner power with conditioners and hospital grade outlets.

 

Equipment used

Headphones: GS2ke (balanced), RS1 Vintage B, PS1k, GH1, HD800 (balanced)

DACs: iFi Micro iDSD, Benchmark DAC2 HGC (balanced)

Amps: Schiit Audio Lyr 2, Mjolnir 2 (balanced)
Tubes: Schiit LISST, Telefunken E88CC/6922

DAP: Pono Player w/ balanced adapter

 

[james6333]

Krud484,

Thanks for the write up. How does the bass impact/level compare to the HD800?

I demoed the HD800 S and PS1000e for the first time last week. They only had the GS1000i for demo so I passed on that audition.

 

[krud484]

Krud484,

Thanks for the write up. How does the bass impact/level compare to the HD800?

I demoed the HD800 S and PS1000e for the first time last week. They only had the GS1000i for demo so I passed on that audition.

I spend about an hour or two every other week with the HD800 which has a couple hundred hours on it. From memory, bass has some of the characteristics of the GS2ke, very controlled, clean, and wound. It does however, extend rather deep reaching the bottom without sounding bloated or muddy. That’s a good sign that the tubes paired with it are a perfect match.  The sub bass of the HD800 is reminiscent of the GS2ke; it’s wound and moderately felt. It’s not nearly as impactful with the detailed low end extension like the PS1k.
 
Hope that helps.

 

[Snowpuppy77]

Thank you for the very helpful replies.  The PS1000e are tempting and it may be hard to pick them over the new HD800S at the exact same price.  Also I am concerned about the PS1000s being heavy.  I think the light weight of the GS2000e would be a big plus as it is with my RS1s.  However if I knew the PS1000s sounded better to me than the HD800S and the GS2000e I would choose them.  I wonder if the bass punch of the GS2000e will improved with a more thorough breakin?  Some think the GS2000e have good bass extension some do not.  For me if the bass extension is considerably more than my vintage RS1 then I would be satisfied.  I am not a bass head.  Just want my cans to deliver the bass the artist intended.  
 
By the way I auditioned the Grado GH1, 325e, and the PS500e.  I did prefer the 325e over the GH1.  The GH1s I heard had a less impressive more closed in sound stage.  Also the timbre of instruments seems softened and I wonder if it is the maple wood I am hearing.  Has me a little concerned about the maple in the GS2000e.  That said I am taking that audition with a grain of salt as they may not have been broken in as much and I did not hear them for as long as I would have liked.

 

[joseph69]

  Thank you for the very helpful replies.  The PS1000e are tempting and it may be hard to pick them over the new HD800S at the exact same price.  Also I am concerned about the PS1000s being heavy.  I think the light weight of the GS2000e would be a big plus as it is with my RS1s.  However if I knew the PS1000s sounded better to me than the HD800S and the GS2000e I would choose them.  I wonder if the bass punch of the GS2000e will improved with a more thorough breakin?  Some think the GS2000e have good bass extension some do not.  For me if the bass extension is considerably more than my vintage RS1 then I would be satisfied.  I am not a bass head.  Just want my cans to deliver the bass the artist intended.  
 
By the way I auditioned the Grado GH1, 325e, and the PS500e.  I did prefer the 325e over the GH1.  The GH1s I heard had a less impressive more closed in sound stage.  Also the timbre of instruments seems softened and I wonder if it is the maple wood I am hearing.  Has me a little concerned about the maple in the GS2000e.  That said I am taking that audition with a grain of salt as they may not have been broken in as much and I did not hear them for as long as I would have liked.

I understand you didn't have enough time with the GH1…but the GH1 w/G cushions have a very nice sound-stage and for me improve everything over the "stock" L cushions. Hope one day you'll be able to hear them again with the G cushions.

 

[Snowpuppy77]

Would definitely like the hear the GH1 with the G-Cushions.  I have not ruled them out as a viable Grado at all.  The 325e I heard may have had more break in.  I am amazed at the level of audio quality the 325e delivers for only $300.  I think they may even sound better than my vintage RS1s.

 

[joseph69]

  Would definitely like the hear the GH1 with the G-Cushions.  I have not ruled them out as a viable Grado at all.  The 325e I heard may have had more break in.  I am amazed at the level of audio quality the 325e delivers for only $300.  I think they may even sound better than my vintage RS1s.

Ive never heard either the 325e/Vintage RS1, but I do have the 325is and I  agree that they deliver excellent SQ for their price.
I find my RS1i (which I'm listening to right now) to be more refined than the 325is…but when I want to listen to my collection of Grunge I reach for my 325is.

 

[ESL-1]

Thank you for the very helpful replies.  The PS1000e are tempting and it may be hard to pick them over the new HD800S at the exact same price.  Also I am concerned about the PS1000s being heavy.  I think the light weight of the GS2000e would be a big plus as it is with my RS1s.  However if I knew the PS1000s sounded better to me than the HD800S and the GS2000e I would choose them.  I wonder if the bass punch of the GS2000e will improved with a more thorough breakin?  Some think the GS2000e have good bass extension some do not.  For me if the bass extension is considerably more than my vintage RS1 then I would be satisfied.  I am not a bass head.  Just want my cans to deliver the bass the artist intended.  

By the way I auditioned the Grado GH1, 325e, and the PS500e.  I did prefer the 325e over the GH1.  The GH1s I heard had a less impressive more closed in sound stage.  Also the timbre of instruments seems softened and I wonder if it is the maple wood I am hearing.  Has me a little concerned about the maple in the GS2000e.  That said I am taking that audition with a grain of salt as they may not have been broken in as much and I did not hear them for as long as I would have liked.

If I get home one night this week on time I will do a little comparison listening on your behalf. I do think that the bass extension on the GS2000e does improve with break in. The weight of the PS1000 series was a turnoff for me until I was able to audition them at length at home. I found the weight is offset by how they support themselves on your head. Once on the weight is pretty much a non issue unless you decide to bend over at which point the weight might cause them to slide. I have my PS1000e about 8 months now and enjoy them immensely and have never felt uncomfortable or regretted the decision. That said the GS2000e and RS1 are still more comfortable due to extreme light weight. I will take out my vintage button RS1 in regard to the low end comparisons.

 

[XLR8]

I'd love to see a comparison between gs1000i and gs2ke.

 

[chry5alis]

The GS2ke seem to be US exclusive for now.  Does anyone know if that is likely to change?

 

[Snowpuppy77]

Appreciate that.  Hope you enjoy revisiting them.  I find that the RS1s are a little ripe in the bass or at least have a bass with more emphasis than neutral.  But they seem to have a great deal of roll off in the sub bass.  

 

[ruthieandjohn]

I'd love to see a comparison between gs1000i and gs2ke.

I plan to do such a comparison, but I am still at least two months down the list in the TTVJ GS2000e tour. But stay tuned...

 

[ESL-1]

It is great as more early owner's of the GS2000e are starting to post their own experiences and initial impressions. I am looking forward to not only more owners send in their thoughts but to hear progress reports from the the fellow's who are starting to log time on the phones. These definitely improve with time. Pleae post as you hit 50 hours and more importantly once you have over 100 hours on them.

Thanks.......

 

[buffer]

I've been running my new GS2Ke nearly continuously for about 48 hours ...not really long enough to provide a final set of impressions, but I wanted to offer a differing opinion from what some others have expressed.  I don't perceive the GS2Ke to sound rich or full bodied.  I perceive it to be bright and focused on the upper frequencies.  Thus far, bass is more of a spectator.  There is no punch or oomph from the bass and midbass.  While I know the unit is capable of outputting bass, like when I try low-bass test songs on Youtube, I hear very little bass when playing general music that isn't focused on absurd amounts of boosted bass.  Initially, I felt the overall sound was bright, tinny, a bit edgy and grainy.  The sound was dreadful, to be honest.  I do believe in burn in.  I think the headphone can go through subtle changes, and I believe our brains have an inherent EQ built in that allows us to adapt to a new sound.  I suspect, however, that if the unit isn't pleasing from the get go, it may never be completely pleasing.  I will be patient and keep an open mind.  But when I purchased the GH1, I thought it sounded great right out of the box.
 
After 48 hours of running the GS2000e, I do feel it has improved a bit.  It has lost some of the graininess and edginess I initially experienced.  It is also smoother than it was initially, though on occasion I sense a very slight amount of harshness in the vocals which I suspect is due to a slight emphasis placed on the upper frequencies of the voice.  Moreover, while the midrange may have improved slightly with burn-in, I still feel it leaves a bit to be desired.  The overall sound is still brighter and lighter (less bass and midbass impact and with less body and richness in the midrange) than the GH1.  Interestingly, the GS2kE does provide better-than-average impact for drums that hit in the upper midrange due to a slight emphasis in the upper mid frequencies, but the sound (timbre) is still not quite natural or fully fleshed out like I think it should be.  I would certainly classify the mids as thin sounding, and far from euphonic, which would be fine if it sounded realistic to me.  I think the GS2KE lacks just a little in the lower midrange and perhaps there is some sort of spike in the upper frequencies that I am sensing that keeps the overall sound from being "right" ...I don't know, it's hard to put my finger on it.  The overall tonal balance just seems a bit off to me.
 
In comparing the GH1 to the GS2KE, I do recognize the GS2Ke has a larger more open sound, a clearer sound, and the bass may be slightly tighter, giving a perception of less quantity.  So far, I am still not a fan of the GS2000e but I will continue to run it and listen to see if my impressions change.   A non-audiophile person who listened, thought the GS2kE sounded tinny and somewhat unnatural.  He preferred a significantly cheaper (sub $100) headphone.  I cannot disagree with his impressions, having heard many great headphones that offer what I perceive to be a more balanced and musically engaging sound.
 
A word on my equipment: My Grado is the 1/4" cabled version.  I used the Grado with a laptop but predominantly, I use the Grado with an Oppo BDP-105 / Liquid Carbon amp.
 
I am willing to consider that there could be variations in units that account for differences in opinion.  Or it could be that I just hear things somewhat differently than others who have expressed their opinion.  Or maybe the headphone really does require further burn-in.  But so far, I don't hear deep bass, or even a reasonable quantity of bass.  Upper upper midbass may be ok, but midbass also seems lacking.  And like I said, I do not perceive the mids to be rich, though they certainly aren't bad.  I do like the clarity and the particular voicing does allow me to hear some things that don't pop out when listening to other high-end headphones.
 
I wonder though...  if the price of these headphones was $50 and there was no fancy wood housing, would people have a different perception of the sound?  I don't know, but I often wonder about that when listening to expensive headphones for the first time when they underwhelm me.  After additional time I will update my impressions if they change substantially.
 
A final thought regarding my preferences -  I tend to listen at about 75 to 85 db and I listen to a variety of music including rock, easy listening, classic rock, and orchestral.  And in case you are wondering, I am not a bass-head.  I like the bass to be of high quality and full sounding.  But I do not like it 'plump' or overly warm.  My preference is for a well-balanced, natural, rich, but neutral sound that is large, clear, and impactful.  If not completely neutral, then live and visceral are preferred.  Unfortunately, the Grado GS2KE struggles to meet many of those criteria for me.
 
Happy listening!

 

[james6333]

A final thought regarding my preferences -  I tend to listen at about 75 to 85 db and I listen to a variety of music including rock, easy listening, classic rock, and orchestral.  And in case you are wondering, I am not a bass-head.  I like the bass to be of high quality and full sounding.  But I do not like it 'plump' or overly warm.  My preference is for a well-balanced, natural, rich, but neutral sound that is large, clear, and impactful.  If not completely neutral, then live and visceral are preferred.  Unfortunately, the Grado GS2KE struggles to meet many of those criteria for me.

Happy listening!

Thanks for the honest impression.