I just received my RS-2 and am loving it. There is one thing that I
have to do and that is to use EQ. The 2.5kHz peak is too much for my ears. Without EQ, I can hardly turn the volume up to hear the bass before the upper mid peak becomes too piercing. I am really against EQ because it does have certain inadequacies, but I must use it for the RS-2 otherwise they become unlistenable.
Here is the EQ I use for iTunes and rock:
This is the EQ for just normal listening:
I slightly boost the bass region and lower mids to add some warmth to the otherwise thin sound. The treble is mainly boosted to improve the overall ambience retrieval. 2.5kHz attenuated for good reasons. I don't understand how one can listen to them without attenuating at 2.5kHz. Maybe it's because I'm using them straight out of the Audiophile USB... (incidentally, I don't use EQ with the Baby O)
For rock, the RS-2 with a bit of EQ'ing absolutely destroy the HE60. It sounds thinner, more upfront, more lively, has better bass extension and has better bass impact. The HE60 sounds smoother, much more refined, more detailed but nowhere near as thrilling to listen to. It's too tame and too perfect sounding. I'd prefer the HE60 for classical music, but it just doesn't do it for me for rock.
I usually don't listen to much rock, but when I do, I listen to Guns 'n Roses, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Darkness, Dire Straits, Coldplay, Nirvana, Pink Floyd, Maroon 5, etc... Now that I have the RS-2, I've been given a completely different outlook on rock music and you bet I'll be listening to much more of it
I don't recall the SR-325i or even the HF-1 giving me the same pleasure... I wonder how the RS-1 sound.
Two thumbs up
(no idea about synergy with the Stello though...)
